Favorite powder and loads for 6.5 Grendel

[adcoch1]

Hello all, starting up on loads for the 6.5 Grendel, looking at load data and curious what powder you have had good results with? Also, any pet bullet/powder combo's you like. So far I only have hornady brass, and 7.62x39 brass converted to 6.5.

This is for an ar and a ruger American predator from an ar mag, so I am slightly constrained by mag length, but brass, powder, and bullets are up in the air still.

Uses are for plinking/informal target shooting, and hunting duties on small deer and down. So basically two general uses.

So, what are you all doing with the 6.5 Grendel?

 

[Varminterror]

8208 under the 120-130’s. It’s hard to complain about the 123 SST’s and ELD’s for the money, they drill and kill, and don’t break the bank doing it.

 

[LoonWulf]

8208 under the 120-130’s. It’s hard to complain about the 123 SST’s and ELD’s for the money, they drill and kill, and don’t break the bank doing it.

2nded on the Hornady, I've still got a pound of 8208 to try in my new Grendel.
I used cfe223 in my old Grendel's, good velocity and accurate enough for my uses. I'll try the 8208 as well as my old load in this new grendel.... Faster powder may work a little better as I think I'm going to loose some oal/case capacity in this newer rifle.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

My shooting/reloading buddy gave H322 a try which he uses for loading the .222 Rem and he tells me he extremely accurate with a 123gr Sierra HPBT bullet. He tells me it's a lightly compressed load but no problems with seating the bullets.

 

[rayatphonix]

8208 and 120 gn BT’s are my go to deer round. Very accurate and in deadly. I use 28.0 grains and that seems to be a good load for a wide variety of users. I’ve got a load for 100 gn bullets, but can’t recall it right now. I believe it uses H322. I’ll check if you’d like.

 

[Termite I]

ASC sells stainless steel magazines that will allow you to load to 2.31" if your throat will allow it. There's a lot of reload data on 6.5 Grendel Forum, just be careful and start low. There is a guy on the Grendel Forum that sells 6.5 Grendel Reloading Handbook Volumes I & II that are useful.

 

[labnoti]

I'm shooting Speer 90 gr. TNT for targets. I bought a few hundred about $0.19 a piece. For hunting, I don't know why anyone would splatter lead into their food. The 100 gr Barnes TTSX solves the problem. I think it is the best 6.5mm bullet for hunting anything up to Elk, and I think for Elk, Moose and larger ungulates, the Grendel is not the best choice. If I'm wrong about the 100 gr TTSX being the best for deer, antelope, sheep, and goats, show me why.

I'm loading H335 powder and using Fiocchi ZP SRM primers. I consider the result with a 90 gr TNT a "utility load." If I were chasing more precision I would look at 8208 and 107 or 108 gr scenars or TMK's.

 

[Newtosavage]

8208 under the 120-130’s. It’s hard to complain about the 123 SST’s and ELD’s for the money, they drill and kill, and don’t break the bank doing it.

Agreed.

8208 under 120's or 123 SST's is good. My "heavy" hunting combo was 130 Sierra Gamechangers (a bullet that worked VERY well for me from my Grendel) over LeverEvolution powder. That was a little dirty but it was worth it. Great shooting load that was a hammer on game.

 

[CarJunkieLS1]

I'll say 8208 also. Very accurate and and very consistent in my Grendel. My 20" barrel launches the factory ELD and SST at ~2450 and shoots very accurately. 27.3gr 8208 behind a 123 SST and copying the factory ammo COAL duplicates the velocity and accuracy of factory stuff.

Used the above load to take my first and only buck with it a few years ago. Shot was 30 yards dead broadside, double lung he ran ~75 yards and bled the entire way that a blind man could've followed.