6mm Creedmoor > 6.5 Grendel??? And... can Ruger American stabilize the Barnes 95 LRX?

[Boltgun]

I did a 16” suppressed grendel Howa mini. Great little rifle. While grendel starts out as a light recoiling round, keeping the rifle weight up a bit helps significantly as well.

But either of those calibers suppressed will be much better than either caliber unsuppressed for shooting experience.

 

[polishmanmike]

OP, where are you? 6 ARC ammo is almost everywhere, and online.

Been eating lead shot meat most my life. 56 years I'm still here

As someone wanting to get into reloading as well. I wouldn't do it for one cartridge.

Low recoil cartridges- obviously subjective: 6.5 cm, .243, 7mm-08 in no order with easier to find ammo. Many ammo makers offer "low recoil" rounds.

im in GA, why would you consider ARC superior to Grendel?

 

[polishmanmike]

ok I am feeling overwhelming steering towards 6 arc and away from Grendel, haha
so maybe what would be the pros of doing that (assuming I can get my hands on ammo)?

 

[tony]

im in GA, why would you consider ARC superior to Grendel?

These guys convinced me to go 6 arc
From my personal research, I think most see the heavier bullet in the 6G and believe that's the way to go. And it probably is in shorter yardage situations. I am no expert, just did a lot of reading on my own.

 

[The Guide]

My wife and daughter have around a half dozen antelope and a dozen deer with the Ruger American Predator Gen 1 in 6mm Creedmoor with the 1 in 7.7" twist barrel using the 95gr LRX factory ammo. This barrel is twisted faster (in barrel twist, lower number is faster) than the minimum requirement of 1 in 8" and shoots like lazer beams out of our rifle. I don't like the looks of the Gen 2 rifles but would buy another Gen 1 in a heartbeat.

The Grendel is a great option if you were going to use lead core bullets but since you are limiting yourself to nonlead options, I would not use the Grendel for that option as it starts out so much slower than the 6CM. You realistically need 2000 fps impact velocity for nonlead bullets to perform the best.

The 6ARC is an excellent option but if you're limited to lead free offerings and factory loads, it probably isn't for you. Most of us using the 6ARC are using heavy for caliber fragmenting match type bullets or handloading our own offerings.

My daughter shot this antelope with the 6CM when she was 12. I'm sure your spouse would be fine with the recoil and weight.

Jay

 

[bruceleroy]

that's fair
I still however don't want to fed it to my babies, that's just me

Thats also fair.

 

[polishmanmike]

My wife and daughter have around a half dozen antelope and a dozen deer with the Ruger American Predator Gen 1 in 6mm Creedmoor with the 1 in 7.7" twist barrel using the 95gr LRX factory ammo. This barrel is twisted faster (in barrel twist, lower number is faster) than the minimum requirement of 1 in 8" and shoots like lazer beams out of our rifle. I don't like the looks of the Gen 2 rifles but would buy another Gen 1 in a heartbeat.

The Grendel is a great option if you were going to use lead core bullets but since you are limiting yourself to nonlead options, I would not use the Grendel for that option as it starts out so much slower than the 6CM. You realistically need 2000 fps impact velocity for nonlead bullets to perform the best.

The 6ARC is an excellent option but if you're limited to lead free offerings and factory loads, it probably isn't for you. Most of us using the 6ARC are using heavy for caliber fragmenting match type bullets or handloading our own offerings.

My daughter shot this antelope with the 6CM when she was 12. I'm sure your spouse would be fine with the recoil and weight.

Jay

View attachment 814798

Very very helpful, kind of what I was looking for. Thank you!
If ammo availability and my copper restrictions were not a factor, we will pretend that I can handload whatever load I want, copper, lead, whatever.
Looking for the lightest -recoil, deer slaying caliber out to 300 yards, how would you rate these?
From what I am reading I would assume you would:
1. 6mm ARC
2. 6.5 Grendel
3. 6mm Creedmoor

Am I correct?

 

[pugwylde]

FWIW, my eight year old son shoots my 6.5CM suppressed. Similarly, my 22-250 unsuppressed is way less comfortable than my 6.5CM. I know family getting into shooting is a good reason to buy new guns (as if we need reasons), but you might have the perfect gun in the safe already. If one of them is already threaded, and you are in a state where it's legal, save the money and get a can.

EDIT: I understand neither of those are calibers on your radar, but I figured I should just stick to ones I know.

 

[Tlwebb15]

Alright, my wife told me she wants to go whitetail hunting with me, so I naturally want to put together a decent rig for her. Don't want to spend a ton of money and Tikka t3x doesn't come in any of these (yes I can rebarrel, yes it comes in 243 with higher twist rate, but that's neither here nor there).
I have boiled it down to the Ruger American Ranch Gen 2 in 6.5 Grendel and Ruger American Gen 2 in 6mm Creedmoor.
Here are few questions, especially if you own the rifle I am looking at:

1. Recoil, being one of the most important factors, will the Grendel in Ranch configuration really be that much lighter of a recoil than the 6mm in regular ruger American config (especially once I put a recoil pad on it)?
2. I have seen concerns about Ruger American 6mm CM not being able to stabilize the 95gr Barnes LRX, that's what I would like to shoot. Barnes says 1:8, Ruger made the barrel 1:7.7, should be fine, right? I have seen a reported issue. Can anyone share personal experience with that set up and that bullet?
3. Any other recommendations for a light shooting rifle that can put down deer size game out to 200-300 yards? (I have already looked into 6 arc, 300 BLK, 243, 223, 6.8 spc)

Thanks

I bought a ruger American gen 2 for my kids and have been very happy with it so far. Very adjustable and shoots great.

 

[polishmanmike]

These guys convinced me to go 6 arc
From my personal research, I think most see the heavier bullet in the 6G and believe that's the way to go. And it probably is in shorter yardage situations. I am no expert, just did a lot of reading on my own.

Realistically, GA woods, it probably will be out to 100 yards, you know?
But now I'm raising the question if the Grendel is moving fast enough for the TTSX to open up... looking at the tables... at 300 yards, velocity is close to 1950 (more than Barnes recomends as a minimum for proper expansion) and energy right under 1000, which I am okay with. Problem is that these numbers are taken from a 24" barrel, not the 16er, Im thinking with the 16" barrel and the bullet requirements, that makes it a 100 yard copper shooter. Eh. Lol.

 

[polishmanmike]

FWIW, my eight year old son shoots my 6.5CM suppressed. Similarly, my 22-250 unsuppressed is way less comfortable than my 6.5CM. I know family getting into shooting is a good reason to buy new guns (as if we need reasons), but you might have the perfect gun in the safe already. If one of them is already threaded, and you are in a state where it's legal, save the money and get a can.

EDIT: I understand neither of those are calibers on your radar, but I figured I should just stick to ones I know.

I shoot a 6.5cm tikka and love it

 

[polishmanmike]

I bought a ruger American gen 2 for my kids and have been very happy with it so far. Very adjustable and shoots great.

ranch or regular 20" barrel, which caliber?

 

[pugwylde]

Realistically, GA woods, it probably will be out to 100 yards, you know?
But now I'm raising the question if the Grendel is moving fast enough for the TTSX to open up... looking at the tables... at 300 yards, velocity is close to 1950 (more than Barnes recomends as a minimum for proper expansion) and energy right under 1000, which I am okay with. Problem is that these numbers are taken from a 24" barrel, not the 16er, Im thinking with the 16" barrel and the bullet requirements, that makes it a 100 yard copper shooter. Eh. Lol.

You ever going to get more than 100yds in the Georgia woods? I've only got tourist experience in them, but they seemed dense as hell.

 

[The Guide]

Very very helpful, kind of what I was looking for. Thank you!
If ammo availability and my copper restrictions were not a factor, we will pretend that I can handload whatever load I want, copper, lead, whatever.
Looking for the lightest -recoil, deer slaying caliber out to 300 yards, how would you rate these?
From what I am reading I would assume you would:
1. 6mm ARC
2. 6.5 Grendel
3. 6mm Creedmoor

Am I correct?

With those 3 cartridges, you have them in the order of my perceived recoil using 22" barrels on all 3 with no muzzle devices. If you add a suppressor or a muzzle break, your perceived recoil difference will be minimal as all 3 cartridges break or suppress very well. Get a 6mm Creedmoor, a suppressor, and a case of ammo. Go to the range and once you have good technique, go shoot targets other than paper like steel or water bottles. Practice shooting from possible hunting positions for the area you hunt whether it is from a stand or on the ground. Don't over think it. The shooting is the fun part.

Jay

 

[polishmanmike]

With those 3 cartridges, you have them in the order of my perceived recoil using 22" barrels on all 3 with no muzzle devices. If you add a suppressor or a muzzle break, your perceived recoil difference will be minimal as all 3 cartridges break or suppress very well. Get a 6mm Creedmoor, a suppressor, and a case of ammo. Go to the range and once you have good technique, go shoot targets other than paper like steel or water bottles. Practice shooting from possible hunting positions for the area you hunt whether it is from a stand or on the ground. Don't over think it. The shooting is the fun part.

Jay

For sure my friend! Trying to put something together for the wife

 

[PC356]

Here’s an option that seems to fit in well with your considerations…
Howa Mini 6.5 Grendel I put together for my ol man for Christmas using a Brownells barreled action.
Had it cut/threaded/Cerakoted and bedded it into a Stockys CF. Came in just under 6 lbs scoped and full mag. Shoots Hornady 90 gr CXs really well with plenty of speed to make them open up. Recoil is nothing. Built a 6 ARC just like it that runs 108 gr ELD Ms 2450ish for comparison. Of course this is just comparing factory ammo and not hand loads. See no reason a RA in 6.5G wouldn’t shoot the 90 gr CX’s just as well or better.

 

[closetohome]

I built my 7yr old a 6.5 Grendel on an 18" Bartlein barrel suppressed and throated it to run 127gr Barnes LRX and run through Hawkins mag box. With CFE 223 I was able to get it to 2405fps which gives me 1k lbs of energy to 300yds and it is stacks rounds on top of each other. It has minimal recoil and punches way above its weight class. With scope and can its 8.75lbs.

If I wasn't a handloader then the 6 Creed with off the shelf 95 LRX would be my next choice.

 

[Hoopleheader]

that's fair
I still however don't want to fed it to my babies, that's just me

This is the correct approach and is rational.

While studies documenting blood lead levels associated with consuming wild game are limited, any measurable increase blood lead levels is highly correlated with permanently lower IQ in young children, and since the body stores lead in bones which is then released during pregnancy as the fetus needs calcium to build bones, increases exposure to a female will increase exposure levels for her kids too even if she isn’t exposed to lead during pregnancy.

The risk/reward is highly asymmetric… a risk of potential (if eating contaminated game leads to lead entering the blood stream) permanent cognitive damage vs the benefit of bullet performance (range, fragmenting, expansion)

Given the time/effort/expenditure most of us put into giving our kids the best opportunities to have a good life, minimizing a potential risk factor to decreasing their intelligence (a primary determinants to their future income etc.) is rational if not effective.

 

[Hoopleheader]

If you hand load either will work fine. Ammo is limited on the ARC to Hornady and boutique offerings.

You can find LRX and TTSX loaded by Hendershots if you want to stay lead free with an ARC. I just bought a Howa Mini in 6 arc, and am trying to decide myself on projectile, but leaning towards the 95 gr LRX.

I do think the 6.5 Grendel (have a mini in that too) is an easier pick for woods shooting given the 115 gr -tax-tx loading from Barnes, which is designed for the Grendel to expand at lower velocities

 

[cjdewese]

Not sure if it helps or not, but I shoot the 1:8 Tikka 243, handload the Barnes LRX 95g and it stabilizes just fine for me.

Not sure how different the other cartriges would be though.