Did you already own a 6.5 Grendel AR before you bought a bolt action?

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  • jkingrph
    Warrior
    • Aug 2014
    • 131

    #31
    Originally posted by 85_Ranger4x4 View Post
    Since IMO it is about the best performing round you can run thru an AR, I am building in a Grendel AR.

    For a bolt gun, I know the round is really pretty phenomenal but it is kind of a tough sell vs the myriad of much more mainline rounds available in bolt guns. I have my Grendel AR so really I don't NEED a Grendel bolt gun.

    I haven't done a lick of research but if I wanted a bolt gun in that size it would be kind of a tough sell vs something dirt common like a .243 for a mild target/hunting rifle... unless I get into reloading since I would then have two of them.
    I already have my Grendel AR's, and simply want a bolt gun in that caliber, hence my pre order for a CZ 527 American. I have bolt guns in 22Hornet, .223, 6.5x55, 30-06 and .375 H&H, as well as a single shot in 7x57. I wanted the little lightweight rifle with very mild recoil, I could have gone a bit bigger with a .243, 260 Rem or 6.5 Creedmore, but these are all larger and heavier and just a bit more recoil. At 72 I simply want light handy and mild, and the little Grendel fits the bill for me.
    Member before 2010, account deleted per 2011 spam attack

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    • SDguy
      Warrior
      • Oct 2015
      • 367

      #32
      Originally posted by jason miller View Post
      I believe 2650 would be pushing it a little hard in a Grendel. As someone else said, that's about as hot as I can run a 123. And if you're going to push one, you better push both to make a fair comparison. It's not impossible to nudge 3K with a 130 in the Creed.
      if I were reaching for that kind of velocity with a 130 Lvr would be the propellant, CCI 450 would be the primer and Lapua would be the brass. I have exceeded it a lot w a flat base 129 from a 24" LW barrel in a cz 527.

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      • LRRPF52
        Super Moderator
        • Sep 2014
        • 8569

        #33
        Originally posted by vandiemenlander View Post
        What load are you using to get 2650 out of a 22" tube with that bullet? I can't even get that with a 123 Amax without going overpressure in Quickload, much less a 130. I'd love to see more Grendel bolt guns but the oddball PPC sized bolt face is probably a barrier for some of the bigger manufacturers to tool up and make a run of guns. I'd love something like a Remmy 700 with a 20" fluted light bull barrel and a decent (read: not that Hogue garbage they love to use now) stock. 700 LTR'ish. Or even a Tikka T3...

        I want a 6.5 bolt gun sometime in the next year or two, can't decide if I want to just take the easy way out and do a 6.5x47 that works with an existing 308 bolt face 700 or Tikka action or deal with having to have someone install bolt face bushings and sort out the feeding issues that come with the Grendel. Be easy to just do light loads for the 6.5x47 that approximate Grendel ballistics and still be able to turn up the heat for the 1000 yard line. Choices, choices..
        Quickload is not a goood indicator of pressures when using their parameters for 6.5 Grendel. They are way off.

        2650fps with a Hornady 129gr InterBond on CFE223 has already been done with the Savage bolt gun 6.5 Grendel, 20" barrel.

        Pressures are approaching 60ksi at that speed, so some actions might not be suited to it.
        NRA Basic, Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun, RSO

        CCW, CQM, DM, Long Range Rifle Instructor

        6.5 Grendel Reloading Handbooks & chamber brushes can be found here:

        www.AR15buildbox.com

        Comment

        • LRRPF52
          Super Moderator
          • Sep 2014
          • 8569

          #34
          Originally posted by jason miller View Post
          I believe 2650 would be pushing it a little hard in a Grendel. As someone else said, that's about as hot as I can run a 123. And if you're going to push one, you better push both to make a fair comparison. It's not impossible to nudge 3K with a 130 in the Creed.
          I've never been able to get the 130gr Berger much faster than 2820fps from my 22" .260 Rem using H4350.
          I have been able to get the 123gr Scenar well over 2900fps with the .260 Rem, but I was using N540 and causing all sorts of issues with primers, to include piercings, major ejector channel flow and shear, loose primer pockets, etc.

          You're going over 62,000psi if you push a 130gr to 3000fps in a 6.5 Creedmoor. I know there are people that do it, but component and throat life will suffer. RL-17 will get you close with a 24" barrel.

          Buddy of mine was shooting 140gr Bergers from 6.5x47 Lapua at 3000fps with N540. Primer pockets were toast after one firing, but you couldn't miss with that rifle. Must have been well over 65,000psi with that load.
          NRA Basic, Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun, RSO

          CCW, CQM, DM, Long Range Rifle Instructor

          6.5 Grendel Reloading Handbooks & chamber brushes can be found here:

          www.AR15buildbox.com

          Comment

          • LRRPF52
            Super Moderator
            • Sep 2014
            • 8569

            #35
            I'll be doing a pressure ladder here soon with my Howa Mini and will post the results.

            I have a pretty good idea of where pressures are with certain powder/projectile combinations that we've tested on calibrated RSI with good gauges and check parameters.

            It's very pleasant to shoot with 123g AMAX on 31.5gr of CFE. I just watched my rounds impact on steel in the sight picture, with very minimal sight picture disturbance. No muzzle brake, sporter barrel profile, bipod, rear bag. Fun little rifle to shoot really. I wish there had been something like this when I was a kid.

            I guess Steyr 6.5x54 Mannlichers were available, but I didn't know much about them in the 1970s or 80s.
            NRA Basic, Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun, RSO

            CCW, CQM, DM, Long Range Rifle Instructor

            6.5 Grendel Reloading Handbooks & chamber brushes can be found here:

            www.AR15buildbox.com

            Comment

            • kmon
              Chieftain
              • Feb 2015
              • 2095

              #36
              For those that want to push a Grendel hard to get near 6.5 Creedmoor or 260 velocities just get a rifle chambered in them, but why go there when you could get a 6.5 Remington Mag, 6.5-284, 6.5-06, 264 Win Mag or 26 Nosler if you are looking so hard to get more speed go get it.

              The Grendel shines in its efficiency and ease to shoot well, with enough power to be very decisive on the vast majority of shots taken on whitetail, mule deer, pronghorn, black bear and many of the elk taken every year in this country. Great round for AR or Bolt action for those of us with years of hunting experience and have realized we like a gun that is light weight with plenty of energy to get the job done. If I were shooting at lot at 600+ yards it is not my choice gun, that is where the 6.5-284 and 264 WM get to leave the safe but they rarely get that chance since I had the Grendel built. The place I hunt 300 yards is my max shot distance so for that hunting the Grendel is about perfect.

              Comment

              • SDguy
                Warrior
                • Oct 2015
                • 367

                #37
                If by chance you do a work up W LVR I would like to see data 30.0 gr to up to 32.5 gr of LVR under a hornady 129 gr SP.

                Comment

                • Klem
                  Chieftain
                  • Aug 2013
                  • 3507

                  #38
                  Originally posted by LRRPF52 View Post
                  Quickload is not a goood indicator of pressures when using their parameters for 6.5 Grendel. They are way off.

                  .
                  Probably a bit exaggerated. I use Quickload in this calibre all the time. Just double-check with the powder manufacturer's loading charts and you are good to go. Do your usual 10% low and work up checking for pressure signs.

                  Comment

                  • jason miller
                    Warrior
                    • Dec 2016
                    • 182

                    #39
                    Originally posted by LRRPF52 View Post
                    I've never been able to get the 130gr Berger much faster than 2820fps from my 22" .260 Rem using H4350.
                    I have been able to get the 123gr Scenar well over 2900fps with the .260 Rem, but I was using N540 and causing all sorts of issues with primers, to include piercings, major ejector channel flow and shear, loose primer pockets, etc.

                    You're going over 62,000psi if you push a 130gr to 3000fps in a 6.5 Creedmoor. I know there are people that do it, but component and throat life will suffer. RL-17 will get you close with a 24" barrel.

                    Buddy of mine was shooting 140gr Bergers from 6.5x47 Lapua at 3000fps with N540. Primer pockets were toast after one firing, but you couldn't miss with that rifle. Must have been well over 65,000psi with that load.
                    I come once again to ask a favor does anyone have quick load on newer powders listed on there quick load looking at IMR4451 Enduron with H4350 getting super hard to find thanking about switching in trying this new powder many claim very close to the same as age 4350 shooting. I am using nosler...

                    Comment

                    • ah1whiskey
                      Warrior
                      • Sep 2015
                      • 255

                      #40
                      i was gonna get the 6.5g bolt action as a lightweight , but i ended up building a ultra light 6.5 grendel ar-15 instead.

                      Comment

                      • LRRPF52
                        Super Moderator
                        • Sep 2014
                        • 8569

                        #41
                        Originally posted by Klem View Post
                        Probably a bit exaggerated. I use Quickload in this calibre all the time. Just double-check with the powder manufacturer's loading charts and you are good to go. Do your usual 10% low and work up checking for pressure signs.
                        We've done QL comparisons with real pressure trace testing, and QL was off by 10-20ksi.

                        Good rule of thumb is to not rely on QL for predictions unless you have calibrated it based on a lot of collected data with your rifle.
                        NRA Basic, Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun, RSO

                        CCW, CQM, DM, Long Range Rifle Instructor

                        6.5 Grendel Reloading Handbooks & chamber brushes can be found here:

                        www.AR15buildbox.com

                        Comment

                        • kmon
                          Chieftain
                          • Feb 2015
                          • 2095

                          #42
                          I have no doubt QL is off on pressure as has been discussed here many times, what I have found surprising is how often it is extremely close on velocity while being off on pressure.

                          If you have the equipment to test the pressure and change the QL info to match your data you can get pretty dang good data.

                          QL to me is just another source of information, it is amazing what you can learn with an open mind about internal ballistics, but like all reloading resources ultimate safety of you loads is up to you.

                          52 I knew you guys data showed some loads where QL is off by as much as 10,000 psi but didn't know about the 20k psi which is huge.

                          Comment

                          • LRRPF52
                            Super Moderator
                            • Sep 2014
                            • 8569

                            #43
                            Ask Joe about QL and Grendel. There probably aren't many people on the planet who have done the amount of QL comparisons with actual pressure data, other than Bill A. (with piezoelectric) Not sure if Bill would even bother with QL.
                            NRA Basic, Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun, RSO

                            CCW, CQM, DM, Long Range Rifle Instructor

                            6.5 Grendel Reloading Handbooks & chamber brushes can be found here:

                            www.AR15buildbox.com

                            Comment

                            • murfvol
                              Bloodstained
                              • Oct 2016
                              • 74

                              #44
                              Interesting thread. I had a 5.56 AR at one point, but never a Grendel upper. Then I got a Howa mini, and now have a dedicated lower awaiting a Grendel upper.

                              Comment

                              • LWP
                                Bloodstained
                                • Jun 2017
                                • 91

                                #45
                                I too have the Mini Howa 6.5 Grendel 20" HB and like it a lot. Have only shot 2 different factory loads through it the Hornady 123gr Black and the Hornady123gr SST. The Black worked much better for me. I have been reloading for it with Lapua brass and a number of powder, bullet, primer combos. Trying to make 90gr to 100gr bullets work but so far 120gr and 123gr are working the best. Looking forward to a 6.5 Grendel AR as soon as I figure out what complete upper to buy. I want at least 22" and heavy

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