Howa Mini Action (6.5 Grendel vs 6mm ARC vs 22 ARC)

[KYwhitetail606]

22 ARC vs 6 ARC vs 6.5 Grendel for a 300 yard deer rifle. I’m stuck between these 3.

22 ARC - 80g ELDX or 88g ELDM

6mm ARC - 108 ELDM

6.5 Grendel - 123 ELDM

This is going to be a light recoiling 300 yard max deer rifle. More like 100-200 yards. I just bought a 6.5 creedmoor tikka t3x, but I’ve been wanting a bows mini action and the ARC cartridges give me a reason to get one. Very intrigued by them.

I do plan on adding a 6mm creed next year at some point.

I have a 223.

 

[Stinky Coyote]

factory ammo? what's most likely to find on the shelf? legal in all places you may hunt? available in stainless? which one is on sale? barrel life be good on them all but the 6.5 is as close to .22lr as you'll get, which one has the coolest name? flip a coin, lots of overlap performance there and 300 is well within all their limits, the OG 6.5 was shot show released in 2004 so been around quite awhile the 2 arc copies are much newer releases at 2020 and 2024, maybe max mpbr distance is important to you but they all flat enough to your 100-200 yard majority, I like 175 zero for grendel from 16" barrel at 2386 fps launch for a coyote tight 205 yard mpbr but 200 zero works well for deer size the other two just add some yardage typical mpbr's to normal short action cartridges, that's all I can think of for questions to ask yourself, they are all awesome no fat modern choices on a great little case

 

[nm.otter]

.22 ARC has the most optimal ratio of case capacity to bore diameter. If I was already planning another 6mm, I'd pick that.

 

[KYwhitetail606]

You’d pick

.22 ARC has the most optimal ratio of case capacity to bore diameter. If I was already planning another 6mm, I'd pick that.

22 arc?

 

[nm.otter]

As long as I didn't live in a state with a larger caliber requirement, absolutely.