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Thread: Balancing Lightweight & Performance: 6.5 Grendel Update: 1000yds

  1. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by zacii View Post
    You say that you're getting velocities out of your 16" barrel that are more typical of a 20". What do you attribute that to?
    CFE223 powder generates better velocities with 123gr class pills for me so far. I've tried N140, TAC, 8208XBR, and some others, and CFE has given me the best results by far, without pressure spikes. I pressure ladder tested it back in 2012 to see where it would trend for me for .3gr increments, working up while watching my chronogrpah very closely, and establishing a record of the trend per .3gr of powder.

    At 60F, with 31.1gr loaded under the 123gr A-MAX to 2.275" COL, I'm at 2489fps.
    31.4gr 2520fps
    31.7gr 2532fps
    32.0gr 2553fps

    We think 31.9gr is the max load at just barely under 50,000psi based on extensive testing in a calibrated pressure test rifle. I've been very happy with my 31.2gr load, which pressure estimation puts at 46,235psi. That load is faster than the Hornady 123gr A-MAX factory load, which flies surprisingly well for me out to 1200yds from said little 16" carbine, no really. I honestly thought I had a solid little 700yd blaster for shooting steel that was easy to carry around and pack, but it really opened my eyes when I was challenged by some guys out shooting long range when they wanted to see if I could hit this 1200yd target that that they were nowhere near with much bigger rifles (They weren't applying any formal, repeatable long range trajectory compensation techniques, so performance was entertaining at best).

    I haven't chrono'd this new 17.6" Lilja barrel, but I'm very happy with it in the weight and accuracy departments. I haven't worked up any hand loads for it either. I'm expecting to see very similar velocity from it, with 123gr in the 2500-2550fps region. I might be able to hit 2600fps, or just under, with a .510 BC pill G1 drag model.
    Last edited by LRRPF52; 03-05-15 at 01:31.

  2. #12
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    Pics from my Winter DM Course this past weekend during the live fire loophole exercises portion.







    Last edited by LRRPF52; 03-05-15 at 11:33.

  3. #13
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    Hunting, range day, or competition?
    Sticks

    Grasseater // Grass~eat~er noun, often attributive \ˈgras-ē-tər\
    A person who is incapable of independent thought; a person who is herd animal-like in behavior; one who cannot distinguish between right and wrong; a foolish person.
    See also Sheep

  4. #14
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    Love that Grendel. A little while back, I had a 700 in .308 sitting in an AICS. I loved the rifle, and I liked having a long(er) range rifle. I fully intended to build another ASAP, but the Grendel is calling out to me. Definitely worth looking into. Am I to assume that the barrel came with a matched bolt as well?

  5. #15
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    I used a BCG from Precision Firearms that has a Maxim 9310 bolt, black nitrided. The carrier is nitrided too.

    The barrel is from Lilja. The gun handles very well, is easy to carry and point from any position really.
    Last edited by LRRPF52; 04-14-15 at 03:09.

  6. #16
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    Results after doing some testing with the 129gr ABLR and CFE.

    Rifle: Lilja 17.6" barrel SAAMI chamber, lightweight Wasp profile, PF bolt
    Temp: 89* F/ 31.6* C

    Case: Hornady 1x fired
    Primer: Rem 7 1/2
    Bullet: Nosler 129gr ABLR
    Powder: Hodgdon's CFE223
    *Powder is vibratory settled*

    123gr AMAX on left, 129gr ABLR on right


    1st Ladder
    COL: 2.284"
    30.0gr 2345
    30.3gr 2360
    30.6gr 2427
    30.9gr 2453
    31.2gr 2501
    31.5gr 2441
    31.8gr 2548



    2nd Ladder
    COL: 2.271"

    30.0gr 2372
    30.3gr 2379
    30.6gr 2396
    30.9gr 2419
    31.2gr 2465
    31.5gr 2492
    31.8gr 2491


    Multiple charge weights. They didn't have a 300yd range where I could put up paper targets at that range, so I was left with 100yds for the ladder.




    Kinda interesting how the COL changed things. More compressed, they behaved much better and much more predictably. The longer COL loads had significant jumps in pressure, as you can see.

    I suspect running them closer to the lands resulted in the pressure spikes. For me and my chamber, I won't load past 2.271", and I might even look at going down to 2.260" if I can. The ABLR takes up a lot of case capacity as we know, but CFE seems to behave better with it when compressed.

    I settled the powder in each of these cases with my vibratory polisher, which is what allowed me to get more charge weight in them. After I consult with JASmith, I'll have a better idea of where we are at in terms of pressure. Right now, I personally would not go over 30.9gr with the 2.271" COL.

    That gives me a load that is supersonic to past 1400yds at the elevation we were shooting at today (6600ft). Expansion on these is advertised down to 1300fps. In the conditions we were shooting today, that would go out to 1250yds. For the last batch, I just aimed at the same point on the target at 100yds. I put 8 rounds, all with different charge weights, into 2.2" vertical, with 2 outliers on the velocity opening it up top and bottom.

    Within the center of the group, there is a nice cluster of 4 that are sub-inch. Based on the data I have now, I'm comfortable with running my initial batches between 30.3-30.9gr to lay down accuracy nodes and averages, then go to a solid load that I'm happy with.
    Last edited by LRRPF52; 08-13-15 at 12:31.

  7. #17
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    Thank you for the info. Looking forward to some long range test results.
    Sticks

    Grasseater // Grass~eat~er noun, often attributive \ˈgras-ē-tər\
    A person who is incapable of independent thought; a person who is herd animal-like in behavior; one who cannot distinguish between right and wrong; a foolish person.
    See also Sheep

  8. #18
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    Great thread. Thanks for sharing this. I am currently in the market for a long range AR and have been interested in this round for sometime now. It seemed to be making some headway a few years ago and then sort of died off. Glad to see that it is still out there and that it has such good potential.
    "Democracy is two Wolves and a Lamb discusing Whats for Dinner. Liberty is a well Armed Lamb willing to Contest The Majority Decision". Benjamin Franklin, 1755

  9. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by jwinch2 View Post
    Great thread. Thanks for sharing this. I am currently in the market for a long range AR and have been interested in this round for sometime now. It seemed to be making some headway a few years ago and then sort of died off. Glad to see that it is still out there and that it has such good potential.
    it is an awesome round. hardly anybrecoil, performance is outstanding. you won't be disappointed going with a Grendel
    Using Tapatalk

  10. #20
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    LRRPF52....have u had a chance to really ring out the new loads at distance yet.?

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