Who else is hunting with a 6.5 Grendel?

[Newtosavage]

A while back, I bought a 7.62x39 Howa Mini barreled action when they were on sale. That proved to be my gateway rifle for Howa Mini's, and now I also own a mini in 6.5 Grendel. It's an addicting little rifle to shoot. I've enjoyed working up loads for it, and have all but settled on the 130 Sierra Gamechangers at 2450 fps.

I thought I'd see if anyone else here was hunting with that caliber, and what their experience has been so far.

 

[zeroforhire]

Love mine. Just set it up for this season. Ate tag soup though.

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[jorgensen.travis]

Are you loading to 63000 PSI? SAAMI set the pressure at 52000 because its designed for an AR. It seems like you should be able to load it to 63000 when shooting it out of a Howa.

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[zeroforhire]

Not loading it yet. Just shooting Hornady black.

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[Newtosavage]

Neat setup there Zero. How heavy is that chassis?

I'm shooting mine in the factory plastic stock. It's not too bad. Heavier than I like but it is pillar bedded and seems to be plenty accurate.

jorgensen, I don't know what psi I'm loading to, but I have been able to confirm that LeverEvolution is the powder to use for the heavier bullets. I understand CFE 223 is also very good.

I'm shooting 130 Gamechangers and 130 Bergers at 2450-2500 with zero pressure signs. I haven't tried going above 31 grains of LVR with either bullet, but that's next on my list. I'm curious where I'd see pressure signs start with the LVR powder. They started at 28.5 grains of 8208 with the 130 Gamechangers in Lapua brass (27 grains in Hornady brass). The published max for 123's and 8208 is 28.5 according to Hodgdon. They don't have loads listed for LVR or 130 grain bullets, so that's territory you have to scout on your own.

The buck I shot the other day sure didn't like the Gamechangers at all.

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BTW, this is my 2nd Howa Mini and both are very accurate rifles.

 

[howl]

I built a 6.5G AR for my wife with a 20" Faxon barrel. She and the kids killed deer with it this year. Thumb sized groups from 123gr SST factory loads with 6x. Three deer have been taken so far. All bullets exited after causing about as much damage as the usual deer rounds. Biggest was about 130#. Two dropped on the spot with usual broadside shot placement. Bones were broken.

One was hit low quartering to. The bullet took out the front lobe of one lung. There was no blood trail. The deer ran about a hundred yards and was found dead about half an hour after the shot.

 

[Axlrod]

I put together a couple ar's in 6.5 GR and then bought the Howa Mini in 6.5 GR I havent shot anything with them yet. The ar i set up for Wolf hunting and then during Elk season a big male wolf came down a ridge to 50 yards, but all i had with me was my 28 Nos and that did work on the wolf! oh I just bought one of the Howa mini's in 222 Rem too

 

[Oldffemt]

I built an AR in 6.5G, 18” Faxon barrel. I shot a 10 shot 2” group at 200 yesterday and was kinda disappointed! I can usually do .5moa with it. I love this round and plan to get a mini action soon as well. Didn’t get a chance to hunt with it much this year though.

 

[Newtosavage]

I had the opportunity to take a small spike buck (whitetail) with my 6.5 G Mini on Sunday evening. Textbook broadside shot at 130 yards and the bullet impacted exactly where I was aiming. Entrance hole was about 1/4" and the exit hole was about 1". To my surprise, the buck walked slowly in my direction after the shot, obviously hit but not running or stumbling - just a slow hunched over walk toward me. I could see where I hit him so I figured he'd go down any second. He walked about 40 yards before he finally fell down, and kicked a few times. But then I watched him keep breathing for a good minute or two. I was very surprised he lasted that long, as the shot looked perfect.

When I went to clean him, the shot was indeed perfect. Not sure how you could ask for better really. I managed to avoid both shoulders and the exit hole took out a section of rib. There was zero bloodshot meat and it was one of the cleanest quartering jobs I've ever had.

Bullet was the 130 Sierra Gamechanger, which in case anyone is curious, shoots to the EXACT same point of aim as the Berger 130 VLD in my Howa mini, both over 30.6 grains of LeverEvolution powder.

 

[Bkottke35]

I too have a 6.5 Grendel in the Howa mini. Have yet to work up any loads or hunt with it. Actually just changed the scope on it so looking forward to trying that out. Going to try a ram hunt in a couple weeks and a hog hunt in Texas in March!

 

[Ndbowhunter]

the game changer has a thick jacket. I wouldn't expect significant expansion below 2000fps. Call Sierra they will confirm.

Be hard to look past the 123 eld-m and it's same bc, shorter bearing surface and same bc.

 

[Newtosavage]

the game changer has a thick jacket. I wouldn't expect significant expansion below 2000fps. Call Sierra they will confirm.

Be hard to look past the 123 eld-m and it's same bc, shorter bearing surface and same bc.

I saw that, but wasn't sure about the Match bullet on game. I have always had good luck with Sierras, so I wanted to give the Gamechangers a try. That bullet should have impacted that buck at approximately 2250 fps. so I wasn't too worried about expansion at that distance. Maybe at 250 yards it could become a concern but knowing I'm going to be shooting deer and pigs inside of 200 90% of the time, I actually wanted a little harder bullet, especially for the pigs.

 

[Ndbowhunter]

If it was me I'd sling the tmk.. the 77gr 223 variety is bad Medicine for mule deer even up close through bone.

Sounds like you are dialed and distances will be reasonable.

Really wish the howa was stainless, and had different magazine. Either the stoner variety or aics with more room in the mag box.

Either way tho, a bolt Grendel probably fits the 20-80 rule pretty nicely.

Cheap blasting ammo, inexpensive match ammo and more then capable to kill all game inside of 350 yards.

 

[Newtosavage]

TMK is an option too. Reason I went with the 6.5 Grendel is all the bullet choices. Like my 7mm-08, you aren't lacking for choices for any application.

 

[CGW_6_actual]

I was an early adopter of Grendel and now have an 11", a 12.5", 16", 18", 20" and a 24". All ARs and built by me including milling uppers from a raw billet on a few. All have taken muleys, most have pronghorn, and all have smoked countless yotes and other predators.
I'm loading 123 and 129 SSTs and 129 ABLRs (expansion down to 1300fps!) in mine over 8208 and cfe223 and my worst shooter is the 12.5" doing .75" on the SSTs. The 11" has shot paper and steel a tick over 1k yds, a yote at 719yds, and a doe muley at 410yds. The took a 129gr ABLR double lung and heart, she made it ~20 yds before going down

 

[zeroforhire]

I was an early adopter of Grendel and now have an 11", a 12.5", 16", 18", 20" and a 24". All ARs and built by me including milling uppers from a raw billet on a few. All have taken muleys, most have pronghorn, and all have smoked countless yotes and other predators.
I'm loading 123 and 129 SSTs and 129 ABLRs (expansion down to 1300fps!) in mine over 8208 and cfe223 and my worst shooter is the 12.5" doing .75" on the SSTs. The 11" has shot paper and steel a tick over 1k yds, a yote at 719yds, and a doe muley at 410yds. The took a 129gr ABLR double lung and heart, she made it ~20 yds before going down

What are the specs on the 11 inch?

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[CGW_6_actual]

Build on the 11" is pretty much a multi-role setup that gets used for HD, truck gun, ranch gun, and hunting.
Upper half
BCM upper receiver, RTB lightweight bolt carrier, POF roller cam pin and key, Maxim bolt, Lilja stainless barrel, Superlative bleed off adjustable gas block, Griffin minimalist brake/suppressor mount, ALG handguard, and Vortex 1-6 optic plus Fastfire 3 on the 45* zeroed at 50 for moving/close yotes

Lower half
London Bridge Trading billet lower, TacticalLink pdw grip, KNS anti rotation pins, Hiperfire 24-3g trigger, PWS ratcheting endplate and nut, Kak tube and Blade, Sprinco reduced power spring and standard carbine buffer.

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May as well throw the rest up too in case anyone wants pics or specs!
24"

One of my billet uppers, Satern cut rifled barrel, Maxim bolt, Superlative bleed off adjustable gas block, Griffin minimalist brake/mount, RTB lightweight bolt carrier, Troy carbon fiber handguard, Burris PEPR mount, and Zeiss 4.5-14 Conquest, AGP Arms billet lower, ALG trigger, Ergo F93 stock, Sprinco reduced power spring and standard carbine buffer

20" (black) and 18" (lefty FDE)

20" has a BCM upper, 18 has Stag lefty, both have PF barrels, Griffin minimalists, Simmons scopes, Superlative gas blocks, 20 has a Centurion carrier with Maxim bolt while 18 has a Stag lefty carrier with Maxim lefty bolt, 20 has a Noveske handguard and can't remember what's on the 18, lowers are identical with ALG triggers, standard m4 stocks, buffers, and springs on 80% lowers I did for my daughters. They're 12 and 16, the 12yo is the lefty.

The 16" is my PRS match gun that has also done a few hunts and tons of varmint hunts

My billet upper with JT hbar barrel, RTB lightweight carrier and Maxim bolt, Hera arms handguard, Griffin brake, Black Rain Ordinance billet lower, tuned RRA varmint 2 stage trigger, Tangodown grip, Luth stock, Sprinco reduced power spring and standard A2 buffer, Aero ultralight mount, and Vortex 6.5-20 optic.
Not the lightest thing in the world, but I've humped it all over Colorado after elk and the weight has never bothered me, and it's definitely one of my favorites. Never fired for groups past 100yd cloverleaf's with this one, but lots of steel prairie dogs and beer cans at 700+ easily.

All suppressors are stainless/ti form 1 cans by me as well

 

[CGW_6_actual]

To anyone on the fence about Grendel for LR or deer/elk, here is a sample drop chart from Strelok. My 16" firing bulk 123gr American Gunner from Sportsman's Warehouse. These were chrono'd on a 59* day at 6200asl. Wind drift is shown for 10mph full 90* value.


Now, for the other end of the spectrum, these are from a few hours ago at the range with the 11", shooting my 129ablr load and my 130rdf load.
First up is 129gr Nosler ABLR at 2290fps at the muzzle via Magnetospeed Chrono:



Next up is the 130gr Nosler RDF (reduced drag factor) at only 2240fps



So kinda obvious why I fell hard into the Grendels, and why my little 11" gets shot so much. The 224 Valk might have some legs on it as well, but here in Colorado it's .24 minimum for deer and elk. There are plenty of calibers that can beat it, but how many can do it so cheaply, with stellar barrel life, with easy to find ammo/components, with little to no recoil, with light weight, and still fit into a small frame like an ar15?

 

[zeroforhire]

To anyone on the fence about Grendel for LR or deer/elk, here is a sample drop chart from Strelok. My 16" firing bulk 123gr American Gunner from Sportsman's Warehouse. These were chrono'd on a 59* day at 6200asl. Wind drift is shown for 10mph full 90* value.
View attachment 83679

Would the 11 in be too short to reliably hunt mule deer?

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[CGW_6_actual]

Not at all. I took a rather large doe over 400yds with my 11" a few weeks ago and would have zero issues pushing it out further. It's coming out for speedgoat again after Christmas, as well as being the primary for my January plains elk hunt