any luck with these powders

[tackdriver]

I am new to reloading and have snagged some grendel dies, my rifle shoots the Alexander arms 100 grn bergers the best and want to try and find a load it likes better. The only powders I currently have available are varget and reloader 7, any suggestions for starting poin

[tonedaddy]

Varget is too slow, Reloader 7 may be ok with lighter bullets but you will run out of case capacity way before you reach a max load.

[LRRPF52]

Do you have the 6.5 Grendel Reloading Handbook? Based on the AA & Hodgdon's data, AA2460 and H335 seem to be the best powders for velocity.

[bwaites]

Varget is too slow. RELODER 7 is WAY to fast. RELODER 10 has caused issues in the Grendel many times.

If it likes the 100's, try Sierra 107's, and use XBR 8208. I get good velocity with the lighter bullets and great accuracy out past 700 yards with 28.5 grains of XBR under 107's. Another alteranative would be 108 Scenars and XTerminator, which closely matches my 107/XBR load.

2460 and H335 are also good bets as LRRPF52 points out. Berger has stopped making the 100 grain 6.5, unfortunately.

I got some crazy velocity out of Berger 100's and XTerminator, it seems to really work well in small capacity cases and light bullets.

[mseric]

Varget is too slow, Reloader 7 may be ok with lighter bullets but you will run out of case capacity way before you reach a max load.

I think you have that backwards. R-7 is to fast for the Grendel, fast for cartridge powders usually will run over pressure long before the case is full.

[sneaky one]

Mseric-that is correct-the last half of your sentence. Last year I kept cutting down the GMX units=all copper gilding metal=no lead. So I started w/ 95 gr gmx-worked next to a 88 gmx-next a 78 gmx-lastly a 70 gr. gmx. All were shot with RL 7
The speeds came up as I expected. I started with the idea you sent me-27.0 for a basic 90 gr. pill. turns out-if you go over that wt. of bullet-it becomes a dud/-in the end, I ended up with the the 70 gr. gmx= 28.5 of RL 7=3217 fps.
Can't get that w/ a 5.56 round, @ that wt.
So I went to the 26.8 gr load of RL & w/ a 94 GMx-2870 fps. 27.0 is close to max for this loading. ( gilding wt. units are long for wt.)-plenty of shake shake noise left in the case
I can get the same speed and accuracy from a 34.3 load of cfe-223,, using the same pill. = Stuffed 101% fill. = cleans the bbl. for me= me like.
20" bbl. AA built upper-button rifled. Very accurate for what it costs. 5 years old, 1800-2000 rounds thru it.
.25-.50 groups always @ 100y.
Well, for now-I decided to shoot it less-to keep it accurate for as long as possible=use it for target, and longer range shots.

Mseric-remember back 1.7 yrs. =we shot at the range together?- That 91 gr. Gmx that we could not H2O capture? that one is close to the actual 3000 fps. mark -we tried to acheive.
Good to see you back online here dude!

[tackdriver]

If I understand you correctly RL 7 works OK if I use bullets lighter than 90 grns

[LRRPF52]

RL7 is several notches faster than even X-Terminator. It is listed at the same burn rate as N120, Accurate 1680, and IMR4198.

In the 6.5 Grendel Reloading Handbook, AA's data lists Benchmark under the 90gr Speer TNT, and Benchmark is one or two steps slower than RL7 on a burn rate chart.

It might be ok with the 85gr Sierra and 90gr TNT, but H335 will deliver well over 2900fps from a 24" barrel with the 85gr Sierra HP. Loading with RL7 is probably best left to an experienced reloader like Sneaky one. There is no industry data on it for the Grendel, and it is a very fast powder for this cartridge, even with the lightest available bullets.

[LR1955]

If I understand you correctly RL 7 works OK if I use bullets lighter than 90 grns

TD:

Don't use Reloader 7 with the Grendel. Way too fast for any bullet in the Grendel. Reloader 10X is way too fast so Reloader 7 will be way, way, way too fast.

LR1955

[Jeepster18_88]

I know this is an old thread, but I'm really curious if anyone has tested this or just assuming. Reloder 7 is the only powder listed by Alliant for both 7.62x39 and 6mm PPC. It's burn rate is close to LT-32 which many regard as the best PPC powder. I haven't loaded for my Grendel, but after disappointing results with a dozen different bullets in my 7.62x39, I tried Reloder 7 and shot my first sub MOA group, then duplicated it with every bullet previously tested. Velocity was actually higher than factory Hornady loads and slightly higher than the Russian stuff. I never exceeded maximum published data and showed no pressure signs. I'm not saying that anyone is wrong, but the cartridges are similar enough that it's worth trying if it hasn't already.

[rabiddawg]

[Klem]

Jeepster,

I agree with the others. The Grendel calibre is best suited for slower powders like 8208 and H4895. Not all powders are shown on this but you can see where RL7 sits on the burning rate chart. RL7 is more for a smaller case like a Blackout.

http://www.adi-powders.com.au/powder-equivalents/

Small changes in RL7 will make a big difference to pressure beyond the safe SAAMI mark, which is around 22-22.5gns. This is only 85% of the available case space full and you don't want to drop below 80% for safety reasons (Flash-over and Secondary Explosion Effect).

[LR1955]

I know this is an old thread, but I'm really curious if anyone has tested this or just assuming. Reloder 7 is the only powder listed by Alliant for both 7.62x39 and 6mm PPC. It's burn rate is close to LT-32 which many regard as the best PPC powder. I haven't loaded for my Grendel, but after disappointing results with a dozen different bullets in my 7.62x39, I tried Reloder 7 and shot my first sub MOA group, then duplicated it with every bullet previously tested. Velocity was actually higher than factory Hornady loads and slightly higher than the Russian stuff. I never exceeded maximum published data and showed no pressure signs. I'm not saying that anyone is wrong, but the cartridges are similar enough that it's worth trying if it hasn't already.

J18:

Can you link us to any published data on Reloader 7 for the Grendel?

LR55

[Jeepster18_88]

J18:

Can you link us to any published data on Reloader 7 for the Grendel?

LR55

I'm not sure how to do a link, but on Alliant Powder's website if you go to the reloader's guide and look at the 7.62x39 data and the 6mm PPC data, it's the only powder listed for both. The cases for all three are very similar because they are based on the same parent case. Obviously, necking down would require slower burning powder just like using 4895 in the 30'06, 4350 in the 270, and 4831 or slower I the 25'06. However, 4895 still works very well in the 25'06 and 270, it just doesn't add the extra velocity. I'm only suggesting that it might be an option for those that want a temperature stable accurate load and don't require the absolutely highest possible velocity. My loads in the 7.62x39 have happened to be very adequate in all three aspects. I emailed Alliant seeking advice on powder selection and starting point so hopefully I will have some info from their perspective. It is beneficial to me to at least know ALL possible options because, as we've seen over the past decade, powder availability can be very limited at times and having a powder that can do the job in multiple cartridges is always a plus.

[Labrat198]

I don't want to question anyone but this thread has me asking a few questions due to my own ignorance.

I have the 6.5 grendel roloading handbooks and see a number of loads for H4198 and IMR4198. I know every powder is different and the charts are not intended to be a read across for interchangeability, but while we are on the topic of burn rates Reloader 7 is listed with both of those in the powder equivalents table linked above. Should I be steering clear of those too even though there is published data?

Couple of notes: I am looking at H335 and IMR8208XBR since those have data in the 6.5 grendel handbooks as well as my Lyman and Hornady manuals. Even though H4895 and IMR4985 get lots of love here, I have not found much data in print.