Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 6.5 Grendel Handloads????

What do you use bullets/powder...build one OR use upper...?

I bought my Grendel upper complete. I have 8 pounds of Lever so I’m thinking that’ll be its best use just haven’t loaded for it yet.

Good thread that’ll I’ll be following.

Bought an upper, 123 gr Hornady SST, CFE223, WSR here.

I waste enough time chasing .223 brass, no autoloading Grendel for me. Howa Mini.

120gr Gold Dot over 31gr of PP2000MR with Fed 205 Match in Hornady Brass. Not long ago I loaded 50 with 31.4 gr, the top load from Speer in SL brass, which is lighter. Haven’t shot any yet.

My best Grendel loads in the Howa Mini have been H335 with a 123 grain SST, and Power Pro Varmint and a 90 grain Speer TNT.

Check out the 6.5 grendel forum. Tons of info. Builds,load data etc.

ww748 in an Upper and a Bolt mini mauser

ww748 = 28gr - avg=2387 out of 20" barrel
120 Sierra HPBT

AR-COMP and IMR3031 also worked well.

Will do. Thanks. 👍🏼

Mine's a Ruger Predator Bolt Action...Like I do with a new cartridge, I've loaded for that cartridge all over the map...
85 to 140 grain bullets....used a bunch of powders, that are perfect for the 223, which I have plenty of...

even have loaded it with Alliant Steel, Blue Dot, Unique and a host of other pistol powders...
Bunch of good ones out there... seems to work well with about anything I've tried in it...

140s with 29 grains of W 748, makes a decent thumper load., equals 30/30, but more aerodynamic bullet, and higher sectional density...
so far at 250 yds, it penetrates right thru a black tail... so does the Hornady 129 SP.....

100 grain Ballistic tip or a Hornady 100 gr SP ( bought like 1500 in 250 volume packs) W 748 is running those at 2900 fps, out of the 22 inch barrel on the Predator....

Little cartridge sure aims to please...

Haven't figured out how to get a bad load out of it yet... In a bolt action, a very unfinicky cartridge to load for.

H335 under a 100gr Barnes TTSX or 90gr Speer TNT shot well from the Howa Mini I had.

Mine is a Howa mini 20” heavy barrel.

27.2grs h4895 with the 123 hpbt gives 2500fps and great accuracy. 3 shot groups run right at 1/2” and I’ve shot back to back 10 shot groups under 1”. That load is also the crusher of hog souls.


27.2grs h4895 and a 120 gold dot stays right around 3/4” but I’ve not done any load work other than to load it over the same powder charge and no change to the seater die from the 123’s.


27.2grs h4895 and the 120 Nosler bt is a load I’ve never chrono’d but it shoot’s fantastic. It is also rough on hogs.


28grs h4895 and the 120 Sierra pro hunter goes 2520fps and produces excellent accuracy.

IMO, no bullet makes more sense for the Grendel than the 129-grain Accubond and no powder drives it better than AR-Comp.

I used Alexander Arms reloading data that they used to publish on there site. AA2520 gave great results in 2 AR rifles.

Please share you load with this combo. Wanting to use same in the CZ527. Mine shoots the 129 ABLR great with CFE223 but I want to use a more temp resistant powder.

Thanks in advance,
Rex

I have two. The first is a TC Encore 24" barrel. My target load for that uses AA2520 and a 120 grain Hornday A-Max. My hunting load is using 8208XBR and a 105 grain Cavity Back MKZ.

The second is a Ruger American Predator that I had the barrel chopped to 18" and rethreaded. The load for that one uses AA2520 and a Hornady 123 grain SST.

Not the accubomb, but prefer the good old, been around forever, Hornady 129 grain SP...with AR Comp, and Hornady brass, I use 28 grains of AR Comp for that load... velocity is in the 2580 fps range IIRC.

Thanks Seafire.
Rex

I stopped at 27.0 grains. I was shooting a cheap AR15 upper with a 16-inch barrel, getting about 2320 fps according to my 4-year old records. At the time there was no published data for the combo and I was working with QuickLOAD and a fair amount of caution. I got out of the 6.5G back then and haven't kept up so I have no idea whether there's any published data to date.

Yeah, Andrew.. its out there...

try this: https://www.shootersreference.com/reloadingdata/65-grendel/.

may not be ALL someone wants to know.. but it sure as hell puts a big dent in it...

Look at the bottom of that entire list... 140 grain with 28.6 grains of W 748... 2338 fps... I use that load with 29 grains... my chrony says the velocity is a hair over 2400 fps...

hope this finds you doing well my friend and a Happy New Year to you and yours...

That's pretty good velocity with a 140, John. Unfortunately, when shooting an AR15 in 6.5G one has to be fairly conservative because the bolt strength is somewhat compromised when it is machined to accommodate the PPC/7.62x39 case head. At least, this is the "conventional wisdom." I'm shooting a pair of ARs in 6mm Predator / 6mm AR / .243 LBC (daddy of the 6mm ARC in reality) these days, and it's the same story. I haven't trashed a bolt yet.

All's well here, and I'm looking at telling the employer to KMA pretty damned soon. The light at the end of the tunnel shines a little brighter each morning.