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.

 

[Q_Sertorius]

I picked 6.5mm Grendel and I really like shooting it, but if I had to do it again, I might pick 6mm ARC instead. It honestly came down to the name being cooler and the CZ 527 being available in 6.5mm Grendel.

22 ARC seems like a good cartridge that is utterly pointless since .223 exists. If I could use .224 bullets for deer, I would just get a .223 and call it good. The 22 ARC and 22 CM are great designs that just don’t offer enough to overcome the sheer availability and “does just enough” ability of the .223.


____________________
“Keep on keepin’ on…”

 

[sniper20]

I have witnessed the 223 Rem/5.56 Nato take down the long pig and the Odocoileus Virginianus (deer). My issue with the 22ARC is the bullet diameter. I just don't think they are big enough to ETHICALLY kill. Will they kill, yes. But shot placement is going to be super key along with bullet design.

The 6mm and the 6.5mm are going to be a lot more forgiving in that area I think. I have taken deer with a 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5 PRC and 6.5 Grendel. I haven't shot the 6mm ARC at anything but steel. However, due to the bullet size/weight, they would be the options I would go with.

Again, I know the 22ARC is capable as I have seen the 223 kill deer. I wasn't a fan of the fact the guy was using it, but his hunt, his choice... It killed them, but they usually ran a ways before expiring, even with vital shots.

There is no right or wrong answer, but I would opt for bigger bullets.

 

[KY_coop]

I went with 6 arc for deer hunting central ky. I believe its gonna do just fine. By end of gun season I should have 2 or 3 deer down with the 108's.

 

[coyotekilla]

I went grendel, I'm quite happy with it. Its mostly my coyote rifle, did get a deer with it too. I handload a 95 vmax to 2825. Its not the fastest bullet in my stable, but it's cheap to shoot, accurate, long barrel life, and hits critters hard

 

[RWT]

6.5 Grendel. I was thinking exactly the same for a 0-300 yard rifle and the Grendel fits the bill. Better performance with available hunting bullets OTC than the 223.
The other reason is I primarily shoot 6.5 CM. Goal was economies of scale when and if I get back to reloading. I can run the 95 per in both if I want more distance or the 123 - 129 gr bullets for everything else. Buy in bulk and have fewer chamberings to keep tract of.

I’ve killed enough hogs and deer with the 223 that I’ve seen a propensity for them to run farther than they do with a 6 or 6.5 projectile. My intended use case is a thermal and I need the critter to be closer to DRT than run, even a few yards is a PIA as we are hunting leased lands and the owners want the dead hogs hauled off. I despise crawling through brush at night just to pull a hog out. The 223 killed them, they just tend to run further. The 6.5 SST and ELDX bullets had a greater percentage of DRT than the 77 TMK’s.

I cannot explain it but the larger diameter bullets seem to incapacitate quicker. We are speaking of less than 20 yard difference. However, 20 yards at night crawling through tick and snake territory then dragging out a 250lb hog covered in fleas is no fun.

 

[JCMCUBIC]

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

...

This is going to be a light recoiling 300 yard max deer rifle. More like 100-200 yards. ...

I have a 223.

6.5 Grendel would be my choice based on the above, though any would work. I shoot the 6.5 G and 6 ARC. Greater than 300 yards is my default "move to the 6" range, though the 6.5 can certainly do it...and the others can certainly work at the less than 300 range. The owned .223 makes the .22 ARC less attractive but that's not to take away from the 22 ARC.

I'm also biased because of my experience with the 6.5 129 ABLR's on game performance, on target performance, and massive stockpile I have.

It's not like any of them are a bad choice.

 

[Packmansion]

6 arc seems to be a good compromise. The 6arc also has the 109 eldm which will outperform the 88 eldm of the 22 arc. The 22 arc and 6 arc are neck and neck. In a bolt gun the 6 arc replicates a 6mm br which is a good long range cartridge. Where i live 6mm is the minimum caliber required unfortunately. That being said the difference between 6 arc, 22 arc, and grendel are all negligible at the ranges you are considering. 6 arc would be the one I go with. 22 arc doesnt have as much umpgh to hit steel targets and the 6.5 grendel lacks the BC and range to fit I to the same category as the 6 arc and 22 arc.

 

[The Guide]

6 arc seems to be a good compromise. The 6arc also has the 109 eldm which will outperform the 88 eldm of the 22 arc. The 22 arc and 6 arc are neck and neck. In a bolt gun the 6 arc replicates a 6mm br which is a good long range cartridge. Where i live 6mm is the minimum caliber required unfortunately. That being said the difference between 6 arc, 22 arc, and grendel are all negligible at the ranges you are considering. 6 arc would be the one I go with. 22 arc doesnt have as much umpgh to hit steel targets and the 6.5 grendel lacks the BC and range to fit I to the same category as the 6 arc and 22 arc.

Based on my actual and theory profiles in Shooter for my rifles, the 22 ARC wins over the 6 ARC at distance to 1800 fps and has less drift at the same distances when comparing the 88 ELDM factory ammo to the 108 factory ammo and the 109 theory handloaded to 100 fps faster than factory 108 ammo. The 6 ARC will give more energy on target due to the 20 extra grains but the wind call is within 3 inches at 1800 fps.

My number come from the following actual and theory numbers:

22 ARC factory 88 ELDM @ 2792 FPS
6mm ARC factory 108 ELDM @ 2652 FPS
6mm ARC theory handloaded 109 ELDM @ 2750 FPS

Jay

 

[Packmansion]

Based on my actual and theory profiles in Shooter for my rifles, the 22 ARC wins over the 6 ARC at distance to 1800 fps and has less drift at the same distances when comparing the 88 ELDM factory ammo to the 108 factory ammo and the 109 theory handloaded to 100 fps faster than factory 108 ammo. The 6 ARC will give more energy on target due to the 20 extra grains but the wind call is within 3 inches at 1800 fps.

My number come from the following actual and theory numbers:

22 ARC factory 88 ELDM @ 2792 FPS
6mm ARC factory 108 ELDM @ 2652 FPS
6mm ARC theory handloaded 109 ELDM @ 2750 FPS

Jay

This is dependent on barrel length. Further these cartridges are neck and neck. The 6mm will be easier to spot impacts with and the components are readily available. 22 arc and 6 arc have a lot of overlap. It is hard to say which is objectively better. The 6.5 grendel however is definitely far behind ballistically.

A 16" 22 arc will get you to about 500 yards with an 88. (1800 fps)
A 16" 6 arc will get you to about 500 yards with a 109.

Above is for gas gun data.

The published load Hornady 6 arc is data is for an 18" barrel and 22 arc is 24" barrel. When you adjust for barrel length and you pair them with 88 and 109 eldm the difference in performance is almost identical. Basically you are splitting hairs.

The main benefit of 6 arc is component options due to it being around longer and minimum caliber restrictions also impacts will be easier to spot.

Main benefit to 22 arc is cost of bullets.

 

[The Guide]

This is dependent on barrel length. Further these cartridges are neck and neck. The 6mm will be easier to spot impacts with and the components are readily available. 22 arc and 6 arc have a lot of overlap. It is hard to say which is objectively better. The 6.5 grendel however is definitely far behind ballistically.

A 16" 22 arc will get you to about 500 yards with an 88. (1800 fps)
A 16" 6 arc will get you to about 500 yards with a 109.

Above is for gas gun data.

The published load Hornady 6 arc is data is for an 18" barrel and 22 arc is 24" barrel. When you adjust for barrel length and you pair them with 88 and 109 eldm the difference in performance is almost identical. Basically you are splitting hairs.

The main benefit of 6 arc is component options due to it being around longer and minimum caliber restrictions also impacts will be easier to spot.

Main benefit to 22 arc is cost of bullets.

Published bolt gun data uses a 24" barrel. I am using a 22" factory sporter barrel on a Howa Mini Action for both the 22 ARC and the 6mm ARC.

Jay

 

[Packmansion]

Published bolt gun data uses a 24" barrel. I am using a 22" factory sporter barrel on a Howa Mini Action for both the 22 ARC and the 6mm ARC.

Jay

View attachment 924951View attachment 924952

Sir I am talking about gas gun dataas I mentioned in my post.

 

[The Guide]

Sir I am talking about gas gun dataas I mentioned in my post.

I took it that the OP was talking about bolt guns since he mentioned the Mini Action and getting an ARC or Grendel cartridge in that rifle during the initial post. My data is for the same rifle and cartridges he mentioned.

Jay

 

[Packmansion]

Based on the data you provided see below with 5mph wind
6 arc
22arc

So 22 arc wins by a whopping 8 fps at 750 yards but the 6 arc kills the 22 arc with 0.7 inches less drift! As I said we are splitting hairs.

There are pros and cons to each cartridge but the differences are almost non existent other than:

-Catridge laws will favor the 6 arc, components and highest BC. More wind more difference. Above is just for 5mph.
-22arc has cheaper bullets

Placing bets on 6 arc to continue to have more support long term.