New to reloading the 6.5

[Bretandry]

Hello..I have been running my AR platform 6.5 Grendel for a while now. I am running the 123gr Hornady black or the Alexander (Lapua) 123 gr loads. I will be reusing that brass the only 6.5 rounds I could find are the Hornady 120 gr ELD. I have a couple powders to choose from on my shelf....H335...VV N140 and Hogdon benchmark precision target rifle powder. Can anyone give some advice on a decent starting recipe and best powder for this bullet weight? I am pushing them through a Shilen 18" 1-8 barrel.

[Harpoon1]

Do you have a adjustable gas block? I know it seems like a silly question but, tuning the gas flow can have a dramatic effect on “pressure signs”.

Which in turn, has an effect on how much pressure you “think” you’re seeing!

Barrel length? Gas system length?

[sbowhuntr]

Benchmark gives good velocities and is a better choice than 335 in my opinion, also much more temp stable. Can't say about vvn140 as I never used it. Starting load for Benchmark is 23.0g giving 2100fps and max is 27.1 giving 2450fps in 18" barrels in the Hornady book. Hogdon is probably a bit higher in charge weights with 120 class pills as Hornady data seems to be a bit reserved.

[Bretandry]

Thank you sir I know my factory ammo runs about 2450 fps and my results have been pretty good so far sounds like the Benchmark is a good choice to kinda stay in that lane for now.

[sbowhuntr]

I run Benchmark and speer 90g tnt with great results, so great I'm done messing with any other bullet/powder.

[sundowner]

I use H335 for my 120 ELDM , 28.7 at about 2550fps . They shoot lights out out of my 24" upper .

[LRRPF52]

Out of those 3 powders, I would choose H335 under a 120gr cup & core bullet.

A big thing you have to figure out with the 120gr ELD-M is your allowable seating depth, since it has more of a tangent ogive.

Depending on what type of chamber you have, it might mean normal seating depth around 2.245-2.260”, or you might have to seat deeper below 2.200”.

123gr ELD-M allows normal seating depth in most Grendel chambers.

[Bretandry]

How can I determine this chamber issue for seating depth??

[Bretandry]

Can I do the loctite on a bullet in an uncrimped case to get my length to lands and just back this bullet off .020??

[LRRPF52]

I personally make dummy cases if I’m loading a new bullet I haven’t done before.

I’ll take a de-primed and re-sized case, seat a bullet in it to the maximum magazine-length allowable COL, color the ogive with black marker, and see if that seats with a light seat into the chamber (not trying to force it into the chamber).

I then remove that dummy cartridge and see where the rifling marks are, if any.

I’ll measure with calipers any visible land engagement marks on the colored ogive, then seat the bullet a bit deeper than that, then double-check that the dummy cartridge chambers and drops free from the chamber with gravity.

That’s just what I like to do because it feels more practical to me.

Others like to use the bullet seating depth gauge, which is how I learned, but variances in how that process works steered me away from it.

I have a boat load of older PPU brass that uses LRPs, which I have no intent to use for loading, so I use them for dummy cartridges with various bullets already seated in them I can reference when I go to load them again.

[myrifle]

How can I determine this chamber issue for seating depth??

Hornady makes a set of tools for measuring the coal length to contact in your chamber.

Check midwayusa. You will need micrometer, modified grendel case and the .350 comparator bushing.

[Dub]

Hornady makes a set of tools for measuring the coal length to contact in your chamber.

Check midwayusa. You will need micrometer, modified grendel case and the .350 comparator bushing.

What is funny is the fact the elusive 6.5G modified case became out of stock everywhere about a day before I decided to get one. I have 'em in most other cartridges I'll be loading for...but this one.

[Kosh65]

Make your own modified case. Use a universal decapping die to punch out the primer. U don’t want to resize the neck. Drill the primer pocket on a lathe or a drill press will suffice. Tap the hole with a die. If I remember correctly? The Hornady tool is 5/16”x 32 tpi.

[Klem]

Dub,

I agree with Kosh - best to make your own in the current climate.

With the Hornady generic case you have to measure the difference between their case and your own spent cases, and account for the difference when measuring. By making your own you don't have to worry about this. If you don't have the facilities a gunsmith or machine shop will do this in 5 minutes, cheap as chips. The thread is an unusual one so it is not a standard in tap and die kits.

[Old Bob]

The Hornady tool is 5/16"x36 tpi. According to the table I have, it takes a 7.3mm drill for that tap. You can get a set at Amazon...

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/reviews/B0195UFBUY

Some of the reviews for this tap/drill set say they buyer used it for making their own cases for the Hornday/Stoney Point OAL gauge.

[Kosh65]

Old Bob is correct on the tap size. Sorry, my bad. Was trying to go off memory. Sometimes it ain’t as fresh as it used to be.

As far as the drill bit size………I use a size “L” (0.290”) But you could substitute really close in diameter as brass is quite soft.

[Old Bob]

Old Bob is correct on the tap size. Sorry, my bad. Was trying to go off memory. Sometimes it ain’t as fresh as it used to be.

As far as the drill bit size………I use a size “L” (0.290”) But you could substitute really close in diameter as brass is quite soft.

I have a 9/32 bit which is a hair wider (.28125") than a letter "K" jobber bit (.281"). It works well for tapping cases. I take them to my brother when I need to make one. He has a mini lathe which keeps everything in line.