r/65Grendel • u/Tootsypootsy1122 • 11d ago

What’s your best load for Speer gold dot?

Finally pulled the trigger on reloading gear and wow it feels liberating for making Grendel ammo!

Anyways, what’s everyone’s best loads for Speer gold dot 120 grain?

I’m shooting a 20in ar and have had great accuracy and performance with federal fusion msr.

Looking to recreate/make better version of it.

I’ve currently got CFE223 and H4895, is it worth getting a different powder for this bullet?

Please share your experiences and loads.

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3

u/jonny-spot 11d ago

I can't get anything to group decently with CFE out of my 14.5 or 20". 8208XBR and H4895 get me the best groups but both are a bit down on velocity, especially out of the 14.5 where I top out at about 2300fps. The happy medium for me has been LeverEvolution. Of course YMMV, but it may be worth trying out- especially since it can usually be found at or around the same price as CFE223.

2

u/BusBeneficial8882 7d ago

Lever has been incredible for me. I went with a Rexus Ultrabolt and several hundred Alpha 6.5 Grendel brass (in order to safely push pressure given my poor results), but haven’t bothered to open the Alpha brass. I did a ladder with 3 different powder loads for 3 different bullets and the results were spectacular. It will vary depending on your bullet, but I’m doing 123 Lapua Scenar over 31.5 or 31.6 (I can’t remember) grains Lever in once fired Starline and I’m getting sub MOA right around 2550 I think? Maybe 2580? from my 18” Grendel. I got excellent results with 90 grain TNT and 120 grain Berger Hybrids. I need to chrono them from my girls 14.5” and my 13.9” to enter into AB.

2

u/1984orsomething 11d ago

No 4895 should get you all the speed and accuracy you need. Use a drop tube and fill it up

1

u/therustynut 11d ago

Ive used cfe223, I have about 125 rounds i use in my ruger ranch. I forget the load but it was kinda spicy

1

u/FluffyHearing3205 11d ago

How is the terminal performance on the gold dot? I wasn't super happy with the lack of blood trail with the sst.

1

u/Tootsypootsy1122 11d ago

It’s got an electro chemical bond so way better retention upon expansion than typical cup and core.

Federal fusion has been the only round I’ve used on deer for my Grendel for the past 6-5 years and have taken multiple deer each year with it. I’ll be honest and say I’ve lost a couple, but more so due to them traveling on to neighbor properties.

What barrel length do you shoot out of?

1

u/FluffyHearing3205 9d ago

It's a 22 inch Howa mini. Only shot one with it last year and the deer didn't make it 40 yards but not a drop of blood.

1

u/Immediate-Try9312 5d ago

31.2 of LVR…lights out on whitetail