6.5 grendel deer load ?

[sneaky one]

Lrs ranger you summed it up perfectly . That and the new lighter alloy ( monolithic ) bullets, are the ticket for the Grr.. I just read that winchester has a 95/5 mono bullet out, and they anneal the petals before forging into shape around the plastic tip- guarantees they will expand... bad news is , no 6.5 Caliber

[sneaky one]

Steel, the amax can be used for hunting big game if it's legal in your state., in Mn we have to use expanding , not fragmenting (Amax ) types of bullets, ummm. Pass some more lead infused and cooked throughout venison, as lead is good eats. If you hit them in the head , in the meat there's no lead.

[Whelenon]

Just came from the range, shot 50 rounds of 120 Sierra Pro-Hunter with H322 at 100 yds. Best 5-shot group 1.5", worst 2.9". That's out of a 16" barrel. I've got some Varget for the next time out, we'll see how that does. Anyone using H322 or Varget?

[steel89]

Steel, the amax can be used for hunting big game if it's legal in your state., in Mn we have to use expanding , not fragmenting (Amax ) types of bullets, ummm. Pass some more lead infused and cooked throughout venison, as lead is good eats. If you hit them in the head , in the meat there's no lead.

During deer season down here hogs are legal and usually much heavier and more abundant than our 100-130lb bucks. I feel better with a more solid round in my chamber than the NBT or other fragmenting bullets. My last hog was 250lbs, taken with my .35 Marlin. It took it in the chest and did a back flip, DRT. I am usually way out, on foot and often hunting alone. Been tree'd and played matador several times, so I like to know that the first shot will do the job. I like the 129/130gr Accubond or Sciroccos and may go that way but out of 16"bbl velocities are low for that possible 3-400yd buck. That is why I'm trying for that higher velocity 120-125gr bonded type bullet with a decent BC.

[warped]

I would not hesitate to use a 129 SST on a hog, they are a pretty tough bullet and will definitely punch their ticket for them.

A Barnes solid would be another choice.

[mseric]

Anyone using H322 or Varget?

I use 322 with 100gr Barnes TTSX. Shoots great and will be deer load this season.

[steel89]

Just came from the range, shot 50 rounds of 120 Sierra Pro-Hunter with H322 at 100 yds. Best 5-shot group 1.5", worst 2.9". That's out of a 16" barrel. I've got some Varget for the next time out, we'll see how that does. Anyone using H322 or Varget?

My AA16" loves the 120SPH. I loaded 27.5-28.8g of TAC and found the 28.4gr shot the best giving me .6-.7" groups with an average avelocity of 2452fps.

[juanjo322]

I've used the 130gr Swifts on AA factory ammo and it works well the accuracy I get out of those aren't superb . I get about 1.25" @ 100yards, but it nails them good.. currently reloading the 120NBT's.

I called Hornady and spoke to 2 different people on 2 separate occasions. I gathered this. I was told that they both strongly disagree with the use of the Hornady 123 Amax line for deer or hogs. They said that they don't recommend it at all for hunting.. that it was primarily designed for target.. However I see on Utube all the time their commercials where they are advertising them as good for target, hunting and varmints.. so what really is the ticket?


I called Nosler and asked them about their 120NBT's and they too suggested against the use of this particular bullet for hunting.. they recommend the Partition for such game and animals.. Right now I am loading the 120NBT's with 31.4gr BL-(c)2 , Haven't shot hogs or anything yet with this combo.. I'll report back as soon as I get to go out and play..


-Juanjo322

[JASmith]

What information are your giving the representatives when you talk with them?

• Type of game?
• Muzzle velocity?
• Span of likely ranges for the shot(s)?
• Maximum and minimum impact velocity?

Knowing the type of game and likely impact velocity allow both you and the representatives to check against recommended values when they are available.

For instance, the Nosler link at http://www.nosler.com/Product-Comparisons.aspx tells us that both the Partition and the Ballistic Tip Hunting have minimum recommended impact velocities of 1800 ft/sec. The BT has an upper limit of 3100 -- an unlikely velocity for the Grendel. The partition is listed as 'unlimited.' They may, however, have some caliber and weight-specific information that influences their recommendations. Try to get these details when you call again. The rest of us are interested in what you learn!

I was told that they both strongly disagree with the use of the Hornady 123 Amax line for deer or hogs. They said that they don't recommend it at all for hunting.. that it was primarily designed for target.. However I see on Utube all the time their commercials where they are advertising them as good for target, hunting and varmints.. so what really is the ticket?

Posting marketing claims that are more optimistic than a representative makes during 'casual' phone calls is the reverse of what I believe to be normal. This would suggest that either their internal communications aren't working or that the UTube ads are planted by others.

You would likely do Hornady marketing a favor by sending the UTube links to them with your comment above.

(BTW I personally put use of AMAX and Berger Hunting in the same category -- will work most of the time with well-placed hits, but will likely come apart too fast for those hits requiring deep penetration to be effective.)

I called Nosler and asked them about their 120NBT's and they too suggested against the use of this particular bullet for hunting.. they recommend the Partition for such game and animals..

As above, there seems to be a discrepancy, since the Nosler web site lists the 6.5 120 gr BT as suitable for hunting deer:

http://www.nosler.com/Bullets/Ballistic-Tip.aspx

Right now I am loading the 120NBT's with 31.4gr BL-(c)2 , Haven't shot hogs or anything yet with this combo.. I'll report back as soon as I get to go out and play..

A mention of hogs may have influenced the recommendation to go with Partitions...

[steel89]

Just had a range day. 15-25kt xwind 83deg, not great for accuracy but the chrony worked fine. I was testing Leverevolution loads with 125g NP and 130g Sciroccos, AA16"bbl.

NP/LVR- 2.235 COAL (average vel/5rds)
29.8g - 2368fps
30.2g - 2394fps
30.5g - 2420fps
30.8g - 2456fps
31.0g - 2460fps
Scirocco/LVR 2.260 COAL (avr vel/5rnds)
29.4g - 2310fps
29.6g - 2301fps
29.8g - 2302fps
30.0g - 2309fps
The NP performed very well, but I dont understand the Sciroccos lack of velocity increase as the load increased. Anyway the velocities aren't too bad for the bullet size. I would like to work up loads using the 8208 for both, it seems cleaner than the LVR.

[JASmith]

...I dont understand the Sciroccos lack of velocity increase as the load increased. Anyway the velocities aren't too bad for the bullet size...

Do you have the resulting standard deviation data?

The apparent flat velocity vs charge weight curve might be more reflective of the underlying data scatter than a velocity plateau. Won't know until the data scatter is looked at.

[steel89]

Deviation follows:
Scirocco/LVR 2.260 COAL (avr vel/5rnds)
29.4g - 2310fps Deviation - 4.24
29.6g - 2301fps Deviation - 14.56
29.8g - 2302fps Deviation - 9.16
30.1g** - 2309fps Deviation -7.87
**Correction from original post

[JASmith]

Thanks, that's impressive!

Were the standard deviations calculated with the chronograph software? Were the extreme spreads about twice the deviation?

Still trying to remember where I've seen a reference to the behavior the data seems to be showing us.

Cheers!

[steel89]

Smitty,
Had a chrony problem on the 29.4 load (Op error). The others should be good. Thanks for the interest.
Scirocco/LVR 2.260 COAL (avr vel/5rnds)
29.4g - 2310fps Deviation - 4.24, Spread - 12.8
29.6g - 2301fps Deviation - 14.56, Spread - 38.6
29.8g - 2302fps Deviation - 9.16, Spread - 21.51
30.1g** - 2309fps Deviation -7.87, Spread - 17.19
**Correction from original post

[JASmith]

At first glance, the extreme data suggests that a valid statistical test would confirm your observation that there is no provable velocity difference between the loads.

Interesting thought...

I wonder if others have run across this with the same or other powders.