QL, 6.5 Grendel, 100 gr Partition & CFE223 - 11/27/21
Looking for a good load for the 100 grain partition in my little 6.5 Grendel. Tried H4895 (didn’t chrono) first. Accuracy was not what I was looking for. One charge weight did yield a 1” group, or a touch over. Hoping for better….
I have some CFE223 on hand and it seems to be be of the better velocity producers n the Grendel, according to QL, so decided to try it. After some deliberation, I decided to bump max pressure in QL from SAAMI of 52000 psi to 55000, whether wise or unwise. Anyway, that appeared to enable 2800 fps with this bullet up around max, again, according to QL.
Loaded up 3 each of 4 different powder charges, hoping to SAFELY find accuracy around 2800 fps.
I go to the range and shoot lightest powder charge, about 2 grains below my max, expecting to see 2700ish, and the chrono reads 2948 fps!! That corresponds to nearly 10000 psi higher pressure than expected from QL. No sticky bolt, or any concerning signs on brass. I decided to shoot the other 2 and average of the 3 was 2925.
I’ve worked with QL a enough that I was comfortable with what I loaded. However, this was easily the largest difference I’ve seen between measured and QL prediction.
I guess the good news is that should be able to get to 2800 without blowing anything apart, but I’ve got work to do to try to get QL calculations aligned with results.
I have some CFE223 on hand and it seems to be be of the better velocity producers n the Grendel, according to QL, so decided to try it. After some deliberation, I decided to bump max pressure in QL from SAAMI of 52000 psi to 55000, whether wise or unwise. Anyway, that appeared to enable 2800 fps with this bullet up around max, again, according to QL.
Loaded up 3 each of 4 different powder charges, hoping to SAFELY find accuracy around 2800 fps.
I go to the range and shoot lightest powder charge, about 2 grains below my max, expecting to see 2700ish, and the chrono reads 2948 fps!! That corresponds to nearly 10000 psi higher pressure than expected from QL. No sticky bolt, or any concerning signs on brass. I decided to shoot the other 2 and average of the 3 was 2925.
I’ve worked with QL a enough that I was comfortable with what I loaded. However, this was easily the largest difference I’ve seen between measured and QL prediction.
I guess the good news is that should be able to get to 2800 without blowing anything apart, but I’ve got work to do to try to get QL calculations aligned with results.