Benchmark or CFE 223 for 123gr sst?

[Winny94]

[BluntForceTrauma]

Benchmark shines in the lighter class of bullets. CFE is better for the 123s AND works well with the lighter ones. Best bet is CFE.

[6.5 Grendel]

Don't forget Leverevelotion too it has been simply awesom for me with 123gr SST's.

[SDguy]

If velocity is not critical Benchmark deserves consideration

Don't forget Leverevelotion too it has been simply awesom for me with 123gr SST's.

Bench mark has done well for me and CFE not so well. I have been hearing some interesting claims on velocity and accuracy w Leverevelotion.

Any Published data out there w Leverevelotion in the Grendel?

[ScopeDope]

I have done a lot of testing with the 123 AMAX and CFE, Lever, 8208XBR, Varget and 2520. Lever was definitely the fastest round but I could not get any accuracy out of it and used 2 rifles to test with. Lever also appear to leave the barrel very dirty. The most accurate I have found is the 8208XBR in both rifles and gets good velocity

[SDguy]

I have done a lot of testing with the 123 AMAX and CFE, Lever, 8208XBR, Varget and 2520. Lever was definitely the fastest round but I could not get any accuracy out of it and used 2 rifles to test with. Lever also appear to leave the barrel very dirty. The most accurate I have found is the 8208XBR in both rifles and gets good velocity

Curious what the range of powder charges you tried w LVR & was LVR roughly equally as dirty throughout the range?

I started working w LVR for the 1st time tonight W Hornady 129 gr flat base SP this evening in a 24" CZ 527 bolt action, without a chronograph Initial results look promising. suppose I am looking see how wide of an charge weight range will fall in a sweet accuracy node.

IF I find the accurate charge range to be to narrow I fear my accurate loads in 80 deg weather may not perform well at all in colder temps, I may encounter in our deer season. some years I have deer hunted in 70 deg temps and I have also hunted in the same week of November in -20 deg temps

Ill be curious to see if I work up a load in the winter as well how diffrent the prefered charge weight might be.

[VASCAR2]

I've read where Lever and CFE223 are very similar powders in burn rate and characteristics. CFE223 is not the most stable temperature powder but I've read where IMR8208XBR is more stable and closer the Varget in temperature stability. I've also read AR Comp is pretty stable.

Here is a post of a test on temperature stability by a forum member on CFE223. Once you get close to an accurate load you might conduct such a test on your ammo. If I were going out west to colder higher elevation I'd rezero my rifle and would be handy to chronograph again at that temperature/elevation. Not always possible so the extra data couldn't hurt.

http://www.65grendel.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-8689.html

[ScopeDope]

Sorry about the delay in responding. I tried LVR with the 123 AMAX starting at 28.5 gr and stopping at 31 gr. From what I observed it was dirty throughout the range. I also tried 2 different primers CCI41 and CCI400. All this testing was on a 88 deg day. Primer made very little difference in chrono results. Need to test true magnum primer and see what it does. I was consistently around 2630 fps with the 123 AMAX and LVR at the top of the range. Make sure to start low in the powder range. My best accuracy has come with 8208 XBR with the 123 AMAX.

[6.5 Grendel]

I have not noticed Lever to be any dirtier than cfe but it could be that lever needs to be more compressed and use mag primers. I am using 32.3 gr of lever with 123gr SST's and CCI mag primers for 2650fps in a 20" 1:8 BHW barrel.

[LRRPF52]

Bench mark has done well for me and CFE not so well. I have been hearing some interesting claims on velocity and accuracy w Leverevelotion.

Any Published data out there w Leverevelotion in the Grendel?

There are 10 different loads with different bullets in 6.5 Grendel Reloading Volume II.

[SDguy]

LRRPF52

Finally found an option to purchase only Vol 2.

I will be looking forward to working with this manual.

Thanks !

[joedirt199]

Will there be an updated version beyond vol 2?

[Rickc]

I like CFE223 meters well and I have had good luck with it in .223.

Only one.of.my reloading manuals that has a grendel load is Hornady

Even the on line Hogdon manual does not list CFE223 as one of the choices.for.the.grendel

[JASmith]

I like CFE223 meters well and I have had good luck with it in .223.

Only one.of.my reloading manuals that has a grendel load is Hornady

Even the on line Hogdon manual does not list CFE223 as one of the choices.for.the.grendel

There's a bunch of loads in the 6.5 Grendel Reloading Handbook along with excellent discussions of the Grendel chamber. Further There is good coverage of hunting applications of the cartridge.

One can find 25 Grendel loads with CFE223 at Ammoguide.com as well.

[Rickc]

There's a bunch of loads in the 6.5 Grendel Reloading Handbook along with excellent discussions of the Grendel chamber. Further There is good coverage of hunting applications of the cartridge.

One can find 25 Grendel loads with CFE223 at Ammoguide.com as well.

thanks

I am only going to use 2 bullets in my Grendel. 123 amax and 123 SST. I want to use CFE223 but I also have 8208XBR to try if need be. I know what my starting loads will be. It will be easy to find my max. then on to seating depth. Since a round with a COL of 2.26 is only 0.010 off the lands that sounds like a good starting point.

That is really the fun for me! After load development I kind of lose interest in a rifle. Ready to move on to the next one.