Home Forums Hunting & Shooting AR and Tactical Rifles 6.5 Grendel loads for deer sized game

I killed a deer with the 129gr ABLR two years ago. It ran in a circle and died within a few feet of where it was shot. I really like the 100gr Partitions and 120gr Rem CoreLokt PSP for deer. My friend Brian tests different bullets for me. He's probably the smartest hunter I know.

https://youtube.com/c/HornHillRange

I have some 100 grain ballistic tips and 100 grain partitions. This is the ideal bullet weight for that cartridge if you can find them! I run them over Tac powder and they work awesome. I have a bunch of the 123 sst Hornady, 120 gr fusion and Nosler with 129 AB also, but I really like the 100 gr much better. The lower velocity helps the BT actually hold together too. I have 3 Grendel’s and that cartridge is great, but it doesn’t have the throttle to run 120-130 gr bullets properly for hunting situations. Especially if you are running them out of a 14.5” gun

This is the path I'd take. 100gr NBT over 8208 as hot as I can load it and get good groups.

in my testing, within 300 yds or less... which would cover about 99.9% of the distance game is taken at...
at Grendel speeds, about anything will work...

I have found the plain old Hornady 129 and 140 SP work just fine...

or a plain old 120 Ballistic Tip or a 125 Partition....

and even a 100 grain Partition or Ballistic Tip...

I have 120gr ballistic tips, and 125gr partitions loaded for mine. I'm good for thin skinned, and deeper penetration.

FIREARM: Howa Mini 6.5 Grendel
BULLET: Barnes 100gr TTSX
CASE: Starline (Trim to: 1.506”)
PRIMER: CCI 450
POWDER: H335
COL: 2.235”
CRIMP: Yes
AVG VEL: 2725fps

The above combo has worked well on two Blacktails so far. One taken a little something over 100yds and another somewhere around 45-55yds.

I use 100 gr Bal Tip over CFE223 in my T/C G2, Mini MkX and both AR's. Just took a nice 8 point last weekend with the G2 rifle @ 182 yds.
IMR 8028 XBR provides about the same accuracy in my guns.

Steve...........

for factory loads the 120 gr federal fusion does well. this 180# buck went 20 yards after the shot

Nice buck RR

thanks jake!

My go to coyote load is with Sierra 85g jhp on top of h335 at 2930 fps, my deer, goat load is with noslers 100g hbt on top of h335 at 2700 fps
100 to 600 yds, no problems.

I've posted this before but here is this for reference:
Hornady 123 custom factory ammo
2620 fps @ 24" barrel (CZ 527)
2500 fps @ 20" barrel (AR15)
2300 fps @ 12.5" barrel (AR15) [corrected]

No field validation to relay but I expect them to work fine for deer out to ~1000 ft-lb range.

Is the 1300 a typo? Seems awful slow.

You know what, yes. that is a typo. should have been 2300.

Stump Buster,

What stock is on your rifle? The wife just bought me a Howa Mini 6.5 Grendel for my birthday.

Hudge,

Congrat's on the great birthday present, you'll love it! The Pendleton Composite Stock and bottom metal are from Oregon Gunsmithing.

Happy Hunting,

Stump

Thanks for the info! I kind of figured it was a Pendleton and Oregon Gunsmithing bottom metal, but wanted to ask the source. Now I’ve got to pinch my pennies and save up.

Years back, my brother and I shot 4 Mule deer and one spike Elk with 16” Grendel AR’s. All but the he Elk were one shot stops. The deer were shot at 120, 260, 302 and 496 yards. The deer he shot at 496, I was backing him up with a .375 Ultra Mag. In case it didn’t get the job done. That shot was with a 120 Ballistic Tip. He hit the buck center of the body about the 3rd rib back. The buck was facing up hill, after the hit he dropped his head. Turned down hill, took 3 or 4 steps and laid down. Slowly rolled onto his side and that was it. Upon field dressing it. The bullet exited but there was minimal damage around the small wound channel through both lungs and out the other side. All of he deer were shot with the 120 BT but one. The he deer I shot at 120 yards was shot with Hornady factory 123gr A-Max. Destroyed the lungs. The Elk was really pushing it. But then again I was backing him up with a .300 Win Mag. The shot was at 411 yards and it took four 120 BT’s to put him down. The shots were fired fairly quickly. Since then I switched to a .243 LBC.

Wonder how the 6.5G would be in a Ruger #1A.......