6.5 Grendel Reloads do not cycle in my AR, Factory Hornady works great

[hunt4fun]

Looking for some insight on good loads for 6.5 Grendel.

The factory Hornady SST loads are working fine.

I tried to duplicate the loads with a 123g bullet and 28.3g of Tac Ramshot.

The reloads do not load the next round completely into the chamber, giving a "click". They fire fine and eject fine, but do not have enough oomph to load the next round.

To eliminate other factors I fired 12 factory rounds, all worked. Then changed the mag, fired a reload and it failed. Cycled manually having to pound the stock on the ground to eject the next reload. Second reload performed the same.

Switched back to factory and fired 3 more rounds perfectly.

Thoughts?

 

[edwea]

Are you trimming your brass? Full length resize? I've found grendel brass grows after the first firing and resize, in most cases too much to chamber. Trimming to minimum length after resize solves the problem.

 

[patience0830]

Are you trimming your brass? Full length resize? I've found grendel brass grows after the first firing and resize, in most cases too much to chamber. Trimming to minimum length after resize solves the problem.

Very important step.

 

[Creedmoor]

Get one of the slotted gauges. And read the instructions.

6.5 Grendel Ammunition Gauge

Choose between SLOTTED or NON-SLOTTED. AMMUNITION GAUGES are uniquely designed to check loaded ammunition, giving you the ability to check your factory ammunition or reloads against a spec chamber. The gauge is machined to the SAAMI minimum chamber spec for the 6.5 Grendel caliber. This…

sheridanengineering.com

I would also suggest that you read up on setting up your sizer die first and once you can resize your cases to fit in the gauge correctly.
Make sure your seater die is setup correctly.

 

[hunt4fun]

Are you trimming your brass? Full length resize? I've found grendel brass grows after the first firing and resize, in most cases too much to chamber. Trimming to minimum length after resize solves the problem.

It is new brass. I'll check the length though.

 

[BIGE7.62]

It is new brass. I'll check the length though.

Always size and trim new brass ,jm2cs .
Alot of good info up thread.

 

[Creedmoor]

Do you have any of the new brass not loaded yet?
If you do see if they will chamber in your rifle as is, I mean not loaded.
If they do chamber,,,Great, if they dont give one a full length resize and try again. And I mean full length as your press handle cams over when the brass is all the way in the sizer die.

If the new brass chambers like it should,,, Your seater die is not set correctly and you are squishing the brass and expanding the shoulder.
Read instructions again.

Seat bullet in one step
And crimp if necessary on a second step.

 

[Michigan Slim]

ALWAYS size new brass. It can get mushed out of spec in shipping, maybe not quite to spec from the manufacturer, etc.

 

[Aszerigan]

Going a different direction, what bullet are you using? You mention a 123gn, but which one? Some long VLD bullets are spec’ed only for bolt guns and could cause the sticking/misfeed issues you’re describing.

If your OAL is long, they may stick.

 

[hunt4fun]

Lots of good suggestions. Thanks for all of the input.

I'm going to take all of your suggestions into account and redo 10 rounds after trimming, deburring sizing, and loading.

I measured 10 of the unfired new brass. The average was 1.5166 with a standard deviation of .0060.

The factory brass unfired length averaged 1.509 with a standard deviation of .0029.

I will post the results after test firing the 10 rounds.

Thanks again.

 

[hunt4fun]

Going a different direction, what bullet are you using? You mention a 123gn, but which one? Some long VLD bullets are spec’ed only for bolt guns and could cause the sticking/misfeed issues you’re describing.

If your OAL is long, they may stick.

The bullets are Hornady 6.5mm .264 123g HPBT.

 

[Creedmoor]

Does your new brass load in the chamber of your rifle easily?

 

[hunt4fun]

Does your new brass load in the chamber of your rifle easily?

Yes, when I load it using the charging handle.

 

[Creedmoor]

Yes, when I load it using the charging handle.

Seat a bullet in a new case like the ones that you already loaded with no primer or powder and see if it chambers.

 

[Creedmoor]

I'm gonna guess like Andy says in post #9. its the wrong bullet or you need to seat them deeper.

 

[hunt4fun]

I'm gonna guess like Andy says in post #9. its the wrong bullet or you need to seat them deeper.

I loaded 10 rounds and seated them deeper with the same charge. Cases were trimmed as well. I'm booked up this weekend but hope to test fire them next week.

 

[yetti462]

I have to shoulder bump all my 6.5gren brass in my ar .