6.5 Grendel: pet loads and preferred bullets

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Gtscotty

Gtscotty

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Well I finally have all the pieces and am getting ready to put together my first 6.5 Grendel in 16" lightweight AR form. I've been reading about loads and bullets for the Grendel and thought it'd be interested to see what loads my fellow THR-ers are using and what bullets everyone prefers.

I'm mostly looking for loads/bullets for medium game at ~250 yds and under, but would be interested to hear about loads of any type that people have had good luck with.

I love 8208 XBR in my .223s so I'll probably try that first, a few 8208 loads that I see mentioned over and over again are:

123gr bullet w/ 28.5gr 8208
129gr bullet w/ 27gr 8208

Obviously I'll do my own load work ups, but I'd love to hear what loads your Grendel likes, and what bullets you prefer for deer sized game?
 
rayatphonix said:
A 120gn BT does wonders on southern deer. Load is about 28 guns of 8208.
Click to expand...

I love Nosler hunting bullets, started using them because I could pick up blems cheap, but the Accubonds I've been using really do shoot well and kill well. I'd imagine the BT opens up pretty well, how's the penetration though? Do you usually get exits?

The only bullets I have right now specifically for the Grendel are some Speer 120gr Gold Dots. The reviews seem to be pretty good thus far, and at $25/100 the price is right.

I've been waiting for SPS to get some more 140gr RDF blems in for a couple months, once they do I'll probably add some of the 120gr BTs to the shipment to try as well.

Time is short, especially since my September is shot for me, but I'd like to get the chance to try the Grendel on a Muley or Antelope this year if I can get a load ready.

oldfortyfiveauto said:
If that doesn't work try H322. I've had great luck with it.
Click to expand...

Interesting, I haven't seen as many loads out there with that powder as with some others (Ar-Comp, Leverevolution, CFE223, AA2520) but I like that it is one of the "Extreme" line of temp insensitive powders. Any particular pet loads you use? What weight class bullet are you using it with and what kind of velocities do you get?
 
Hmm, not as much Grendel interest here as I thought there was. I believe I remember @Varminterror and @LoonWulf hunting some with Grendels, any pet loads, bullets or powders you'd recommend?

I've read over on the 6.5 Grendel forum that Leverevolution, CFE 223 and Ar-Comp are popular powders for the 120gr and 129gr classes of bullets. I've had good luck with Ar-Comp in .308, and have a pound or two sitting around, so that's probably another powder I'll try right off the bat. Ar-Comp doesn't throw as well as 8208, but I probably won't be churning 6.5 Grendel out on the progressive like I do .223, so just using the Chargemaster should be fine.

In addition to the 120gr Gold Dots, one bullet I intend on trying out fairly early is the 129gr Interlock. I'm going to request a pack of 100 as the free promotional bullets from my purchase of Hornady 6.5 Grendel dies. I've never shot the 129gr IL into any animals, but they have a reputation for being pretty soft so I'm thinking they might work well at Grendel velocities as long as I keep the ranges short.
 
GTScotty, I definitely got a pass through and do with nearly all deer I shoot with BTs. Keep in mind most of our deer are 90-175#’s where I spend most of my time hunting. I also have a load with 100 gn BTs. I use H322 for that bullet as it gives me better groups. Haven’t had an opportunity to hunt with it yet. I’ve tried about every powder around for the Grendel, but keep coming back to 8208 for anything between 120-123 grains.
 
Gtscotty said:
Hmm, not as much Grendel interest here as I thought there was. I believe I remember @Varminterror and @LoonWulf hunting some with Grendels, any pet loads, bullets or powders you'd recommend?

I've read over on the 6.5 Grendel forum that Leverevolution, CFE 223 and Ar-Comp are popular powders for the 120gr and 129gr classes of bullets. I've had good luck with Ar-Comp in .308, and have a pound or two sitting around, so that's probably another powder I'll try right off the bat. Ar-Comp doesn't throw as well as 8208, but I probably won't be churning 6.5 Grendel out on the progressive like I do .223, so just using the Chargemaster should be fine.

In addition to the 120gr Gold Dots, one bullet I intend on trying out fairly early is the 129gr Interlock. I'm going to request a pack of 100 as the free promotional bullets from my purchase of Hornady 6.5 Grendel dies. I've never shot the 129gr IL into any animals, but they have a reputation for being pretty soft so I'm thinking they might work well at Grendel velocities as long as I keep the ranges short.
Click to expand...
Sorry ment to post earlier, but got distracted, and forgot.

Varminterror said:
I largely just shoot 123 ELD’s and near-max 8208. Nothing fancy, but nothing to complain about - shoots small and kills deer, coyotes, and varmints quickly and efficiently.
Click to expand...
I shoot 123ssts, and Elds, and honestly just buy which ever is cheaper.
Im also currently using 8208 in my Grendel chambered 527, and it's proving quite effective.

In my ARs I worked upto a load of 31.5gr of Cfe223, with 123Amax, and found that it offered excellent velocity, and very good accuracy to boot.
For some reason my 527s slower (it's slow in general) with CFE, than it is with 8208, and accuracy dosent start picking up till It gets pretty compressed. Thus I've not used it since I sold my AR uppers.
 
BTW, the Grendel I hunt with is a CZ bolt action. I’ve kept my Grendel upper, but probably haven’t shot it for 4 or 5 years.
 
It sounds like 8208 is the popular choice, I'm glad to hear that as it's one of my favorite powders. I might have to try H322 if I take a crack at any lighter bullets like the 100gr TTSX.

My barrel is a Wilson Combat with the SAAMI Grendel chamber, so nothing fancy. I looked at some of the Grendel chamber/throat variations out there, but just figured I'd keep it simple and stick to the SAAMI spec which most folks seem to be happy with.
 
Obviously you are ready to load some Grendel and I am curious what The consensus is on dies?

I only have used RCBS and They don’t offer Grendel from what I can tell.

Any advice?
 
I'm using 28 grains of ramshot TAC under a 123grn hornady sst. Using a ballistic advantage hanson barrel. 16"
it will put 5 under an inch, which is an inch better than I got with factory hornady loads. The 2 pigs and an antelope I have shot went right down. Now, both pigs were around 75-100 yds, and the rounds went through both sides. Pig 1 was heart shot, and the exit wound was tiny. Pig 2 was a similar location and the exit wound was 2" wide. The antelope I shot up the butt while running. never found an exit wound, nor the bullet when dressing it out. Pig 3 I though I hit. I could have sworn I hit it, but it never squealed and ran off. Maybe it went through and through but didn't hit anything vital? maybe I missed? But it was an easy shot.....

I'm using lee dies with no complaints.
 
Update:

I finally got the rifle together, parts list wise, here's what it wound up being:

-PSA complete CTR lower
-Aero M4E1 threaded upper receiver
-Aero Atlas S-One handguard
-Wilson Combat 16" Recon Tactical barrel
-Superlative Arms Adjustable gas block
-LaRue MBT-2S straight bow trigger

IMG_20191111_100848485~01.jpg

I've got to say, this is my first LaRue trigger, and even just playing around with it, I'm very impressed for the price.

I fired it for the first time today, and started an OCW with 120gr Gold Dots and 8208. Things are looking pretty promising for this component combination so far. I drew a green dot where I thought the center of each group is. Unfortunately I accidentally threw my target for 28.6 gr away at the range, it was very nice, two rounds in the same hole, and one directly adjacent. I had a good idea of where the center of the 28.6 gr group was though, so I marked it on the 28.3 gr target for comparison.

Polish_20191123_171306624.jpg

Here are all the group centers overlayed on the same target:

Polish_20191123_171744361.jpg

I didn't see any obvious pressure, and I still have some tuning to do on the gas block (forgot to take the Allen key, luckily the initial setting I put it on worked). I think I'm going to try a few loads in the 28 gr - 28.5 gr range and then play with seating depths a bit. If I can get a good load in the next few weeks, I'll probably try to pop a late season antelope with this rifle.
 
I've been doing load development with this rifle lately and figured an update was in order. 8208 XBR has been a good performer, along with H4895 and AR-Comp, although I think AR-Comp might be my favorite for accuracy and and velocity, while still being very temp stable. I'm using Starline brass, and it seems fine, I've had a few loose primer pockets that could be attributable to going a bit too hot during load development, but that also seemed a bit premature. I have a batch of Hornady brass to try next, so I'll have to see how different the capacities are and maybe adjust my loads.

All of these loads are on the upper end, so obviously work up in your own rifle. A warning about the 129gr Interlocks, the ogive is a bit long, I unknowingly jammed them at 2.28" and made some unexpected pressure. Should have checked OALs to lands on all bullets first but just assumed on the 129s based on what I saw with other bullets... That was dumb, don't be like me.

Anyway, here are some of the keeper loads I've found for this rifle:
IMG_20200120_214846221~01.jpg
IMG_20200330_093652065~01.jpg
IMG_20200330_093718456~01.jpg
IMG_20200330_094219931~01.jpg
IMG_20200330_094255298~01.jpg
IMG_20200330_094525843~01.jpg
IMG_20200330_094450701~01.jpg
 
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Thanks for passing on the info! This is the stuff I love to read on this website.
I sure would like to get my hands on some 8208XBR. I couldn't find it before all this panic buying, so there's no chance now.
 
The grendel site seems to have gone the way of the dodo link doesn't work. Anyway I'm keeping an eye on this Q&A as I waiting on a Howa in 6.5 grendel. Have everything but the rifle,bullets and ammo. Bullets and ammo 9n their way but the FFL I had the rifle sent to is shut down till Apr 7 so it's stand by for action for now
 
Speer Gold Dot 120 over 30.2gr aa2520, cci 450, Hornady cases seated to mag length.
Targets are dime sized shot at 100yds.
Ruger American Predator, bolt gun.
 

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I recently aquired a BCA 20” fluted upper. Factory 123 Hornady Black, and Federal Fusion shot well for new barrel. However, with reloaded 123gr Amax and 120gr GoldDot bullets, 27.5gr is max with my older lot # of IMR-8208. Accuracy is good, but above 27.5gr I get flattened and cratered/extruded primers with firing pin extrusion. Velocity is commiserate with published velocities at given charge weights, though pressures seem to be excessive. May just be my lot number.

Switching to H335 yields opposite results. I can go all the way up to published max with light primer swiping at published maximum (Hodgdons online data), and published velocities, but slightly poorer accuracy. It seems apathetic about Speer bullets. Hornady 95gr Vmax and 123gr Amax shoot better regardless of powder.

I plan to try some H322, BenchMark, Acc2520, Retumbo, and recently acquired ShootersWorld MatchRifle, and TacticalRifle. Too many calibers,choices. Too little time...
Only constants were Hornady brass and CCI SR #400 primers. Magazine length seating.

BTW: poster on 6.5Grendel forum said that IMR8208, H4895, H4350 ect (Hodgdons Extream line) made by ADI will be scarce due to plant damaged/affected by recent wildfires in Australia. Probably want to use a powder manufactured elsewhere for near term.
 
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GooseGestapo said:
BTW: poster on 6.5Grendel forum said that IMR8208, H4895, H4350 ect (Hodgdons Extream line) made by ADI will be scarce due to plant damaged/affected by recent wildfires in Australia. Probably want to use a powder manufactured elsewhere for near term.
Click to expand...

He lied. Lots of folks have speculated wildly about one silly thing or another, but the cause for Hodgdon’s apparent “shortage” has simply been a boom of demand. They’re still shipping as fast as they ever have. No fires, wild or warehouse...
 
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