Grendelizer
10-21-06, 09:36
Bill Alexander sent me five samples of the pre-production 6.5 Grendel Wolf 123 Soft-Point ammo being made for Wolf by Prvi Partizan (PPU) (http://www.prvipartizan.com). I thought you might enjoy an update on the latest developments with this project. I can't wait! :)
First up is the cheapo box the preproduction ammo came in; Wolf will box it in their Gold line.
http://www.65grendel.com/gallery/65g_wolfpreprobox.jpg
Here's a photo of Wolf's Gold line packaging shown at SHOT Show 2006.
http://www.65grendel.com/65g_wolfammo.jpg
Back to the preproduction samples; we get a little teaser as she peels off a layer, allowing a little peek. ;)
http://www.65grendel.com/gallery/65g_wolfpreproopen.jpg
"Take it off! Take it off!" all the customers cried (that's a line from a polka song, in case you're wondering). And she shows us what she's got! :D
http://www.65grendel.com/gallery/65g_wolfpreprooneout.jpg
Now she's showing off her little rear end!
http://www.65grendel.com/gallery/65g_wolfpreprooneup.jpg
OK, OK, enough with the cheesy metaphor! The next two show the headstamp with Prvi Partizan's "PPU" acronym. I believe Bill said he's going to suggest to Wolf that they put their own headstamp on instead. We'll see.
Note also the large primer, compared to Lapua brass with the small primer. Difference in performance between the two will be very minor.
http://www.65grendel.com/gallery/65g_wolfpreproppuhead.jpg
http://www.65grendel.com/gallery/65g_wolfprepropppuheadB.jpg
Here are two shots of a line-up of all five 123gr hunting Soft-Points. Going to be wonderful Bambi medicine!
http://www.65grendel.com/gallery/65g_wolfpreprofivebox.jpg
http://www.65grendel.com/gallery/65g_wolf123sppreprofive.jpg
Next is a mix of Wolf's 123 SPs with AA's 123 Lapua Scenar ammunition, for comparison.
http://www.65grendel.com/gallery/65g_wolf123sp123scenar.jpg
And we'll wrap up with two photos of the preproduction ammo loaded into a CProducts 10-round magazine.
http://www.65grendel.com/gallery/65g_wolfprepro10rdtop.jpg
http://www.65grendel.com/gallery/65g_wolfprepro10rdmag.jpg
Bill has tested and conditionally approved the preproduction samples Wolf sent him, and it's now in PPU's court to make the tweaks according to Bill's specifications.
He said he clocked this ammo at 2580 fps from a 24" barrel, so he's asked for more velocity. He also thought the ammo caused premature copper fouling, so he's asked for a revised powder formulation. These are minor tweaks; Bill thought they were "99%" of the way there.
Unfortunately, as all of us have found out this past summer, the Serbians of PPU operate not on Swiss time, but on what could be called an Eastern European version of "Mexican time." The schedule on this is out of AA's hands, it's out of Wolf's hands, we all wait.
But it will be worth waiting for, because they plan to produce TEN MILLION rounds of the stuff! Yes, that's "ten" with a T and "million" with an M. :D
John
First up is the cheapo box the preproduction ammo came in; Wolf will box it in their Gold line.
http://www.65grendel.com/gallery/65g_wolfpreprobox.jpg
Here's a photo of Wolf's Gold line packaging shown at SHOT Show 2006.
http://www.65grendel.com/65g_wolfammo.jpg
Back to the preproduction samples; we get a little teaser as she peels off a layer, allowing a little peek. ;)
http://www.65grendel.com/gallery/65g_wolfpreproopen.jpg
"Take it off! Take it off!" all the customers cried (that's a line from a polka song, in case you're wondering). And she shows us what she's got! :D
http://www.65grendel.com/gallery/65g_wolfpreprooneout.jpg
Now she's showing off her little rear end!
http://www.65grendel.com/gallery/65g_wolfpreprooneup.jpg
OK, OK, enough with the cheesy metaphor! The next two show the headstamp with Prvi Partizan's "PPU" acronym. I believe Bill said he's going to suggest to Wolf that they put their own headstamp on instead. We'll see.
Note also the large primer, compared to Lapua brass with the small primer. Difference in performance between the two will be very minor.
http://www.65grendel.com/gallery/65g_wolfpreproppuhead.jpg
http://www.65grendel.com/gallery/65g_wolfprepropppuheadB.jpg
Here are two shots of a line-up of all five 123gr hunting Soft-Points. Going to be wonderful Bambi medicine!
http://www.65grendel.com/gallery/65g_wolfpreprofivebox.jpg
http://www.65grendel.com/gallery/65g_wolf123sppreprofive.jpg
Next is a mix of Wolf's 123 SPs with AA's 123 Lapua Scenar ammunition, for comparison.
http://www.65grendel.com/gallery/65g_wolf123sp123scenar.jpg
And we'll wrap up with two photos of the preproduction ammo loaded into a CProducts 10-round magazine.
http://www.65grendel.com/gallery/65g_wolfprepro10rdtop.jpg
http://www.65grendel.com/gallery/65g_wolfprepro10rdmag.jpg
Bill has tested and conditionally approved the preproduction samples Wolf sent him, and it's now in PPU's court to make the tweaks according to Bill's specifications.
He said he clocked this ammo at 2580 fps from a 24" barrel, so he's asked for more velocity. He also thought the ammo caused premature copper fouling, so he's asked for a revised powder formulation. These are minor tweaks; Bill thought they were "99%" of the way there.
Unfortunately, as all of us have found out this past summer, the Serbians of PPU operate not on Swiss time, but on what could be called an Eastern European version of "Mexican time." The schedule on this is out of AA's hands, it's out of Wolf's hands, we all wait.
But it will be worth waiting for, because they plan to produce TEN MILLION rounds of the stuff! Yes, that's "ten" with a T and "million" with an M. :D
John