Thread: 6.5 grendel for hunting

I am hoping it won't be to much of an issue. I don't need to rely on hunt& fish as we have a local gun shop Kelly Country ( blatant promo there guys.. discount next time?) who carry a pretty good stock above and beyond the usual as guns are their reason for being. I will have a chat with them about it though.

Had the 6.5 Grendel / Hornady Black ELD-M combo out for another 5 day hunt.
Dropped a 2nd Year Red Spiker on the spot from an 161m.
Had an elivated perch, shot entered top of neck, passed through lungs and out the lower shoulder. Couldn't be happier!

Anyone had issues with terminal performance with 123gr SSTs as per factory ammo?

Opinions on "best" projectile for deer in the Grendel?

Originally Posted by Wildman

Anyone had issues with terminal performance with 123gr SSTs as per factory ammo?

Opinions on "best" projectile for deer in the Grendel?

Nosler 125gn Partition as long as you are shooting 300m or less, nothing beat them in my 6.5TCU. Other than that 123 SSTs or 130ELDm

Originally Posted by Wildman

Anyone had issues with terminal performance with 123gr SSTs as per factory ammo?

Opinions on "best" projectile for deer in the Grendel?

120eldm 2400fps vs stag at 200m

Originally Posted by Siteline

120eldm 2400fps vs stag at 200mAttachment 192289

Shoot it again its still holding its head up!

the 123grn sst in the 7.62x39mm were the ducks nuts if your rifle liked them.....
its like anything projectile related,they all work if you put them in appropriate place...note I said appropriate not right...... wit ha varmit projectile thats either the crease with right angle or earhole....earhole being head or upper neck shots included... you relying on shallow severe wound to incapacitate aniaml who will die before recovering....Vs hard projectiles smack em in boiler room and take out front wheels at same time.... swap roles and your placement has to be 1000% spot on or animal can run off wounded.

and in these trying times of component shortage the answer to your question could well be "whatever the heck you can actually still buy"... many deer have died shot with 6.5mm FMJ..... ITS NOT PERFECT BY ANY MEANS but with correct shot placement...break shoulder bones to disrupt motion and hopefully create more internal trauma..... it worked. think of the SMLE and all the thousands of deer killed with them. same deal different decade.

I have a Howa Mini in Grendel, bought it new a few years back and had it cut down to pretty much minimum oal which only left about 10" of barrel. I struggled to get good groups from factory ammo but thanks to some friends have sorted a load out that works very well in it with Amax projectiles, nailed 3 goats with it last week and was very happy with the terminal performance. It lives in a modified plastic Howa stock but it's going to be upgraded sometime, the idea for me was a sub 300y rifle and I think it does the job well.

Originally Posted by Mintie

I have a Howa Mini in Grendel, bought it new a few years back and had it cut down to pretty much minimum oal which only left about 10" of barrel. I struggled to get good groups from factory ammo but thanks to some friends have sorted a load out that works very well in it with Amax projectiles, nailed 3 goats with it last week and was very happy with the terminal performance. It lives in a modified plastic Howa stock but it's going to be upgraded sometime, the idea for me was a sub 300y rifle and I think it does the job well.

Attachment 194568

Shit thats short.
What velocities are you getting?

Originally Posted by veitnamcam

Shit thats short.
What velocities are you getting?

Cant remember off the top of my head, need to check these new loads anyway so will report back. Think it was around 2250 fps with the factory loads

Originally Posted by Mintie

I have a Howa Mini in Grendel, bought it new a few years back and had it cut down to pretty much minimum oal which only left about 10" of barrel. I struggled to get good groups from factory ammo but thanks to some friends have sorted a load out that works very well in it with Amax projectiles, nailed 3 goats with it last week and was very happy with the terminal performance. It lives in a modified plastic Howa stock but it's going to be upgraded sometime, the idea for me was a sub 300y rifle and I think it does the job well.

Attachment 194568

So you find it still does the job ok with the short barrel @Mintie ?
That is an option I have been considering as the velocities do not appear to drop off drastically as some rounds do and still appears to carry a fair amount of energy out to the 250-300 mtr mark , enough for reds even with proper shot placement .
No regrets cutting it that short ?
It will probably come down to which stock I go with as to where it gets the chop . I got an excl lite stock with it which I would consider cutting back and removing the bendy fore-arm if going short-short barrel , maybe 12" I was thinking , or take it off at 16 if I can find some funds for a carbon stock . The 308 bushy I would use knowing I am targeting reds , But for general bush duties (and for the kids to use who don't like to shoot longer ranges) at what for me are generally close range (sub 100 ), usually goats or fallow or the odd pig (or piglet lately .. lol ) I like the idea of a super short lightweight rig , but a little worried I would lose to much power and I would regret cutting it short when that red deer steps out at 250 . But the AR guys in the states seem to think the short barrel is the ducks nuts and does not drastically limit performance at realistic ranges .... 250/300 mtrs .
What's your take on it after running yours in the super short set-up ??
Or anyone else who has given theirs a short barrel .....

https://hosting.photobucket.com/albu...s3qydsyhd.jpeg

barrel length vs velocity for anyone interested .... don't know if it will work though .

shot reds and sika from close in to 100m with the Hornady black 123 eldm,
Works great. It’s a Howa mini that loves to be feed the eldm but it has a rather strong dislike of the 123 sst factory ammo. Another guy at the range has had similar results with his Howa. If you want your factory mag machined down to be flush, holds three in the mag, let me know. Makes the balance to carry much nicer.

Well after selling off a few other toys I finally bit the bullet as it were and bought the howa in the grendel over the weekend.
Not a fan of the factory stock ..... but being a fan of carbon stocks I have a pretty good idea of what is going to happen - find more unused toys to sell to fund an upgrade !!
so if anyone wants a green factory stock let me know ....
And then lop the barrel down so suppressor just clears the stock - I guess 16in ish .
Then I think I will have a pretty good set-up for myself or the kids for those places where a 308 is overkill , like close range goats etc and still leave the option for longer shots should they be required ..

good article in latest NZHunter....