Cast bullets for 6.5 Grendel

gemihur · Posted: Tue May 05, 2026 8:15 am Post subject: Cast bullets for 6.5 Grendel

Ran into a unique mold
Ideal # 269386 designed for the 256 Newton
which surprisingly was a 6.5 mm bullet on a necked down 30-06 case
Working up loads to about 1950 FPS with H380
results after range day

DallanC · Site Admin Joined: Jan 18, 2005 Posts: 3721 Location: Utah

I did not know a mold existed for the Newton. I know a guy who loves the caliber and has an extremely nice hunting rifle for it he breaks out to hunt the occasional Pronghorn. IIRC, his was made in 1916. He has very few bullets left and he is always on the hunt for more "NOS" cartridges. I'll pass along this mold # and see if he has it.

I know the Newtons had pretty strange "segmented parabolic rifling". Rather unique.

-DallanC

Elvis · Posted: Tue May 05, 2026 9:06 pm Post subject: Re: Cast bullets for 6.5 Grendel

so the Newton isnt a 6.5/06??? as we know it???

gemihur · Posted: Wed May 06, 2026 5:44 am Post subject: Re: Cast bullets for 6.5 Grendel

It is, but not literally.
The .256 Newton and 6.5-06 are very similar 6.5mm cartridges based on the .30-06 case, offering nearly identical ballistic performance, though they are not directly interchangeable. The .256 Newton (introduced 1913) features a sharper 23-degree shoulder, more body taper, and a shorter case than the 6.5-06. The 6.5-06 is a popular "wildcat" (no standardized factory load for many years).
The .256 Newton is essentially an early, proprietary version of the 6.5-06 wildcat. The 6.5-06 is more common today, particularly in custom builds using modern powders, but both function as high-velocity, medium-game cartridges.
cited from AI Overview
I am applying it's design for a Grendel, not an "06
my concern is keeping my bullet from leading the barrel and consistant POI