Here we go!

[Herzo]

Just built up a 22" AR Performance SST free float upper. Mounted a Vortex 6.5 - 20, Initial results with Hornady Match & Black are encouraging, hovering around 1 - 1-1/2 moa. Beginning to work up loads, hope to get to the 1/2 moa range. I suspect that tuning the load to match the barrel will be the challenge.

[VASCAR2]

Welcome to the forum Herzo! Sounds like a great rifle.

[NugginFutz]

Welcome, Herzo. Just remember - without pictures, it never happened.

[mdewitt71]

sounds great post up a pic when you can, I would like to check it out.....

[Red Dawn]

Welcome. Sounds like a great build.

[Texas]

Welcome to the board Herzog, has anyone mentioned posting pictures of your rifle?

[Herzo]

Last month has been hectic, had to prep for the CMP Eastern Games at Camp Butner NC. Only managed to embarrass myself marginally. Did manage to get a silver in the sniper match. Finally loaded some ammo using 8208 (disappointing) and CFE 223 (promising) behind the 123 gr AMax at 100 yards. 8208 hovered around 1-1/4" using 27.5 to 28.5 gr in Prvi Partisan brass with CCI #34 primers. Only fired a single round @28.5 gr since the first round blew the primer pocket. I had no pressure indications until that point. The CFE 223 was much more encouraging. 29.0 grains @ 2340 fps produced a 3/8" - 5 shot group and the rest up to 30.5 grains (@ 2460 fps) were 1" or below. I will The interesting point was that when using 8208, the fired brass was almost too hot to handle while the CFE 223 was substantially cooler. I was fighting a 10 to 15 mph variable crosswind so there is hope.

[Kilco]

I've done alot of load development with 8208 in the 204 Ruger, and when you reach max pressure it can spike very fast. I like the high velocity/low pressure CFE223 delivers.

[LRRPF52]

Last month has been hectic, had to prep for the CMP Eastern Games at Camp Butner NC. Only managed to embarrass myself marginally. Did manage to get a silver in the sniper match. Finally loaded some ammo using 8208 (disappointing) and CFE 223 (promising) behind the 123 gr AMax at 100 yards. 8208 hovered around 1-1/4" using 27.5 to 28.5 gr in Prvi Partisan brass with CCI #34 primers. Only fired a single round @28.5 gr since the first round blew the primer pocket. I had no pressure indications until that point. The CFE 223 was much more encouraging. 29.0 grains @ 2340 fps produced a 3/8" - 5 shot group and the rest up to 30.5 grains (@ 2460 fps) were 1" or below. I will The interesting point was that when using 8208, the fired brass was almost too hot to handle while the CFE 223 was substantially cooler. I was fighting a 10 to 15 mph variable crosswind so there is hope.

Welcome aboard. PPU brass has been recalled. It's too soft, headspace was off with the shoulder on factory ammo. They had some good runs of it, then seemed to fall off last year with bad lots.

8208XBR is normally one of the main go-to accurate powders for 6.5 Grendel.

[Kilco]

Welcome aboard. PPU brass has been recalled. It's too soft, headspace was off with the shoulder on factory ammo. They had some good runs of it, then seemed to fall off last year with bad lots.

8208XBR is normally one of the main go-to accurate powders for 6.5 Grendel.

8208 is causing me much heartache in my Grendel.. worked up multuple OCW tests, and 28.5 is significantly more accurate than any other charge weight, and the most accurate load I've found in my rifle, grouping between .5 and .75 at 100 yards at 2450 from a 16" tube with a 123 ELD-M at 2.250 COL.. However I really hate running max pressure loads, and nervous about passing 52k psi... I get slight ejector swipes, and would prefer to avoid that..

Love the velocity CFE223 delivers, and hoping the 123 SST ogive gets along with CFE223 better than the 123 ELD-M in my rifle.

[Herzo]

Will try to work with CFE223 for the near term - I"ll try the 8208 under a 77 gr SMK in my .223. Probably won't be able to spend a lot of time with the Grendel until August - Camp Perry is coming up in July and I'll be shooting 8 rifles . Only had one box (20 rounds) of PPU - checked the primers in the rest of the fired reloads, most were easy to push out with a Lee decapping pin - all are in the recycle bucket now. I bought a hundred rounds of Hornady ammo (cheaper than buying brass) I'll buy some more to build up my stock.

[Herzo]

Got to go out and play with the Grendel today. Had a couple of range days with it over the past months, finally settled on a magazine length (2.260 COAL) load of 27.5 grains of H335 behind a 123 gr. SMK in Lapua brass - makes 2440 FPS & 1/2 " groups @ 100 yds.

Shot the MR-1 target off a bipod at 600 yds, (3 x 20 rounds) managed to squeek out a 192-6X, a 191-4X & a 186-4X (wind caught me).

I decided to set the rifle up for the NRA Tactical Prone competition since the 22" barrel was never going to get me to 1000 yards. I cut the barrel down to 20" to make the rules -- other rules are:
Bipod allowed
4.5# minimum trigger pull
12X maximum scope,
Ammo must feed from magazine
Any caliber from .223 to .308 (AR 15 or 10"s only)
Stock may have adjustable buttplate/cheekrest
Rear rest may be used but must be "improvised" - backpack or coat is fine, no "bunny ears"
Bipod must be on the ground or shooting mat, no sliding surface.
Magazine, pistol grip or buttstock may not touch the ground.

Rifle did its part, I just need to learn to shoot it!!

[A5BLASTER]

Got to go out and play with the Grendel today. Had a couple of range days with it over the past months, finally settled on a magazine length (2.260 COAL) load of 27.5 grains of H335 behind a 123 gr. SMK in Lapua brass - makes 2440 FPS & 1/2 " groups @ 100 yds.

Shot the MR-1 target off a bipod at 600 yds, (3 x 20 rounds) managed to squeek out a 192-6X, a 191-4X & a 186-4X (wind caught me).

I decided to set the rifle up for the NRA Tactical Prone competition since the 22" barrel was never going to get me to 1000 yards. I cut the barrel down to 20" to make the rules -- other rules are:
Bipod allowed
4.5# minimum trigger pull
12X maximum scope,
Ammo must feed from magazine
Any caliber from .223 to .308 (AR 15 or 10"s only)
Stock may have adjustable buttplate/cheekrest
Rear rest may be used but must be "improvised" - backpack or coat is fine, no "bunny ears"
Bipod must be on the ground or shooting mat, no sliding surface.
Magazine, pistol grip or buttstock may not touch the ground.

Rifle did its part, I just need to learn to shoot it!!

Congrats and welcome to the horde. Blasting out of the past lol.