Thread: HOWA Mini build recommendations 6.5 Grendel or 6mm ARC | 16" or 18" barrel

Yeah, the Excel is rubbish.

Just a word of caution. I've seen short barreled 6.5 Grendel in action plenty on reds at ranges past 300m, 350m, further. Enough to make me very cautious. My opinion - just opinion mind, someone will argue against it - is that the Grendel lacks at those ranges if it's low on MV to start.

So my advice is don't shorten the barrel to the current trend of super-short to go into the Elude if you want to shoot bigger animals at the upper end of 350-400m. Keep the barrel at enough of a length to maximise MV, within reason. I get that you don't want a 20" barrel, but going too short and you'll end up with downrange speeds that are very marginal.

The 6mm ARC is the one I'd go for. 18" ideally. The 90gr ELD-X will do 2800 in a 18" without too much stress. 103gr ELD-X, 95gr TMK, 108gr ELD-M, they'll all work. Everything I've seen with slow Grendels on longer shots makes me want lighter / faster every time, and the 6mm projectiles in the ARC are perfect for the barrel length.

Why not go lighter in the grendel

I'm shooting 90gr Speer TNT @2700fps from my 20" Grendel without any stress. Also same projectile from 15.75" barrel at 2650. Could drive both quicker buit not seen the need. ymmv.

thanks all for the feedback. I ran the ballistics and the ARC defffeintly looks like the winer to 350 which is my limit.

Just need to find someone with one instock now

Only ARC's in NZ is the 20" carbon barreled action. Only way is to find a cheap 6.5 grendel or 7.62x39 and rebarrel it.

I'm running 85gn sierras and 90 TNT's in my grendel 85s are doing 2963fps

Originally Posted by blip

I'm running 85gn sierras and 90 TNT's in my grendel 85s are doing 2963fps

Should be able to get well into the 3rss with the 85s, I got 3100 with RL7. Deadly out past 300

The new 100gr ELDVT might give the grendel a boost, very good ballistics for the weight. Higher retained speed. Agree 6mm ARC looks better though.

@riflegus what profile barrel did you start out with?