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The 6.5 Grendel is an Arne Brennan and bill alexander improvement of the 6.5mm PPC. The cartridge is designed as a low recoil while maintaining high accuracy.
The 6.5 Grendel was released in 2004, mainly as a battle cartridge. Most AR-15 rifles have a length restriction for the cartridges due to the magazine length. This lead to the invention of the Grendel. Because it has slightly larger powder capacity, the Grendel is more massive, which makes it less deflectable by the wind while having more punches. These make it even more effective than the .223 hunting ammo that was the most useful cartridge ever.
The 6.5 Grendel carries a horsepower larger than the .223 bullet. These are very significant, especially when it comes to breaking through thin walls or a windscreen while boosting of supersonic speeds. The Grendel is used in battle, predator hunting, target shooting, deer hunting with absolutely no recoil. But what makes the Grendel most likely to become the next big thing?
Affordable
The 6.5 has become common, the cost of building it has gone lower, which has, in turn, lowered the building cost of the 6.5 Grendel. Compared to others like the .308, the Grendel Is more affordable while it offers the best long-range performance
Compatible
The AR-15 rifle is so popular among the people, and this makes the Grendel popular because it is compatible with the magazine length of this rifle. All this while offering a better long-range.
What Can You Hunt with 6.5 Grendel?
The Grendel 6.5 can be used to hunt elk, hogs, and deers.
Important Information Regarding the 6.5 Grendel.
- Velocity Retention
When it comes to hunting, velocity, just like energy, is critical when it comes to killing performance. When a bullet travels at a low threshold speed, the shot will not fragment, and instead of killing the animal, it will just wound it.
Compared to the .308 bullets, the 6.5 retains its velocity much better. The acceleration is neither high or low, and this makes it fragment and perform its intended purpose when hunting.
Wind deflection can result in an error when hunting. Grendel can still manage to kill the animal with an 8’’ deflection by the wind. This type of deviation will lead to a more significant error in other bullets’ direction, and the aim will be out of the animal’s kill zone.
- Ballistic Coefficient
The ballistic coefficient affects the wind effect on the bullet, velocity loss, and the trajectory. Shots with higher B.Cs are needed because they minimize the impact of these factors, which makes the bullet more effective. The 6.5 Grendel has a higher B.C, which makes it the best for accuracy when hunting. If you want to know more about the ballistics of 6.5 Grendel we suggest you read here on Wikipedia.
- Low Recoil
The recoil causes the hunter to get tired and inhibits the ability for a follow-up shot. This is why a low recoil is needed when it comes to hunting. Despite the Grendel 6.5 being light, the efficient little cartridge has low recoil with excellent ballistic performance. These make it the best ammo for sensitive recoil shooters.
6.5 Grendel for Hog Hunting
Hogs are a callous beasty creature with very high speed. They have tusks that are razor-sharp and thick, and they are classified as one of the most intelligent animals in the world. They weigh about 650lbs, and they are very aggressive. They exhibit unpredictable behavior, and for this reason, they are generally tricky and dangerous to hunt.
The 5.7mm, .223, 300win mag, 458 SOCOM are some of the options used to put down hogs. Most of this will overlap, and as a shooter, this is a massive inconsistency because you can’t put the hogs as effectively as you would with a stable bullet. These can also be dangerous as hogs run in all directions, and some may run towards you. You need a handy rifle and bullet during the hunt with some of these features
• Light
Hogs are speedy animals, and for this, the hunter needs to have a very light rifle that he can easily swing around. The ar-15 is very light compared to other rifles, and since the Grendel 6.5 are compatible with the rifle, it makes it the best. This, with the benefit that it fires blasts by utilizing its powder, the hogs will not know what hit them.
• Accuracy
Hogs react to the slightest shot made, and with the unpredictable behavior, good accuracy is needed. Grendel has a higher ballistic coefficient, which makes it less affected by factors like the wind, which means that even with a slight wind deflection, the bullet will still be in the killing range of the hog. Good accuracy means you can conveniently put down more hogs.
6.5 Grendel for Elk Hunting
Elks are also known as wapiti, and they are among the largest terrestrial mammals. Female elks do not have antlers, while male antlers can grow up to 4 feet long. Elks are very dangerous, especially when attacked, they tend to defend themselves. The success rate of elk hunting is 10%, with most hunters returning home without any elk to show. To increase your chances of killing an elk, a good rifle is mandatory, with the bullet being tough enough to penetrate the elk.
The Grendel has a feature that makes it the best when it comes to hunting elks some of which are
High Velocity
The 6.5 Grendel boasts of having just the right velocity, and with it having a higher ballistic coefficient, it doesn’t lose its speed. This makes the cartridge fragment when it hits the animal causing instant death other than wounding the animal.
Low Recoil
As earlier stated, the recoil makes the hunter tired, and it can decrease the accuracy when following up a shoot. The Grendel has a low recoil making it even friendly to recoil-sensitive hunters, and this adversely increases the chances of following up in case the first shoot is unsuccessful.
Accuracy
Why would you risk your elk hunting with a cartridge that will just disappoint you? The Grendel features to increase its accuracy level even in the long-range while still maintaining its ballistic power, which makes it able to penetrate the thick skin of the elks.
6.5 Grendel for Deer Hunting
Deer’s are mostly hunted as a sport or for it nutritious meet. The activity is one of the most popular dating back to thousands of years.
Shooting a deer is not very hard, but you need a special rifle to be successful, not forgetting that deers are also fast. The 6.5 makes the best cartridge when deer hunting due to some reasons like
The length
The 6.5 Grendel takes advantage of recent powders and design, making it shorter, thus suitable for the ar-15. The accuracy of a shorter barrel is higher compared to longer ones. Its higher velocity increases its energy to about 1000 foot-pounds, which makes it suitable to kill a deer instantly.
Its short length means that it is compatible with very light rifles which makes them easy to load and easy to operate on
User friendly to new hunters
With its recoil being minimal, the cartridge makes concentration more capable, which makes it more accurate. For new hunters who are recoil sensitive, the cartridge can be used to make more deer kills due to its high accuracy, low recoil, and an easy to operate a rifle.
Hornady Black 6.5 Grendel for Hunting
The Hornady black ammunition is immensely optimized to increase the performance of your best guns. The Hornady black is designed and fitted with Hornady bullets, and they can work and function on different platforms. They are intended for use in firearms like the AR-15 and the AR-10 group firearms
The ammo is currently available in this caliber: 6.5 Grendel, .300 Blackout.224 Valkyrie, .308 Winchester, and the s.45*39mm
This ammo is perfect in hunting because it is
Reliable
The ammo can function with most modern rifles, and they are accurately reliable when it comes to hunting.
Affordable
The ammo is very cheap compared to other ammo, and this does not make them any less effective
When looking for excellent hunting ammo, the Hornady blacks 6.5 Grendel are a perfect choice, and they are compatible with the standard AR-15 rifle.
Best 6.5 Grendel Hunting Round
The 6.5 Grendel surpasses most of the cartridges available. This monster cartridge should be the choice of everyone with a passion for firearms. Some of the best rounds that can be used with the 6.5 Grendel and bring out the best results are,
Hornady Custom 123-grain SST
This round can deliver an impressive game of energy going up to 1028 feet-pounds. It has a polymer tip that improves the ballistic coefficient. The rounds can be a perfect choice for hog hunting as the speed is up to the task.
Underwood 110-grain Controlled Chaos
This is one of the best rounds to go for. It has a ballistic terminal that is very explosive. This ensures that when the bullets reach the target, they fragment, and this creates multiple wounds that can lead to instant death. They are specifically designed for animals, and with the 6.5 Grendel, the round could cause the most damage.
Nosler Trophy Grade 129-grain AccuBond
It is well known to expand, and when the bullet is fired, the damage is paramount. It is slightly heavier, and this makes sure that it puts atone of energy to the receiving target. It has both terminal and external ballistics, and they work perfectly in close-inn shots.
It is very appropriate if you are looking for a certified medium round.
Hornady Black 123-grain ELD
They are perfectly tailored for the ar-15s. Their downrange shooting capability makes it among the best rounds. It has a ballistic coefficient due to the long and streamlines shape it has. It also has a polymer tip, and it is topped with match bullets that are an extra-low drag.
How Does a 6.5 Grendel Compare to a 30-06 and .308
Price
The 6.5 Grendel is more affordable compared to the .308. The quality component used in the construction is very high as compared to the .308. and 30-06 these give the 6.5 a cost advantage
Barrel length
The Grendel is designed to fit in the ar-15 rifles. These make it length very short as compared to the .308 and 30-06
A shorter barrel is more accurate, and they gain velocity rapidly. They are easy to use, and they balance well. A load of the same bullets for .308 will have less speed and accuracy, and they will not balance properly.
Ammunition weight
The .308 ammo requires more space, and they weigh more compared to the 6.5. the 6.5 maintains a good ballistic even with the less weight. This makes the Grendel good even for transportation easy to use and handle.
Thermal ballistics
This affects how a bullet will hit a target and how it will perform. A bullet with a small diameter can penetrate more than a bullet that has a larger diameter. A .308 and 30-06 need to be longer to have the same section density as a 6.5, which, as a result, makes it more massive and more extended. Longer and heavier bullets decrease accuracy.
Velocity
The 6.5, unlike the .308grendel, boasts of having just the right velocity, and with it having a higher ballistic coefficient, it doesn’t lose its speed. This makes the cartridge fragment when it hits the animal causing instant death other than wounding the animal. The .308 can lose or increase its velocity, and the impact on the animal may not be as in the .308. and 30-06
Recoil
Grendel 6.5 is light, and it has low recoil with excellent ballistic performance. These make it the best ammo for sensitive recoil shooters. The .308 had a high recoil, which means they are not suitable for people new to hunting. Higher recoil means that hunters are tired, and their accuracy decreases.
The 6.5 Grendel is a unique cartridge design that uses new powder to make it more useful and reliable when it comes to hunting deers, elks, and hogs. This monster is undoubtedly a must-have for your next hunting trip.
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36 years old, been hunting and fishing my entire life – love the outdoors, family, and all kinds of hunting and fishing! I have spent thousands of hours hunting hogs and training hunting dogs, but I’m always learning new stuff and really happy to be sharing them with you! hit me up with an email in the contact form if you have any questions.
