RAR6.5 hand loads with CFE223?

[JCart]

Hi Fellas, relatively new to the 6.5 Grendel only had mine a year. Ruger American Ranch 16.1” barrel bolt gun. In Western Canada currently (like elsewhere I’m thinking), loading components are a challenge to come by. Best results from IMR8208XBR and Reloader 10x with 100 grn booolits in Hornady ELD-M and Nosler Partions in 100grn too. Upon reading here and other sites not found any loading data using Hodgdon CFE223 any recommendations on a starting load using above bullets?
Thank you,
jrc

[Old Bob]

Welcome to the Horde JCart...

CFE223 & 100gn bullet loads are sparse for the 6.5 Grendel. The Grendel Vol. II handbook has one load using CFE223 & 100gn Hornady AMAX bullets. The ELD-M is Hornady's replacement for the AMAX. With CCI450 primers, it shows a starting load of 32gns & a Max of 34.1gns. From a 24in barrel it shows a velocity range of 2836fps to 3000fps. If I were to use the 100gn Partitions & ELD-Ms, I'd probably start another 3gns lighter at 29gns.

If you don't have the Grendel reloading handbooks, you ought to order a set. There's a wealth of information in them from guys who have already worked up loads for this cartridge.

https://www.ar15buildbox.com/shop/c/p/65...555123.htm

[biodsl]

If you don't have the Grendel reloading handbooks, you ought to order a set. There's a wealth of information in them from guys who have already worked up loads for this cartridge.

Second this. I found volume II particularly good.

[outbreaker]

CFE223 was listed on the Hodgdon website for years. Now it has disappeared. I think due to the way it spikes hard at the top end of the safe range.

[VASCAR2]

Hornady has load data for the 6.5 Grendel using CFE223. I have probably loaded more CFE223 in 6.5 Grendel than any other powder. I’ve used it mostly with 120-123 grain bullets but have used it with 85 grain Sierra varmint bullets.

[JCart]

Thanks for the insight and assistance fellas, much appreciated. @VASCAR2 can’t believe I missed that…. thanks for pointing that out for me, guess I shoulda just looked to bottom of page, Geeez.??
Cheers thanks again.

[LRRPF52]

There is a lot of CFE223 data here on the site.

Hornady was first to publish data with it many years ago.

It has been my go-to powder for about 8 years in 6.5 Grendel, but my needs may differ from yours.

I mostly have loaded Grendel for the purpose of hitting 2-3 MOA steel targets out to 1000yds.

Under 100gr bullets, CFE223 works best when you have a higher case fill. It’s a bit on the slower side for 100gr cup and core, but will optimize as you reach higher charge weights.

The maximum charge weights will be different between the 100gr ELD-M and 100gr Partition due to the resistance from the Partition wall.

I’ve used it under monolithic bullets as well, including a custom 94gr Hornady GMX, Barnes 100gr TTSX, and Lehigh 95gr Controlled Chaos.

We have a search engine for the site too listed under “Announcements”.

32.0gr is a good start load for 100gr ELD-M, working up in .3gr increments.

For the 100gr Barnes TTSX, I started with 31.2gr and worked up to 32.5gr.

I hit 2646fps at 32.5gr from the 17.6” Lilja Grendel just testing out various hunting loads.

I normally just load 31.2gr of CFE223 under 123gr A-MAX and mass-produce that in 100-200rd batches.

I’ve shot thousands of rounds of that through multiple rifles over the years.

For 94gr GMX, I was loading 33.9gr pushing 2750fps.

I would still load the 100gr Nosler Partition starting with 32.0gr and work up from there in .3gr increments.

With Grendel, I think for hunting it makes sense to keep things in a tame muzzle velocity and impact speed window where you get expansion and penetration, without blowing bullets up.

You don’t need crazy velocities to make it perform well with most of the cup and core hunting bullets on the market.

Higher velocity is more warranted with the monolithic bullets that like high impact speeds to initiate expansion.

[Remington Jim]

I use 32 grs cfe223 with a cci450 sparkler and a Barnes 127 lrx boolit fir 5/8 “ groups in the 2550 FPS range .Hot load but fine in “ MY “ rifle!


HOWA MINI 1500 !

[LRRPF52]

I use 32 grs cfe223 with a cci450 sparkler and a Barnes 127 lrx boolit fir 5/8 “ groups in the 2550 FPS range .Hot load but fine in “ MY “ rifle!

That might work in some bolt guns, but it's a bit high for the AR-15.

If you load it out to a long COL, the 32.0gr might not be much over 51,800psi, but it’s a really long bullet as you know.

At 2.260” COL, 32.0gr under the 127gr LRX is likely pushing it 2 grains over max.

I would approach 30.0gr with caution in the AR-15 or COL-limited actions like the Howa Mini.

[northdude]

I tried cfe223 in my howa with 85 and 90gr bullets but seemed really slow. Went to 748. Give that a try if you have some

[JCart]

Thanks for the insight and your sharing of loads Fellas. Have loaded up some CFE223 under ELD-Ms 100g in .3 g increments for my next range visit. Will let you know how my 16” RAR groups with CFE. The overall notion is create a compact rifle to carry on my UTV. One that will shoot accurately and predicable out to 300 metres or so for deer sized game and 400 metres for coyotes, wolves. Thinking lighter bullet selection will provide for flatter trajectory as the barrel is pretty compact and fits well inside the cab of my little Honda Pioneer 500 UTV. Would really like to give Barnes 115g booolits a try as they appear to have lower expansion velocity rates. But currently not seen any in my area.
Thanks again.
jrc

[Stinky Coyote]

https://www.65grendel.com/forum/showthre...es+115+tac

don't waste your time with the barnes JCart...eld-m 123's are the ultimate bullet for this cartridge, steel and hunting, 420 yards you'll land about 1800 fps with hornady black from that rifle, and does awesome work still at that distance, there's a fellow here that shot a whitetail buck with 1700 fps impact and recovered offside with a perfect mushroom, that will be somewhere around 500 yards in the ruger ranch at our elevations and would be a good outer limit threshold imo, we now know what to expect on big game right down to 1700 fps with that bullet, plenty of reports, the Grendel pretty much perfects the impact velocity range from barrel to 500 yards with the 123 eld-m and a 16" barrel, not much out there that can match that sort of efficiency imo, have fun with reloading but in reality if it shoots hornady black ~moa you'd never have to reload, I love that about this cartridge

[Remington Jim]

Hey Stinky what you think of the Horn 123 AMAX bullet - similar design to the ELDM i just picked up 300 for a good deal .

[LRRPF52]

Hey Stinky what you think of the Horn 123 AMAX bullet - similar design to the ELDM i just picked up 300 for a good deal .

People were killing lots of animals with 123gr A-MAX before the SST existed. It’s why Hornady made the 123gr SST.

123gr A-MAXs perform reasonably well for controlled expansion at Grendel velocities.

123gr ELD-M is just an A-MAX with the new harder tip. The tip is softer on the A-MAX, but the AMP jacket and core construction is the same last I recall.

SST is different with jacket and core material relationship, with mechanical lock and cannelure to help control the expansion.

A-MAXs and ELD-Ms tend to be more accurate.

[Old Bob]

Hey Stinky what you think of the Horn 123 AMAX bullet - similar design to the ELDM i just picked up 300 for a good deal .

Where did you find those Hornady AMAX bullets? Hornady quit making them in .264 cal when they came out with the ELD-M bullets. I still have a small stash of factory 6.5 Grendel 123gn AMAX ammo left (60 rounds). Wish I could find some of those AMAX bullets. The factory stuff shoots right at 1 MOA from my AR. The ELD-Ms will have to do for reloading, I suppose.

[Stinky Coyote]

I still have a box of amax factory left also but my rigs like the hornady black just fine so that's all I've shot for awhile, I bought a bunch of barnes tac-tx before I seen this thread that will go unused and I'd trade straight across for hornady black but I'm in Alberta Canada so local offer only...JCart or Remington Jim...want some barnes factory, will trade, I probably have 5-10 boxes, you know the flavour I like?

and yes on the amax, don't think you'll tell the difference between it and the eld-m, I understand it as the same bullet softer tip also

[Remington Jim]

Ok Guys as I thought - Thanks Jim