6.5 Grendel AR

[Jluck]

Just ordered a 20" barreled 6.5 Grendel AR 15 upper. Barrel is 1 in 9 twist. I'm interested in 120g bullets, I'll use it on deer out to maybe 300 yards. Thoughts on powders, bullets, brass.

Load for best accuracy, Not just "as fast as possible" with the Grendel. If you foster a bench racer only mentality you will end up with a less accurate rifle and broken bolt ears. The bolt is the weak link of the Grendel. The 6.5 Grendel is a fantastically impressive AR round if it's limits are respected and appreciated.

 

[Trnelson]

Update: I found a load using 123g Lapua Scenars and Rl-15. Pretty little bug holes again and again. Testing the Scenars after annealing them forward of the ogive. Finding consistent total fragmentation with 12-16" of penetration through wet phone books at 2390fps. For comparison, the 140g Berger hunting bullet at 2950fps performs
identically from my 6.5/06.

 

[holdinsteady]

The 6.5 Grendel has started to interest me as a good candidate for a 24" barrel AR build. I saw this is what your setup is and was wondering what velocities you are getting with the 123 A-MAX. Thanks

Sorry it took so long to reply....getting ready for archery season and just picked up a new build in 7LRM from my smith.
I am getting 2700fps from my 24" bbl Grendel with 32gr of CFE223 and CCI41 primers.......and the 123gr AMAX. It's consistently sub-moa.
Jerry

 

[Hastings]

I have some powder labeled SRB 118 made by the Czechs. It is reputed to be AA 2520. Does anyone here know anything about loading this powder in a 6.5 Grendel? My neighbor is putting together an AR 6.5G and wants me to help him load 120 - 123 grain bullets. I am experienced with loading .223 on up to .30-06 but not familiar at all with the Grendel. This powder has .223, .308W, and .30-06 load recipes on the label. My experience with this powder leads me to believe it is in a class with Varget or IMR 4895.

 

[JLT]

I have some powder labeled SRB 118 made by the Czechs. It is reputed to be AA 2520. Does anyone here know anything about loading this powder in a 6.5 Grendel? My neighbor is putting together an AR 6.5G and wants me to help him load 120 - 123 grain bullets. I am experienced with loading .223 on up to .30-06 but not familiar at all with the Grendel. This powder has .223, .308W, and .30-06 load recipes on the label. My experience with this powder leads me to believe it is in a class with Varget or IMR 4895.

Work up from 28.0 grains or so. It's slow for the case/bullet combination - you'll probably find efficiency (burn cleans up, vertical spread comes into line) around 29.6 - 29.8 grains.

The above is offered ASSUMING SRB118 is indeed the same formulation as AA2520. If this cannot be confirmed, I'd feed the powder to the vegetable garden and get some powder whose characteristics and composition are known. Powder is much cheaper than AR components and much, much, much cheaper than a trip to the emergency room.

 

[RT2506]

With 120 to 123 gr cup and core bullets get you some IMR 8208 and CCI 450 primers and start at 27 grs and work in .2 grs at a time and NEVER EXCEED 28.5 GRS. With certain bullets and rifles you may not be able to go over 28 grs. I could not with the Speer 120 Gold Dot bullets in either of my ARs in 6.5 Grendel. With ARs don't push for the highest velocity you can squeeze out of them especially with the Grendel. When you start to see flattened primers and ejector marks on the case rim you are already WAY OVER pressure. With a 18" barrel your velocity will be in the 2450 to 2500 fps range and with 20" barrel 2500 to 2550 fps at a max load with 120/23 gr bullets.The Hornady 120 and 123 ELD-M are good bullets for accuracy as well as deer size game and if you get them moving in the 2450 to 2500 fps range they will still be supersonic at 1000 yards. If you can get the Hornady 123 SST to shoot well it is a GREAT game bullet but a whole lot of rifles just will not shoot this bullet accurately. Neither of mine will. The Sierra 120 Pro Hunter is a very accurate bullet in both of my Grendel's and this is an excellent game bullet. The 6.5 Grendel is a really great round for the AR platform and in my opinion it is the best. You will need specific magazines for it. ASC and Stoner from Midway (which I am pretty sure ASC makes the Stoner) have worked great for me and they don't cost a great deal. Check out the bullet and powder manufacturers web sites for free load data. If you are sure that your mentioned powder is AA2520 it will work well in the 6.5 Grendel but be sure and start low and work up slowly.

 

[Trnelson]

Wow this thread is a blast from the past... I'll update I guess...
I finally got to try 8208xbr in my Grendel with a 130 berger ar hybrid about a year ago when I ran out of R15 finally. In my rifle it works just silly well. As others have shared the bolt era are the weak link in the AR Grendel and it doesn't dig hit ridding at all. I've taken a couple of hogs out to 200 yards, two white tail does, one at 23 yards and the other 520 and been able to consistently ring steel 1,000 and in.

 

[dougduey]

I use either 8208xbr or RL15 with the 123 gr SST. Great deer and hog round. But to be honest, the Hornady factory ammo with either the 123 gr SST or Amax shoot so well in my rifle, that I don't do much reloading for it right now

 

[Hastings]

Thanks for the replies. I have told my friend to get some 8208 powder and some 123SST bullets. His rifle arrived and shoots factory Hornady 123SST pretty darn good, as in 1/2 inch at 100 yards. Not bad right out of the box and with a VX1 3X9 scope. He found some place offering 100 free Hornady bullets with the purchase of a die set. Instead of experimenting with my SRB118 powder I believe we'll try a known powder that you folks have already proven.

 

[RT2506]

Just be careful and go really slow, .1 grain at a time when you reach 28 grs with the 123 SST and IMR 8208. This powder does have a reputation of pressure spiking when you break over a certain weight toward the top end. I do think that it is one if not the best powder for the 6.5 Grendel in the 120/23 gr bullet range. I have seen where people find a pretty good accuracy node in the upper 27 grains. Don't worry about reaching the highest velocities you can. Anything in the 2400 to 2450 fps range will be plenty enough for good results on game out to 300 or so yards with no problem. If memory serves me I think the factory Hornady 123 SST ran around 2440 fps out of my 20" BCA barrel and just over 2400 in my 18" Owen Works barrel. Oh! Be sure and use CCI 450 primers.

 

[Oi.223]

I've had good luck with 8208. Very temp stable also. Unlike most of the ball powders.

 

[Hastings]

Neighbor showed up with some 129 Nosler ABLR bullets and AR Comp powder. This combo loaded in Hornady brass and Fed primers and COAL of 2.250 didn't do as well as factory Hornady 123 SST. We experimented with the SRB 118 powder and worked up to 28.5 grains and shortened COAL to 2.240 with very promising results. We haven't shot but about 20 rounds so final judgement is not yet warranted. It is grouping nicely and seems to have a .308W trajectory at 200 and 300 yards. AA won't go out on a limb and give any advice on the SRB 118 powder. They say it is 1995 vintage and a one time surplus run.