Grendel on the Cheap

[Valjean]

I currently have about $905 in my Grendel and reloading equipment

PSA 18" SS barrel Upper $350
PSA Lower Build $150
Vortex Crossfire 4-12x40 AO scope $189
Magazine $15.99

I am using a Lee Precision 50th anniversary press with Hornady Dies $200


The following are range results from different loads using this budget set-up. This is to give others an idea of what they can expect from a budget build. Targets were at 100m for each of the tests

Hornady Black (manufactured)

[ATTACH=CONFIG]15202[/ATTACH]



100g TTSX with 27g Benchmark
[ATTACH=CONFIG]15203[/ATTACH]

100g TTSX with 28g Benchmark
[ATTACH=CONFIG]15204[/ATTACH]

100g TTSX with 28.5g Benchmark
[ATTACH=CONFIG]15205[/ATTACH]


129g Interbond with 29g CFE223
[ATTACH=CONFIG]15206[/ATTACH]

129g Interbond with 29.5g CFE223
[ATTACH=CONFIG]15207[/ATTACH]

129g Interbond with 30g CFE223
[ATTACH=CONFIG]15208[/ATTACH]

120g GMX with 30g CFE223
[ATTACH=CONFIG]15209[/ATTACH]

120g GMX with 30.5g CFE223
[ATTACH=CONFIG]15210[/ATTACH]

120g GMX with 31g CFE223
[ATTACH=CONFIG]15211[/ATTACH]

[Valjean]

Continued:

95g Vmax with 27.5 Benchmark
[ATTACH=CONFIG]15212[/ATTACH]

95g Vmax with 28 Benchmark
[ATTACH=CONFIG]15214[/ATTACH]

95g Vmax with 28.5 Benchmark
[ATTACH=CONFIG]15213[/ATTACH]

95g Vmax with 29 Benchmark
[ATTACH=CONFIG]15215[/ATTACH]

95g Vmax with 32g CFE223
[ATTACH=CONFIG]15216[/ATTACH]

95g Vmax with 33g CFE223
[ATTACH=CONFIG]15217[/ATTACH]

[Lemonaid]

Thanks for sharing your results.
I would add my vote to the others on the forum that after break in any new Grendel be tested first with Sierra 120 Match King bullets.
That will give you the best accuracy benchmark. (find out first at what OAL they touch lands).
If the 120MK won't group under an inch at 100 yards there is a problem in your build/barrel/rest/mounts/scope/rest/shooting technique.

[A5BLASTER]

Thanks for sharing your results.
I would add my vote to the others on the forum that after break in any new Grendel be tested first with Sierra 120 Match King bullets.
That will give you the best accuracy benchmark. (find out first at what OAL they touch lands).
If the 120MK won't group under an inch at 100 yards there is a problem in your build/barrel/rest/mounts/scope/rest/shooting technique.

Yea there is no absolute like that with any bullet. I have 2 barrels that hate the 120 mk but shoot routinely under a inch with 120 fusion, 123 eld-m, 123 scenar, 123 nosler cc, 85 trex, 129 ablr.

[FLshooter]

What I’ve learned is that the weakest link for accuracy is your barrel. I would try to find what it likes and if you can’t get it to shoot the groups you want you have two choices.
Your first choice is to send it back to PSA ,they will rebarrel and return it. Then you start the break in process and finding out what it likes all over again. You will spend time and money on ammunition.
Your second option would be to re-barrel with a quality barrel ,this can cost you up to $600 but it will get you the groups that you’re looking for.

[sbowhuntr]

Looks like it works with the 95g vmax and cfe223. One of my 2 grendel gas guns wants nothing to do with bullets over 120g, I've tried 100s of powder/bullet/oal loads and it just prefers the light bullets. It really loves the hornady 100g interlocks which is now discontinued. Good thing I have a ton of them on hand. My best with the 95g vmax is benchmark and h335, also imr8208xbr. I only burn cfe223 in my 6.5 creedmoor with 95g vmax.

[Valjean]

Yeah, it's pretty crazy that Interbond is about 6MOA and 95Vmax is about 0.4 MOA and the Vmax are second run bargain bullets.

[sbowhuntr]

Both my grendels absolutely love the 95g vmax and the speer 90g tnt. I been testing the newish nosler 90g varmaggeddon and they are also performing excellent.

[204 AR]

I've tried a couple different diameters of Interbond, I'm a Hornady fan to some degree, but Interbonds are about the worst shooting bullet I've ever tried.

My buddy's 20" PSA likes 100 gr Amax with H335, which was a load I had laying around from a previous build of mine.