Always liked this caliber since its announcement. With all the recent press going to the Creedmore and the .224 and the .300 Blackout, lately it seems that the Grendel has been forgotten. I'm looking at getting a Stoner upper for my AR. Mostly for shooting and the occasional hog hunt. So, is it worth it? Not a question of need but of want. Thanks in advance.
6.5 Grendel, is it viable?
- Thread starter gmarr
- Start date
Yes, 6.5Grendel is viable. 6.5G is touted as a fine long-range cartridge from the AR15 platform, but I think it also makes a terrific lightweight, low-recoil hunting rifle.
Easier to shoot and carry than the typical starter hunting rifle in .243Win. Much more effective on medium game than 5.56mm.
Built a sub-6lb (before ammo & optics) AR15 in 6.5Grendel for my small-statured daughter, who is weight and recoil sensitive. She carried it all day with the patrol sling and when it came time, she, the rifle, and hte cartridge performed.
Plenty of match and hunting ammo available nowadays. And cheap Wolf ammo for plinking, too.
My daughter's 13th birthday and the fat axis doe she shot with the canonical "behind the shoulder" shot.
Love that photo.
Double Naught Spy
https://thefiringline.com/forums/member.php?u=8166
DNS shoots hogs by the truckload with 6.5Grendel. You can see his videos on youtube. He uses 6.5Grendel and has more practical experience with 6.5G vs hogs than anyone i know of.
Mosey on over to 65grendel.com to get more information.
Easier to shoot and carry than the typical starter hunting rifle in .243Win. Much more effective on medium game than 5.56mm.
Built a sub-6lb (before ammo & optics) AR15 in 6.5Grendel for my small-statured daughter, who is weight and recoil sensitive. She carried it all day with the patrol sling and when it came time, she, the rifle, and hte cartridge performed.
Plenty of match and hunting ammo available nowadays. And cheap Wolf ammo for plinking, too.
My daughter's 13th birthday and the fat axis doe she shot with the canonical "behind the shoulder" shot.
Love that photo.
Double Naught Spy
https://thefiringline.com/forums/member.php?u=8166
DNS shoots hogs by the truckload with 6.5Grendel. You can see his videos on youtube. He uses 6.5Grendel and has more practical experience with 6.5G vs hogs than anyone i know of.
Mosey on over to 65grendel.com to get more information.
AgedWarrior
New member
I see 6.5 Grendel much like jfruser; it is good performer with light recoil. I like it my AR, but it is a great cartridge in the CZ 527 too. It does seem that the Grendel has faded to the background to some degree, but it is a good hunting performer with 120 - 123 grain range and very good varmint cartridge as well with smaller bullets like Sierra 85 hp. The Grendel has become one of favorite cartridges because it is fun to shoot too.
I've been shooting hogs with the Grendel for some time now, and it does a very nice job of it. I also have a Creedmore as well, but the Grendel does just fine with less noise, blast, and recoil. I agree that DNS sure does a fine job with the caliber. Lots of other good calibers out there like the 6.8 that would work just fine...but it's the Grendel for me.
Double Naught Spy
New member
What Old Stony said.
Grendel is a fine caliber for your basic deer, hog, coyote, aoudad, bobcat hunting needs. It also works great on rats and mice at distance.
Grendel is a fine caliber for your basic deer, hog, coyote, aoudad, bobcat hunting needs. It also works great on rats and mice at distance.
- GRENDEL is designed to max out the ballistic performance achievable in a the standard light AR-15 platform
- CREEDMORE in the heav(ier) AR-10 frame.
For anything East of the Mississippi, GRENDEL is the do-all quarter horse akin to a toting a lightweight`92 Winchester -- only a whole lot meaner
- CREEDMORE in the heav(ier) AR-10 frame.
For anything East of the Mississippi, GRENDEL is the do-all quarter horse akin to a toting a lightweight`92 Winchester -- only a whole lot meaner
stagpanther
New member
The best part about the Grendel is the arguments you can get into with the 6.8 guys.
Mehavey put it rather well above.
I do a fair amount of hog hunting, and the 6.5 Grendel is the only thing that has ever tempted me into AR15 land. Coyote, antelope , deer and hogs at any distance you ought to be hunting. It's my understanding that if you plan to reach out, 20" is the shortest you want to go, but I was just up scouting antelope in WY and a friend's son has a barebones, lightweight 18" barrel AR in 6.5 Grendel and his groups at 300 yards were quite impressive.
I do a fair amount of hog hunting, and the 6.5 Grendel is the only thing that has ever tempted me into AR15 land. Coyote, antelope , deer and hogs at any distance you ought to be hunting. It's my understanding that if you plan to reach out, 20" is the shortest you want to go, but I was just up scouting antelope in WY and a friend's son has a barebones, lightweight 18" barrel AR in 6.5 Grendel and his groups at 300 yards were quite impressive.
I dont know anything about hogs, but; it should make a dandy little white tail rifle. (as posted) Should be just fine. (also posted) I would not worry about it going away any time soon. Anything 6.5 is hot right now. I am actually surprised to see the question worded this way.
I though the 762x39 would also make a dandy white tail rifle, yet I dont see near as much choice of ammo or hear much talk about that? Now, to my thinking the 6.5G is better and ammo is right. Gun selection is right with bolts and semis.
At the other end of the spectrum, for a little less range and maybe hitting a little harder I also like the idea of the 350 legend. It should stop pigs in thier track. Assuming short range and fast shots, this might be worth some though. You may give up a lot in longer range paper punching or steel plates. I generally determine a purpose and get the best option and dont get into this maybe I will use it for something else. Not that all my plans go as expected - better or worse.
Will a stoner give you the accuracy to take advantage of the 6.5G? I dont know, this is not a statement, just wondering if that is the right way to go for club shooting.
I though the 762x39 would also make a dandy white tail rifle, yet I dont see near as much choice of ammo or hear much talk about that? Now, to my thinking the 6.5G is better and ammo is right. Gun selection is right with bolts and semis.
At the other end of the spectrum, for a little less range and maybe hitting a little harder I also like the idea of the 350 legend. It should stop pigs in thier track. Assuming short range and fast shots, this might be worth some though. You may give up a lot in longer range paper punching or steel plates. I generally determine a purpose and get the best option and dont get into this maybe I will use it for something else. Not that all my plans go as expected - better or worse.
Will a stoner give you the accuracy to take advantage of the 6.5G? I dont know, this is not a statement, just wondering if that is the right way to go for club shooting.
The best part about the Grendel is the arguments you can get into with the 6.8 guys.
It's been a bit boring around here lately without those cartridge wars. The .223/5.56, 6.8 and Grendel are my three favorite best AR15 cartridges. I still favor the 6.8 over the 6.5 Grendel for availability of off the shelf ammo. Plus, it's like an old pair of pants that always fits just right.
It's been a bit boring around here lately without those cartridge wars. The .223/5.56, 6.8 and Grendel are my three favorite best AR15 cartridges. I still favor the 6.8 over the 6.5 Grendel for availability of off the shelf ammo. Plus, it's like an old pair of pants that always fits just right.
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I see no problems with the 6.5 G. Both it and the 6.8 are at their best if you reload because you are not bound to the fate of being a victim of the markets ebb and flow of popularity at any time, ones you get a load of good brass Star Line makes both and it's not all that expensive. Brass life is about 12 rounds in most autos, and can be higher if you go with a heavy buffer and recoil spring. In the CZ or Howa bolt actions the brass life can go over 20 loads.
I have antelope and deer hunters here right now, and one of them is using his 20" 6.5 G. for all his hunting. He got 2 deer and 2 antelope with it in the last 4 days,. all with 1 shot each. He is using the 123 Gr Hornady SST, but he is going to try the 125 Nosler Partition next year because of some bullets breaking up a bit more then he'd like with the SSTs.
I owned a 6.5 G. of my own making for a while, and killed deer and antelope both with it. I found the 125 Nosler to be the best of the hunting bullets that I used, so he is going to try them too.
All of the kills I saw with it, with me shooting and also with others shooting the Grendel have been anywhere form good to very good. Bullet selection is important so match you projectile to your game. The options is not near as limited to a hand loader as it is to those that shoot factory ammo.
I have antelope and deer hunters here right now, and one of them is using his 20" 6.5 G. for all his hunting. He got 2 deer and 2 antelope with it in the last 4 days,. all with 1 shot each. He is using the 123 Gr Hornady SST, but he is going to try the 125 Nosler Partition next year because of some bullets breaking up a bit more then he'd like with the SSTs.
I owned a 6.5 G. of my own making for a while, and killed deer and antelope both with it. I found the 125 Nosler to be the best of the hunting bullets that I used, so he is going to try them too.
All of the kills I saw with it, with me shooting and also with others shooting the Grendel have been anywhere form good to very good. Bullet selection is important so match you projectile to your game. The options is not near as limited to a hand loader as it is to those that shoot factory ammo.
Ammoseek has it as their tenth most popular rifle cartridge right now with prices a very reasonable $.25/rd, available just about everywhere. 6.8 is double the price and not nearly as available.
One of the reasons I avoided it was because factory ammo was so expensive in the past. I still remember when you could not find it for under a dollar a round.
One of the reasons I avoided it was because factory ammo was so expensive in the past. I still remember when you could not find it for under a dollar a round.
stagpanther
New member
One of my best friends who hunts fills his freezer every year with venison using exclusively Maker bullets in 6.5G.
Don Fischer
New member
That any cartridge with a proper bullet will kill cleanly with a well placed shot should come as no surprise to anyone. At the same time failure of any cartridge if not used properly should also come as no surprise!
bamaranger
New member
great pic
jfruser......what a great pic of your daughter, the deer and the rifle!!!!
I've kicked around the idea of a 6.5 Grendel as a lightweight, rough and tumble GP carbine myself for some time, but have never followed through.....like a lot of my ideas!!!
In the end, I reasoned that I had several middleweight class whitetail carbines, sighted and ready to go, that were filling the same role.....though perhaps not hard use capable as an AR, I just couldn't justify the build. My concept was:
-18" barrel as compromise between velocity and convenience
-lightweight barrel, pencil or hybrid, capped, flash hider not necessary
-flat top upper w/no forward assist
-3/4 length , lightweight free float tube type handguard, no slots or rails
-Ace fixed stock
-1" tube, 1-4x or 1.5-5x scope
Oh well.........
jfruser......what a great pic of your daughter, the deer and the rifle!!!!
I've kicked around the idea of a 6.5 Grendel as a lightweight, rough and tumble GP carbine myself for some time, but have never followed through.....like a lot of my ideas!!!
In the end, I reasoned that I had several middleweight class whitetail carbines, sighted and ready to go, that were filling the same role.....though perhaps not hard use capable as an AR, I just couldn't justify the build. My concept was:
-18" barrel as compromise between velocity and convenience
-lightweight barrel, pencil or hybrid, capped, flash hider not necessary
-flat top upper w/no forward assist
-3/4 length , lightweight free float tube type handguard, no slots or rails
-Ace fixed stock
-1" tube, 1-4x or 1.5-5x scope
Oh well.........