6.5 Grendel Hunting

[Bwhntr31]

OK, so I built my son a Grendel. Disclaimer - I worked up an accurate load using Hornady 123 gr ELD-Ms. I know that this is a target bullet, and I have some 123 gr SSTs, but didnt have time to load them and verify POI prior to hunting. He has taken a deer and a hog with it. He shot the hog behind the ear at 75 yds and the ELD-M exploded, this resulted in a dead hog with corn still in its mouth. He shot the deer at 100 yds with an ELD-M, and the bullet disintegrated in the chest cavity. It was a quick kill, but the bullet didn't exit, and I'm sure if he would've hit bone, he wouldn't have gotten penetration.

So now we will be hunting exotics in the spring, I am trying to figure out what will be a good hunting round. I have the following bullets: 120 gr Barnes TTSX, 120 gr Nosler BT, 123 gr SST, 130 gr Gameking, and 129 gr SST. This will be shot from an ar15 with a 20" barrel using CFE, SWTR, or LR. My son's effective range is 150 yds, so a reallistic velocity at 150 yds is 1800 fps using all of these. My concern is hitting bone and not getting penetration.

What says the Green Screen?

[Kenner97]

I would go with the Barnes or gameking.

[TXraiderTK]

Barnes or Nosler bt are my votes. Those are my go to’s

[Drycreek3189]

Game King is what I shoot in my .280 Rem. Couldn’t pay me to change.

[Rsp]

I have had great luck with sst and haven’t lost or tracked anything yet

[Bwhntr31]

OK, let me clarify a little. Any of the above mentioned bullets will work on whitetails. I'm a little concerned about penetration on a large Axis, Fallow, or possibly an Oryx, Aoudad, Red Deer, etc. Bigger bones, denser animal in general. Does anyone have experience with the Grendel on exotics? What was your experience?

It takes my boy a while to settle down and control his breathing enough to concentrate on the fundamentals and break a clean shot, so a quick, effective follow up shot isnt really in the cards for him (unless it beds down within sight).

I've got an AR10, but it's heavy and bulky. My son has his heart set on getting something with his AR15. We'll put in plenty of bench time at the range between now and then.

[mkk]

Barnes

[Killer]

What ever shoots the best is what I would use. Any of those bullets will kill the animals you listed with good bullet placement.

[shwacker1911]

Barns is going to be your best bet for gettinga pass through. I use the makers tipped rex load in my grendel and have yet to catch a bullet in an animal.
I'm trying to remember who it was on here that used there grendel for red deer but i believe he used the eldm loads

[Austin]

My son has shot over 30 whitetail, 3 axis and numerous hogswith his 6.5 Grendel almost all of which were with 100gr Barnes TTSX bullets never had an animal run over 50 yds and always had a pass through but never a blood trail that little bullet just doesn’t open up a big enough hole on the offside.

i have recently switched to the 123 gr sst with great results. Great bloodtrails and pass throughs on hill country whitetail.

that said if something like oryx or aoudad are really on the menu I would definitely stick with the TTSX for penetration just know you won’t have any significant blood trail

[splitbeam145]

Have shot SST and ELD-M 123’s out of my 12.5” Grendel and 14” pistol. Killed about 4 yotes and about 15 pigs from 50-225 lbs with no issues. Some in head. Some square shoulder. Some right behind shoulder. I don’t pay attention to pass through. You make a good shot it’s dying quickly.

[sierracharlie338]

You're over thinking this man. The eld-"M" stand for Murder! The Eld-m is one of the best killing bullets on the market IMO. I have killed numerous animals over the years with it and its predecessor, the Amax. Everything from head to behind the shoulder shots. It will serve you well.

Also you may want to recheck your speed data. If 1800 FPS is at 150 yards you are starting it extremely slow. Based off a 2500 fps muzzle velocity, you should see 1800 fps at just over 400 yards. My Grendel shoots the 123 eldm at 2570 from an 18 inch barrel with factory ammo.

[splitbeam145]

Shot 5 pigs from 140-228 lbs last weekend with the 123gr Hornady Black ELD-M. All shots were ear hole (DRT) or Neck shot/double lung shots. None went over 60yds.
12.5" AR-15. Shots were from 25yds to 150yds

[bboswell]

My son has shot over 30 whitetail, 3 axis and numerous hogswith his 6.5 Grendel almost all of which were with 100gr Barnes TTSX bullets never had an animal run over 50 yds and always had a pass through but never a blood trail that little bullet just doesn’t open up a big enough hole on the offside.

i have recently switched to the 123 gr sst with great results. Great bloodtrails and pass throughs on hill country whitetail.

that said if something like oryx or aoudad are really on the menu I would definitely stick with the TTSX for penetration just know you won’t have any significant blood trail

This has been my experience with the TTSX in several chamberings, (7-08, 270 & 7 Mag) and the TTSX needs to be pushed fast for expansion so shoot a lighter bullet.

[bboswell]

My choice in order, GameKing, Nosler BT, 100g TTSX