6.5 Grendel with 100gr Barnes TTSX for elk?

[hipshotgunslinger]

Hi all, I'm stoked, my daughter just turned 12 and drew her first tag, a late season cow tag near Durango, CO. We will be hunting out of a blind 3rd season so I will have my Caldwell tripod for my daughter to shoot from and she is a good shot. Recoil is a problem for her since she is 80lbs soaking wet.

I was faced with these options and chose the 6.5 Grendel.

243 Savage - scoped about 7.5 lbs - Burris Fullfield ii 3-9
6.5 Grendel, CZ micro - scoped about 7.4 lbs - Meopta 3-9x42
Bergara 6.5 CM - scoped close to 11lb - Athlon Midas 4.5-27

I have a couple of handfuls of bigger rifles that would be better suited for elk, but she just can't handle or shoot them well. If I go 243, the best Barnes option is an 85gr bullet which is the minimum weight in CO. I think that based on performance, recoil etc. the best option is the 6.5 Grendel with a 100gr TTSX at about 2700fps. I want to stick with Barnes bullets.

My question is, is this the best choice in gun/caliber and MAINLY will the 100gr TTSX open up at those velocities? I know a bunch of you are going to say the Grendel isn't enough, but I have killed dozens of hogs with my 6.8spc and a 95gr Barnes bullet and have seen the damage it does, so I know a well placed shot will kill an elk. I'd rather have a well placed 6.5 shot than an errant 270, 280AI, 308 etc.

 

[elkduds]

I'll weigh in to try and save your daughter and who knows how many elk needless suffering. The manbun Creedmoor is the least bad option on your list.

Maybe a table and lead sled in the blind, w a heavier caliber rifle.

 

[jnordwell]

Giving that I know people who have killed bull elk and cows with a 243 I personally think it’s doable. I’d make sure she can cycle the action fast and get on animal for 2nd shot or 3rd if needed... I have the howa mini in Grendel that my daughter is the owner of it if she chooses to do hunters Ed this year. Mentored last year and carried it and loves it... I’d pick the same bullet and limit the distance and be ready for a second or 3rd shot if needed.. good job dad and enjoy the moments..

 

[SBAHunts]

Shot placement will be key. Best of luck

 

[Mac7]

I'm sure it will work fine. My daughter killed her cow last year with a 6.5 Grendel and a 120 grain fusion.

 

[GotDraw?]

you seem thoughtful enough that it's not about your daughter or a video
it's about the elk

No doubt folks have killed elk with a .22

Consider the heavier bullet if you can

 

[hipshotgunslinger]

Thanks for your responses! I've got some 120gr Barnes TSX's I can also try to develop a load for. I was going for the least amount of recoil. Basically everything is about trade-offs. Sure I can hand her my 45-70 loaded hot enough to blow her back 2' and bust her face open, and she will never shoot a gun again or I can give her something that is a delicate balance of the most lethal per ft lb of recoil that she can effectively handle and shoot accurately.

Sidenote- I've got 300WM, 28 Nosler, etc., but I still prefer my 280AI, 308, 338 Federal or 35 Whelen because I know I can kill whatever I want with a well placed shot. The magnum calibers, in my opinion are for either super long range stuff, bragging rights or people who don't shoot where they intend to and need maximum carnage. Give me my Sako 308 and take everyone of my other "Magnum" guns and I'll be a happy, well fed man. I'm working on selling the big one's anyway.

 

[wind gypsy]

6.5 Grendel should work fine but barnes is about the last bullet I'd use at Grendel speeds.

Get something that will expand and don't take a quartering to shot. I think Avery posted a video of a 6 CM with 108 ELDm on a cow last year. An expanding bullet in your 243 would be preferable to a barnes in the grendel IMO.

 

[Smithb9841]

Another option might be to get one of the barrels threaded and instal a muzzle break on one of your larger rifles like the 280 ai so she can handle the recoil. Not sure if that’s something that would make sense for your situation

 

[UtahJimmy]

What's the 308 weigh?

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[hipshotgunslinger]

6.5 Grendel should work fine but barnes is about the last bullet I'd use at Grendel speeds.

Get something that will expand and don't take a quartering to shot. I think Avery posted a video of a 6 CM with 108 ELDm on a cow last year. An expanding bullet in your 243 would be preferable to a barnes in the grendel IMO.

This was more the direction I was wanting to take this topic. I pretty much exclusively use Barnes bullets but was worried about it being a problem with this particular bullet at those velocities. We can debate calibers all day long, but the right bullet in the right spot is all you need.

I do have some 6.5 125gr Nosler Partitions, but may need to purchase more 6.5 options.
I also have some 115gr Barnes Originals for the 243 and I can tell you I took my largest hog & deer 5 minutes apart with that bullet, both dropped in their tracks.

 

[hipshotgunslinger]

What's the 308 weigh?

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Weights of options are:

243/6.5 Grendel about 7lbs 8oz
6.5CM 11lb 9 oz but threaded for muzzle break or I do have a suppressor 4 oz 2 stage trigger tho
260 9lb 4oz
270 9lb, but threaded for muzzle break or I do have a suppressor
280AI 8lb 6oz
308 8lb 8oz, I'd like to get this threaded for a break/suppressor so this is an option.

 

[UtahJimmy]

Weights of options are:

243/6.5 Grendel about 7lbs 8oz
6.5CM 11lb 9 oz but threaded for muzzle break or I do have a suppressor 4 oz 2 stage trigger tho
260 9lb 4oz
270 9lb, but threaded for muzzle break or I do have a suppressor
280AI 8lb 6oz
308 8lb 8oz, I'd like to get this threaded for a break/suppressor so this is an option.

Suppressed 270 sounds like a real winner!!

Edit: you've got plenty of time to get the 308 threaded and get her plenty of trigger time too.

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[elkguide]

More gun with a brake. (and hearing protection.)
Not a good first hunt for a young one to wound an animal and have it get away.

 

[WeiserBucks]

One of the better performers with the can ! Go to the range with several rifles and figure out what she can and can't be comfortable with

 

[juan trueno]

120 fusion
125 partition
120 ballistic tip
120 of the various sst or eld flavors.

Plenty of options for the Grendel way better than a Barnes.

 

[ReddingArcher]

I bet that 11 pound 6.5 creedmoor with a brake would be real pleasant to shoot. Loaded with the Barnes 127 lrx if you are sticking with Barnes, the lrx is suppose to expand at lower velocities. Do you have access to a lead sled she can shoot it out of to see how she handles it?

 

[jnordwell]

My Grendel shoots the sst bullets well. Accubond sand interbonds May be good options.. Swift makes some good ones..controlled chaos is another all copper one..

 

[cgasner1]

Spin the supressor on 270 let her shoot it see what she thinks took a 10 year old out few years back he got a buck with a suppressed 280 aim no issues with recoil


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[hipshotgunslinger]

I bet that 11 pound 6.5 creedmoor with a brake would be real pleasant to shoot. Loaded with the Barnes 127 lrx if you are sticking with Barnes, the lrx is suppose to expand at lower velocities. Do you have access to a lead sled she can shoot it out of to see how she handles it?

I have a sub .4" group with the Barnes 127 LRX for the 6.5 CM. But it does have a 4 oz 2 stage trigger It probably would have less felt recoil than every other option, but I think that is too heavy for her especially with the can if I went that way.

I have a mule deer tag so I guess we could just take the one gun and I carry it for her, but it just doesn't feel the same as her having the gun I bought her to hunt with. Am I too sentimental?