Is the 6.5 Grendel a True Long Range Hunting Cartridge?

[ADMIN]

There has been a lot written about this round but I just had that urge to try it out myself. This article has been an ongoing project for well over a year and as you read on, you will understand why. The goal of the 6.5 Grendel cartridge was to provide AR15 shooters a round that could be used in that framework that would be more accurate and effective at ranges up to 800 yards. Using the tried and trued 6mm PPC case necked up to 6.5 and tweaked a little, the 6.5 Grendel was born. Read More...

This is a thread for discussion of the article, Is the 6.5 Grendel a True Long Range Hunting Cartridge?, By John Johnston. Here you can ask questions or make comments about the article.

 

[drwindmill]

Thanks for the article. I fell for hoopla a couple years ago, wasn't really impressed. I will say for cartridge size it is very efficient with the amount of powder it eats.

 

[GoodmansArms]

The Grendel is my favorite AR 15 caliber. I shoot my custom 20 inch 6.5 grendel to 1000 yards with success. It will hold 1 moa at 1K. With that said. I decided to build a Bench rest 6.5 Grendel. This is where the round lost its luster. I put 700 rounds through the barrel testing loads and bullets. If there is a powder I tried it with 120-130 grain bullets from most manufacturers. In my custom chamber I could push it to 2950 fps with no pressure. But I could not pysically fit anymore powder in case to go further. ( This was bolt gun with 32 inch barrel I don't recommend trying in gas gun). What I found with accuracy was the round likes 2500 fps-2750fps. It did not like going above 2850 with accuracy. (1.5 inch group avg) I do believe this is due to case design and case capacity's. My 6.5x47 likes 2900 fps with same bullets. I pulled barrel and rechambered it and never looked back. I still love my Grendel gas guns though.

 

[Blackhog]

My 6.5 G AR is my 90% hunting rifle.

 

[Tex_Hunter]

That was a great article, thanks for sharing. Those T/Cs are cool little guns.

Question for the broader audience, what velocities would one be able to reasonably expect if running the same ammo/bullet combos that the author was using out a of much more "gas gun" appropriate 16-18" barrel?

I'm building an intermediate range suppressed hunting rifle/truck gun for deer and pigs at the ranch (realistically shots will stay inside 300yds). I was originally leaning towards the 6.8SPC II but I have been eyeing the Grendel so that I could use the same 120NBT and 123gr SST that I am loading in my son's 22" 6.5 Creedmoor.

 

[trappers son]

I want an AR platform in 6mm Grendel for moving yotes

 

[olsingleshot]

There is a lot more to this little cartridge that I did not get to in this article. I hope to have a Howa bolt action delivered soon for testing. I think this will show more of the rounds capabilities.

 

[Greyfox]

I want an AR platform in 6mm Grendel for moving yotes

I have a Whitely 6mmAR which is based on the Grendel. Very accurate and feeds perfectly on the AR15 platform.

100 yards, 107gr SMK@2850FPS, same performance with 105Bergers and Scenars.

 

[olsingleshot]

I have a friend that shoots a LOT of hogs. He swears by the 6.8. In comparing the two, the case capacity is the same and the favored bullets weights are the same. I think I would go with the Grendel. The bullet choice is better and ballistically the 6.5 is better at longer distance.

 

[olsingleshot]

Heavy 6mm bullets in rifles with the proper barrel twist seem to be latest craze for a reason; they are accurate.

 

[J E Custom]

This depends on what you call long range and what you are hunting.

To expect it to take down big game at 1000 yards, would be expecting to much from this great little cartridge. My limits for cartridges of this size for most game is 600 yards and maybe 800 for targets
because of the downrange velocity/energy.

Just because a bullet has good BCs It doesn't automatically make it a good long range hunting
bullet. The Grendel is one of the smallest cartridges for the 6.5 bullets and with the limited powder capacity only so much can be expected of it.

In the hands of an expert rifleman, the Grendel can do well at extended ranges but even then it has its limits.

So IMO it is not for what "I" call long range. I use a 6.8 in my AR and my limits are the same as I stated even though it has 400 to 500 ft/sec more velocity.

Years of shooting and hunting have taught me not to demand more from a cartridge than it can deliver and you won't be disappointed.

Just my opinion

J E CUSTOM

 

[toddc]

Something I will never understand is the tendency to build stuff that has less than the max ability for the application.
The Grendel has been pushed, as has been the 264 LBC in the AR platform. Ballistics are better than the 223 but then what isn't? A 17WSM will nearly run with a 223 in some ways. A 6X45 would be a better choice for ballistics than the Grendel in many ways also.

The 243 WSSM and wildcat 6.5WSSM can both be run on the AR platform and I have run a lot of ammo thru these and the 223WSSM with no issues other than flinging my brass into the grass where I cant find it.

It may be a little harder to build a WSSM based rig than a Grendel but it isn't splitting atoms for Gods sake. If Olympic Arms can build the dang things it cant be that hard. All of the Oly WSSM rigs I have fooled with were capable shooters. In fact all would go under 1 MOA with handloads and actually were right around 3/4MOA rigs with different bullets even.

The OLY's don't have the worlds best rep, so if they will shoot then why cant someone who is a real pro like Alexander or Les Baer build a WSSM based rig to give us some real horsepower in the AR platform?

Pretty simple.......SELF INTEREST. They want to promote and SELL brass and components so they sucker people into a MARGINAL cartridge, wounded animals and egos be damned.

A WSSM SLAUGHTERS the Grendel or LBC or 6.8SPC. In every way. No excuses.

Too bad the factories have essentially killed it and the AR makers don't want to provide the BEST rig....just the most profitable and easiest for them to build.

If you want a real AR round look at Olympic Arms 223, 243 and 25 WSSM or even better the D-tech 6.5 and 7 WSSM.

 

[toddc]

I have a Whitely 6mmAR which is based on the Grendel. Very accurate and feeds perfectly on the AR15 platform.

100 yards, 107gr SMK@2850FPS, same performance with 105Bergers and Scenars.

Lot better than a Grendel for darn sure. Enough case for 6mm, little small as a 6.5.

 

[olsingleshot]

What brand of 6.8 ammo gives you 400-500 more fps? Just curious since both cases hold the same amount of powder.

5QUOTE=J E Custom;1270110]This depends on what you call long range and what you are hunting.

To expect it to take down big game at 1000 yards, would be expecting to much from this great little cartridge. My limits for cartridges of this size for most game is 600 yards and maybe 800 for targets
because of the downrange velocity/energy.

Just because a bullet has good BCs It doesn't automatically make it a good long range hunting
bullet. The Grendel is one of the smallest cartridges for the 6.5 bullets and with the limited powder capacity only so much can be expected of it.

In the hands of an expert rifleman, the Grendel can do well at extended ranges but even then it has its limits.

So IMO it is not for what "I" call long range. I use a 6.8 in my AR and my limits are the same as I stated even though it has 400 to 500 ft/sec more velocity.

Years of shooting and hunting have taught me not to demand more from a cartridge than it can deliver and you won't be disappointed.

Just my opinion

J E CUSTOM[/QUOTE]