Range Report 6.5 Grendel Range Report

[Sniper260]

It took me some time to find my load but I finally found it. I've been collecting data and have a pretty good spread sheet set up elevation wise. Windage wise, well lets just say reading the wind isn't my best skill yet. I've very happy where my reloading skills have me now, from various ranges with groups on targets I can see I have a very consistent velocity that I am throwing. (Not much vertical spread) Windage wise I need more practice doping in the wind at longer ranges past 500 yards. I am going to have to get a different stock, the length of pull feels way too short in the prone position.

Specs:

6.5 Grendel Custom Build AR-15
Satern 1:8.25 twist heavy bull 24 inch
Stag lower replaced with Gisselle trigger set at 8 OZ
Satern matching bolt
Les Baer bolt carrier
Aero Precision stripped upper
SWFA SS fixed 10X MRAD
American Rifle Co. one piece scope rings

Lapua brass
federal small rifle match primers
28.7 gr Reloader 15
123 gr AMAX
2700 fps

1st pic is from the day I "Found my load" 100 yards

 

[Sniper260]

Today 750 Yards - I need a lot more practice doping the wind, it was hell but heres a 5 shot group.

 

[lead ƒarmer]

Looks pretty damn good to me

 

[jeff1383]

Nice shooting! Had a satern barreled grendel I wish I never sold. They sure do make a great barrel. Try imr 8208xbr 27.8-28.3 with the 123 amax seated a lil bit under mag length.

 

[Unknown]

You are really squeezing alot of velocity out of your Grendel. I haven't used reloader 15 in my grendels, and with a 20 inch barrel, I loose velocity there too, but I'm only getting 2540 fps with the 123 scenar... 2700 fps is COOKING!

I really think the Grendel is a neat round, and even with my modest velocity, mine doesn't go transonic until around 1400 yards, so I stay with more modest velocity and my brass lasts almost forever....I quit counting after 6-8 reloads. I use the cci450 primers though. You might take a look at the Grendel website if you haven't already. Great choice on a terrific round!

 

[bjay]

i agree with unknown 2700 for a grendel little bit too fast for me my satern 1:8.75 (i didnt know sater has 1:8.25)26" running 28.3 xbr8208 pushing almost 2600fps
accurate enough never tried byond 400.
load:
28.3 xbr8208
cci 450
lapua brass
123 amax
oaL 2.25

 

[Unknown]

I always thought of the Grendel as an intermediate round. Somewhere between pistol and full sized rounds like the 260 Rem, 6.5 Creedmoor, and 6.5x47. Because my modest load doesn't go transonic until about 1425 yards, and mostly because I rarely shoot that far, I have never felt the need to push the Grendel any harder. I go for reliability, then accuracy, and velocity is the absolute LAST thing I try for in my reloading.

I realize that every rifle is different. Recently I came across a 308 load that gave more velocity out of a 24 inch gas gun than it did out of a 26 inch barreled bolt gun. So it is possible that ducks-andbucks has a fast rifle, and has done all the things we consider "safe" reloading technique.

It isn't appropriate for me to tell ducks-and-bucks how to do his reloading, so I won't do that. I just haven't needed to push my Grendel quite that hard. Maybe just because I'm thrifty (cheap?) and don't want my beass to wear out too fast, but it sure looks like he is getting some impressive results out of his Grendel.

I saw some prototypes for "super" bolts and barrel extensions that would allow Grendel shooters to safely generate more pressure, and hence velocity, but I didn't think they were commonly available yet.

 

[Strykervet]

I'll write mine up here in a minute. I have a similar rifle I just got back from shooting today. A 20" Satern barrel. Shoots .33-.5MOA on average. But I was shooting 120gr. Nosler BT's with about 31.4gr. BLC(2) and I was getting around 2500fps. I got 2800 or 2900 with 100gr. AMAX's. 2700fps with 123's has got to be too much, I could be wrong but I'd double check.

But hey, very nice rifle and very nice shooting! The Grendel is the shit isn't it, and that Satern barrel is just, well, the shit! I ordered two more barrels a couple of weeks ago. This will quickly be your favorite AR, I can tell you that from experience.

 

[BIPMaster]

Interesting, I have never seen anybody else using R-15 to load the 6.5G.

 

[Unknown]

I imagine his 24 inch barrel helps a great deal with the R15 powder. The longer barrel can have more time to get a better or more complete burn on that powder. I usually stick with powders like Tac, X-terminator, W748 or BL-C2. I just wish I could find less temperature sensitive powders. W748 is my favorite, but it is very temperature sensitive. A friend of mine uses 8280 and gets great results with it.

 

[Ishallbie O'Cullkillin]

I have used R-15 with 123gr Scenars out of 20" barrel. Accuracy was consistently outstanding, but I could never compress enough powder to get above 2480fps. I run 30.8gr of AA2520 now and that load chronos at 2580fps. The 123gr AMax is a shorter bullet and gives room for more powder capacity, so it's easy for me to see 2700fps with a longer barrel & more propellant. I will admit that I have pushed the envelope with faster powders in this caliber, but NEVER saw a flattened primer, or even ejector marks. Lapua brass.

 

[adam.robertson.142]

You are really squeezing alot of velocity out of your Grendel. I haven't used reloader 15 in my grendels, and with a 20 inch barrel, I loose velocity there too, but I'm only getting 2540 fps with the 123 scenar... 2700 fps is COOKING!

I really think the Grendel is a neat round, and even with my modest velocity, mine doesn't go transonic until around 1400 yards, so I stay with more modest velocity and my brass lasts almost forever....I quit counting after 6-8 reloads. I use the cci450 primers though. You might take a look at the Grendel website if you haven't already. Great choice on a terrific round!

transonic at 1400? Every data table I've come across shows it enters stransonic about where .308 does

 

[AZgeek]

As another point of reference, I use 32.0 gr of cfe223 and average 2620 out of a 20" barrel. Seat depth is long at 2.670. Strelock shows this load supersonic to 1300 yards so totally possible the OP stays supersonic to 1400 yards given his extra 4 inches of barrel length. Interesting though as I have never tried RL15 in a Grendel.

 

[j-dubya]

I have been watching the Grendel for quite a while now. Do you guys consider it still falling under the "308 replacement" with a 18" Grendel barrel or has it lost too much gas? Asking in regards to 800 meters and in.

 

[Yondering]

I have for years wanted a 6mmAR, Turbo or other wildcat.

Don't hold back, that round is a good one in the AR, and fairly easy to set up and load for. I put together a 243 LBC (another version of the same basic wildcat) with a 24" BHW barrel and am very happy with it. The ballistics with 95gr Berger VLDs at ~2950 fps is impressive for an AR15.

 

[Unknown]

using a 123 grain scenar having a listed BC of .547, temp of 70 degrees F, initial velocity of 2500 fps, 40% humidity, 29.9 barometric pressure, at 1500 feet elevation, my exbal ballistics shows a velocity of 1011 fps at 1400 yards. not too shabby for such a small cartridge. dropping initial velocity to 2460 gives 1002 fps.

 

[Yondering]

using a 123 grain scenar having a listed BC of .547, temp of 70 degrees F, initial velocity of 2500 fps, 40% humidity, 29.9 barometric pressure, at 1500 feet elevation, my exbal ballistics shows a velocity of 1011 fps at 1400 yards. not too shabby for such a small cartridge. dropping initial velocity to 2460 gives 1002 fps.

I've mentioned before here about a couple 12.5" Grendel barrels I built that do 2350 with a 123gr (I'm using the A-Max/ELD-M but would think the Scenar would achieve similar muzzle velocity). Even with the short barrel and slightly lower velocity the calculated velocity at distance is impressive.

 

[Unknown]

I used a Grendel with an 18" Lothar Walther barrel, and another one with a 20" Shilen barrel from Alexander Arms. If I buy another Grendel, it will be with a 19-20" barrel as I believe that length is the best compromise of compact, and length to gain the velocity I want. I do not try and get the hottest loads as I like parts to last better, and I rarely shoot much past 1000 yards, so I don't need to squeeze every last bit of velocity out of the rifle....I want accuracy more than distance.

 

[majohnson2]

While I was building a bolt gun I contacted Dave at PT&G about a reamer for it. The conversation turned to 6.5 Grendel seems Dave is big fan. Since I had a seven month build window it seemed like a fun project. With a 24" Lilja barrel and their matching bolt. From day one even using Hornady 1/2moa even on steel at 1000yds was fun.

Using XBR with 123CC I was able to get my maximum fps. Using RL17 in different calibers I had great results, I was interested in trying RL15. I ended up loosing fps same with CFE123 over the XBR. My new project for the Grendel is to see how the Warner 122 solids work.

 

[CBDR]

Just received my Larue 6.5 Grendel a week ago. It has an 18 inch factory barrel with a 1 - 8 twist. First off this AR is strictly a night time hog hunting rig. Armasight Zeus Thermal is the only optic it will see in 2017. Upgrading thermal optic in 2018. My anticipated max shooting range will only be 300 yards. I have learned in the past few years shooting in the dark is much easier said then done. My first trip to the range using hand warmers produced favorable results out to 150 yards using Hornady Black 123 M. Was able to keep them around 1 moa. After 150 yards my skill set is a bit shaky, I will default to the cheek weld / rat stock excuse. I'm much more competent with a bolt action and regular day optic. So a couple questions to who ever has any personal experience with the 6.5 G and larger sized hogs 200 pound + . I do not reload and after a couple disappointing trips to a my local sporting goods firearms section it looks like all they stock is the Hornady Blk 123m. I will contact Larue and ask them this very question and what do they recommend. But until then I am interested in hearing from anyone who thinks they can provide a recommendation. With a well placed shot does my current load have sufficient stopping power? Anyone have feedback on Barnes TSX?