Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles 7.62x39 vs 6.5 Grendel vs 6mm ARC

Which one would you/do you prefer?

Use would be deer inside 200 yards 95% of the time, a moose a bit closer than that IF the chance ever arose when that was what you had.

What bullet would you choose?

Just a hypothetical or are you looking to buy? If so I’d get whichever you can get good ammo for reliably.

I have taken moose and caribou with the Russian round because it’s what I had at the time. Both under 100 yards. Worked OK. Cheap ammo alway available, not necessarily great hunting ammo.

My choice is the Grendel. Have taken caribou, deer, mountain goat up to 200yrds. Ammo was available and I now have plenty of hunting ammo stocked up. Cheap ammo still available.

No experience with the ARC but on paper looks like the best for long range paper and steel. Trading diameter for downrange velocity…..

All 3 are pretty light for moose. Better get close shoot tight to be ethical about it. None of them have much poop after 200 yards. I feel 6.5 is the happy middle ground gets the most out of the powder volume for hunting to 200-250.

I have all three in an AR platform and a 6.5 Grendel in a Howa mini. All 3 would work for deer, but for moose I’d say the Grendel or 7.62x39. Of the three, I prefer the 6.5 with the 6 ARC a close second and my 7.62x39 is just a cheap plinker.

For bullet, probably a TTSX or Hammer bullet of some sort in the Grendel or ARC. I wouldn’t shy away from the ELD-X for deer either.

Not a hypothetical. I'll be using one (or more) of the three for a general purpose, out and about most of the time rifle. And a Tikka T3x Superlite 24.4" barreled 6.5 CM for dedicated big game and longer ranges.

Interesting to know you have taken moose with 7.62x39! Some folks I know in person have up here as well, but like you said, at quite close ranges. If I go that way, its Barnes 123gr TSX or loading Hornady 110CX or 120 Tac-Tx bullets meant for the 300 BLK. I think that 120gr at 2300 fps or so would be good. If placed right. Or a 123 gr Gold Dot. Speers online load data is pretty hot.

Not my first choice for the big stuff....and I know the Grendel is more verastile and does generally all around better things with those bullet weights!

Interested in hearing as much as you want to tell about hunting with both though!


Thanks Hudge! Same to you, would definitely be interested in hearing anything you'd be willing to share.

I thought about all 3 of those. I know not on your list but another possible option.

Ended up going with the 6.8 SPC.

If the possibility of a moose were on the menu I would try for a load with the TTSX.

Just deer or pigs for me so I got some 110 grain Accubonds to load. For now it's factory 120 grain Hornady SST.

New home build going now so no real time to work up a load.

That sounds like a great way to go. Wonder how much the 6.5 Grendel's 115gr Tac-Tx lags behind?

If 6.8 SPC were more commonly found in bolt guns here, I'd probably go with that too

I use my Grendel for the purpose you intend. And as a dedicated mt goat gun. Light and handy. On my second one now. First was a light AR, now Ruger American Ranch. I often think a 16-18” Creedmore or 6.5x55 would be better but I’m well stocked on Grendel ammo and it seems to work OK. I think of it as a modern day 30-30 or Mannlicher carbine. I’m a little embarrassed to admit it but I guess people now accept match bullets for hunting - most of the animals I’ve killed have been with the 100gr Wolf FMJ ammo. It seems to tumble reliably, acts like a 270…. Much better than sp 55gr 223 in my experience. Much better. Have also used the 120 fusion (I believe it’s a Speer bullet) and 123 SST as well. Both work but are small, slow bullets. Ok for the opportunist or subsistence hunter. Not something to shoot big animals at tough angles. Our deer are 100-150 lbs so it works great for them.

The moose I killed with an SKS was during a winter cow hunt during the Obama ammo shortage. I couldn’t get ammo for my 6.5x55 or 375 so I took what I had. I expected to keep shots under 100yards and good conditions. -20 and snowstorm. Thick timber. Killed a cow at 20-30yrds with head shot. Doesn’t tell much. Could have done it with 22mag. Better than a bow or spear anyways. I had previously killed a couple of caribou on subsistence hunts with the sks. 100yards ish. Again, most anything would work for that. 223 very popular here for that but I see too much bad shooting and bad bullet performance with it. People just use it because it’s cheap and readily available.

I could have missed it.

Bolt action?

I hadn't mentioned but yeah, a bolt action

Doesn't say a whole lot except you can shoot lol but I know what you mean...the SKS put a good hurt on the caribou?

As for the wolf ammo, hey if it works it works!

Kind of surprised the 6.5 Grendel doesn't do a bit better with the 123gr SST though. They seem to be a pretty violent bullet, even if slow.

Was thinking about the 22" Ruger American or Howa with sporter barrel and walnut stock. Maybe cut an American Predator down to 20" and see what that does.

I know what you mean tho...kind of 8-10 grains away from a Creedmoor and more capability

Yes the Russian round worked just fine. No different from the 30-06 next to me. But caribou are not too tough to kill.

The 123 SST is relatively violent and works just fine on small deer. No experience on larger animals. My guess is that the bullet is both too fragile for penetration, but to small and slow to give meaningful ‘shock’ or ‘wallop’ or whatever on large animals ala the 220 Swift controversy. I’m sure it would work under the right circumstance, but I’m also sure it would not give me confidence on a bad shot on large game. My 375 with monometals does. As does the 6.5x55 with 120 or 130 monos. Have cleanly taken an average sized bison with that combo. One heart shot done.

If it sounds like I am down on the Grendel - I’m not. I love mine. It’s so easy to shoot. My wife has a 308 but prefers the Grendel. My kids will most likely cut their hunting teeth with it. It is a great bumming around light duty hunting round. It is not destructive on meat or hides like the 243. Ammo is not terrible to find and cheap to reload. In an AR it is the most versatile round for an outdoorsman in my opinion.

But in a bolt gun I do often think a creedmore with 16-20” bbl would be better. 100s at 3000 for varmints, 120s at 2700 for anything, 140s at 2400 for heavy game. Be a wicked combo. The Howa is a true micro action. I couldn’t get over the bottom plastic. The CZ is no longer made but I would love to try one. The Ruger is rugged and reliable but is the same action size as the 308 or creedmore….. I do like the 10 round magazine of the Ruger Grendel. Like a SMLE! Sure for a pure hunting gun you don’t need it. In fact I prefer a Ruger no. 1. But for bumming around, trapping, traveling - you don’t need to worry about bringing xtra ammo and if you do need to reload with gloves or mittens on it’s quick easy and rounds are contained. So all in all, yes I like my Grendel.

Any idea if these have a .308 or .310 bore?

https://www.ruger.com/products/americanRifleRanch/specSheets/16976.html

Its a .310 bore but a loose 308 bore and a tight 310 bore have a bit of overlap lol. They definitely shoot .308" bullets accurately.

Taj, thanks again for the info! All of the above makes a lot of sense, besides just being a good read.


Speaking of monos, thats part of why the 6mm ARC attracted me. With a 22" barrel you can probably get some really good speed on something like a 95gr LRX or 90gr CX....and not suffer the barrel life constraints of 6mm Creedmoor. Course you lose capability too, but inside 200 yards, reckon it moves those bullets enough to get some good expansion. So would a 20"...the bolt gun data is hot compared to gas gun in the Hornady manual. It beats a 223 anyway.

For sure. In his book ‘Hunting the Hunters’, Rick Kinmon details why he settled on the small 6 (can’t remember which one, XC, PPC, etc….). But his target maxes out at small deer-sized wolves. For fast longer shots in windy country at small fragile and expensive targets (fur animals) no doubt it is The Way. My only experience with the 6mm is 243 on deer. Effective but very destructive.

Several very experienced hunters, including Finn Aagaard have written of their experience-based doubts about 6mm effectiveness on large game. Yet the 6.5 caliber in slow military cartridges has over a century of praise for use on large game. Bell, Sheldon, Stefansson, Aagaard, others….. Different times of course, but sometimes the overwhelming experience of others can be a good place to start. I know that the majority of my rounds will impact dirt, paper, steel or tundra; but there are times the rifle in hand gets put to use on game of size beyond that originally envisioned.

Be curious what you end up with

I'll let you know!

One of the other things I'm wondering...Big Stick showed pictures of how with the floorplate/internal mag setup he has for his Howas, he can seat a bullet out longer than with the factory plastic detachable mags.

That would allow for loading the 7.62x39 with some of the best in class bullets for the 300 BLK like the 110gr Barnes Tac-Tx and Hornady CX, or the Barnes 120gr Tac-Tx...just faster. And being able to use the mag and not load it as a single shot.

The Grendel is a better general purpose cartridge due to it's flatter trajectory. 7.62x39 just can't hang out past 150 yards when it becomes like a rainbow. But it is the superior moose cartridge because of heavier 154gr loads.

Might be onto something. 30-30 muzzle ballistics with pointy bullets…. Be good 200 yard gun probably. Fun to plink with. Wouldn’t hold up to the smaller ones at the 500 range but who cares

I've shot or got every chambering cited and a bunch that haven't been. As OEM SALAMI parcels go and of the ilk,thr 6 ARC is simply fhuqking KING. Nothing else is even fhuqking close. Hint.




Bullets matter wayyyyyyyyyy more than anything/everything else. A 19" ARC will scoot a .620 BC 112 at 2700fps. JO V2 BDL bottom metal,to THE Rescue. Hint.







The 7.62x39 is an ABSOLUTE Goat Fhuqk. The Grendel isn't horrid,but the ARC crushes all of it,along with the 6x45. Hint.

Bullets,bullets,bullets ladies and in that order. HINT.....................

I do not have the potential Of moose size critters where I hunt. So 6mm ARC Bolt action with 22" barrel & 90 grain CX over CFE 223 is where it is at for me.

If I knew Moose were a potential as well, then a 22" bolt action 6.5 Grendel with a Hammer offering would likely be my go to option.