Fusion 120 grain with 18 Inch Match Barrel/ Grendel

[ronmat]

Well I have my 1st Grendel and im totally new to AR platform rifles and even more
new to decent optics. I Bought a Nikon 4X16X50 with XRT Turrets. I dont reload so im
looking for the best choice of Ammo. Dont have a chrono to check muzzle velocity so
what you folks think would be the best, I will deer hunt and try to hit some paper around 500 yds just for fun, DEZ 18 Twisted Flute SS Match Barrel, I guess i need advice on best ammo and maybe ball park muzzle vel. to order custom turrets from Nikon.
Thanks
Ron

[Bwild97]

I don't think it will be out of bounds to expect 2475-2500 fps from factory Hornady ammo for an 18" brl.

[Casper77]

Ronmat, welcome to the forum. Congrats on your Grendel I'm sure you'll enjoy it. If I were you I would wait and test velocities with your chosen factory ammo before ordering the turrets. I shoot an 18" barrel that seems to be a tic faster than others velocities on here. Factory Hornady has averaged 2580 fps. The new American Eagle 90 gr shoots 2936 fps. That being said, I have a marked turret and I've been surprised that there isn't much variation between loads. I've shot three different loads, the 90 gr, a 120 gr, and the 123 gr SST's, and my turret gets me close with all three, and real close from 400 yds and in. I guess it boils down to your level of expected precision. Good luck!

[Bwild97]

Factory Hornady @ 2580fps from an 18" brl? Thats exactly what I get out of my 24"brl. Thats one hell of a tic!!

[pajasonc]

Ronmat, welcome to the forum. Congrats on your Grendel I'm sure you'll enjoy it. If I were you I would wait and test velocities with your chosen factory ammo before ordering the turrets. I shoot an 18" barrel that seems to be a tic faster than others velocities on here. Factory Hornady has averaged 2580 fps. The new American Eagle 90 gr shoots 2936 fps. That being said, I have a marked turret and I've been surprised that there isn't much variation between loads. I've shot three different loads, the 90 gr, a 120 gr, and the 123 gr SST's, and my turret gets me close with all three, and real close from 400 yds and in. I guess it boils down to your level of expected precision. Good luck!

thats because if you run the numbers in a ballistic calculator there isn't much difference between even 2300 and 2500 and the 90 grain while faster loses that speed quicker meaning its going to be pretty close from 100 to 400 as well. Now if your shooting 800 yards there would be a bigger difference between the 90 grain and 123.

[Cornbread]

a more realistic expectation is low to mid 2400.

[pajasonc]

Well I have my 1st Grendel and im totally new to AR platform rifles and even more
new to decent optics. I Bought a Nikon 4X16X50 with XRT Turrets. I dont reload so im
looking for the best choice of Ammo. Dont have a chrono to check muzzle velocity so
what you folks think would be the best, I will deer hunt and try to hit some paper around 500 yds just for fun, DEZ 18 Twisted Flute SS Match Barrel, I guess i need advice on best ammo and maybe ball park muzzle vel. to order custom turrets from Nikon.
Thanks
Ron

No way to know what velocity your going to get with out a chrono. Not a AR barrel but I have seen two identical remington 700 30-06's have 120 fps difference between them. But a ball park on the hornady would be 2400 to 2500. But as casper77 has said his is faster than most 18" yours could be slower. The federal fusions, as far as I know, haven't seen dealer shelves yet. Their factory numbers are 2600 fps and I am pretty sure federal uses a 20" barrel on the msr ammo.