6.5 Grendel Hunting Rifle?
03-21-2019, 10:47 AM
#2
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 5,605
Define building one? Such as a AR platform or a bolt action? There are a few Howa Mini actions still floating around in 6.5Gren but if i was going with a typical SA i wouldnt be looking at the Grendel. You would be better off with a 260Rem or 6.5 Creed if you want to use readily available short actions.
Something like this would get you started in a mini action without breaking the bank.
https://www.brownells.com/rifle-part...rod113624.aspx
Something like this would get you started in a mini action without breaking the bank.
https://www.brownells.com/rifle-part...rod113624.aspx
Last edited by Gm54-120; 03-21-2019 at 10:52 AM.
03-21-2019, 09:20 PM
#3
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Kansas
Posts: 3,915
I had the Howa for a short time - the mag drove me crazy. I bought it for a much higher paced application than it was designed, and it would likely be fine for hunting. The Ruger American is a standard short action, but they do feed fantastically. The CZ 527 Varmint Tactical is the one I want next - mags are better than the Howa, slightly, although expensive, and of course, CZ quality is CZ quality. I keep telling myself to pick up one of the Howa barreled actions from brownell's and cut it down to a 12-14" barrel, add a single shot receiver plug, and stick it in a specialty pistol stock - I think it'd be a dandy little rig.
For an AR, there's not much I can say I think really gets the most out of the AR-15 platform better than the 6.5 Grendel and 6.8 SPC, and in 2019, the former is the logical option of these two. I'm actually putting together a 6mm Grendel variant AR-15 right now, a 24" 243 LBC. The 6.5 Grendel is great, but the 6mm version reaches flatter and faster for precision rifle games. The 6.5 Grendel is a very slick little round. Reaching out to 1,000yrds with an AR-15, especially with inexpensive factory ammo is a pleasure. Almost no recoil, long range capable, high efficacy on deer and hog sized game as far as you need to shoot one, inexpensive to feed, easy to reload for, good factory ammo supply chain, good reloading component supply chain... Not a thing to complain about. I've said many times in the last decade, the 243win has proven itself to me to be the most efficient deer cartridge which doesn't require any concessions - but I'm getting closer and closer to saying the same about the 6.5 Grendel.
Here's the last 6.5 Grendel built in my shop. I might be putting another one together like it again, this one was a customer rifle built during a "learn to build your own AR" course I do. A young engineer who had worked for me for 5yrs wanted to get into long range shooting, but wasn't quite ready to commit to a precision bolt rifle, and wanted an AR-15 to do a little rattletrap here and there. 20" Black Hole Weaponry barrel, Ruger AR-556 lower, Aero upper, Geissele G2S-E trigger, Vortex Viper HSLR 6-24x FFP, Luth-AR MBA stock, Kaw Valley Precision linear compensator, Midwest G3 18" rail, JP adjustable gas block.
I asked the new owner if I could get a little blood on it before he took possession. For a tiny little cartridge, still no argument from a big Kansas whitetail.
Sure can't complain about this kind of carnage to put venison in the freezer. Especially out of a "match bullet" pushed by such a small case burning such little powder.
Bullet stopped under the far side hide, can't recall exactly, but 80-some-odd grains left there after doing the dirty deed, dirt cheap.
Can't complain about that ejection pattern! Sure makes shagging brass a pretty simple affair. Little tuning on the extractor for proper fit and gas tuning of the gas block.
875 yards with Factory Hornady Black 123 ELD Grendel at RIGHT beside 6 Creed 105 Hybrids on the left - Notice the major comparison here is the velocity Extreme Spread difference made a significant impact. The 6 Creed has 3 sighters then dialed up, with a 24ES, while the Factory ELD's in the Grendel had an ES of 78, and they're strung up and down the target - the group's only ~8" wide, but strung vertically about 16". Also very obvious by the amount of paint cleared by the splash - the 6 creed is hitting much harder than the Grendel at this distance.
For an AR, there's not much I can say I think really gets the most out of the AR-15 platform better than the 6.5 Grendel and 6.8 SPC, and in 2019, the former is the logical option of these two. I'm actually putting together a 6mm Grendel variant AR-15 right now, a 24" 243 LBC. The 6.5 Grendel is great, but the 6mm version reaches flatter and faster for precision rifle games. The 6.5 Grendel is a very slick little round. Reaching out to 1,000yrds with an AR-15, especially with inexpensive factory ammo is a pleasure. Almost no recoil, long range capable, high efficacy on deer and hog sized game as far as you need to shoot one, inexpensive to feed, easy to reload for, good factory ammo supply chain, good reloading component supply chain... Not a thing to complain about. I've said many times in the last decade, the 243win has proven itself to me to be the most efficient deer cartridge which doesn't require any concessions - but I'm getting closer and closer to saying the same about the 6.5 Grendel.
Here's the last 6.5 Grendel built in my shop. I might be putting another one together like it again, this one was a customer rifle built during a "learn to build your own AR" course I do. A young engineer who had worked for me for 5yrs wanted to get into long range shooting, but wasn't quite ready to commit to a precision bolt rifle, and wanted an AR-15 to do a little rattletrap here and there. 20" Black Hole Weaponry barrel, Ruger AR-556 lower, Aero upper, Geissele G2S-E trigger, Vortex Viper HSLR 6-24x FFP, Luth-AR MBA stock, Kaw Valley Precision linear compensator, Midwest G3 18" rail, JP adjustable gas block.
I asked the new owner if I could get a little blood on it before he took possession. For a tiny little cartridge, still no argument from a big Kansas whitetail.
Sure can't complain about this kind of carnage to put venison in the freezer. Especially out of a "match bullet" pushed by such a small case burning such little powder.
Bullet stopped under the far side hide, can't recall exactly, but 80-some-odd grains left there after doing the dirty deed, dirt cheap.
Can't complain about that ejection pattern! Sure makes shagging brass a pretty simple affair. Little tuning on the extractor for proper fit and gas tuning of the gas block.
875 yards with Factory Hornady Black 123 ELD Grendel at RIGHT beside 6 Creed 105 Hybrids on the left - Notice the major comparison here is the velocity Extreme Spread difference made a significant impact. The 6 Creed has 3 sighters then dialed up, with a 24ES, while the Factory ELD's in the Grendel had an ES of 78, and they're strung up and down the target - the group's only ~8" wide, but strung vertically about 16". Also very obvious by the amount of paint cleared by the splash - the 6 creed is hitting much harder than the Grendel at this distance.
03-22-2019, 06:54 AM
#4
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 5,605
The CZ527 is supposed to be a great little shooter. I think they even had a flush mag American version out. It was called the M1.
In a AR i think its a really cool caliber. Its been my opinion for years the military should have upgraded AR based rifles to a 6 or 6.5mm.
In typical short actions and even Encore platforms i just dont get too excited about it. Truth be told im not a Creed fan boy but the fact is, its widely available, fairly cheap and plenty accurate. 260Rem has virtually identical ballistics but its expensive and can be hard to find. Reloading it is almost a must.
In a AR i think its a really cool caliber. Its been my opinion for years the military should have upgraded AR based rifles to a 6 or 6.5mm.
In typical short actions and even Encore platforms i just dont get too excited about it. Truth be told im not a Creed fan boy but the fact is, its widely available, fairly cheap and plenty accurate. 260Rem has virtually identical ballistics but its expensive and can be hard to find. Reloading it is almost a must.
Last edited by Gm54-120; 03-22-2019 at 07:15 AM.
03-22-2019, 10:56 AM
#5
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Kansas
Posts: 3,915
There’s a pretty significant gap between the Grendel case and the Creedmoor or 308win (260 & 243). It’s not so dissimilar to the difference between a 308win and a 300win mag. The 6.5 creed or a fast twist 260 will push a 140 at 2750fps, where the Grendel will only be 2450-2500 with a 123. 2200ish foot pounds kinetic vs. 1400ish. The Grendel is a dainty eater, only running ~25-30grn per round, to the Creedmoor’s ~40-45grn consumption.
A lot of guys say the same thing - if you’re going to spend the money on a full size bolt gun, get a more capable round... or if you’re going to carry the weight of a full size bolt gun, get a more capable round.... but in reality, it’s really a pleasure to have small rounds in bolt action rifles sometimes. A 223rem bolt gun is an absolute delight for pleasure plinking and practice, but the in-field capabilities of a 50-77grn bullet just aren’t very broad. The extra bullet weight of the Grendel really improves performance on coyote, deer, and hog sized game - some would even argue elk sized game (I saw a Long Range Hunting magazine article where a guy took a beautiful elk at 700+). The costs are still low, the recoil still low, but the capabilities are improved - but you’re not toting a full load short action cartridge. Not as much blast or recoil, and not as much cost. All of the things which make a 223rem bolt gun a pleasure to shoot - plus more oomph on the business end.
It doesn’t replace a 7-08 or 6.5 creed bolt gun, and it might not be the best choice as your one and only rifle, but it’s pretty hard to knock the 6.5 Grendel in a bolt gun once you have played with one.
A lot of guys say the same thing - if you’re going to spend the money on a full size bolt gun, get a more capable round... or if you’re going to carry the weight of a full size bolt gun, get a more capable round.... but in reality, it’s really a pleasure to have small rounds in bolt action rifles sometimes. A 223rem bolt gun is an absolute delight for pleasure plinking and practice, but the in-field capabilities of a 50-77grn bullet just aren’t very broad. The extra bullet weight of the Grendel really improves performance on coyote, deer, and hog sized game - some would even argue elk sized game (I saw a Long Range Hunting magazine article where a guy took a beautiful elk at 700+). The costs are still low, the recoil still low, but the capabilities are improved - but you’re not toting a full load short action cartridge. Not as much blast or recoil, and not as much cost. All of the things which make a 223rem bolt gun a pleasure to shoot - plus more oomph on the business end.
It doesn’t replace a 7-08 or 6.5 creed bolt gun, and it might not be the best choice as your one and only rifle, but it’s pretty hard to knock the 6.5 Grendel in a bolt gun once you have played with one.
