Powder that works well in heavy (77gr) 5.56 and 6.5 Grendel?

[C.W.M.V.]

Hi all.
Just starting to get into rifle reloading and these are the two calibers Ill be shooting.
With the 5.56 Ill be shooting 75gr Hornady HPBT and 77gr Nosler CC, mostly the CC I just got the Hornady because it was too cheap to pass on.

With the Grendel Ill be keeping my loads in the 123gr range. Testing the SMK, Nosler CC and Hornady AMAX.

Both will be using CCi #41 primers. 5.56 in once fired LC and Wolf brass, Grendel in new Hornady and Lapua brass.

Ideally Id like to find a powder that shoots well in both so I can stock up on it. I know the Grendel forums seem to like IMR 8208 XBR and CFE 223 so I grabbed a pound of each, but I'm not sure about them in 5.56.

If you've got a preferred powder for both please chime in!

[highpower790]

Varget

[OpenSightsOnly]

For 223, Varget or H4895.

If you have a progressive, 8208XBR will work in that set-up since it is a shorter stick powder. From experience, H4895 and 8208XBR are similar, not the same, just similar.

[C.W.M.V.]

I'm using a MEC metallic and RCBS chargemaster combo.
Forster micrometer seating die and Forster full length sizing die for each.
Haven't even looked at varget, I'll check it out

[ar15barrels]

Varget

Great choice for the 223.
Not so good for the 6.5 Grenade.

[waveslayer]

I use CFE for my precision. 223, and Grendel. I also use 8208 in both. So stick with those two. Do some load work up. I use CFE with 75 gr. Bullets. XBR with 123 Amax or ELD-M. With the Grendel, also I use CFE with 123 SST bullet .

My wife thinks I only have 3 guns

[C.W.M.V.]

Great choice for the 223.
Not so good for the 6.5 Grenade.

Grenade?
Low opinion of the cartridge or autocorrect? Lol.
I just read much the same, that it's too slow for grendel.

[C.W.M.V.]

I use CFE for my precision. 223, and Grendel. I also use 8208 in both. So stick with those two. Do some load work up. I use CFE with 75 gr. Bullets. XBR with 123 Amax or ELD-M. With the Grendel, also I use CFE with 123 SST bullet .

My wife thinks I only have 3 guns

Great post, thanks very much!
I'll probably buy a bunch of each, but if you had to choose which is your favorite and why? Is one more consistent than the other?

[ar15barrels]

Grenade?
Low opinion of the cartridge or autocorrect? Lol.

I am still operating under the Cease and Desist letter that Alexander Arms sent me around 12-15 years ago.
Their lawyers forbid me to use the full "6.5 G" term that they call the cartridge.
Since I can't use their name, I simply call it the "6.5 Grenade", because so many people were blowing up bolts with them...

[C.W.M.V.]

I am still operating under the Cease and Desist letter that Alexander Arms sent me around 12-15 years ago.
Their lawyers forbid me to use the full "6.5 G" term that they call the cartridge.
Since I can't use their name, I simply call it the "6.5 Grenade", because so many people were blowing up bolts with them...

Jesus Christ Bill Alexander is a petty son-of-a-***** isn't he?
I'd be far less polite than you given the same circumstances

[17+1]

4064, varget, 4895, reloader 15

[waveslayer]

So on the powders I chose based upon extensive testing . My XBR load of 28.2 dropped the SD to 4 going with Remington 7.5 primers over the CCI 450's. Pushing the 123 Amax bullet.

Using the SST bullet I saw better groups going CCI 450's and AGE.

Using 120 SMK I run 31.2 CFE using CCI 450's

Also 120 SMK I run 27.4 XBR with CCI 450's.

123 Amax I also run 31.5 CFE with R7.5 primers.

I have done a bunch of testing , also lever revolution powder is good, or whatever they call it. Go to the 6.5 Grendel forum it has plenty of info on there.

My wife thinks I only have 3 guns

[waveslayer]

Bill Alexander is no longer with Alexander Arms so no worries moving forward. My interaction with him was a good one. He was super nice and is brilliant, a bit socially retarded.. lol most brilliant people are

My wife thinks I only have 3 guns

[C.W.M.V.]

Thanks again for your posts waveslayer!

[Metal God]

I was testing CFE-223 with 69gr smk but kept getting flyers . Nothing bad just never shot a straight up group , there was always 4 in a clump and 1 a little off . I then did some research and found that many claim it's not very temperature stable . So I swithched to AR-comp with all the same other comonents and the flyers went away .

Now that was limited testing . I used about 1# of the cfe but since i have a few othere powders i use and like IMR 4064 / 8208xbr / 4895 I did not see the need to chase the accuracy .

I still have another pound of it . If you guys really think its as good as the others I mentioned I'll give it another try , maybe this tim with 77gr smk