I don’t have any experience with the 6.5 grendel really, or the 6arc
But I do with a 6br and a 243
And the 108gr eld-m from a 6br is really really good. That’s a 2800 fps start. It didn’t suck at 2900 from the 243
Knocking off 150fps isn’t greatly going to reduce the outcome in the 6arc
Juxtapose that with a say a 6.5 grendel slinging 123’s at 2550
Ur sending a marginally larger bullet, with lower bc’s, slower.. they again aren’t going to have vastly different outcomes on game. Don’t know for sure because I’ve never 123’d anything.
Bu108’s at 1900ish impacts blow softball size exits on elk broadside. Should do okay on hogs.
Another thing worth considering is the light weight vmax bullets for a 6arc are cheaper and probably better for varminting then what’s available for a 6.5grendel.
All of that said, has a 223 failed in a way that requires a 6arc or 6.5grendel?
77gr tmk from an 18” barrel dumps prairie dogs, yotes, mule deer, antelope and whitetail just fine. If i needed a tougher bullet, there’s a pile of known bonded bullets that should work for those max 150 yard shots ur asking about.
If it’s a just because kind of build, I’d build around a 108gr eld-m aka 6arc.
