6.5 Grendel Preferred Loads

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  • Cajuntransplant
    Bloodstained
    • Apr 2016
    • 64

    Originally posted by Brosome View Post
    27.6gr of AR comp behind something 123grs really does seem to be the sweet spot. I had similar results with the Nosler CCs but for the life of me I couldn't get them to shoot well. MOA or just over was the best I could get. Good for cheap practice on steel though I guess.

    Also: Cajuntransplant, you must be high up there in elevation, 2522 seems pretty quick for an 18" barrel and that much AR Comp. I'll second that I'd love to see some of those .23 5 shot groups though that's some slick shooting.
    No not high in elevation. I’m in Sioux Falls area of South Dakota. About 1700’ is all. I thought the numbers were high too compared to what I have read. Maybe the omega with flat end cap makes enough of a difference? I should see what it is in my notes without the supressor.

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    • Dave_H
      Unwashed
      • Jun 2017
      • 24

      Originally posted by Cajuntransplant View Post
      No not high in elevation. I’m in Sioux Falls area of South Dakota. About 1700’ is all. I thought the numbers were high too compared to what I have read. Maybe the omega with flat end cap makes enough of a difference? I should see what it is in my notes without the supressor.
      I ran two 10-shot strings of the same load over my chronograph today. I'm at about 960 feet elevation and it was a calm, 40 degree day. Unsuppressed I only averaged around 2410 fps out of my 18" Lilja 319 barrel. MY ES spread was very tight on one string and opened up to around 43 fps on the other thanks to two rounds that were down around 2370-2375 fps. I didn't have a lot of time, so I didn't take my can with me and I didn't shoot groups. I just shot steel at 400 yards to get some chrono data. I think I'm going to run some of my ammo back through a Lee FCD and compare them with loads not crimped. I'm thinking maybe the FCD will improve my consistency and lower my ES.

      Comment

      • trigrtym
        Unwashed
        • Nov 2017
        • 9

        Originally posted by tucansam View Post
        Exact same barrel here. 20" PF Criterion, 1:8. Looks like it was built in a NASA lab, its very pretty. Only took 18 months to arrive. I'll never do business with PF again, ever.

        Won't group factory Hornady to save its life. I'm hoping reloads will work better. Very surprised that it doesn't shoot considering the hype around this barrel when I bought it two years ago, and the price I paid for it at the time.
        Hey guys. I'm new to this forum but have been reading for awhile trying to get a few ideas to load my PF Lothar Walther barrel with. It took over 8mo to get it after numerous emails. So far it's a solid 3moa shooter if anything. I sent it back for them to look at it and that took 6mo to get it back and with no correspondence and no reply to what they did to it, if anything b/c it still won't shoot and I paid over $500 for it. Horrible barrel, horrible service. DO NOT BUT FROM PRECISION FIREARMS. I just a Ballistic Advantage barrel and anxiously awaiting on it. Surely it will be better

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        • VASCAR2
          Chieftain
          • Mar 2011
          • 6219

          Last edited by VASCAR2; 11-27-2017, 02:02 AM.

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          • tucansam
            Bloodstained
            • Dec 2016
            • 62

            Originally posted by trigrtym View Post
            Hey guys. I'm new to this forum but have been reading for awhile trying to get a few ideas to load my PF Lothar Walther barrel with. It took over 8mo to get it after numerous emails. So far it's a solid 3moa shooter if anything. I sent it back for them to look at it and that took 6mo to get it back and with no correspondence and no reply to what they did to it, if anything b/c it still won't shoot and I paid over $500 for it. Horrible barrel, horrible service. DO NOT BUT FROM PRECISION FIREARMS. I just a Ballistic Advantage barrel and anxiously awaiting on it. Surely it will be better


            Same. I'll put a few weeks' time into this barrel, if it doesn't shoot, its getting sold. And I'll never do business with PF again, ever, even if the barrel does shoot, based on my prior experience (and yours). Their comms were terrible at the time, too, and I don't care to find out if they've improved or not, there are plenty of other vendors out there who want my business.

            Comment

            • tucansam
              Bloodstained
              • Dec 2016
              • 62

              post five shots cold bore clean barrel 123gr hornady sst factory ammo IMG_20171206_162738024.jpg

              Well, my PF barrel shoots after all. The very top, smaller hole is an errant 223. There are four shots in the clover and one flyer. BUT this was five shots out of a clean, cold bore. So the flyer could have been the initial fouling shot (I wasn't paying attention). These are rounds 21-25 out of this barrel. Factory Hornady 123gr SST. 100 yards.

              My friend fired another five rounds of the same at rocks at 100 yards and busted them up pretty good. Since I need some factory ammo to break in and test the 12" Faxon, those ten rounds were the only ones fired through the PF barrel today.

              Right now I am happy, going to order a bag of brass and start hand loading.

              Comment

              • JASmith
                Chieftain
                • Sep 2014
                • 1620

                shootersnotes.com

                "To those who have fought and almost died for it, freedom has a flavor the protected will never know."
                -- Author Unknown

                "If at first you do succeed, try not to look astonished!" -- Milton Berle

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                • jpistolero02
                  Unwashed
                  • Aug 2017
                  • 20

                  I found a new load hunting load with 120 ballistic tips.

                  27.3 8208
                  Lapua Brass
                  CCI 450
                  120 Ballistic Tip
                  2.25"

                  Comment

                  • Crusty
                    Warrior
                    • Dec 2017
                    • 237

                    AR-Comp load over max?

                    I read all the earlier posts about the 123gr/27.5gr AR-Comp load and decided to give it a try for my first OCW spread and I did indeed find an accuracy node at 27.5gr at 2.260" OAL. Looking at my primers though they were all flattened and there were ejector marks on some cases, which I take to be signs of over pressure.

                    Subsequent to this, I finally found a published load at Speer for AR-Comp in a Grendel using a 120gr bullet (published AR-Comp loads for Grendel have been rare so far) and I see in it that the max load is listed as 25.3gr of Ar-Comp so the 27.5gr load is nearly 9% over that max with a 120gr bullet, and even more with a 123gr bullet.

                    What's y'alls opinion of the 27.5gr load based on these facts? I'll attach the Speer doc if I can.

                    In that same document there's a max load listed using Power Pro 2000-MR which looks very interesting because it has a MV about 40fps higher than Hornady ELD-M ammo, which is the top factory 123gr load as far as I know. I've loaded an OCW spread using it based on that max charge but I haven't shot it yet.
                    Attached Files
                    Last edited by Crusty; 12-27-2017, 12:52 AM.
                    I'll be yer Huckleberry.

                    Comment

                    • VASCAR2
                      Chieftain
                      • Mar 2011
                      • 6219

                      What barrel/length and bolt are you using Crusty? I noticed Speer and Sierra both used 24” barrels in universal receivers. I like Hornady because they tested their loads in actual AR-15 6.5 Grendel barrels. Nosler’s 6.5 Grendel load data seems very conservative as does Speer & Sierra who don’t post actual pressure. I rarely load close to max and don’t hot rod my reloads especially with the 6.5 Grendel. I haven’t tried AR Comp or Pro Varmint but would like to test them.

                      Comment

                      • Niles Coyote
                        Bloodstained
                        • Jun 2016
                        • 46

                        Originally posted by Crusty View Post
                        I read all the earlier posts about the 123gr/27.5gr AR-Comp load and decided to give it a try for my first OCW spread and I did indeed find an accuracy node at 27.5gr at 2.260" OAL. Looking at my primers though they were all flattened and there were ejector marks on some cases, which I take to be signs of over pressure.

                        Subsequent to this, I finally found a published load at Speer for AR-Comp in a Grendel using a 120gr bullet (published AR-Comp loads for Grendel have been rare so far) and I see in it that the max load is listed as 25.3gr of Ar-Comp so the 27.5gr load is nearly 9% over that max with a 120gr bullet, and even more with a 123gr bullet.

                        What's y'alls opinion of the 27.5gr load based on these facts? I'll attach the Speer doc if I can.

                        In that same document there's a max load listed using Power Pro 2000-MR which looks very interesting because it has a MV about 40fps higher than Hornady ELD-M ammo, which is the top factory 123gr load as far as I know. I've loaded an OCW spread using it based on that max charge but I haven't shot it yet.
                        When I started my load work up two years ago I to began seeing signs of pressure as I entered the 27+ range The load I settled on was 26.8 under 123's and it works well across three barrels measuring 16, 18 and 20". The node there is quite wide, about .5-.6 tenths of a grain.

                        Comment

                        • Crusty
                          Warrior
                          • Dec 2017
                          • 237

                          Now that's better - when I start seeing ejector marks I start sweating. I hate to give AR-Comp up completely because it's performed so well for me, and I'll load some up at that weight and try again.

                          The Power Pro-2000MR is interesting to me too because it's a flattened spherical powder which measures a lot more accurately than an extruded powder, and it comes closer to filling the case. Even though I throw pre-charges and trickle to my final weight I don't like the occasional crunch of extruded grains. Thanks for the info - I'll put it in my logbook.

                          Here's my latest 10@100yds with AR-Comp. The dot is 1". Could have been better because my eyes were fuzzing out and my aiming went crappy.
                          12.21.17 group.jpg

                          I looked briefly and couldn't determine what barrel length Speer used and I've assumed it's the standard 24" until I learn differently. I'm using a Satern 18", 1:8, 5R stainless barrel. My bolt is a Maxim. I really wish Alliant would run some Grendel load tests.
                          Last edited by Crusty; 12-27-2017, 02:53 AM.
                          I'll be yer Huckleberry.

                          Comment

                          • Drillboss
                            Warrior
                            • Jan 2015
                            • 894

                            Originally posted by Crusty View Post
                            Now that's better - when I start seeing ejector marks I start sweating. I hate to give AR-Comp up completely because it's performed so well for me, and I'll load some up at that weight and try again.

                            The Power Pro-2000MR is interesting to me too because it's a flattened spherical powder which measures a lot more accurately than an extruded powder, and it comes closer to filling the case. Even though I throw pre-charges and trickle to my final weight I don't like the occasional crunch of extruded grains. Thanks for the info - I'll put it in my logbook.

                            Here's my latest 10@100yds with AR-Comp. The dot is 1". Could have been better because my eyes were fuzzing out and my aiming went crappy.
                            [ATTACH=CONFIG]10564[/ATTACH]

                            I looked briefly and couldn't determine what barrel length Speer used and I've assumed it's the standard 24" until I learn differently. I'm using a Satern 18", 1:8, 5R stainless barrel. My bolt is a Maxim. I really wish Alliant would run some Grendel load tests.
                            Speer used a 24" test barrel. It's on their website, but you have to dig a little.

                            Comment

                            • cb4017
                              Warrior
                              • Dec 2016
                              • 183

                              I've been an advocate of AR-Comp and have shot a lot of it. 27.6 gr behind 123 gr bullets loaded to around 2.260". They have shot great in my Grendels. The chronograph 2490 to 2500 fps in my 18" LaRue.

                              My latest Labradar chronograph session has me scratching my head. I was checking velocities through my new build 20" Proof Research barreled upper. Velocities with factory AMAX ran 2491 fps. A load with 28 gr of TAC ran 2459 fps. These were about what I expected. Velocities with my AR-Comp loads ran about 80 - 100 fps higher than I expected at 2580 fps and I was seeing slight ejector swipes. I think I'm going to back it off a little to get the velocity to about 2500 fps.
                              Cliff
                              USN Ret., FPD Ret.

                              Nobody is coming. It's up to you.

                              Comment

                              • fdbyrne78
                                Bloodstained
                                • Aug 2017
                                • 97

                                Originally posted by Crusty View Post
                                Now that's better - when I start seeing ejector marks I start sweating. I hate to give AR-Comp up completely because it's performed so well for me, and I'll load some up at that weight and try again.

                                The Power Pro-2000MR is interesting to me too because it's a flattened spherical powder which measures a lot more accurately than an extruded powder, and it comes closer to filling the case. Even though I throw pre-charges and trickle to my final weight I don't like the occasional crunch of extruded grains. Thanks for the info - I'll put it in my logbook.

                                Here's my latest 10@100yds with AR-Comp. The dot is 1". Could have been better because my eyes were fuzzing out and my aiming went crappy.
                                [ATTACH=CONFIG]10564[/ATTACH]

                                I looked briefly and couldn't determine what barrel length Speer used and I've assumed it's the standard 24" until I learn differently. I'm using a Satern 18", 1:8, 5R stainless barrel. My bolt is a Maxim. I really wish Alliant would run some Grendel load tests.
                                I'm just beginning work on an AR Comp load for 123 SSTs with my 20" Satern. There are a lot of people in this forum with more experience than me, but I'd ask how far off the lands you are. My throat is very short but I didn't notice until I burned through 100 rounds of factory SSTs and started loading my own. I started seeing pressure signs much earlier than I expected. When I went back and checked the factory loads they were well into the lands. My handloads were too and it was causing pressure problems.

                                My most accurate load so far with the SSTs is over 28gr of AR Comp running about 2550 fps out of my 20" barrel. No pressure signs on the brass. I did back way off when I started seating them deeper and worked back up.

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