Load suggestion for 140 grain / 6.5 Grendel?

[Wannashootit]

Might have moved a bit too fast...
Just-built 6.5 Grendel, ordered the reloading dies and saw a killer deal on 140 grain Speers on closeout at Midway and bought a few boxes...

I realize they're at the upper end of the capability of this cartridge, but since I've got 'em...
I know I'm not going to get a lot of velocity, but right now we're only shooting 100-200 yards so that's not an issue. 18" barrel, 8 twist.

AA has some load data for 140 grain Lapua Naturalis, but the Speer Hot-Cor is a different animal with a much higher BC.

Anyone have experience with this bullet out of the 6.5 Grendel, and is there an issue with OAL and powder capacity (compressed load) with this long a bullet out of an autoloader?

 

[sititunga]

Re: Load suggestion for 140 grain / 6.5 Grendel?

delete.

 

[was21]

Re: Load suggestion for 140 grain / 6.5 Grendel?

here's where you need to go...
http://www.65grendel.com/forum/

Never used above 123's myself...I call those the top weight for my Grendel.

Good luck

 

[Wannashootit]

Re: Load suggestion for 140 grain / 6.5 Grendel?

Thanks for the suggestion. Posted over at the 6.5 Grendel forum.

 

[luvnar]

Around 28.5 grains of blc 2 140 mk at mag length should get u close

 

[gemihur]

I shoot 6.5 Grendel using 140 gr. Speer SPBT with 19 gr. IMR 4198 + sm magnum rifle primers = 2200 FPS in 17" Coyote Guns barrel (TC cntender)
Excellent accuracy (sub MOA)

 

[XLR308]

Get a 65creedmoor for that heavy of a bullet, or stay with 130 and under for the Grendel.
If using it for hunting your max range for optimal opening velocity for bullets in that range would be very short.

 

[gemihur]

Exactly! Here in the Blue Ridge mountains you don't get shots over 100 yds.
It works fine for my purposes
I'd love to chamber the creedmore, but I shoot the contender.
I'm limited to 45,000 psi chamber pressure with that size case head.

 

[Yondering]

Get a 65creedmoor for that heavy of a bullet, or stay with 130 and under for the Grendel.
If using it for hunting your max range for optimal opening velocity for bullets in that range would be very short.

This. It's important to recognize that you'd be shooting those bullets significantly (like 500-600+ fps) slower than they are designed for, and your muzzle velocity will be very close to the minimum expansion threshold.

With that said, I've been able to push 140gr Sierra SP bullets to ~2,150-2,200 fps from my 12.5" Grendel using LeverRevolution powder. Work up your own load for your barrel, and plan to turn the gas down a bit, as a full pressure load will be pretty overgassed with that combo. Honestly, it's not really worth messing with IMO. If it were me, I'd trade those 140gr bullets for something lighter, or set them aside for a different cartridge.

 

[gemihur]

I'll try LeveRevolution. Probably step down to 123 gr. also. Thanks for the recommendation.

 

[XLR308]

Never loaded for a 65 Gendel but it might be worth an experiment using AR-COMP. It wasn't listed in any manual for 68spc when I tried it but with the load I worked up I am pushing the 120sst 2730fps from a 20" 1-11.25 twist 5R barrel with no pressure signs and good accuracy. I've loaded the same 20 pieces of brass 4 times to see what it would do to them and the primer pockets are still tight.
It's a nice load but in all honesty I usually use the 85tsx or 95TTSX for hunting considering I can push the 85 to 2850 in my 16" barrel and easily to 3000fps in the 20" without beating the hell out of the brass and the gun.

 

[gemihur]

I've got the grendel in my AR which wears a 20" barrel also but I push them much harder than in my contender.
I also shoot the 6.8 in my contender but it permits full house loads because of it'e case head size.
Thanks for the suggestion.