Recoil, . 243 vs ARC or Grendel

[OutdoorEdventure]

Out of the 3 you mentioned the 6 ARC has the least amount of recoil. I’d stick with .243 and put a muzzle brake on it. There won’t be any recoil. But you’ll pay with the “bang.”

 

[Ozarkansas]

My brother has a 6.5 grendel AR and Howa mini, they are very mild compared to my lightweight .243, even though the mini weighs nearly two pounds less. In the AR the 6.5G kicks pretty similarly to the .223. I’m sure on paper it’s got slightly more but it’s not perceptible to me

 

[Shraggs]

@Formidilous I’m glad you commented in as that would be my recommendation too.

Was going to suggest that possibly the 62 grain fusion might have better odds of an exit? Although not the range of the 77 tmk

 

[Jbuck]

Thanks fellas . I had held off until Boxing Day to see if I could find a sale on either tikka .223 or Howa of sorts. After a lot of debating now I think I’ll jump into a Grendel for her.

Prophet River has a mini Grendel on sale, but in the plastic stock, I think I’ll go that route and just trim down the stock if it’s to long, then replace it with walnut in a couple/few years after a few growth spurts.

I picked up a plastic stocked mini in grendel for my 2 younger boys. 6 and 10. I cut the stock back about 1.5" and reinstalled the factory recoil pad. It worked well enough. I was able to reuse the stock screw holes and just sanded the pad down to fit. They both like the round and it's pretty mild recoiling.

I also picked up a Stockysstocks VG that it sits in now. The LOP is just under 13 with the thin recoil pad.

 

[Jbuck]

This is my 6yo making a 1st round hit at 510yds. You can see how he handles the recoil.

 

[NRA4LIFE]

Can't speak to the ARC, but my A-Bolt in .243 and 6.5 Grendel AR are both very similar in recoil, and very mild to me. But, I also shoot a 300 WM and a very light weight 8mm Mauser, so mild to me might be very different to other folks.

 

[MattB]

I started my recoil-sensitive daughter with a .243 and handloaded 70 gr Hammer bullets at ~2,750 fps with H4895 which is in the same realm as .223 recoil-wise.

 

[redneckbmxer24]

This is my 6yo making a 1st round hit at 510yds. You can see how he handles the recoil.

Train that kid to stay on the damn gun

 

[Decker9]

I picked up a plastic stocked mini in grendel for my 2 younger boys. 6 and 10. I cut the stock back about 1.5" and reinstalled the factory recoil pad. It worked well enough. I was able to reuse the stock screw holes and just sanded the pad down to fit. They both like the round and it's pretty mild recoiling.

I also picked up a Stockysstocks VG that it sits in now. The LOP is just under 13 with the thin recoil pad.

View attachment 649901

Thanks jb!! That’s what I have in mind, cutting down the stock an inch or so. I wasn’t sure if the screw holes would still be there or not, that makes it a lot easier if they are.

The rifle should be here in a few days, excited to see how my girl handles it.

 

[Jbuck]

Train that kid to stay on the damn gun

Yeah, lol, I know. We are working on it. I think it's because it was only a 15x scope and he was having a hard time picking out the steel. He is only 6 and usually shoots an AI that has much better glass.

 

[Jbuck]

Thanks jb!! That’s what I have in mind, cutting down the stock an inch or so. I wasn’t sure if the screw holes would still be there or not, that makes it a lot easier if they are.

The rifle should be here in a few days, excited to see how my girl handles it.

The screw holes were still there when I cut the stock. I think I had to drill them a little deeper though. But everything lined up perfectly.

 

[KYwhitetail606]

Spend the time and read this thread from start to finish. It isn’t just about 223’s- it’s about how bullets actually preform in tissue and kill.

.223 for bear, mountain goat, deer, elk, and moose.

DON'T HAVE TIME TO READ 176 PAGES? HERE'S THE CHEAT SHEET. “Bullets matter more than headstamps.” “Spent primers offer the supreme tutorial”. I’ve read it here and elsewhere online. It got my attention. I started digging and asking questions and listened. The 77gr TMK delivered by a .223...

rokslide.com

The minis are decent. Not as smooth, and the mags aren’t as good as Tikka’s, however they do work. A Mini with sporter barrel and a Stocky’s VG is a good combo.

6.5 Grendel is fine, however it is outdone in every way by the 6ARC. The 6 ARC is simply a better cartridge- less recoil, higher MV and impact velocity, less wind drift, the same or less cost for ammo, and generally more available factory ammo.


Between 223 with certain bullets and 6 ARC, having done this enough times, it is 223 with good bullets, in a cut down Tikka without question for me and those I am around. It’s simply more shootable and more fun, and having killed multiple bear, moose, dozens of elk, way into three digits of deer and antelope- it just works.

I do not have a ton of experience with bears, however what I do have is that there are no viable combinations that will make an exit a near certainty, that also kill quickly, and even with an exit, bears tend not to leave much blood on the ground. The Hornady 6mm 105gr HPBT is probably your best bet if an exit is that much of a priority.


I’m short due to weight and size, if you read the 223 thread and deceive it will work for you, a Tikka T3 with 1-8” twist cut to 16 or 17 inches, 77gr TMK’s or one of the other bullets that work well, and a solid scope has been the best combo I have seen. If not 223, then by far the next best choice is a Howa Mini with light barrel in 6ARC, with solid scope and one of the 103-108gr match bullets.




Muzzle brakes are the devil. Especially with kids. Bullets kill, not cartridges. Drop cartridge and caliber size until recoil is way below the “acceptable” level. In a 7lb rifle all up, 243 is around 13 ft-lbs of recoil. 6 ARC is 8, and 6.5 Grendel is between them at about 10ft-lbs. 223 is 4 ft-lbs.

With the 22 arc being out. Is the 6 arc still the best option?

 

[Formidilosus]

With the 22 arc being out. Is the 6 arc still the best option?

Being that I wouldn’t choose to use a Howa Mini personally now, it doesn’t really do anything for me. I’m a Tikka I would go 22CM if more MV was desired than 223. The 6ARC still offers a good option for the least amount of recoil yet 6mm factory with good bullets.

 

[Castle Rock]

Yeah, lol, I know. We are working on it. I think it's because it was only a 15x scope and he was having a hard time picking out the steel. He is only 6 and usually shoots an AI that has much better glass.

Really?
Let him enjoy his childhood with a 22, there is a whole lifetime ahead.

 

[Castle Rock]

With the 22 arc being out. Is the 6 arc still the best option?

Depends what you want to do with it, I am enjoying target shooting more than hunting these days and the 22ARC is probably the best cartridge design available, basically an improved 22PPC

 

[Jbuck]

Really?
Let him enjoy his childhood with a 22, there is a whole lifetime ahead.

He shoots 22's just fine too. Been getting him out since he is dead set on hunting this year. We use rits or saltines crackers inside of 150yds he barely misses with the 6cm. When we go they pick what we take to the range, not me for the most part.

45yds off a tripod with his 22lr.

 

[TaperPin]

Thanks jb!! That’s what I have in mind, cutting down the stock an inch or so. I wasn’t sure if the screw holes would still be there or not, that makes it a lot easier if they are.

The rifle should be here in a few days, excited to see how my girl handles it.

How did she end up liking it?

 

[Decker9]

How did she end up liking it?

Not one bit, I’m starting to think it’s not so much the recoil as the noise. She’s a tough kid, my part time sheep/goat hunting partner and can take pain quite well. But the blast scares the tar out of her even with plugs under ear muffs (she’s now 12).

I’m hoping she grows out of it, I have a .222 rem I’m putting together, maybe it will be a better stepping stone to move up from her .22, which she loves to shoot.

 

[Jbuck]

That's the hard part about this. My younger two boys are opposite when it comes to brakes vs suppressor.

My youngest prefers the brakes but his older brother prefers suppressed.

They both like 22lr, but most of the time they want to shoot something that makes the target react more.

 

[TaperPin]

Not one bit, I’m starting to think it’s not so much the recoil as the noise. She’s a tough kid, my part time sheep/goat hunting partner and can take pain quite well. But the blast scares the tar out of her even with plugs under ear muffs (she’s now 12).

I’m hoping she grows out of it, I have a .222 rem I’m putting together, maybe it will be a better stepping stone to move up from her .22, which she loves to shoot.

That’s unexpected, but understandable. Many folks are just more jumpy than others. The 222 sounds like a good option.