I don't own a chrono and haven't had a chance to use one on my 12.5" BA barreled Grendel. I use a TA31F but am switching to my TA31 Ecos so that I have more holdovers. I have successfully used the TA31 out to 850 on steel but ran out of holds.

To use a ballistic calculator I need an approximate MV where I can start getting dope for the new optic. Anybody chronoed their 12" barrel yet? I also use a suppressor so that might change it a bit.

Thanks

I'm sure if you googled it you could find someone's data online or look through the 65grendel forum.

I had a 12 inch Faxon barrel that I'm pretty sure did something like 2330-2350 at muzzle with 123 amax if I remember right. I'd have to find my notes.

Lrrp hooked me up, thanks

From my 12" Grendel:

120gr Federal OTM 2384fps 11rd avg

90gr TNT 2683fps 9rd avg

Haven't chrono'd 123gr American Gunner but I'm getting consistent hits at 800yds with it on steel buffalo on multiple range trips, using the magazine as a monopod and a 1-4x scope.  10/10 hits on 450yd 18" steel.

David Fortier's Oehler Chronograph data:

Alexander Arms 12.5 inch 6.5mm Grendel
Alexander Arms 100 grain Berger OTM 2470
Alexander Arms 123 grain Scenar OTM 2330
Velocity figures are 10 shot averages recorded on an Oehler 35P placed 12 feet from the muzzle 1,030 feet above Sea Level at an ambient temperature of 30 degrees F.

grayfox:
"My 12.7 no suppressor, 123 factory custom (sst), 2263, sd-20.2, factory hdy 123 Blk (ELD-M) 2217, sd-10.9"



12" / 123gr ELD-M avg: 2,254fps

With my 12.5 BA barrel and AAC 7.62 SD:
123Gr SST over AR-Comp - 2284-2318
123gr Hornady AG - AV 2328
120gr Gold Dots over AR-Comp - 2285-2330

The AG stuff seems a bit hot, brass has some pretty good swipe marks on it.

These were posted on another forum.

12” 6.5 Grendel chronograph results

12” PSA  SS with LabRadar.

123gr Hornady American Gunner bulk HPBT = 2201 FPS ave with SD of 14.7 (2" to 2.55" groups)
123gr Hornady ELD-M Black = 2265 FPS ave with SD of 13.2 (1.4 to 1.7" groups)
123gr Hornady Custom SST Factory= 2277 ave with SD of 11.8 (2.9 to 3.2" groups)

12” Faxon

Wolf steel case at 2364 Avg. SD was 9.7.

I tried posting this yesterday but just couldn't get it to format correctly. Much easier to give you a link to a raw TXT file... Anyway, these are some quick notes that I've compiled over the past year or so. Not terribly complete, just complete enough to convince me to buy my own chrono (just showed up last week) rather than borrowing one once a year or so.

6.5 Velocity Notes

These might be helpful as well. Credit for these go to @LRRPF52 (sourced from the 6.5 Grendel Forums).





There is also a ton of good information in the 6.5 Grendel Reloading Handbooks. I finally purchased both Volume 1 & 2 myself and really shouldn't have waited so long. @LRRPF52 was a big part of this effort as well (the entire Grendel community owes Paul a significant amount of gratitude for all of the information that he's been forthright with over the years. Instead of just saying "buy my book" he continually offers up more and more information).

Thanks for the kind words.

A lot of people have helped me out along the way, so I wanted to streamline the process for those who walk the path after me.

Funny thing is that I was not very impressed with this cartridge when I first took it out and tested some of my own hand loads 9 years ago, but I still realized I need to give it a few more chances before I ditched it.  I gathered all the load data I could find at the time, which was mainly from Alexander Arms and the Grendel Forum, and started using some better powders, which resulted in decent velocities.

The Hornady 123gr A-MAX factory load really impressed me when I shot it out to 1200yds though.  I couldn't believe that I was getting that kind of hit probability from a 16" AR15, which prompted me to take another look at it for reaching out.  I was under the impression that I was mostly limited to 700yds with what I had.

I got a Lilja 18" barrel after that for my next Grendel build, and regularly took that rifle out to 1000yds with sub-MOA groups on steel in the wind, up at the elevations I normally shoot in, using the 123gr A-AMAX.

On that note... what's the story w/the 123 A-Max? Did Hornady ditch this when they came out with the ELD-M? Is the ELD-M essentially the same bullet?

I have all the stuff necessary to reload but I've been hesitant to actually go down that road. The more that I play w/various factory loads and deal with all of the out of stocks and backorders, the more I think that I should dive in and start cooking up my own rounds. I'd really like to try the 130gr Berger that Federal has but, I have yet to find them in stock. Some of the loads that PF has look impressive as well but at $2+/squeeze, I'm thinking that reloading makes even more sense.

Hornady basically replaced the whole A-MAX line with ELD-M, because why source 2 different plastic tips when they can just source one.

It never affected 6.5 Grendel since the velocity is more moderate, so no big deal for 6.5 Grendel ammo and hand loaders.

I still have boxes of A-MAXs to go through.  ELD-M has a harder polymer tip that doesn't deform, which also makes it better for feeding in a gas gun.

I have cases of 123gr ELD-M on the way from Academy for $16.49/20 shipped, as well as cases of 123gr American Gunner a few minutes away at 2 different Sportsman's Warehouses for 70cpr in 200rd ammo cans.

So is the A-MAX the same bullet as the ELD-M? Hornady just swapped out the tip material?

I should grab some of the AG now that I see it's in stock. I bought a couple of cases of Fusion on the Federal rebate deal but it never hurts to have more ammo on hand. Might as well order it when it's available.

The BCs are different, but it might be a case where the ELD-M got a real BC after being tested over their doppler radar.

The published A-MAX BC of .510 G1 is clearly inflated when looking at 600yds and farther.

They have lower BCs published for the ELD-M that span 3 doppler-based Mach bands.

Litz BC on the 123gr A-MAX is .468 G1, which works when you shoot it at distance.