110 grain Lehigh Controlled Chaos 6.5 Grendel

SnowmanMo

SnowmanMo

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I thought that I would share my recent experiments with some Commiefornia compliant, lead free, ammunition for the 6.5 Grendel.

I hunt Commiefornia with Desert Dave when I am over there, and I recently got geared up for it by buying a 16in .308 and buying some factory lead free ammunition. I was not impressed by the "accuracy" of these offerings. But Dave, living over there, mentioned that he didn't have compliant ammunition. SO I got to wondering if I could find a more accurate handload for the lead free bullets.

I experimented with Hornady, Barnes and most recently, Lehigh Defense. I bought some 110 grain, 6.5 Grendel bullets. I started with Ramshot Xterminator and found that the hand loads were VERY accurate. I just couldn't get the speed I wanted. So after a little more research, I settled on Ramshot Tac underneath the 110 grain Controlled Chaos bullets. I am VERY pleased.

Here is one of the better groups we got while trying to zero a friend's rifle.

20200514_180858 by Jason Mosler, on Flickr

That is 3 shots inside an inch at 100 yards.

I also decided to try it out on fur.

You can watch our video here:



That coyote was put down with the 110 grain Controlled Chaos bullet, with 27.7 grains of Ramshot Tac powder. I loaded the round to 2.260 oal. We were getting an average of about 2375 fps out of the load. I was running once fired Hornady brass. Winchester Small rifle primer. Factory crimp.

I am going to push up to 28.3 grains and see what happens with the accuracy. The expansion was good at 27.7 grains, but could be a bit more "explosive" with a bit more velocity.
 
It is pretty crazy that none of the bullet manufacturers make a 6.5 mm lead free varmint bullet. Barnes makes one in a 85 gr .277 bullet that is the same as their Varmint Grenade or MPG bullets.

Nosler and Barnes make them in 6mm and Hornady, Barnes and Nosler make lead free varmint bullets in 22 caliber.

I talked to all of the rifle bullet manufacturers three different years at the shot show and none of them seemed to be interested in making a lower priced varmint bullet for the 6.5 mm shooters that are out there. With all the 6.5 Grendel, 260 Rem and 6.5 Creedmoor's that are out there I think they are missing out on selling some 6.5 mm lead free varmint bullets.
 
Originally Posted By: SnowmanMoVery true Bob, very true.

I know it probable won't do any good but after reading this post yesterday I sent a e-mail to Barnes Bullets again, asking them to consider making a 75 to 85 gr Lead Free 6.5 mm Varmint bullet.

They make a 6 mm and a .277 Lead Free varmint bullet but they don't make any in .257 or 6.5 mm.
 
I bought some Barnes Tac-x bullets to try. They are 130 grain. Had a tougher time finding TTSX’s but these claim they’ll expand up close. Now to find a willing furry test subject.
 
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