No luck with the 129gr Interbonds

[toolsofthetrade]

Tried the 129gr interbonds today with 8208...could get a group less than about 3"
Guess next is to try the 120 Barnes. Though I must say the interbonds did open up and perform as advertised.
This is fired into a heavy plastic jugs (about 5 gallons each) it penetrated into the second one, so around 15-18" of penetration of water and 3 heavy gauge plastic walls.
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o68/krotty/PICT5236.jpg
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o68/krotty/PICT5235.jpg
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o68/krotty/PICT5234.jpg

Darn shame I couldn't get better accuracy with them...anyone want a partial box of them, I'll trade for some 120gr barnes, or sell them at a good price.

[BjornF16]

Have you tried 2520 or 2230? I have had good luck out of 19.5 barrel with 129SST.

[Snew]

Dang. I'm making a Graf's order and was on here trying to decide on the bullets I wanted to but. these were a top contender. I'd like to try some in my rifle.

[GregP42]

Strange, I am getting 3/4" groups at 100yrd with my 18" Grendel and 8208. I got a bunch of them when MidSouth had them for sale as blems.

Greg

[toolsofthetrade]

what twist rate you using? what charge?
I have not tried them with any other powder yet.

[glane5910]

I've had nice results with both 110 and 120gr Barnes TSX using X-terminator for the 110 and TAC for the 120gr

[GregP42]

what twist rate you using? what charge?
I have not tried them with any other powder yet.

I have an 18" barrel on my Grendel, I think it was a 1 in 9 twist, it is the barrel that we had on the old forum for sale as a fund raiser. Anyway my load was Hornady brass, Fed 205 primer, 24.5gr IMR 8208 XBR, 2.245 COL, I was getting right at 2100fps if I remember right on the chrono with that load and sub MOA groups.

Greg

[WayneM]

These are my main load for Hogs. Under a 1/2 MOA with either BL-C(2) or Tac.

[hm2 clark]

Maybe you can save some money by trying Hornadys 129 gr spire point ( 1/3 the cost of the intebond) and blc (2). I shoot them in 4 different Grendels and they all shoot < 1 inch. They expand well out past 350 yards. My barrel lengths are 14- 24 inches.

[ErnestTX]

I shot some of the 129's over N540. Decent accuracy, not shockingly good, but acceptable for hunting. Right around 2 inches at 200 yards for 5 shot groups.

[TxAggie94]

You mind sharing your load for the 129s and 540? I've been playing with the 129s, but have been disappointed with the accuracy with blc2 and have gotten inconsistent results with 8208. I have some 540 and would like to try it.

Thanks

[LRRPF52]

If you're talking about N540, I would advise against it. The 500 series powders are known for burning throats and clogging gas systems, from what I've heard from more than one reputable source. I was using it in my initial .260 Rem loads, but got too extreme spreads, and insane pressure spikes. It is a double-based, high energy powder that is no joke. My Finnish buddies use the 100 series like N165, instead of N540 or other 500 series. It will give you crazy velocity, but you'll pay for it.

[TxAggie94]

I'm open to other ideas. I was just interested in trying a slower powder and have some 540. Anyone have data for N150? N165 is way down the list. Is anyone using powder that slow in the Grendel?

[sneaky one]

If some of the powders are off- kilter, try Tac in it. I used 26.0-27.0 Tac and all was good /w/ 129 sst's.- BTW-- that H-2-O, recovered Interbond from Tool's first post on this- , is here at my reload station. We're trying to find the right way to lighten them, it may end up as the- next best thing -behind the GMX's. That 129 bullet weighed 123 when it got here,, only 6 grns. lost, thru the jugs- thats Very Impressive for a Bonded unit- the Accubonds lost 30 grns.- thru the h2o jugs. I shot a 112 grn. interB. at 29.0 of 8208, and all was well= my start point.

[Hoot]

I'm open to other ideas. I was just interested in trying a slower powder and have some 540. Anyone have data for N150? N165 is way down the list. Is anyone using powder that slow in the Grendel?

Consider AR-Comp. It throws 123 Amax' at 2615fps and 140 Amax' around 2350fps from my 24" barrel. Both bullets very nice groups at 100 yds. It's very temperature stable.

Hoot

[TxAggie94]

Hoot - OK I've been kicking it around for a week. I think I'll give it a shot. In the absence of load data for AR-Comp, is it a fair bet to start with RL-15 or Varget data? Obvious caveats of starting on the low end and watching closely...

Hey, I was needing an excuse to slip out of work early and make a Cabelas run anyway.

[TxAggie94]

Well, I picked up a lb of AR-Comp. Capacity is going to be an issue. I tried starting at 25, thinking I could get up to about 27.5. But the 129s are such long bullets, I'm already crunching powder at 26. :(

[Hoot]

Hoot - OK I've been kicking it around for a week. I think I'll give it a shot. In the absence of load data for AR-Comp, is it a fair bet to start with RL-15 or Varget data? Obvious caveats of starting on the low end and watching closely...

Hey, I was needing an excuse to slip out of work early and make a Cabelas run anyway.

I have yet to massage another powder's parameter and get QL to work based on back engineering what I've chronicled using AR-Comp. Some times it's like N-530 in velocity, but N-540 in pressure. Some loads hit QL's results for 2520 spot on. Since how it behaves WRT QL varies from caliber to caliber, I'm assuming I have not properly succeeded in characterizing it.

It is volumnous for it's weight, which is usually the kiss of death in the Grendel. I too, do not like crunching when I'm seating a bullet. I vibrate my charges to align and integrate the granules and settle out the voids before seating a bullet. I've been meaning to write up a "How-To" article for modifying an adjustable electro pencil for that task. I started off using a labratory variable vibrating table and migrated to the electro pencil as it's easy to have next to the press. I buzz each charge for 5-seconds and can gain amazing amounts of wasted space back. The key is turning the pencil down until you just barely feel it vibrate the case. You can then watch the powder sink down. Bigger granule extruded powders benefit the most. Somewhere, I have a before/after image of a WSSM case filled to the mouth with Varget before and down to the neck/shoulder junction after. Forget the drop tube.

Not having ever worked with the 129 Interlock, I did not consider it's length when recommending AR-Comp. I modified my electro pencil permanently, but if anyone's keen on giving that a try with theirs, you can remove a new pencil eraser and shove the electro pencil tip into it, far enough that it won't fall off and holding the upright, charged case in one hand, press the eraser up against the head from below, with it adjusted down to barely buzz. With a little experimentation, you can optimize the degree of vibration and time of application for a particular powder and caliber.

Sorry for digressing on the vibrator... Suffice it to say, for bullets of 120gr or more, you can not put enough AR-Comp into a Grendel case to cause a problem, so have at it. I have not tried it with bullets lighter than 120gr, though Alliant has recipes out for it for the .223, .223 WSSM, .22-250 and .243. I have not tried it with those calibers (yet).

Hoot