6.5 Grendel - 120gr Speer Gold Dot - 2020 Deer Load pt. 2

[@JohnnysReloadingBench]

I got two deer last night with this load! A decent size 8-point and a big doe. instagram.com/p/CHrCbiVJgsu/

[@Bifistik]

Very nice, is there a video of the hunt coming? I’m hoping to hunt vicariously through you since I can only go 1 maybe 2 times this year.

[@veteranironoutdoors8320]

Awesome! Looking forward to the terminal ballistics report

[@RiverBoundXJ]

What was the ranges on em?

[@HotRod7mm]

Did they drop or run off after the shots?

[@justinvandee2008]

Sweet and Congrats

[@swampbiologist]

OK, now I've been through every Grendel video that you have posted!

[@jtwobickful]

Waking up to JRB is better than coffee, OK almost better than coffee but damn close.

[@glen4130]

Mrs. JRB from the other room "Are you shooting out the window?"

[@G5Hohn]

Obviously there's no Mrs JRB. Nobody married has the time or money to do what JRB does ;)

[@petersouthernboy6327]

I ended up going with AR Comp in my AR-10 .308 loads. Seemed to work best in November in Mississippi. Those Speer Gold Dots are BOSS!

[@rmbettac]

This series inspired my buddy. He used a 6.5 Grendel and 120 GD’s over 8208 for opening weekend. Absolutely hammered two does and a buck. That little bullet kicks butt, and so does this series.

[@chasrmartel4777]

I shot a Coues 8 point last week on the Mexico border in Arizona with the Grendel (CZ 527). 505 yards head on, load pushed a 129 gr ABLR to 2580. The deer moved about 15 yards and fell over. Super nice round for game up to 250lb or so. H335 btw.

[@gregs2886]

This is just what I need for my birthday ! A new video from JRB reloading ! THANKS !

[@johnd843]

Ar-Comp gets 2 gold stars out of my rifle, TAC is a very close 2nd! Good to see the Grendel back, if only for a short. Great job Johnny.......BUZZ

[@upnorthreloading2214]

I'm envious! I spent the weekend, and then some, out at camp and mostly saw just a couple of does and a single four-point that I was more interested with shooting with my camera than with my gun. My father wanted to tag along this year, and he managed to get one with his .270.

[@benny1235]

I really like the barnes 100gr TTSX for whitetail hunting with the grendel. In front of a heavy drop of H322 or XBR. It has no problem with the whitetails way up nort here in WI. Last year I shot 3 deer with this load. 2 DRT and 1 made it about 30yds. Shots were from 80yds to 130yds.

[@CoolShooters]

Great to see your vids on utube. They are still my favorite place watch you. Congrats on the 2 deer.

[@craignmz5264]

Cool Shooters I have to say I am really liking the organizer I bought from you!

[@CoolShooters]

@@craignmz5264 Great to hear you like it. I hope everyone is happy who has bought one.

[@austintyler7991]

Organizer ? Tell me more

[@craignmz5264]

@@austintyler7991 Its called the Hornady Comparator stand. It organizes your headspace and bullet comparators. Great set up. Coolshooters.ca check it out.

[@tristancase8546]

I just want to say thank you johnny for all the videos, you helped inspired me to get into long range shooting and encouraged me in my load dev. Process you seem like a great guy who really enjoys the art of reloading and the sport of target shooting from the bottom of my heart thank you for these videos ive rewatched all of your 223 videos and probably rewatched all you 308 videos and watched many or your other videos you are an amazing source of information im excited on your 6mm arc discoveries, thanks again from a young man from east TN stay well my friend

[@jameskoz2615]

One thing I will say about shooting the gold dots. They have a rebatted boat tail. One thing you have to watch out for is when you are seating the bullets make sure you don't load the bullet's boat tail where the bearing surface start below the case shoulder neck junction. If you have developed a donut in your brass the rebate boat tail will catch that donut if you seat it past the donut. You will absolutely feel the resistance when you hit the donut as it catches the rebate edge as if you were seating a flat based bullet. Just an FYI.

[@livingintheLight.]

Good shooting. I love all things gold dot. They definitely need to start pumping out the projectiles, I'm down to a few hundred myself

[@BigO4185]

Johnny, I redid the testing exactly as you did. The only difference is I had an 18 inch Alexander arms stainless barrel. I got almost the same results but N540 was 1.01 inches max spread the rest was comparable. Many thanks for you outstanding video's. I am a proud Patrion Contributor.

[@erikjohnson9406]

Great videos! Very informative!! Would love to see more of the bullet expansion with all the different bullets your trying. Thanks for these videos!!👍🏻

[@chrisgilbert2152]

Damn, the money you save me, leads to the money you cost me!! Great videos amigo!

[@kennethdittig2986]

used my howa mini on several deer, used factory 123 sst from hornady, took one clean at 340, smaller button buck and took an adult doe at 305, gun/bullet preformed far better than i had hoped at that distance, no bullet was recovered from either deer, all the deer i had taken before these two were neck shot at 50 yards or less, glad to see someone else trying it out on deer, i might have to try the 120 speer/ar comp load, when i can find components, thanks for posting the video

[@PlinkingJohn]

Uuuuuuu I am already grabbing a bucket of popcorn and a beer to watch your video....

[@diggernash1]

They all would kill a deer, but a few would let you pick which hair to shoot. That gun is a shooter.

[@spencertullberg9471]

I enjoy your videos on the Grendel. I harvested a 10 pointer with a holiday 129interlock and 27.0 grain 8208xbr full pass through at 65 yards

[@texpatriot8462]

Btw - shooting from inside the house is awesome! #jealous

[@IWatchedWhat]

Hope you had a good hunt, I am finally getting to go Wednesday and Thursday of the first week here in Ky.

[@pobutscrackerbox]

Band-Aid close-up = Johnny's Reloading Boo-boo

[@DanielBoone337]

"I got a brass catcher that I'm going to put on" BANG!!! TINK TINK TINK "Dang I forgot to put that stupid brass catcher on" LMAO The simple things in life that make you chuckle and I think we all them moments brother.

[@seanmtactical6069]

It's the trade off for 6.5 Grendel. It wants to run near the top of the powder charge. So you have to get ugly with the brass to get the best accuracy and acceptable velocities. You gotta beat the brass up. Second thing, if you put a decent gun grease on your buffer spring, you will get rid of the spring rattle noise when you shoot.

[@craignmz5264]

Lol that was the first thing I noticed, it sounds like my old Bushmaster. If you watch the newest SOTAR he lubes the crap out of everything, way more that I thought was excessive!

[@seanmtactical6069]

@@craignmz5264 LOL, funny you mentioned SOTAR. I use a thicker home brew of his ingredients for the buffer springs on AR's at work. No spoing noise after that. I've actually tried to get an AR to fail from over lube with grease. It's pretty tough. You basically have to go super thick and in the cold.

[@Turing_Test]

$20 for a flat wire buffer spring is a good option as well.

[@houtzyboy2]

I don't want to sound like a typical viewer who just asks for unreasonable things, but as a someone who doesn't have much to contribute, I am looking into building an AR chambered in .350 legend, and think it would be really cool if you were to make a video expressing your thoughts, or possibly even reloading it and experimenting with some 9mm bullets in the 350 cartridges. Just some food for thought, I've just stumbled onto your videos and really love them, have learned a lot, and am even interested into getting into the hobby myself. Thanks for the inspiration! you sir have earned a new viewer/subscriber for hopefully a long time to come

[@whiskeytangofoxtrotover9651]

He already said no 350 on the live feed.

[@jimlerum]

Great job as usual Johnny!

[@ecliptix1]

The one dislike is from someone with antlers

[@Eury9819]

been waiting to see more Grendel from you

[@preacherbiggin]

Gettin close to deer season around these parts. Sure do miss your content AND information on here, sir. Hope you're doing well. Please come back! Your peeps miss you!

[@bryanross3466]

For Deer my 6.5 grendel which has a 20" barrel really likes the 100 grain Nosler ballistic tip with 27.5 grains of AR-comp. I know I should not put that load data out there. I dropped the bullet weight to get the velocity up enough to make the bullets perform like they should. Man do they perform. 100 grain pill is plenty for our Whitetails and really accurate. I can push the velocity a little faster but why, it's right at 2500 fps no pressure signs and does what I need it to do. Good luck in the woods!

[@muddywaterfishing]

I imagine you could get a screaming round with the 95 grain T-Rex bullets from maker.

[@dangerranger4323]

So excited for a new video. We have a bit different deer loads, mine is a 215 berger hybrid under a helping of rl26 :)

[@austintyler7991]

300WM ? 2800-2900 fps ? That RL26 is the cats meow.😆

[@dangerranger4323]

@@austintyler7991 21” 300 prc 2900

[@rhino67]

Johnny do you have a vid on your Grendel rifle build? (Don't recall hearing if you bought or built that rifle) great vid, first year w/my Grendel, I'm looking forward to rifle season... Thank uou

[@jeffhuntley2921]

Those really opened up nice. I’ll be picking some of those up if they ever come back into stock

[@boharris8179]

I've shot up to 28g of AR comp under 120 smk and 120 gold dots

[@ErikS308]

My Grendel got a Doe last weekend. Great round.

If you are using the labradar with a suppressor I can recommend the recoil operated trigger for the labradar. Works perfectly.

[@andy347495]

Thanks for the video's. I was wondering if you do seating depth test to bring down your group size. If you don't I was curious why and if you do why you don't show it?

[@BigRob345]

JRB you crack me up! You have a minimum a Redding T-7 and a Hornady LNL, and your using a Lee press to load Lapua brass. I like your videos keep up the good work. I don't have or shoot Grendel or some of the other calibers, but I still watch to see what I can learn

[@texpatriot8462]

Do you ever test for first shot accuracy off a cold bore? Example: is the 27.0 load better at hitting point of sim vs 27.6 load for that “hunting” shot?

[@XM913CG]

Well the wife and I have taken 2 deer with our grendels. Both of us are using 120gr Barnes Tipped TSX belts at about 2600fps, cant remember exactly the chronograph speed. Both deer went about 40 yards and fell. Both were double lung no heart shots. Pass through. Test some Barnes Tipped TSX, or just plain TSX bullest. 100% weight retention.

[@Dugauntlet]

Great to have you back Johnny! I barely got the notification for this video and the .300 Win Mag video you did a couple weeks back today; so I spent the day on and off getting caught up. Do you have any plans to continue your reboot on your "Beginners Guide To Reloading" series? IIRC you only did a couple of videos introducing the equipment and concept before your hiatus. Can't wait to see what content you have coming down the pipe!

[@DrewEdwardBacklas]

I was listening to the replay of your last twitch stream while I shot my second for the season.

[@justa3v619]

I use the 6.8 mags almost always in my Grendels and I’ve never had an issue actually prefer the 6.8 asc mags for my grendels

[@benjaminbrown1179]

Better than a cup of coffee!... Buying more of these pills asap

[@jimlerum]

Johnny, have you tried LeverEvolution powder with any Grendel loads! Thoughts? Works well on the 77gr SMK!

[@guardianminifarm8005]

Good stuff. Very interested in this end result.

[@JT-py9lv]

YES ! More Grendel videos. I am going to try the 90gr TNT. Any powder suggestions ?

[@austintyler7991]

CFE223

[@happysnowfish]

I know I'm a bit late here, but for my 2c try H335, H322, and 8208xbr. The cfe223 seems to work quite a bit better for middle weight to heavier bullets for me.

[@ryridesmotox]

I mark where the little retainer button hits on the lock ring so itd thr same. I use the exact same press and die rings. Also, go to home depot and get some all head screws instead of the little Phillips head to tighten the rings. I forget the size. I really miss the old steel bushings with the better Allen screw.

[@justinvandee2008]

With best groups with both powder the velocity was same. Makes you wonder if the powder charge was dropped to get around 2425 with 540 if it would of shot well too.

[@circuit_stu]

Do you think the Lapua brass contributed to the small SDs?

[@cornbreadburgess1950]

Great message 👍 and info brother see you soon

[@WillowRunMills]

Can you please do a grendel video with 90 grain Speer tnt bullets with benchmark powder? I would like to know how my hand loads with 30.5 grains of powder perform while hunting coyotes. Please and thanks!

[@tommeboy3334]

CCI mag primers have a thicker cup. Same as the 41 milspec

[@cogunlover5550]

Should I buy a Grendel upper? I already have 6.5 bullets and powders

[@austintyler7991]

Absolutely. Get 2 because it's on my to get list too lol. Mine is 22" bolt action now.

[@TommyboyGTP]

In your opinion, do you believe these are the same projectiles in the Federal Fusion factory loads?

[@shermankearns200]

CFE223 is very chemicaly reactive with lubricant. It has caused fail to fire in my competition trigger groups it turns the lubricant to sludge like concrete. So unless you relubricate and clean your rifle and trigger group every time you shoot I will no longer use it because when you pull the trigger you want it to go bang. Nothing worse than weapons malfunction when you are under stress.

[@21norseman]

Have you tried E Lander magazines. Larue Tactical has them

[@rotasaustralis]

Just looking at your shooting bench & settup there Johnny & you're using the adjustable forend rest there. I wonder if you might consider switching to a bipod & a piece of timber screwed to the bench at the correct position to allow you to load the bipod against your shoulder. For years I used a settup like you're currently using but, lately I've switched to the loaded bipod method with considerably superior results. It's more comfortable & repeatable &, you're not kinda just hanging there at the back of the rifle. The loaded bipod method engages the shooter with rifle so much more positively. I think the free recoil style of bench shooting is much more inclined to heavier benchrest or F cass style rifles. Your rifle is bucking around &, as you said, you just don't look to be comfortable behind the rifle.

[@usa5865]

Fellow viewers, help me convince jonnie to bring back the paper targets. Who misses seeing bullets put tiny groups on paper. Colored circles aren't as satisfying as ragged holes

[@craigmyers5569]

I agree the paper targets are nice but the shot marker system makes things easier for Johnny to produce and edit videos. If easier means more videos, I will gladly pick shot marker.

[@martinfernandez5005]

I would love to see the 140 gr Gold Dot. It should have plenty of low velocity expansion down around 1800 fps. Energy and penitration should be excellent but stabilization is my concern.

[@bryanharness1122]

Ky been using ar comp as best powder in my personal testing as well.

[@RVsales]

Good luck on the hunt! I didn’t draw in my state (New Mexico) 😢

[@leeorndorff120]

Hey johnny, i had a 6.5 grendel ar made at a local gun shop called boyd county indoor range, back in April. Ive been shooting factory loads through out the summer, but thought i might try to tighten it up with handloads for it recently. So ive been geeking out on your channel for a few days, and your early (4years ago) videos show you at a range that looks just like my range, northeastern. Im sure someone has asked this before, but are you in boyd county?

[@liampeet15]

Hey Johnny I know you have a lot of projects but would you ever consider making a video on reloading 30-06 Springfield? Might be interesting because of the versatility of the bullet weights and powder loads.

[@austintyler7991]

Yea I'd say 30-06 with 180 or 200 gold-dot w RL26 would be all around hunting round for anything up to elephants, hippos,

[@liampeet15]

@@austintyler7991 Love the 30-06, great calibre for hunting here in Australia.

[@cory8791]

For the love of god Speer please make this bullet in .284 cal Great vid!!!!

[@themazmanmechanic]

And .243

[@cory8791]

@@themazmanmechanic I bet that would make a great bullet for that caliber!

[@tyler4507]

Have you tried any Hornady eld match in your 6.5 creedmoor? I have a Remington 700 PCR in 6.5 creedmoor and it absolutely loves Hornady eld match. I've tried reloading some rounds but I can't get close enough to the factory match stuff.

[@vodekz1534]

TAC what I use, 2360 FPS from 16 inch barrel

[@Dave-cf2ng]

N540 works great in a 22-250 as well as a 6.5 creed with light bullets.

[@Longshothawk]

Why are you not shooting groups out your window......that's the perfect setup. Test all kinds of stuff and your right there to load more of it to confirm.

[@thecorrnershed]

Johnny, after the good groups and SDs you got with 8208, why not use it?

[@michaeldecker7756]

Where there hell are you finding those GDs?!

[@robertbrewer2055]

Have you shot any Speer bullets in your 308win? I have been wanting to try some of the grand slam 165gr.

[@eaznutts5714]

Anyone know the minimum impact velocity of the 6.5 gold dot???

[@PC-vq5ud]

Yummm!! Fresh deer!

[@El69Fuego]

Couple years late for this party. Any advice for making subsonic 6.5 Grendel hunting ammo?

[@timsmith1874]

I have a Unitah Precision true bolt action 6.5 grendel upper for an AR15. It should take a bit higher pressure. I’d like to get a 130gn Berger VLD going 2400 FPS +. Barrel length is 22”. Any suggestions??

[@fredbarney4525]

Please help. Which turret press? Redding T-7 or Lyman Brass Smith All American 8?

[@bobbybownds3768]

Do you like the AR comp & N540 better than 8208 XBR? Have you tried them with the 120gr Speer gold dots?

[@Bshwag]

that n540 velocity node should also be an accuracy node.

[@jameshenderson9228]

Nice work! Have you done a work up on 223 69gr hpbt matchking? I thought you did but can't find it.

[@densamme1752]

On the first two groups of vitavori you hear a rattling sound (plastic on metal i belive) for shots 1-4 but not for shot 5. Don't see anyting obvious in the frame moving. But since you can't hear it for shoot 5 I wonder if it comes from the magazine or buffer assembly?

[@craignmz5264]

Buffer spring.

[@burnsm2012]

Love the groups. Just never understood the cartridge. It’s an AK round as far as ballistics. Weight speed. Mabye a little better BC. But it’s not long range so. Oh well. Great info, great shooting.

[@jeremymcauliff8485]

I thought so too, but slowly came around this past January after building a complete 6.5 G rifle. I took a nice Michigan Buck on opening day with a 123 grain Hornady ELD-M bullet. 150 yard shot, double lung hit and recovered the deer within 50 yards. It's accurate, suppresses well and flies well. Id have no issue pushing the 6.5G out to 400 yards for Deer. Even farther for steel.

[@williambell7763]

It's got a lot better bc, and sectional density. Its not long range like a creedmoor would be, but its pretty easy to shoot 6-700 yds, further if you shoot better than I do. Ballistics is almost entirely dependent on moderate velocity and great bc to keep the effective range for game out to a good distance,

[@sithyarael6807]

Yes and no it is an AK round. Yet it is based off the 7.62x39 necked down to 6.5mm. Ballistics the 6.5 is so much better than the 7.62/.30 caliber. 6.5 Grendel was designed here in America not Russia.

[@keithburns5707]

According to my information the 6.5 Grendel was developed by Bill Alexander In 2002 and is quite possibly the most effective cartridge ever to be chambered in an AR platform. based on a PPC family of cartridges. which were designed in the 1970s. the 6.5 Grendel has its roots firmly planted in the precision shooting World. With that in mind I tried LT 32 with 100 grain EDL match bullet my velocity was 2500 FPS. I loaded at 26.2 grain according to the Hornady manual. LT 32 was designed to shoot in PPC rounds.

[@sithyarael6807]

@@keithburns5707 Arne Brennan, Bill Alexander and Janne Pohjoispää are credited with creating the 6.5 Grendel. I love my 12.5" one. It has always had a Trash Panda on it so no clue how loud it really is. It is a tack driver even with that short barrel. Faxon makes good stuff.

[@deucesden1747]

Did you ever get data for winchester stabil in the 6.5 grendel? It's some of the only powder I can get.

[@shanerhodes925]

Just loaded up some 140 gold dots with staball 65 in creedmoor. Hoping they smack a deer good out od my tikka

[@guardianminifarm8005]

Hey reloader fellows, I have a question I am not sure I have an answer. In a 7mm Rem Mag and reduced loads do I need magnum primers. What issues could I run into if I use standard LR primers(CCI or Rem.).

[@carsenegame]

www.longrangehunting.com/threads/7mm-rem-mag-what-primer.66503/

[@guardianminifarm8005]

@@carsenegame Bless your heart. Thank you. Appreciate that. I have used LRM for 30/06 and slow burners years ago. But I hadn't used standard LR in my 7 mag ever. I couldn't remember reading of issues using standard LR but magnum primers were always used from what I remember.

[@bryanharness1122]

I never use anything above 3 power in ky anyway, hill's and woods everywhere never have shot over 200 much

[@yomamasbeefcurtains]

Last time I was this early, you had to be alive to vote! 🤣🤣🤣🤣 Also, am I the only one here that's gonna miss these videos when Biden bans AR's?

[@jamespugh]

Love this stuff from u. Test a hunting load with accuracy and pentrashion and perform testing. Love be able to shoot at home. Was able to at my parents.

[@timturner7609]

2 issues come to mind. Crappy mag isn't engaging the bolt catch properly. Or not enough gas to cycle fully.

[@tadglidden679]

Would love to see a hunt update good luck

[@jacksonthompson7099]

Check his comment. He got a 8 point buck and a big doe.

[@tadglidden679]

I seen that no pic or anything

[@dannyarcher3534]

Would it be reasonable to say whatever marks are left on factory-loaded brass, are acceptable on hand loaded brass? Same gun and calibre.

[@JohnnysReloadingBench]

Yes, for the most part. Most factory ammo is loaded pretty hot, so once your handloads start looking the same you're getting close. There are always exceptions, but it's a good reference to use.

[@faka.umake.me.bizzzatch7458]

Your buffer spring twanging like crazzzzzzy good vid

[@mr.diyhowtopaintingwelding4479]

Looking for a good 65 grendel barell for ar.....

[@Tpepper70]

My best 2 loads for my Grendel were 27.0gr and 27.5gr of AR Comp under 120gr Nosler Ballistic Tips or Sierra 120gr Matchking. .5" groups all day long,,,,,,if I do my part. Lol

[@samntimramsey1112]

Did you try the cfc223 powder?

[@articjackal]

What container size are you using for your grendel loads? The MTM RSLD-50 I have is a little floppy/ over sized. Thanks