so what should i use 1st time loading 6.5gren

[kiwi shooter]

so my new howa is due to arrive any day now
so time to start thinking about what to use I haven't brought any gear yet

1st is brass as far as I'm aware there are two options here in new Zealand lapua and hornady the hornady being slightly cheaper at $180nz per 100
lapua is $200nz per 100 I have had no experience with hornady brass
lapua is great but what's your advice?

2nd is powder I have half a tin of cfe223 in my powder stock already and I have read that that's a fantastic powder in the Grendel so I will probably try that 1st but any other suggestions?

3rd primers
I have read both cci BR2 and cci 450 suggestions?

4th projetiles I'm looking at projectiles around the 100gn mark mostly sierra 100gn hp
Varminter and 95gn hornady v-max will mostly be hunting wild goats and ether of these bullets should do the job nicely but what would be your preference?

rifle is a howa mini action and barrel will be somewhere between 18-20 inches (haven't 100% decided that bit yet) and will be suppressed

[LR1955]

so my new howa is due to arrive any day now
so time to start thinking about what to use I haven't brought any gear yet

1st is brass as far as I'm aware there are two options here in new Zealand lapua and hornady the hornady being slightly cheaper at $180nz per 100
lapua is $200nz per 100 I have had no experience with hornady brass
lapua is great but what's your advice?

2nd is powder I have half a tin of cfe223 in my powder stock already and I have read that that's a fantastic powder in the Grendel so I will probably try that 1st but any other suggestions?

3rd primers
I have read both cci BR2 and cci 450 suggestions?

4th projetiles I'm looking at projectiles around the 100gn mark mostly sierra 100gn hp
Varminter and 95gn hornady v-max will mostly be hunting wild goats and ether of these bullets should do the job nicely but what would be your preference?

rifle is a howa mini action and barrel will be somewhere between 18-20 inches (haven't 100% decided that bit yet) and will be suppressed

KS:

Lapua is better brass. You will get at least three times as many loadings as the Hornady brass so it is more worth your while.

CFE223 is a good bet.

Either BR2 or 450's will be fine.

So, you lucked out. You already have most of the components.

If you ask which is the best, about the only consensus you will get is that Lapua brass is the best.

LR55

Nothing wrong with the bullets, either.

[A.D.D. AR]

welcome, and congrats on your new rifle!
1. on brass I would say get lapua if its only slightly more money. Your bolt gun should be easier on brass than an AR, therefore it should last a good while.
2. on powder, since you already have CFE223, why not use that to start. CFE223 is usually used with 120grain and heavier bullets (not to say it won't work fine for lighter bullets.)
If you want to exclusively shoot lighter bullets, many people like IMR XBR 8208, or H335, or similar burn rates.
3. CCI 450's have always been the gold standard for the grendel , but that was because of the AR firing pin (reduce slam fires) I imagine BR2's would work just fine in your bolt gun.
4 If you have an SAAMI chamber it will handle all bullet weights just fine.
I don't have any real world hunting results , I just mainly target shoot with my grendels.
maybe some more experienced guys will chime in with more detailed info for you.
again, welcome, good luck on your loads and don't hesitate to post range results and questions
-mike

[kiwi shooter]

lapua was always the plan but thought id run the hornadys past you guys to see what you thought

completely by accident on google when searching for data I found a post on here actually
this data was in it with plenty of 100gn cfe223 data

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/88798310/Grendel%20Loads%20from%20Bwild%2097%20Updated.pdf

those speeds (from a 24 inch) look very impressive obviously I would work up my own load but you guys may know the guy who posed this data- is it good data to use as a guide
nosler list 31gn as max for a 129 so correct me if you think I'm wrong but 32gn seems about right for a starting load for a 100gn bullet??

[LR1955]

lapua was always the plan but thought id run the hornadys past you guys to see what you thought

completely by accident on google when searching for data I found a post on here actually
this data was in it with plenty of 100gn cfe223 data

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/88798310/Grendel%20Loads%20from%20Bwild%2097%20Updated.pdf

those speeds (from a 24 inch) look very impressive obviously I would work up my own load but you guys may know the guy who posed this data- is it good data to use as a guide
nosler list 31gn as max for a 129 so correct me if you think I'm wrong but 32gn seems about right for a starting load for a 100gn bullet??

KS:

Any load a forum member comes up with is a 'use at your own risk' proposition.

LR55

[Rickc]

so my new howa is due to arrive any day now
so time to start thinking about what to use I haven't brought any gear yet

1st is brass as far as I'm aware there are two options here in new Zealand lapua and hornady the hornady being slightly cheaper at $180nz per 100
lapua is $200nz per 100 I have had no experience with hornady brass
lapua is great but what's your advice?

2nd is powder I have half a tin of cfe223 in my powder stock already and I have read that that's a fantastic powder in the Grendel so I will probably try that 1st but any other suggestions?

3rd primers
I have read both cci BR2 and cci 450 suggestions?

4th projetiles I'm looking at projectiles around the 100gn mark mostly sierra 100gn hp
Varminter and 95gn hornady v-max will mostly be hunting wild goats and ether of these bullets should do the job nicely but what would be your preference?

rifle is a howa mini action and barrel will be somewhere between 18-20 inches (haven't 100% decided that bit yet) and will be suppressed

It is actually BR4 small rifle primers other then that i like your plan.

Just.remember the lapua brass has a small flashole .060. Don't use a standard lee decapping.die.

[LRRPF52]

We put together some comprehensive reloading handbooks for 6.5 Grendel and ship to New Zealand.

[mdewitt71]

I need to get me the books one of these days...........

[kiwi shooter]

We put together some comprehensive reloading handbooks for 6.5 Grendel and ship to New Zealand.

looks great mate sadly postage is probably more than the book
@LRRPF52
just an idea...... maybe the option to pay for a pdf download from your website wouldn't be a bad idea
you pay a fee by credit card which unlocks a pdf download
would save your printing costs and save postage for us that live overseas

as I said just an idea

[LRRPF52]

Postage is included in the prices for EU/Pacific option on the website.

Problem with digital reloading manuals is that they are viewed on an electronic device with a wi-fi connection RF emitter/receiver.

Even when you turn it off, it can be turned on without you knowing.

Place that device next to your digital scales, and you have a problem unless you RF insulate your scales.

I personally leave my cell phone in another room when I turn on my scales before loading.

I like to have something tangible in my hands that can be laid out on the bench, with Wire-O binding and the ability to take the handbooks with me to the range where I can enter in my notes in the included pages, like a data book.

These have a lot more than just load data in them, including terminal ballistics tests across the velocity spectrum, point blank ranges and barrel length graphs, load procedures, rifle configurations, sighting system considerations, and many other chapters covering relevant data for the layman.

We have looked at digital publishing though, bit for reloading data, there is the RF interference issue that doesn't apply to your favorite novel.

[sneaky one]

Kiwi- I use 34.4 in a Lapua case- cci450- in my custom longer case using a 95 grn. GMX OAL of 2.31., same bearing surface as most 100 Grr pills.

Err on the side of caution. Start in the 32.1 zone- then climb by .2 gr.

A few of us have loaded my custom 105 Gmx at 32.2. Very safe loads.- Same bullet length as the 120 Nos. BT.


CFE loads.

[kiwi shooter]

Postage is included in the prices for EU/Pacific option on the website.

Problem with digital reloading manuals is that they are viewed on an electronic device with a wi-fi connection RF emitter/receiver.

Even when you turn it off, it can be turned on without you knowing.

Place that device next to your digital scales, and you have a problem unless you RF insulate your scales.

I personally leave my cell phone in another room when I turn on my scales before loading.

I like to have something tangible in my hands that can be laid out on the bench, with Wire-O binding and the ability to take the handbooks with me to the range where I can enter in my notes in the included pages, like a data book.

These have a lot more than just load data in them, including terminal ballistics tests across the velocity spectrum, point blank ranges and barrel length graphs, load procedures, rifle configurations, sighting system considerations, and many other chapters covering relevant data for the layman.

We have looked at digital publishing though, bit for reloading data, there is the RF interference issue that doesn't apply to your favorite novel.

yeah mate that's all good I will probably order a copy in the next 2 weeks bit broke at the moment having just brought a new rifle etc

I normally get my data online or do have a large manual by a guy called nick Harvey (Australian guy) which includes all the ADI powder data aswell as all the other powders(but sadly it has no data for 6.5 Grendel) not sure if adi is around in the usa its Australian made powder http://www.adi-powders.com.au/handloaders/ (if interested)
anyway what I normally do is write all relevant data I need lengths, start loads, max loads, etc on my hand so its right there at a glance