Slow. Bout 2250. 14.5" barrel. Loading 24.9g H-4895 so its no speed demon. Barnes says the 127 LRX will expand down to 1600 so that will get you to 500+. Not that I'm looking shoot something at 500 with that gun but you certainly could with good placement. Haven't recovered a 127 LRX yet, all pass throughs. At 2.261 OAL the bullet is way the hell down in there but the load shoots .8 MOA 5 shot groups at 100. That bullet has done so well in the .260 I had to give it a go in the 6.5G and it flat out works.
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6.5 Grendel
- Thread starter padom
- Start date
Due to the shortage of premium components I started playing around with less popular offerings.
Finally got some Hornady 123 sst 6.5 and they are of mediocre performance at best as is what I have come to expect from them.
Pretty much what I found was most sucked but I did find one gem for 223, 52g speer being of high accuracy and good price.
Finally got some Hornady 123 sst 6.5 and they are of mediocre performance at best as is what I have come to expect from them.
Pretty much what I found was most sucked but I did find one gem for 223, 52g speer being of high accuracy and good price.
The SST is the exact reason I switched to barnes for hunting years ago. Those SST's fall apart and spatter lead all through the meat likes its their job. Couple wasted off side elk shoulders were enough for me to switch. They kill stuff sure as shit but if maximum meat preservation is the goal, you might look elsewhere.
I’ve loaded 31.5gr CFE with both 123gr AMAX and Nosler CC’s. I have a 16” barrel but I think you’ll hit 2500+ in a 20”. I found I can get the same velocity with 27.3gr of AR-Comp
Have an unusual 20” 6.5 Grendel that had been converted to Grendel from a Bartlein 6.5x47 bolt barrel. That said, in the early process of load development and break in using my favored 27.2 AR Comp, Lapua brass and 7 1/2 primers. 10 rounds with 123CC’s, 2515fps and 9SD. 12 rounds with 123 Scenars in 4 different seating depths average 2501 and SD under 5. Accuracy good to date and know it will improve once I’ve had proper time at the loading bench. This load works across multiple Grendels from 18-24” with similar results.
And certainly not saying CFE223 isn’t a comparable option, I’ve just got more ample supply of ARC and 123’s of a variety of origins to work with.
And certainly not saying CFE223 isn’t a comparable option, I’ve just got more ample supply of ARC and 123’s of a variety of origins to work with.
Started some load work up. Looks like I will settle in the 2380 range. Not bad for a light handy rifle. 2.240 OAL.
It was virgin brass. The shoulder only blew out .006". This Ruger has a pretty tight chamber. The 123 SST was kissing the lands at 2.250".
Thanks for that information it lines up with what I was doing that I thought didn't work. (Damn scope)
Yes we also have a ruger with stingy chamber / magazine.
Guess it is a thing with them. Although it is a bolt gun it must be loaded by gass gun specs .
Yes we also have a ruger with stingy chamber / magazine.
Guess it is a thing with them. Although it is a bolt gun it must be loaded by gass gun specs .
If you think of and treat a 127gr LRX more like a 140-143gr cup and core bullet, especially at the bench, it makes sense. It is very long for caliber, even longer than many of the newer generation high BC 6.5mm bullets on the market.
127 LRX, 130 Sierra TGK, 130 Swift Scirocco II, 140 ELD-M, 142 SMK, 142 ABLR, 143 ELD-X, 147 ELD-M
2250fps from a 14.5” Grendel is pretty fast.
Alexander Arms data with H-4895 under a 140gr Lapua Naturalis from a 24” pipe yielded 2240fps at 26.4gr. The Lapua Naturalis is a pure copper hunting bullet.
Barnes doesn’t even have data for the 127gr LRX, but a few people have been using it in 6.5 Grendel for years, including on exotic hunts. I and others had written it off as not practical in Grendel due to the case intrusion, but we were proven wrong by guys who took them for the Oryx hunt in Texas with a JP 18” Grendel.
The 127gr LRX will perform better with 1/7.5 twist to keep the rotational momentum higher for aiding with expansion. There are some tests with it from 6.5CM at really high speeds, down through slower speeds. I would want to see what it actually does at distance spun from actual mv.
Interestingly, Barnes does publish load data for 140gr Match Burner.
Anybody else have an old set (2012-2013) of RCBS .264 LBC AR SB T/C dies, and has this issue when FL sizing your 6.5 Grendel brass? Guess I’m gonna have to buy a whole new set of dies. It’s sizing WAY too tight, and ruining my brass by leaving a ring on it. Luckily I’m not an idiot, so I only ruined 1 piece.
I looked online, and 1 other guy had the same dies, with the same issue, but his post was from 2013.
Here's pictures of my dies and the piece of brass it ruined...
I looked online, and 1 other guy had the same dies, with the same issue, but his post was from 2013.
Here's pictures of my dies and the piece of brass it ruined...
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Yeah, I haven't called them yet. Might do that today... The guy in the old link I posted, said he called them, and they sent him a proper spec'd FL sizing die. Apparently the old .264 LBC SB dies were cut SUPER tight (out of spec), and I never noticed, because I'v never used that die...
All these years, I've been shooting factory Hornady 6.5G because it was cheap and plentiful, and I was getting it for like $16 a box, which is about what my handloads end up costing me. So it was not cost-effictive to single-stage reload for volume, and I was keeping all the 1x fired brass, cleaned it up, and stored it for a rainy day, so that was kind of a win/win. So, I ended up stocking a bunch of boxes of that up in the ammo stash, and have been shooting it this whole time. Plus, I didn't really shoot the Grendel as much as I wanted, I was busy with other guns. Now that I've rebarreled and rebuilt it, it's sparked a bit more interest in it for me.
And for load development, I was always loading up virgin Hornady brass, so I never needed to resize the cases. I also had bought up a very large supply of factory new Hornady Grendel brass. Only when the supply dried-up for brass and ammo, and the prices went stupid, am I even worrying about reloading for it. I can find ammo, but I'm not paying $35 a fucking box for 6.5 Grendel ammo that shoots 2 MOA, when my handloads are shooting sub-MOA. If it ever goes back down to $16-20 a box, then I'll probably stack some more up for a rainy day.
If you ever end up needing to purchase 6.5g brass you might give starline a try.
I use first fired hornady when it was cheap for factory but would much rather run starline.
I use first fired hornady when it was cheap for factory but would much rather run starline.
I hear good things, but the only Starline brass I've used is 1x fired .357 Mag brass I picked up at the range. Seems to be holding up well, though... So, might give the Grendel stuff a try if I ever find any.
Last I got was from Arm or Alley and just checked they are out.
I stay up late shopping. Lol
I have some too that did that. They were on clearance at Midsouth when nothing else was available. I polished mine until they stopped doing that, then some some non-SB 6.5G dies popped up for sale and i bought them.
Went to the range today… Did some load testing with the 6.5 Grendel with the new Faxon 20” 416r Heavy Fluted 5R Match barrel. I found a load with 30.0gr of CFE-223 in 1x fired Hornady brass, CCI 450’s, and Nosler 123 CC’s. I was able to seat them 0.020” off the lands and they still fit in the magazine! Most groups were closer to 1/2-3/4” @ 100 (which is typically from me moving around), but it did put down one group that impressed me. 3-shots at 3/8”. I was shooting through my Dead Air Nomad-LT, since it was already sighted in for it. I think I’ll be exploring this load some more. 
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I was finally able to get out and shoot some groups to proof the load development so far. I think I am going to run with 28.0 grains of IMR 8208xbr with the 123 ST's. Loaded up 50 and will shoot some 5 and 10 round groups. Impressed with the Ruger Ranch thus far.
Damn! I've been eyeballing one, but haven't pulled the trigger on one yet... Guess I need to remedy that next time they get back in stock.
I have the Ruger Predator with 22" and it shoots about 1/2" with the occasional group larger or smaller from the bench. It is light weight, the stock is not overly rigid so don't death grip it or POI changes. Barrel is thin and strings a little as it heats, POI shift adding a suppressor is very large. Overall happy with it as a hunter, but despite the small groups from the bench, I think of it as a 1.5 MOA gun unless you are from a bag or bipod. Needs a more rigid stock and barrel for the bench accuracy to become field reliable.
That's one reason I prefer the Ranch over the Predator... The shorter 16.5" barrel will be more rigid when running one of my suppressors. Also, it will keep the overall length really nice and short. As for stocks, I'ld probably throw it in a Magpul Hunter stock, or something like a lightweight chassis that's more rigid, with a folding stock. Would make a nice compact whitetail rig/truck gun.
Experimenting with the Maker Rex 85gr-tipped for upcoming hog hunt. I think I’m gonna like these little, speedy copper solids. They suggested max load of 30.5gr of XBR8208 (which is my fav Grendel powder) or 31.5gr of H335. Load work up groups with 8208 kinda sucked but 31.4gr of H335 shot one ragged hole out of my 12.5” Faxon barrel.
I shoot 110 makers our of a 12.5" Faxon as well with 28.5grains of 8208 and they have shot .75 with my NV scope off a tripod.
Any idea what speed you're getting? I don't have a chrono but I plan to use my Strelok Pro app to get an approx MV next weekend - I'll post results here.
I am not 100% sure I believe about 2500 off the top of my head but I am using an 8" can. I have not ran them over chrono it in a while.
While we're on this topic - anyone out there have any Berger 130gr AR Hybrids I could buy? I'd like something I could use for both my Creedmore and Grendel and Berger tells me they aren't producing them for "awhile."
New video is out with the Otter Creek Labs Hydrogen L & S suppressors on my 20" 6 5 Grendel.
Just finished a load work up today for my 16” Grendel. Overall I’m happy with the velocity, SD, and ES. My barrel has a hair less than 100 rounds down the tube. Hoping the groups will tighten up.
6.5 Grendel
100gn HPBT Norma
Powder:H335 29.0gr
Trim: 1.506
Coal: 2.303
Ogive: 1.815
Loaded coal: 2.237
Loaded ogive: 1.754
6.5 Grendel
100gn HPBT Norma
Powder:H335 29.0gr
Trim: 1.506
Coal: 2.303
Ogive: 1.815
Loaded coal: 2.237
Loaded ogive: 1.754
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Nice, been looking for H335 loads.
Any hints on accuracy?
I have a 20 inch barrel that has shown promise but had an internal scope problem that ruined development attempts.
I have read H335 likes lighter for caliber bullets than heavy ?
Any hints on accuracy?
I have a 20 inch barrel that has shown promise but had an internal scope problem that ruined development attempts.
I have read H335 likes lighter for caliber bullets than heavy ?
I shot 4 round groups starting from 27.4gr to 29.6gr. Although 29.6gr yielded my best group at .96” and a mv 2583 with slight ejector marks on the casings. I decided to go with my 29.0gr load. Due to having no pressure signs a mv of 2539 and sd 3.4 / es 8 and a 1.05” group @ 100 yards.
Just a quick update to this…Went to the range today… Did some load testing with the 6.5 Grendel with the new Faxon 20” 416r Heavy Fluted 5R Match barrel. I found a load with 30.0gr of CFE-223 in 1x fired Hornady brass, CCI 450’s, and Nosler 123 CC’s. I was able to seat them 0.020” off the lands and they still fit in the magazine! Most groups were closer to 1/2-3/4” @ 100 (which is typically from me moving around), but it did put down one group that impressed me. 3-shots at 3/8”. I was shooting through my Dead Air Nomad-LT, since it was already sighted in for it. I think I’ll be exploring this load some more.
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I recently got the Ballistic-X app for my phone so I can measure my groups more scientifically at the range (I hate bringing targets back home to measure with calipers), than an old plastic 6” ruler with fractions on it…
Here’s what that “3/8” group” ended up actually being… Which impressed me even more with the Faxon Match 5R 20” barrel…
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Thank you LRRPF52 for the side by side pics. While my daughter is trying to shoot me into the poor house, it's good to know the 107SMK I have are extremely comparable to the 123s which her rifle likes. Since her rifle (Howa Mini in 6.5Gre) outright loves/adores the Gold Dots @120gr, I'm hoping the roughly similarly sized 107s will do well also. If nothing else it'll give me an excuse to pull them out of a bunch of new Lapua 6.5x55 brass. 
How's that Arken treating you on your rifle ?
Waiting on one to arrive that will be going on my Grendel.
Overall I like the optic, for under $300 there isn’t an optic that comes close.
Did some load development on the new little 12" Howa mini action today. 130 TMK's and H-335. 1.750 BTO which puts me just about .010 off mag length of 2.330. Started at 26 gns and went up to 28 in .2's. Accuracy wasn't great until I approached 28, which was stellar at .3 MOA. How much further would you feel ok pushing? I loaded some tonight at 28 to proof what I saw today and went 28.2 and 28.4 also. Not sure I want to run much hotter than the 28.4. My highly scientific instrument (ear to the die during seating) said 28.4 wasn't compressed. There are zero signs of pressure on the 28.0 load. People have me paranoid about over pressure without signs in the 6.5g. Can I run a little hotter since its a bolt with longer mag length? Certainly don't want to trash brass in 3 firings or take a bolt to the face but don't want to leave food on the table either.
Edited for going full retard and fucking the numbers up. Thanks 6.5SH for pointing out the numbers were stupid.
Edited for going full retard and fucking the numbers up. Thanks 6.5SH for pointing out the numbers were stupid.
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That is already wildly over pressure. Like in the 68,000+ range. Grendel won't show pressure signs until you are way way past safe. Yes a bolt action will take more than the target 50,000 in an AR, but that's playing with fire IMO.
FWIW target velocity with Hornady brass usually requires tweaking powder space below the listed 32 grain spec. this tool has been dead on for me. My measured space was 31.2 and the velocity was exact for what I compared.
I am 100% retarded with what I wrote. I started at 26 and went to 28. 28 was the good group. No idea what the fuck I was thinking when I said 30. I edited the post to reflect the real numbers and questions.
28 puts you slightly over pressure but not into a stupid place, 53,203 depending on case capacity.
Velocity predicted at 2203 fps. Play with the case capacity to match your velocity and you will have a pretty good idea with that tool.
Has anyone had a chance to compare the 130 Berger AR Hybrid to the 123ELD at distance say up to 1k?
Im contemplating switching from the 8208/123 eldm to CFE223/130 Bergers.
Im contemplating switching from the 8208/123 eldm to CFE223/130 Bergers.
I did not get great accuracy with the cfe223 (disappointed).
I had more accurate 308 rounds with the cfe223 and of course I like it in 223.
When you get near the top of the ladder it will group, then next 0.3g incrament will be scatter mode. The next 0.3 incrament will be showing pressure.
I'm going to try tac for a change.
I had more accurate 308 rounds with the cfe223 and of course I like it in 223.
When you get near the top of the ladder it will group, then next 0.3g incrament will be scatter mode. The next 0.3 incrament will be showing pressure.
I'm going to try tac for a change.
That's what I noticed with mine with CFE-223 and 123's when ladder-testing. I found a great node right up near the top, and it shot .3xx" and was consistently 1/2-MOA, or better. I'm sticking with it.
I could not brake 1 moa with it consistantly. I belive a better barrel is in the future.
Been on the back burner for component shortages.
So banging 223 rounds instead, amazing what can be done if the same care is taken for an ar round as bolt gun rounds.
Been on the back burner for component shortages.
So banging 223 rounds instead, amazing what can be done if the same care is taken for an ar round as bolt gun rounds.
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