6.5 Grendel Loads

carvercalls

carvercalls

Moderator
Staff member
Im going to be getting a 6.5 Grendel in an AR Platform, in a few days. If you have a pet load for the Grendel. I would sure like to hear it. Thanks.. Kerry
 
The great thing about the Grendel is the wide weight range of bullets. For 120 and 130 gr bullets, blc2 and TAC are powders that I've had good luck with. 2520 works real well too, but I have trouble finding it locally. For lighter bullets, I like H335 and X-terminator. Benchmark is another powder that works. The brass I've used the most is AA/Lapua Grendel brass or fire formed 7.62x39 (Lapua and Win.) With fire formed x39 brass, you have to remember that it holds on average 2 grains less than Grendel brass AFTER it's fire formed, so max loads for x39 brass needs to be 94% of published loads. The x39 brass is just thicker, so the case capacity is less.

The following are all using AA/Lapua brass and CCI 450 primers. The groups were all sub MOA with the 100 NBT being the best at 1/2 MOA. I know I could fine tune each load and get even better results, but I get bored sitting at a bench. Once I get a sub MOA group, I'm done. I have been told that Hornady brass uses the same load info as Lapua, but I can't confirm this yet.

120 SMK
28.4 gr TAC

100 NBT
29.8 gr X-Terminator
(it's .1 gr over Ramshot's max but shoots REALLY good in my rifle)

95 V-Max
30.0 gr. H335

The bullets I want to try, but being unemployed is hampering my testing, is the 100 gr Lapua BTHP and the 100 gr. Berger BTHP. They are supposed to be really good.

Basically, with the Grendel, the closer to max load you get, the better your groups are, but don't go over too much, or you'll start breaking lugs off your bolt.

EDIT: Oh yeah, this works in my rifle, use at your own risk, start low and work up....insert lawyer CYA babble here...
 
Last edited:
Bullmastiff, thank you very much for the info. That really helps
thumbup1.gif
I picked up some Hornady brass, ill let you know how it works.
 
Bullmastiff hit the nail on the head, I can add a little data to it as well.

I shoot the same exact v-max load in mine and it gives me my worst groups at about .75" 5 shot

My best load is with 30.6 gns of H 335 behind 90 gn speer tnt hollow points with just under .25" 3 shot groups

My next best load is 30.3 gns of Win 748 behind 123 gn lapua scenars with just under .375" 3 shot groups, but the best part is that the 90 gn and 123 gn loads land within each other giving a 6 shot group under .375" with two different bullet/powder combos.

I also shoot the scenars out to 1000 with great success.

I think you will be tickled with how accurate the Grendel is. If you like spending a lot of time developing loads you may be disappointed cause you may hit it on the first try.

 
Has anyone loaded any 130 grains yet? I picked up some Noslers and also have some 123 gr Amax to start with. I will probably get some 100 gr bullets for coyotes too.

Dies should be here any day so I can start loading. Hopefully that keeps me occupied while I wait for my upper to be built.
 
I use Redding dies, and Lapua or Hornady brass. Both work very well with the same load. I use Benchmark powder with the 90 gr. Speer TNT, 100 gr. Nosler B.T. and the 107 gr. Sierra MK. Accuracy runs in .4 to .6 range with all bullets for 5 shots at 100 yards. I have taken the 107 Sierra out to 1K with very repeatble accuracy. The 90 gr. Speer TNT hits coyotes hard. The verdict is still out on the 100 gr. Nosler B.T. on deer and hogs. Hope to see how they work in Dec. in Alabama.

PaPa 260
 
Thanks for the info guys, it helps allot, im going to go to work on some loads with your info over the weekend. Ill let you know how they shoot
thumbup1.gif
 
Back
Top