Load data from Berger for 6.5G

[toolsofthetrade]

The load data is below.

Load data was generated using Quick Load a 24 inch barrel a COAL (cartridge over all length) of 2.200 inches and your COAL and velocity could be a little different.

AS WITH ALL RELOADING APPROACH THE MAXIMUM LOADS WITH CAUTION AS ALL RIFLES AND RELOADING TECHNIQUES WILL BE DIFFERENT. If YOU CHANGE ANY OF YOUR COMPONENTS; THIS INCLUDES DIFFERENT POWDER LOT NUMBERS; YOU MUST REFIGURE YOUR LOADS BY STARTING WITH THE MINIMUM LOAD.

If we can be of any additional help feel free to contact us.
Thanks for your interest and have a great day.

Walt Berger
Berger Bullets
Technical Advisor

6.5 GRENDEL
Bullet Powder Start Load Approximate Start Velocity Max Load Approximate Max Velocity Max Load Density
140 Grain VIHT N130 20.0 2076 21.9 2227 95.0%
140 Grain WW 748 22.5 2112 25.2 2348 95.0%
140 Grain IMR 4198 18.0 2050 20.1 2220 90.9%
140 Grain H322 20.5 2107 22.8 2305 95.2%
140 Grain BENCHMARK 21.0 2072 23.2 2258 95.5%
140 Grain RAMSHOT TAC 22.0 2083 24.4 2290 92.4%
140 Grain RE 10X 19.5 2104 21.5 2270 92.4%
140 Grain VARGET 22.0 2037 24.6 2264 103.1%

6.5 GRENDEL

Bullet Powder Start Load Approximate Start Velocity Max Load Approximate Max Velocity Fill Ratio
130 Grain VIHT N130 20.0 2109 22.5 2316 95.9%
130 Grain WW 748 23.0 2172 25.7 2415 95.2%
130 Grain IMR 4198 18.5 2131 20.7 2315 92.0%
130 Grain H322 21.0 2177 23.5 2400 96.5%
130 Grain BENCHMARK 21.5 2139 23.9 2348 96.8%
130 Grain RAMSHOT TAC 22.5 2144 25.0 2366 93.1%
130 Grain VARGET 22.5 2095 25.2 2337 103.8%
130 Grain RE-10X 20.0 2181 22.1 2361 93.4%
130 Grain BL-C(2) 23.5 2135 26.3 2394 98.2%

I am awaiting a response from them as to whether or not they have a velocity threshold for terminal performance.

[bwaites]

Both of those are a bit heavy for the Grendel, thuse the velocities are suboptimal.

Try the 120's and 100's.

I get insane velocities off the 100's for a Grendel.

PS...Bill Alexander has repeatedly warned to not trust the QuickLoad data for the Grendel.

[toolsofthetrade]

they don't offer a 120 or 100 only the 130 and 140 in a hunting bullet, since the 120GMX's didn't perform for me I am still looking for a good deer +/- bullet.

[BjornF16]

they don't offer a 120 or 100 only the 130 and 140 in a hunting bullet, since the 120GMX's didn't perform for me I am still looking for a good deer +/- bullet.

Just curious about your experience with 120GMXs. I have shot handloaded 129SST with great results on whitetail. Looking for a good performing bullet for elk. Considering 129 Interbond (bit pricey though).

I had considered 120GMX but saw that they need approx 2000 fps for good mushrooming.

[toolsofthetrade]

Yeah and I spoke with one of the techs at hornady about that, and he said you should get mushrooming at slightly less than 2000fps, but that was minimum for optimum expansion, I haven't shot the GMX's in anything yet, I have handloaded them for some others in 30-06, but no reports back yet as to performance, so i cant speak for them, I can speak for the SST's and Inter bonds, the SST's work great, I like them much better than Nosler BT, they have better integrity it seems, and the interbonds I like even more, I am thinking I may go with them as well in the 6.5.

Just curious about your experience with 120GMXs. I have shot handloaded 129SST with great results on whitetail. Looking for a good performing bullet for elk. Considering 129 Interbond (bit pricey though).

I had considered 120GMX but saw that they need approx 2000 fps for good mushrooming.

[BjornF16]

Mark Larue shot an elk at 405 yds a while back using Barnes TSX from his Grendel. He reported the bullet passed clean through the elk. At 400 yds, I imagine he had a relatively slow bullet which didn't mushroom (I believe I read that the TSX likes at least 1800 fps). While you can't argue with the results (the bull didn't travel far before collapsing), I think I'd rather have a bullet with better expansion at the lower velocities.

[StoneTower]

Check out the Barnes 100 TTSX. It works well out of the Grendel.

http://www.65grendel.com/forum/showthrea...ejon-Ranch

[toolsofthetrade]

Berger just responded they recommend at least 1800 fps for reliable performance as well.
Yes mark was using factory loaded Silver State Armory or Alexander Arms 120 TSX ammo, I may look that way as well.
Been thinking really hard about the Hornady IB as well (129gr)

[bwaites]

Mark Larue was using ammo loaded by AA for his elk.

The TSX/TTSX are GREAT hunting bullets.

[BjornF16]

I had originally tried handloading Grendel with TTSX for the higher BC...but I have been unsuccessful in finding a load that would reliably cycle.

I read on chuckhawks.com that he doesn't recommend TTSX for big game...good for medium game. AA seems to agree based on their ammo descriptions.

I wish someone would produce a 123 grain hunting bullet in .264

[glane5910]

I'm getting 2775 FPS from my 18" with the 100gr TTSX. I use 30.8grs of Ramshot X-terminator. No problems cycling these. They use TSX type bullets on every size game imaginable.. I've NEVER had any critter, big or small walk away from a hit with one.

[MikeyMosin]

are these loads safe to use in an 18" barrel?

[LRRPF52]

are these loads safe to use in an 18" barrel?

Berger has since published tested data. I would not use any Quick Load generated predictions for 6.5 Grendel.

There is plenty of data available now in the 6.5 Grendel Handbooks and Berger’s specific more recent manuals. This thread is from 2011.

Alexander Arms published pressure test data for 130gr Berger VLD over a decade ago.

Which bullet are you looking at?

[MikeyMosin]

only thing i could get my hands on was the 130 gn vld hunter

[MikeyMosin]

very new to reloading, so I would like to get my hands on somthing solid before I go ahead working somthing up, There is a ton of stuff on here about 130gn loads but I keep hearing the vld has a different shape compared to others, just want to be safe before I start

[Zeneffect]

What do you have for powder selection?

[Klem]

I would not use any Quick Load generated predictions for 6.5 Grendel.

There is plenty of data available now in the 6.5 Grendel Handbooks and Berger’s specific more recent manuals. This thread is from 2011.

I use Quickload all the time and find it indispensable for all calibres, including the Grendel. I would caution against listening to anyone who discredits the program in favor of books they are selling. The conflict of interest is obvious.

Manufacturer tables and this forum are also good sources and a combination of these served me fine over the years. Just be aware the loads on this forum tend to be on the hot side so 10% low and work up is smart reloading.

Full disclosure: I do not work or sell Quickload.

[Zeneffect]

I wouldn't trust the 2011 quickload numbers as there have been significant database updates since then. Once you dial the ba for the powder/lot, quickload (with newest/newer updates) can predict my muzzle velocity within +-10fps of what the magnetospeed is giving me.

[Klem]

Zene,

That is interesting - My Quickload predictions are not as precise as yours. It is more like 30fps out compared to the Labradar. Even with playing around with the parameters to suit the MV and measuring water case capacity. I put it down to ambient variables like temperature and the vagaries of a whole lot of compounding variables like powder batches in a computer program.

I have V3.9.0.11

What do you have?

[LRRPF52]

I use Quickload all the time and find it indispensable for all calibres, including the Grendel. I would caution against listening to anyone who discredits the program in favor of books they are selling. The conflict of interest is obvious.

Manufacturer tables and this forum are also good sources and a combination of these served me fine over the years. Just be aware the loads on this forum tend to be on the hot side so 10% low and work up is smart reloading.

Full disclosure: I do not work or sell Quickload.

Yeah, Bill A. recommended against using Quick Load years before several of us collaborated on putting together the Grendel Handbooks. We also tested multiple loads in a calibrated pressure test breech and found that QL was anywhere from 10,000-20,000psi off from actual readings.

So we had a career, formally-trained weapons engineer for MoD in the UK who actually used a calibrated pressure test breech when developing 6.5 Grendel over many years, and a career National Labs R&D engineer who also built a pressure test breech, and both experienced the same thing with comparing pressures against what QL stated.

I can’t vouch for what QL is doing now.

Developing, planning, writing, compiling, gaining permissions, formatting, editing, cross-checking with peer review with the head engineers at several of the companies with pressure test data, and then printing the Grendel Handbooks was not a profit-generating scheme. It has always been a labor of love to help support the cartridge, with barely enough returns to pay for print runs.

If you ask any major ammunition or reloading component manufacturers how much they make off their handbooks, they have told us they are loss-leaders.

The whole intent of the Grendel Handbooks was to benefit other people.

There is no conflict of interest.