Think I'll try 6.5 Grendel next

[Hickok]

What powder are you using? Perhaps you're getting S.E.E. from the light loads. Try a different powder perhaps.

Also, get a real good look at your chamber, maybe do a cerrosafe casting.

I was using a 10% reduced charge of H335 with a 123 gr bullet. This part of fire forming went fine, but after one or two firings of the formed case with a worked-up load with IMR 8028 and a 123 Hornady, the primer pockets seemed loose when priming.

I realize the reformed cases were of a different internal volume than my Hornady 6.5 G cases, but I started low and worked up, but never could get any good velocity as the primer pockets were enlarged.

Gave up on the effort, and stayed with my Hornady cases. My barrel is Stainless steel 18" from Brownells, with matching head-spaced bolt head.

[ebb]

If I could pick up brass for a Grendel off the ground like a 223, I would not have any 223s only Grendels.

[Wolfdog91]

Welp finally got everything ingot the new barrel on. Handgaurd too forever because for some reason the USPS facility in Jackson has to add a few extra days . But yeah some good ole Chineseum...you know it's good when it's that the Chinese script on it .
This mold is about the same as the one I use for my Mosin, wish it was more like my MP .227 mold though



Hoping the Grendel will work a out as well as the 7.62x39 did as far as powder burn due to the case size

Did bore scope it before and after cleaning.
Scrubbed with a nylon brush with Iosso then try patch that out then Two wet patches with hoppes and then dry patched it out still some brought spots but for a $89 barrel what do you expect


Sent from my motorola edge 5G UW (2021) using Tapatalk

[Rapidrob]

When the 6.5 Grendel first came out, I jumped on the band wagon and assemble one. After some research i found that Alexander Arms clearly wrote do not use 7.62x39 military brass when reloading this caliber. And I found that to be true. Loose primer pockets and at one time, a cracked locking lug on the bolt ( replaced under warranty ) The military brass is too thick and pressures will spike.
I still use '39 brass but now with the Small Rifle primers ( much stronger case base ) and reduce the listed FMJ loads by a full grain.
Accuracy is very good out to 800 yards and the rifle is a lot of fun to shoot.
I have not tried powder-coated bullets yet but will soon.
With the "bolt" gun you built, you may be able to get some fairly fast loads worked up well within safe operating pressures.

[cwlongshot]

I had a Bear Creek upper. It shot well enough. I also have a Howa Mini I liked more. A friends friend bought my upper.

This Howa has become my favorite deer rifle.

https://youtu.be/gIpWuhQxsRw?si=CXMmfRMElA8m2oMn

I have a NOE 126g mold but have yet to test any cast in it.

I recently also picked up a second Mini this one in 6arc.

I took my best buck to date with the Grendel. Fun fun! Great calibers!

[charlie b]

I wondered why they didn't just call it the 6.5PPC. Almost all the 'improved' .220 Russian based cartridges have been very accurate.

[405grain]

In a good bolt action the 7.62x39 is no slouch in the accuracy department either. People equate the 7.62x39 with mediocre accuracy because it is usually chambered in military rifles, where reliability is favored over accuracy. In a bolt gun with a Lapua specification chamber and a halfway decent barrel the 7.62x39 can be remarkably accurate. The other cartridges that are based on necking down this case have benchrest/varmint quality accuracy. 6.5 Grendel is one of the cartridges that I wouldn't mind building a bolt action around.

Wolfdog: Don't leave us hanging. When you get some range time with the new NOE bullet post up some target pics.

[fixit]

I have a Grendel bolt gun (ruger American with the long barrel) and it's all I'm likely to need here in Indiana. With a 200 yard point blank range, I don't expect to have to push beyond its limits. Sweet round!

[ammohead]

Call me crazy but about 4 years ago I chambered a barrel in 6.5 grendel for a takedown 99 Savage. It doesn't feed flawlessly but it will feed reliably. It has a 24" 1 in 8" twist barrel. With the right loads it easily cranks out 1.5 moa all day long. A handier deer and antelope rifle I do not own. I have a 4 cav NOE 266-125-FN mould in brass without a hollowpoint option. Both the savage and a cz 527 do well with that bullet. But for full performance hunting it is the 120 gr tsx that gets the nod. This combo has one antelope buck to it's credit. But it would have to be considered only an experts cartridge for elk. It would never be my first choice for a game animal that big. It doesn't give the animal the proper respect it deserves.

[cwlongshot]

No luck here with Barnes in the Grendel.

The bullets REQUIRE more velocity then the lil grendel can muster past hair singe distances.

The excellent Speer 120 Gold dot is a premium super accurate bullet that will not disappoint.

Your 24" barrel with tailored loads can get at least 100 fpr over mine. So you could have 2400fps on target farther than I. But its still a short range proposition.

CW