XBR has been somewhat available-ish in the ≈$400 ish ballpark
6.5 Grendel
- Thread starter padom
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ARC and 8208 are pretty scarce, no doubt. But ARC and 4350 cover a lot of what I shoot most often, and have put some of each away for the long term. Cost averaged I’m probably at about $375/8lb for ARC. If you play it in terms of managing powder inventory, I can do with a stash of two rifle powders, not 6 or 8 which see little use. Consolidated rifle caliber to 224/264 for the same reason-focused inventory. Like everything else, you do what works best for you.
Is the general consensus that CFE223 is the easy button? I’ve got TAC which I’m still working on, but use mainly for “bulk” 77 grain 556 as well as some 308 loads. For precision 556 and 308 I’m using N140. I’ve also got some H335, but my initial trials werent as easy as I’d hoped. Is it worth grabbing CFE223 so I’m only trying 1 powder?
I initially thought the Lehigh 110 match made sense, but I’ve struggled to get adequate speed and acceptable groups. I saw a lot of positive results with Lapua Scenar 123 so I bought about 800 of those and will be using them.
I initially thought the Lehigh 110 match made sense, but I’ve struggled to get adequate speed and acceptable groups. I saw a lot of positive results with Lapua Scenar 123 so I bought about 800 of those and will be using them.
CFE223 gets more speed, but XBR8208 is the easy button.
I've had zero luck with either of these. CFE223 gets more speed, but XBR8208.
Varget works (groups better) but is slower. I've been having my BEST groups with TAC and 108 Lupua Scenar bullets.
Varget works (groups better) but is slower. I've been having my BEST groups with TAC and 108 Lupua Scenar bullets.
I actually think TAC is the easy button. I know many like cfe because it gives great speeds at equal or lower pressures. However, its going to be more sensitive to temp changes and I hear really dirty.
Do you have a bolt gun or semi? If I were you, I would try experimenting with n140 just to see if there is potential. I've read on the forums that n133, n135, and n140 will be good grendel powders but there's very little to no info of people backing that up. It would be really cool if you could try it out and post results.
Otherwise, benchmark should be good, especially with lighter bullets. If you have a bolt gun, you might make it work with the 123s.
The obvious and easy answers are the super difficult to get powders which I'll list below.
H4895
AR-Comp
IMR8208XBR
If you can find those, you're set. Varget is good if you have a bolt gun and can load long to be able to stuff more into the case. It is pretty bulky for the case size so stuffing enough of it is difficult. For that reason, Staball Match, which is similar burn rate to varget, might work. It is a ball powder so should be easier to pack being that its more dense.
Cfe223 isn't the best powder I have tried for 6.5g., had better luck with xbr8208 and tack.
You can get a 1 moa load with it but good luck trying to better that.
Someone posted it's dirty, not that I have seen and the barrel cleans easily.
Cfe223 is a good general purpose powder, 223, 308, 6.5g and will hit an moa load but not the best in any of them.
FWIW
for me the goto is LVR using a sierra 120gr matchKing .not that I can testify the bullet is really a ''match '' bullet .there are some variations bullet to bullet . Barnes 120gr were better when compared for variation bullet to bullet. when the to different bullets were set to the same COL the barnes were .053+ from lands .to then move the barnes out to get the same closeness the COL was such that it was to long for the magazine .
CFE223 has been the easy button for me for availability and really good velocities.
I haven’t noticed anything particular with dirtiness. You can’t seem to get enough of it under a 123gr to reach SAAMI MAP, so it’s very forgiving and runs the gas system well, like most factory ammo in that weight range but faster mv.
I’ve had great results with TAC as well, but don’t see it as much on shelves.
Basically all your common .223 and .308 powders work well in 6.5 Grendel, so there’s always something you can use.
8208XBR under a 107gr SMK or AR Comp have been known to produce really tight SDs and tight groups. Faster-burning and extruded, but you have to be careful with pressure.
I haven’t noticed anything particular with dirtiness. You can’t seem to get enough of it under a 123gr to reach SAAMI MAP, so it’s very forgiving and runs the gas system well, like most factory ammo in that weight range but faster mv.
I’ve had great results with TAC as well, but don’t see it as much on shelves.
Basically all your common .223 and .308 powders work well in 6.5 Grendel, so there’s always something you can use.
8208XBR under a 107gr SMK or AR Comp have been known to produce really tight SDs and tight groups. Faster-burning and extruded, but you have to be careful with pressure.
Good result with CFE223 but LVR was better faster and tighter for me
New guy here, have any of you tried VVN133? It works well in the .223Rem, so I was thinking it might work well in the Grendel
Not a lot of info from people backing it up. I do believe it should work ok but haven't tried myself.
If you have some n133, try it out and let us know how it went.
All 3 of my Grendel’s are semi. I’ve actually got quite a bit of TAC and N140 (like 20+ pounds of each). Just loaded up 150 new Starline cases with 123 Scenars over 27.8 grains of TAC to get fireformed brass and break in 3 new barrels. I absolutely love N140 and use it for my match grade 77 grain SMK and 168 and 169 SMK. It averages about 0.8MOA in my 556, and sometimes under 0.75MOA in my 308. I use cases from the same lot, but no super complicated prep.
Maybe I’ll just stick with those 2. I primarily use TAC for my “bulk” 77 grain 556, 125 grain 308 for my SBR SCAR17, and “bulk” 147-150 grain SCAR rounds.
I’ll do some ladders with both once I’ve got 100-150 rounds on each barrel. I’m looking to stick with 123 grain Scenars as the Precision Firearms loads shot well and the 110 LeHigh match solids were a little more finicky. I’ll give both another few tries.
It looks like Vihtavuori recommends N135 for 123 grains. No info for N140 until you get to 136 grain rounds.. which is strange given how exceptional it is with 77 grain 556.
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Tac is great in the grendel. I've always been curious on how n133, n135, and n140 perform in grendel but ive never known anyone to have those powders and have a grendel so they can try. It would be great appreciated if you got to test that out at some point. I myself have some Benchmark I will try but I'm always away for work. There's no telling when I'll get to it.
29.6 gr N133 with 90gr Nosler FBT in Starline or Hornady brass. CCI 450s.
29.9 with 90gr Speer TNT.
Works well if you like low SDs and tight groups.
29.9 with 90gr Speer TNT.
Works well if you like low SDs and tight groups.
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