Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Deer hunting with the 6.5 Grendal..

in a bolt action.... Ruger American Predator...

Picked one up this summer....took some getting use to, especially at the reload bench, but we are both starting to figure each other out...

Been getting rewarded with tight groups... not much on powder... and gives surprisingly good velocity for the bullet weights....

2900 fps plus with 90 to 100 grain bullets...

2400 to 2600 with 120 to 123 grain bullets...

today hit 2400 fps with a 140 grain Speer SP...might have to try that with a 140 grain Ballistic Tip...
29 grains of W 748....

Accuracy powders in mine, seem to be 2015, AR Comp and W 748.....but the number of rounds down the barrel seem to be smoothing up the action, and accuracy...

another advantage seems to be, at 100 yds, getting pretty much or very close to the same points of impact...definitely minute of deer.....within half an inch at most variation in Point of Impact....

The rifle comes with an AR 10 round mag....I've asked about if they make other mags, that are for 223, that are modified to fit the Grendal round... was surprised and pleased to find out at the range today, that any AR mag with fit it... but the 223 AR Mags also have no problem taking the 6,5 Grendal round.. so guess I am going to be picking up a Mag Pul Magazine or two in the 5 round configuration... in a Polymer instead of the Steel....

3 shot groups you can cover with a nickel or dime.... 5 shot groups you can cover with a quarter to half dollar size.. worse groups maybe need a little bigger half dollar.. but fits right in there...

The end of the muzzle is threaded.... so might have to get on the list for a can for it, if Biden and CommunMamaDingDong ain't give the keys to the White House...

even at those velocities, the aerodynamic of the 6.5 cal bullets, it is still a pretty flat shooter.. at least according to the gongs at 300 and 400 yds are our local range...

Scope on top... 3 x 12 Bushnell AR scope....fits the rifle profile well, and a pretty usable scope for the job at hand...
Glass plenty good for my less than perfect eye sight...

now all I need is a candidate for the supper table, which are running all over the yard and neighborhood and the surrounding woods bordering the neighborhood...

My 9 year old son has killed 3 deer over the last three seasons with an AR upper in 6.5 Grendel. He is small for his age, so even compact bolt guns are too long on LOP for him. All three kills have been clean with factory Hornady 123 gr. SSTs. I built a “pistol” upper for him first, but wasn’t happy with the accuracy, even though the 12” barreled upper made a perfect fit for him. Then, for the next season, I built a 16” upper with a Faxon barrel. It was okay, but nothing to get real excited about. I sprang for one of Andy Holbein’s Grendel Hunter uppers and it is really nice. I am still not handloading for it, but I probably will try to work up something before next year.

Yours sound like a good setup. I wish you the best on filling the freezer with it.

I’m shooting the 120 Sierra and 120 NBT in my heavy barreled Howa mini with H4895, 2520fps and great accuracy.

I miss my Grendel. Experimenter in me believes it to be the perfect youth whitetail cartridge. Visions of the 100 grain Partition cause me to think zero recoil and complete penetration.

I decided on slim and trim for my Grendel; stole a Howa Mini from Whittakers and ponied up for a hinged floorplate to get rid of the box hanging out the bottom. Boomie is whittling one of the stocks down, but I might spring for one of Wayne York’s 18oz stocks when the dust settles from my other recent purchases.

This one likes the Speer 120gr gold dots so well I may never get around to trying the 129gr ABLRs. Zeroed at 100, it’s about 5” low at 200, or right on the dot just below the center with the scope set on 9x.

Great little round, and rifle.

I thinned my stock down considerably on my mini and put a 1/2” recoil pad on it. It completely changed the feel of the rifle.

I’m running the Youth stock on mine with a 1/2” Limbsaver slip-on. It’s perfect, and I can take it off if I’m wearing a bunch of heavy clothes. Boomer has the adult stock, which may go to my grandson for his when he grows a bit.

its size works real well for those of us in the Social Security Crowd also...

Just curious if you have used any CFE 223 powder while reloading for the Grendel? I’ve got a PSA 18” upper wearing a SWFA 10x scope. It shoots good enough to kill deer, caribou, etc., but nothing to write home about. I’m on. 6.5 Grendel Facebook page and several guys seem to get their best accuracy from using CFE 223 over other powders. On that same page, there’s a gentleman here in SC AK, that has been using his 6.5 Grendel AR for black bear. I think he’s using 123 gr. SST’s with no issues. He and I have had some exchanges as it’s piqued my interest in using my Grendel on a bear and caribou, in the near future.

I cut down the barrel on Howa Mini to 16" and it's in a trimmed up youth stock with the Oregongunsmithing bottom metal. Getting 2427 fps w / hornady 123gr sst and Imr 8208 XBR. Groups just under 1" at 100. I'm 6' 2" and the youth stock works perfect for a stand or stalking gun. 6lb 5oz with the Redfield 2x7

I used it with 129gr ABLRS in a CZ with fair results. Using PP2000MR with the Gold Dots. Shoots better than the Noslers did, and the Gold Dots are about $13 for 50. Leaning towards this one for the Geezer doe season next week.

The hard part is finding Ammo for them in stock, if you don’t reload. I have both a 16” AR upper and a modded 20” Howa mini, and am waiting for a chance to shoot something with them. Lots of hogs here, but still way too hot to make hunting them a lot of fun. I have some Lapua brass, some loaded Hornady Black 123 ELDMs and Hornady Custom 123 SSTs to try. Might bring one to Bama in January to try on a deer. Either would make an excellent truck gun.

I've killed 1 coyote and a couple of 225-250# whitetail bucks with mine with the 123 sst the last couple years. With those 3 critters, it was like lightning hit em.

How did you guys trim/slim up the stocks?

Weagle that is a great looking rifle

I used and angle grinder with a flapper disc and a belt sander. Go slow

CFE 223 works well with 123s in my Howa.

Grip

I have one as a Howa Mini lightweight profile for my 10yr old son for whitetail. I use XBR8208 and Nosler BT in 100 and 120gr. He didn’t get to shoot one with it yet but I did myself. Neck shot at 50yrds with the 100gr BT dropped it in its tracks and bullet exploded when it hit the neck bones. Did the job but worry about it if he hits the shoulder blade. I loaded up some 120 Barnes TTSX for this year. Either way the recoil is barely noticeable which is key for kids just starting out.

I used a Work Sharp hand held belt sander. I'm going to go back and reshape the pistol grip; open it up and slim it.

Ya know Nosler makes a 100 grain Partition also dontcha?

a 100 gr Ballistic Tip, has to have an impact velocity of less than 2400 or sl.....

shooting at bone at less than 100 to 125 yds, will blow up....

I do a behind the shoulder shot when using that bullet... I've taken a fair number of deer with it in the 260 in the last 20 years or so... the 125 partition or the 120 Ballistic tip might be a better choice...