Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Heavy Bullets in 6.5 Grendel

Frank, I have used the Hornady factory 123 gr. SST ammunition, handloaded all of the following: 100 gr. Nosler Partitions, 125 gr. Nosler Partitions, 120 gr. Nosler Ballistic Tips and lastly 129 gr. Nosler ABLR in my 6.5 Grendel CZ-527 over the last few years deer hunting in south west Mississippi where my shots are typically less than 100 yards in heavy brush. I have settled on the 129 gr. ABLR as ‘THE’ deer hunting bullet for ‘MY’ purposes as it gets good velocity (> 2600 fps out of my rifle) and accuracy with excellent terminal performance giving good wounding characteristics with exits. I seriously doubt I’ll ever use another bullet for that cartridge/rifle combination while deer hunting. It has consistently worked that well for me. If you have 129 gr. ABLR on hand and your rifle shoots them well I don’t know why you’d use any other bullet other than cost…

I have experimented a good deal with a couple 22" Bolt action CZ 527's For distances you are considering I question I am sure a good 125 grain Partition, 129 gr spire point would work well for your needs. My favorite heavy projectiles from the 6.5 grendel were the 129 gr hornady spire points over LVR. My experience was I was surprised How much LVR, or how compressed of a load shot very accurate w Low SD & no pressure signs, from my CZ 527.

Back when I was working up the LVR loads there was no LVR data available. Now Hodgdon does offer Gas gun Data for the g.5 Grendel.

Hunterapp, what charge weight of Lever did you settle on? I realize that any loading mistakes I make with my rifle are mine. Please PM if you’d prefer.

Thanks.

Frank.

Your milage may vary from mine so start low & work up looking for pressure sign.

Put things into better context Hodgdon is finally offering gas gun data for LVR in the 6.5 Grendel. Hodgdon is suggesting 26 grains of LVR is yielding 42,500 PSI in there test barrel. Whereas their max gas gun load of 29 grains was generating 50,000 PSI in there test barrel.

I never had this Hornady data, available when working up my loads in my bolt gun. My preferred load came in at close to 30 .5 grains of my lot of LVR. Not saying your experience would mimic mine or that my load is or is not a safe load for your gun. I found a single digit ES, node that proved fast & accurate in my 22" barreled, bolt action rifle.

My experience was mine, your milage may vary with a different rifle & a different lot of powder. Should you wish to give this a try & work up slowly. Three tenths of a grain is a rather large jump in this small cartridge. So Id start low & work up your load in small increments in your rifle.

Stay safe, & wish you well!

What are you using to get 2600 fps with 129s? I've gotten close to 2500 so far but haven't been any higher than that. I've been using a bit of a reduced load at 2380 or so because the kids noticed it recoiled less and like it and it shot 1/2 moa. As the kids are getting bigger I'd like to speed it up a bit. I have a new stainless mini I need to work up new loads for and have most powders on hand. I've been using 8208xbr. I use lvr in my 6 arc.

Bb

Match the velocity to what the bullet's parameters are....

but in my Grendel, in 100 grain Bullets I've used.
1. 100 SP Hornady. Discontinued, but I'm setting on about 2,000 of them
2. 100 HP Sierra
3. 100 gr Ballistic Tips.
4. 105 SMP Partition from Nosler, factory seconds, but sold to some Euro Manufacturer RMS I believe.

No flies on some of the less than 100 grain bullets

1. 90 gr Speer TNT
2. 95 grain V Max
3. 85 gr HP Sierra ( Discountinued, but bought about 1500 on close out )
4. 90 gr Nosler Varmaggeddon

Shot all of these out of the Grendel ( Ruger Predator is the platform )

Have taken blacktails with each of these bullets out of a 260 Remington, loaded in the MV range of the bullet to work well on deer, out to 200 yds or so.

Ran some 160gr round nose in my 6.5grr and were thumpers out to 200yds.

Javman, Interesting idea. What was your powder?

RL 17, 30grain load.