Hammer Bullets in 6.5 Grendel?

[snox801]

Well just an update got to take two deer and a chicken with the sub x blk and it worked great on all of them. Like stated though game is still gone. Although it doesn't seem to disturb the deer or other animals in the area as bad. They seem to come back faster.

 

[CaptnC]

Our hogs are so spooky that deer will spook them off the feeder, so Fred getting smashed in the head and just laying there kicking would still send them to the next county!

I'm not using Hammers in either of my Grendel's but my wife has put a hog down with her 18" with 120gr Gold Dot. It was DRT (removed about 3 vertebrae and passed through) but I was not thrilled by the exit hole size.

I've put two Doe and one hog in the cooler with my 20" with 123 SST. All three passed through with a lot of tissue tram and decent exit holes.

Here is the exit side of my last Doe just before Christmas.

Also plenty of blood reaching the ground, she ran about 75 yards.

 

[morgaj1]

Reviving this old thread. I am thinking of buying some Hammer Hunters 110 grain to load in my 6.5 Grendel for hogs and deer. Any updates from those who have done it?

 

[snox801]

I have indeed and still running then 99gr hammers.
My purpose may be a bit different. I run them in my 16" bolt and 18" ar. They ar is the reason I choose the 99. I swap my Lieca 2-10 for day and my thermal at night. My issue when running my thermal was difficulty judging range. So with the 99gr I have the fastest and in turn flattest round out to distance the Grendel should be taking game. I sight in 1.5" high at 100 which puts me almost perfect at 50 and then it's still hold and shoot for almost all shots. Really the best way for my thermal. The Lieca I can still dope for longer shots. Been a while but I'll be starting back on some more load work for it next week but was getting over 2700fps first time around.

 

[yorke-1]

I just worked up a load with the 99gr HH in a 19" barreled 6.5 Grendel bolt gun. Ramshot TAC and IMR 8208xbr both gave over 2800 fps with no issue in the CZ 527. I don't know how those loads would do in a gas gun though.

 

[snox801]

I'm sure with my bolt gun 280 would be easy but I'm trying to find one that fits both and hoping to get some more work on that done today.

 

[cajun]

Just an fyi. Done a lot of loading with the Grendel. In a gas gun with 100 gr bullets if your getting 2800 fps your likely overpressure. The Grendel has a fairly low saami pressure due to the ar bolt. 2650-2700 is a more realistic range. In a bolt gun you could prob get there.

 

[snox801]

Just an fyi. Done a lot of loading with the Grendel. In a gas gun with 100 gr bullets if your getting 2800 fps your likely overpressure. The Grendel has a fairly low saami pressure due to the ar bolt. 2650-2700 is a more realistic range. In a bolt gun you could prob get there.

You sir are correct I just squealed past 2700 with the 99 hammers on first load work. That was no pressure but don't think I'll get 2800 even with the lower pressure of hammers.
I'm always nervous when I see guys going 2800 with a ar saying no pressure. Kinda reminds me of the creedmore guys cracking high speeds with heavy bullets and saying no pressure

 

[yorke-1]

Just an fyi. Done a lot of loading with the Grendel. In a gas gun with 100 gr bullets if your getting 2800 fps your likely overpressure. The Grendel has a fairly low saami pressure due to the ar bolt. 2650-2700 is a more realistic range. In a bolt gun you could prob get there.

I agree, the Grendel needs to be held to pretty mild pressures in a gas gun. The velocities I gave were from a bolt gun and the charges were about 1.5gr over max charges listed by Nosler for 100gr bullets. They'd be pretty hot loads in a gas gun.

 

[Gord0]

You sir are correct I just squealed past 2700 with the 99 hammers on first load work. That was no pressure but don't think I'll get 2800 even with the lower pressure of hammers.
I'm always nervous when I see guys going 2800 with a ar saying no pressure. Kinda reminds me of the creedmore guys cracking high speeds with heavy bullets and saying no pressure

I cringe when I see Grendel guys saying they're running x grains over max and 1-200 more fps, but not seeing any pressure signs. Those don't usually show up till 60-70kpsi which is way over Grendel pressure in a gas gun...

 

[Gord0]

I have indeed and still running then 99gr hammers.
My purpose may be a bit different. I run them in my 16" bolt and 18" ar. They ar is the reason I choose the 99. I swap my Lieca 2-10 for day and my thermal at night. My issue when running my thermal was difficulty judging range. So with the 99gr I have the fastest and in turn flattest round out to distance the Grendel should be taking game. I sight in 1.5" high at 100 which puts me almost perfect at 50 and then it's still hold and shoot for almost all shots. Really the best way for my thermal. The Lieca I can still dope for longer shots. Been a while but I'll be starting back on some more load work for it next week but was getting over 2700fps first time around.

What'd you end up running for your Grendel load with the 99's. I'd like to run 8208, but I've also got some ar comp. Don't want to use the cfe223 or the h335 due to temp sensitivity.

 

[CaptnC]

I cringe when I see Grendel guys saying they're running x grains over max and 1-200 more fps, but not seeing any pressure signs. Those don't usually show up till 60-70kpsi which is way over Grendel pressure in a gas gun...

I agree...I know it's not 100% but I load to published FPS...if I can get close to it I feel if I'm over pressure it's not going to be by much.

 

[yorke-1]

What'd you end up running for your Grendel load with the 99's. I'd like to run 8208, but I've also got some ar comp. Don't want to use the cfe223 or the h335 due to temp sensitivity.

8208 has been my go to powder for the Grendel with almost all bullet weights. I haven't seen a big issue with temp sensitivity with H335 in temps ranging from the mid 30s up to the mid 80s with the same load. Velocities are only off by maybe 50 fps.

I agree...I know it's not 100% but I load to published FPS...if I can get close to it I feel if I'm over pressure it's not going to be by much.

So what do you do in the case of a bullet with no published load data (like the Hammers) and a unique pressure profile? You have to take into account the bearing surface as well as the weight when comparing load data. Then you have to factor in different rifling profiles (like Polygonal or 5r).

A 99gr Hammer generates much less pressure than a 100gr bullet like an Accubond. When you run the numbers through Quickload you'll find that the data from a 95gr Hornady V-max bullet actually tracks very closely with the 99gr Hammers as long as you match up the actual usable case capacity in H20 with a bullet seated in a case to the usable case capacity in QL.

 

[CaptnC]

You pretty much answered your own question but yes I would look at bullets around 95 grains especially if, as you noted, the bearing surface is less for a 100gr class bullet.