Want to do some reloading for Grendel AR with 20in barrel would like to use a hunting bullet for hogs mainly. What's good powder to try? And bullet suggestion. I have rl19, h4350, ramshot biggame ,imr4350,varget, ramshot exterminator. I heard some have had success with exterminator. Not opposed to buying something else if can find it.
6.5 Grendel powder n bullet?
- Thread starter Rilow
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sierracharlie338
Well-Known Member
Hornady SST seems to be popular with Ramshot Tac or Alliant ARComp. My Grendel shoots the Hornady black ammo so well I don't reload for it even though I have the components to do so haha. Yeah just being lazy.
IMR 8208 XBR is the holy grail of Grendel powders. I've also had good luck with Ramshot TAC.
IMR 8208, ARComp, H335, H4895, LVR, CFE223 are all very popular. I use IMR 8208 with 120 Speer Gold Dot or Sierra Pro Hunter for deer. Of the powders you have exterminator is really the only real good choice. Western powders has data for it on their web site with 85 through 123 gr bullets and it looks like good velocity. Varget is just too slow to get good velocity. Over on the 6.5 Grendel web site there is a fellow called Double Knot Spy "DNS" that kills a BUNCH of hogs and had done extensive bullet testing and has found that the 90 gr Speer TNT is one of the best for putting them down if CNS is not hit. For a GREAT all round bullet the Speer 120 Gold Dot is my choice. Be aware that the Hornady 123 SST bullet in factory ammo or any hand load just may not shoot all that accurate in your rifle. I have two Grendel's and neither likes that bullet period and others have found the same. Don't try to hot rod the Grendel in the AR. If you are getting 2450 to 2500 fps out of a 20" with 120/23 gr call it good. By the time you start seeing what we call pressure signs you are already way over pressure in the Grendel in an AR. Good luck I think you will like the 6.5 Grendel when you get the right combo together. Go over to the 6.5 Grendel web site and do some reading it will help.
Toecutter
Well-Known Member
Using Cfe 223 and 129 ABLRs out of my AR pistol. Great combo.
Cant remember what i was loading for the 20 incher. Ill take a gander later.
Cant remember what i was loading for the 20 incher. Ill take a gander later.
hunter67wa
Well-Known Member
8208 with 120 BT has worked for me
sourdough44
Well-Known Member
That's my thinking too, TAC or 8208..
I loaded with: LEVERevolution and 123 amax/eld/sst. I bring it up as you might actually be able to find it on a local store shelf. 
There are several powders that work well in the Grendel,if you can't find 8208(let us know where if you do) H-335,LVR,BLC-2,TAC,AR Comp,Varget Benchmark,AA 2230 are all popular choices. I like Benchmark and 100 grain Partitions for hunting,and 8208 with 123 ELDXs for the range,in my 20"AR,but there is no shortage of good combinations for the Grendel.
