129gr ABLRs in 6.5 Grendel

[Mike D Texas]

Sierracharlie338, would you be willing to PM me your comp load? I understand that if I blow myself up (or injure myself) it’s my fault.

MikeD, I understand the desire for longer range performance but that’s not what we have where I hunt. A 75 yard shot is “reaching right out there in the Adirondack forest. In many years of hunting, and taking quite a few deer, I can only think of one buck that was legitimately beyond 100 yards. The past two year’s bucks were inside 30 yards. One out of a tree and one coming toward me on the game trail I was still hunting on. They get out of sight pretty quick after you pull the trigger.

That’s even more reason to shoot a lighter weight, fast expanding bullet.


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[The Guide]

Thanks Jay. What powder are you using? Near max? I’d be interested in your load if you’d be willing to PM it. Thanks.

To be honest with you, I have no idea as it is old factory Alexander Arms loaded ammo from before the Grendel was popular. The velocity tracks at 2375 fps so "slow" over all but super accurate and easy to shoot. We are on our last box (bought a case of the ammo when we found it shot well in the rifle in 2016) and will have to start with a new load using this brass. Both TAC and 8208 have quoted accuracy loads at near this velocity so I'll try them both since I have them both.

Jay

 

[fshaw]

To be honest with you, I have no idea as it is old factory Alexander Arms loaded ammo from before the Grendel was popular. The velocity tracks at 2375 fps so "slow" over all but super accurate and easy to shoot. We are on our last box (bought a case of the ammo when we found it shot well in the rifle in 2016) and will have to start with a new load using this brass. Both TAC and 8208 have quoted accuracy loads at near this velocity so I'll try them both since I have them both.

Jay

Thanks Jay. I’m going to order a couple boxes of the 120BTs.

 

[sierracharlie338]

Sierracharlie338, would you be willing to PM me your comp load? I understand that if I blow myself up (or injure myself) it’s my fault.

MikeD, I understand the desire for longer range performance but that’s not what we have where I hunt. A 75 yard shot is “reaching right out there in the Adirondack forest. In many years of hunting, and taking quite a few deer, I can only think of one buck that was legitimately beyond 100 yards. The past two year’s bucks were inside 30 yards. One out of a tree and one coming toward me on the game trail I was still hunting on. They get out of sight pretty quick after you pull the trigger.

I’ll dig it up today and see what I can find for you

 

[fshaw]

I’ll dig it up today and see what I can find for you

Thank you.

 

[Natebonebusta]

120 Nosler BT’s out of a Howa mini for me are 2290fps at 27.3gr of tac and are 2,474fps at 28.0gr of tac. Both at 2.245. 28gr is Nosler book max.

 

[KenLee]

As you might guess, I’ve read it extensively. I hunt in the Adirondacks (densely forested) and shots are close. I like exit wounds if I can get them and the ABLRs seem like the best combination of wound damage (over monos) and penetration. We don’t thpically get to watch animals long enough to wait for a broadside behind the shoulder shot. I cut my own meat and try to stay off the shoulder when possible. I also don’t want to rely on hitting bone to aid expansion. As I said in my original post, I have an accurate load with 123gr ELDMs and can use them if the ABLRs don’t work out. I’ve been trying to get an accurate load with the powders that I have but am seriously considering picking up a pound of AR Comp.

After trying multiple types of factory ammo in my lil grendel ar, now I only use the eld-m on game. Heart/lung or neck/head shots.
I like ttsx for exits when taking newbie kids or ladies hunting, but that's with faster shooting calibers.

 

[Docholiday82]

Anyone have luck with sw match powder and ablr? I am struggling with getting good groups.

 

[WestMOhunter]

ABLRs in my .280AI and 6.5CM shoot pretty well, but 129s shot over 1 inch in my Grendel. Jumping in because I have found AR Comp to be the most consistent powder in both a Wilson barreled 6.5 Grendel and .264 LBC for 2 different 123gr bullets SSTs and Nos CC. 8208XBR is good too, but prefer the Comp.

 

[Huntchic]

I'm probably bit late to the party here but will add my input.
I have 4 different 6.5 Grendel's in AR 15 platforms. 20",18",16" and 12" barrels. I use each depending on my situation. I've got verry accurate loads with 129 ABLR using CFE223, TAC and H4895. All loads and barrels have taken Deer reliably. All have been 1 shot harvest and DRT. Shots have been 60 yards to 90 yards with only one over 90 yards and it was at 225 yards. All shots were neck shots or High shoulder shots. I hunt old field surrounded by areas that tend to be extremely thick and nasty so tracking one even 50-100 yards is a terrible chore. Thus i go for DRT. This year I worked on loads with the Speer 120 gold dots and found that ballistically they are a good fit for the 16" and 12" barrels. I'm still using 129 ABLR in the 18" and 20' because they do better at beyond 100 yards in those barrels. I started testing with 120 GD using TAC and H4895 and found i got better shot to shot consistency as well as a bit higher velocities with H4895 so stopped testing with the TAC and stuck with the H4895. I prefer the H4895 because i also use Grendel's year round so the good temperature stability of H4895 is a big benefit. If I pull a mag out of the truck at 100 degree+ in 95 degree outside weather of summer or hunting in 20 degree winter i will get same performance. CFE223 not at all the same and TAC is better but not as good as H4895. I've taken deer with loads in all 3 powders with the 129 ABLR's and the bullet performed perfectly in every case from all 4 barrel lengths. I have not yet shot a deer size critter with the gold dot but planning on trying it out this fall on a deer. My experience is from testing with the ABLR and all 3 different powders is somewhere in the top third of the load data should give you excellent accuracy in your rifle with any of the 3 powders i listed. It will just come down to what charge and seating depth your rifle prefers and nobody can predict that perfect load except your own rifle. Any of those 3 powders with the ABLR will work excellent. Be carful, work up loads in .2 grain or no more than . 3 grain increments using a chrono is advised to develop a safe accurate load.