AP 6.5 Grendel build.

I’ve loaded for a few AR 15,s, A modern varminter, modern Sporter, two Stag AR 10,s
And not one of them beat up my Brass.

So, I have confidence my Lapua brass will do just fine.
 
Congrats on the Grendel, I have a couple bolt guns and put an IBI barrel on an SLR in January, love the cartridge. I find my brass doesn't get beat up that bad so far, I've used Lapua and Starline, which appears to be good quality. The federal stuff I have from once fired factory has loose pockets. Hornady factory, no problems.

With regards to magazines, I have ZERO issues with CPD 7.62x39 pistol mags. From what I've read, there tends to be a difference in large capacity magazines when the case taper difference stacks up to an unacceptable level, 10 rounders don't have that problem. I have a couple ASC 5 round Grendel mags and one is very tight to insert/remove. I measured it and it's .015" fat at an obvious flaw, I plan on giving it a massage with a hammer and call it a day.

I've loaded 95Vmax, 108 Scenar, 120 Nosler BT, 120 Scenar, 123 Scenar and I have some 123 SST's to try.
 
^^^ Hi Steve, just curious how the light 95gr v-max performed accuracy wise? I'v been thinking it may make for a nice coyote sleeping pill load out of my MS Grendel build... as long as the accuracy potential is still there with the lighter bullet?

Thanks
 
jiffx2781 said:
^^^ Hi Steve, just curious how the light 95gr v-max performed accuracy wise? I'v been thinking it may make for a nice coyote sleeping pill load out of my MS Grendel build... as long as the accuracy potential is still there with the lighter bullet?

Thanks
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I took some ammo I made for a CZ 527 and shot it out of my SLR and it shot good. IIRC group was around .85 for 5 shots, I think velocity was 2800ish. There's probably better accuracy and speed in it if I tuned it to the rifle.
 
PGW Steve said:
I took some ammo I made for a CZ 527 and shot it out of my SLR and it shot good. IIRC group was around .85 for 5 shots, I think velocity was 2800ish. There's probably better accuracy and speed in it if I tuned it to the rifle.
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That sounds pretty decent given the fact that your load had no effort put into making it specifically for your SLR. There's definitely potential there.

Thanks
 
cr5 you are correct , once they run through once i'll be running it with a new case holder. I did that for the inital sizing then trimmed to length , I have a new one for normal production, ill also be annealing them at that time to relive all resizing/fire forming stresses. That video will happen when i get there.
 
Well no testing this weekend as my reloading components never showed up.
Maybe Monday, that’ll be 11 days ,from NS to NL... Loomis sucks the big one. Lol
 
Mines done I tried a few powder load combos.... And I think I found a start point, along with finding out I req a mount for a bipod that fits KEYMOD. More later as I don't wish to give bad info that may work for you, but 8208 XBR looks promising!
 
PPCLI-Jim said:
Mines done I tried a few powder load combos.... And I think I found a start point, along with finding out I req a mount for a bipod that fits KEYMOD. More later as I don't wish to give bad info that may work for you, but 8208 XBR looks promising!
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Awesome, looking forward to the updates.
I’ll be trying V540 and CFE223
 
I like Hodgdon extreme stick powders and 8208 for low temp sensitivity, in MB we can have -30's in winter and plus 30's in summer. If you use CFE223, know it has the worst temp sensitivity coefficient, and shoot it in temps close to what you worked the load up in.
 
Nosler also claims 8202XBR as the most accurate powder in their testing (https://load-data.nosler.com/load-data/65-grendel/). I've done load dev on 120gr Sierra's, 123gr Hornady's and 123gr Lapua's and I always generally end up between 28.0 - 28.2gr of 8208 with Lapua and Hornady cases. For 130gr and heavier I've had better success with AR Comp (also extruded, but larger kernels than 8208)
 
Yes it looks like my load development is correct by the Nosler page

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjJXitSnGZk

finishing case conversion from 7.62x39 confirming your thoughts as to shoulder bump not an issue. I'm running Winchester brass BTW.

cr5 said:
Wouldn't that also push the shoulder back by pushing the brass further into the die?
I would be sure you do some measuring before you do too many or fire them. Don't just rely on the case gauge, you can't see where the shoulder sits inside there, they'll fit as long as it's short enough.
I would buy another shell holder to use after you've fired them once as well. You don't want/need to be pushing things around that much once they're fire formed.

Sounds like a small base die (if available) would be a better solution.
I would check if they'll chamber without modifying the shell holder, let the chamber smooth out the bump at the base when you fire them (if they'll chamber).

To anyone buying brass.
After reloading for semi autos for a number of years now I've learned that they're very hard on your brass so spending big bucks on Lapua is just not cost effective, the difference in group sizes from cheap brass to Lapua is only fractions of an inch (if you do everything else perfectly), you don't gain enough for the cost when you're ruining it in half the loadings (or less) a bolt gun would get. Plus you're way more likely to lose those shiny $2 things with a semi.


Good luck
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I finally got my components and got to the range today.
V 530
123 g Hornady ELD
123 Sierra match king BT
CCI smr
Lapua brass.

I had two five rnd groups that had 4 shots at under an inch, and the fifth opened it up to two MOA.
I think it was me , but who knows, I’m going to test these again .
Both of these were with max load of 26.7 grains of VN.

One group of each bullit type ,which were practically identical, 4 under an inch and 1 flyer.
Which makes me think it wasn’t me.
 
Brianma65 said:
I’ve loaded for a few AR 15,s, A modern varminter, modern Sporter, two Stag AR 10,s
And not one of them beat up my Brass.

So, I have confidence my Lapua brass will do just fine.
Click to expand...

There's more to it than seeing dents and dings in the brass, there's also the stretching and general overworking it sees by being violently pulled from the chamber while it may still have some pressure pushing it to the chamber walls.
I've been loading for semis for a long time and even the nicest rifles that don't make dents in the cases can't reload the brass as many times as you can when you shoot the same caliber from a bolt action.

It's your money though and if shooting Lapua makes you think it's going to be better then go for it.

I just bought a Modern Sporter build in 6.5G, should be here tomorrow.
I'm excited to start loading for it, it's going to be a wicked coyote rifle :)


I'm still a little confused as to why it supposedly isn't as reliable with x39 mags if the parent cartridge is x39. I've got a couple x39 pistol mags and a STANAG pattern 7.62x39 5/30 with the exaggerated curve in it to try when it gets here.
The rifle is coming with 2 Grendel mags though so whether the other ones work or not at least I'll still have something that should be reliable.
 
its the dia and length of the bullet allows it to nose dive as it makes its way past the ridges on some mags , and it may brush the front of the mag. 6.5 gren base plates are available to swap out that help minimize that along with some ppl filing a slight u in the front of the mag creating the clearance
 
The blue mag is 6.5 and the black is x39. They are virtually identical. I used the x39 for a while until my 6.5 mags showed up and didn't have any issues.

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View attachment 264857View attachment 264854View attachment 264858The only issue I had with the x39 mags were with the min loaded rnds.
I think the bolt wasn’t traveling back far enough to pick up the next round.

It cycled perfectly after the first set of min reloads

What do you think of those two flyers?

Is it worth doing any further testing around those loads?

Maybe it’s just the barrel,it only cost $125:)

I also know what your saying about the brass, but my options were limited.

And just to be upfront, I’m the original OP.
 
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CR, I just sold my MS build in .223 It was a high end build.
I’m putting all this cheap crap on my new MS set.
Well maybe a diff trigger, and a diff barrel, if I can’t get this to shoot.
 
Thanks for the pics, they look pretty close, hopefully mine work.

Sounds like I should be glad it's coming with a couple AA 6.5G mags.

Lightest projectiles Cabela's had were 123gr, I was hoping to go lighter but bought them anyway.
Just need to find a set of dies now :)

Oh ya, and pick it up from the post office :p

The one I bought has the Odin 20 inch DMR barrel on it.
I need another upper for my MRA spiral twist 223 barrel though.
 
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