Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Bolt action 6.5 Grendel pressure limits

Is there any plus P, for example - load data out there for 6.5 Grendel? pressure limits for the 6.5 Grendel are generally scaled back to lower strain on the less robust AR-15 bolts.

On the other hand Hornady went a different path with the 6mm ARC & I expect the 22 ARC. They offer separate Gas gun data & Bolt gun data as the application changes the limits.

Wouldn't the same variable general limits apply th the 6.5 Grendel depending on application?

Suppose this may be a SAAMI thing in that Bill Alexander chose not to pursue bolt gun data for the 6.5 Grendel when developing & introducing this round & releasing to SAAMI.

Supposing I am thinking that there may be a lot left on the table in term of bolt action velocity potential with the 6.5 Grendel data currently offered.

I can see where Bill may have wished to be assured that the chance of plus P 6.5 grendel ammo would not be put to use in an AR configuration rifle chambered for 6.5 Grendel.

Then I suppose I was a bit surprised that Hornady opted to offer more useful data for the 6mm ARC. Don't get me wrong, as I am pleased to have the bolt gun data for the 6mm ARC.

I am reloading for my Howa Mini Grendel, and most everything I've loaded has either been right at max, or over according to the data I'm using. I have yet to see any sign of pressure, and could probably load them hotter..............but, the loads I'm turning out are accurate and I see no need for a few more FPS at the risk of increased pressure.

You will enjoy super brass life with your approach. Still I tend to believe a couple hundred feet per second are reasonable. If someone was familiar with Jordan's reloading software or something more current, Id love to see pressure curve for a 129 grain flat base Hornady over Lever evolution up to 60,000 PSI or so.

SAAMI pressure is 52 kPSI

Agreed with 52,000 PSI

So if we look at Hornady 6mm ARC gas gun load data, they indicate 52,000 psi on a gas gun. Then they go on to offer 6mmARC Bolt gun data that jumps to 62,000 psi.
Would a reloader be going out too far on a limb, to infer that the 6.5 Grendel in a Bolt action may do well with a 62,000 pressure limit?

I can load a longer COAL in my Howa Mini using Oregunsmithing's bottom metal. For that reason I'm loading at or slightly over book max.

I would personally shoot for (pun intended) 60 kPSI

Seems like someone with QuickLoad could drum up the bullet velocities at the higher pressure limit

I agree with James above statements.

since a 129 gr Hornady SP was mentioned... I load that bullet in my Ruger Predator, behind a charge of 29 grains of W748. IIRC, it chronographed at 2500 fps or so.... Its a compressed load, but the Hornady brass doesn't seem to know or care... I've got some brass that has shot that load well over 20 times and still has tight primer pockets, and annealing almost each load on the brass neck, I've seen NO split necks.

Most of my shooting with the Grendal has been with using 200 pieces of Hornady brass. I have shot that rifle a fair amount.... I'm sure well over 2000 rounds down the barrel... accuracy has NOT declined at all.
I usually push my loads, but the 6.5 grain bullets are pretty flat shooting anyway.

I even run Speer 140 grain SP bullets with a load of 29 grains of W 748, and it doesn't even seem to phase the brass at all. Even pushed Blue Dot and Alliant Steel loads, and they also don't phase the brass, still giving tight primer pockets. I have pushed them far enough, that I have seen loosened primer pockets, but not blown primer pockets...

I've tested the limits on the Grendal brass quite a bit, and it is very strong brass....

I shot factory ammo most of the summer. Using that brass, I loaded for the Grendel yesterday. I started at Nosler's listed max for the 129 ABLR with the powder I chose. Aside from fire forming .223 loads, I've never started at max listed loads. Using JO bottom metal and mag box I'm seated well over Nosler's listed OAL. I've no doubt I'm leaving pressure/speed on the table using AR load data and seating longer...didn't run it over a chrono...but the generic load was very accurate, and for how I'll use it this season, it will be fine. I'll be testing it on deer over the next 3.5 months.

In the spring I'll check velocities and play with upping the load a bit. I would like to see bolt gun load data published at some point but for the time being I'm going to use as is.

What would it take to faze the brass?

Too much of a faster powder??

Yes, an overly intense high-pressure phase could faze the brass.

Wonder if Quick loads would be able to work up data points using the Hornady flat base 129 gr spire point over (Manufacturer #: 2620) Leverevolution? Thinking charge weights ranging from 28 grains up to 32 grains. Based on past experience with a Remington 7 1/2 primer igniting 31 grains of LVR id expect to be near max pressure.

I'm running 29 grains of W748, and the 129 gr Hornady SP.. I could probably push it faster, but what for? Within 250yds and under its more than adequate...300 is not a big stretch....

Ring steel often at that range and out to 400 yds...Its more than carrying enough freight at that distance to drop a blacktail or whitetail.

I was loading a healthy dose of CFE223 in my howa mini 6.5 with a Berger 130 for a while. I was getting ~2500 with a 20" barrel and a long COAL.

Took the same load out on a hotter day and was having a sticky bolt and picked up a 'free' 150 fps so I have since stopped chasing velocity with CFE223.

I want to play with a couple other powders; so far the best accuracy has been with H4895 and VV-N133 for my rifle, although I'm only pushing a 123 sierra at ~2450 now. Oddly enough my notes show the N133 lost about 25fps with a +50 degree temp change.

Cfe is a dandy powder for chasing speed but it really does pay to do the work up during the hotter months. I spent a lot of time on a 223 load a few winters ago that has effectively been trashed: blew primers and gained 90fps going from 40F to 80F.

My deer load with the Grendel in 28.5 grains of H335 with a 123 grain SST. It is wonderfully accurate in the 22 inch barreled Mini.

Not trying to start an argument, but I just don't trust H 335 or CFE 223, especially when the temps heat up outside.

I use neither one, because there are so many other powders that work just as well or better out there on the market..

That is either in the Grendal or the 223... or the necked up 6 x 45.

W 748 doesn't present those sort of issues in any of the 3 cartridges I mention above.. regardless of bullet weights, in most instances.

Not a problem with me, because I don't shoot the Grendel when it's hot outside. It's almost always in the fall and winter months when I use it.

One view that may be difficult to argue is SAAMI Pressure limit is SAAMI pressure limit. If I want higher velocity choose a longer barrel or a bigger cartridge or maybe, even choose a smaller cartridge that has bolt action data offered.

In this case I think Ill opt for the smaller 6mm ARC, for my application. I am liking long slender arodynamic cup & core hunting bullet options aplicable in 6mm ARC, though the monolithic options are intriguing me even more.