Home Forums Hunting & Shooting AR and Tactical Rifles First season with the 6.5 Grendel

Last year I had some not great results with the oldest kid shooting deer with the 5.56 so during the off-season I scrounged the parts for a 6.5 Grendel pistol upper. It is a 12.5” Ballistic Advantage Hanson barrel. All I’ve shot through it is 123 eldm Hornady Black.

First kill was a coyote pup in September at ~385 yards.


Second was my daughter’s buck at ~150 hard quartering to her. He ran ~50 yards and piled up.


Third was my extra doe at ~80 yards. Head shot. No real test or surprises.


Fourth was my son’s first deer. A doe at ~100 yards. It was a great first kill with a “high shoulder shot” which shocked the spine but didn’t ruin the back straps but destroyed the lungs. She went straight down and it was quickly over.


Overall I am very pleased with this little round for relatively close deer hunting. In the AR platform and suppressed there is very little recoil and has been great for the kids.

I have my fingers crossed that the 224 and 243 Grendel wildcats will become standard but for now the 6.5 will do fine.