Nosler 123gr HPBT Custom Competion and 8208 XBR

[DJudge]

Good Afternoon! I'm not new to this site or to the 6.5 Grendel or to reloading (lots for shotgun) but I am now expanding my experience into reloading for my rifles. I've gathered some components (listed below) to start with and am looking for recommendations from the experts. Later once I gain experience I plan to move to other types of bullets such a Hornady SSTs and/or ELDs.

One fired Hornady brass (from my Howa Mini Action 20" Light Weight and AR-15 16" Alexander Arms Ultra Lite Barrel)
Nosler 123gr HPBT Custom Competition
8208 XBR
Remington 7 1/2 primers
Hornady Dies and RCBS Partner Press

Of course I know to start off on the low side at 25.0 grains (Nosler website) and work my way up in .2-.3 grains at a time.
Start listing your recommendation and experiences and thanks in advance...

Thanks...DJudge

[LRRPF52]

Biggest thing is to make sure your shoulders are set back enough to chamber in the AR15, but not excessively.

I have found the Hornady Comparator tool very useful for this, with the .350" bushing (included). It will let you know exactly how far you need to move the shoulder back to get reliable chambering.




With that powder/bullet combo, work up carefully and never exceed 28.5gr of 8208 under a 123gr cup/core bullet.

The 6.5 Grendel Handbooks will be very useful for you with a ton of insights and data.

[DJudge]

Thanks for the info LRRPF52. I got the 6.5 Grendel Reloading Handbooks when I bought the Alexander barrel but still need to get the Hornady Bullet Comparator. On the Nosler 123gr Custom Comp info page using 8208 it shows 25.0gr minimum and 27.0gr maximum load but the Hodgdon site shows 25.5gr min and 28.5gr max. I've setup the die set where a dummy round manually cycles in both slowly working up to see what each likes best.

[mdewitt71]

I have these projectiles as well and will try em with 8208XBR, SW Rifle Match (2520) and X-Terminator (2230) as well.

[Sticks]

I would seporate your brass from the AR and Howa. If you size to fit both, you will be really working that AR fired brass and shorten the life.