6.5 geendel bullet choice for deer

[HandgunHTR]

The only two I have experience with are the 123SSTs and the 105 Cavity Backs. The Cavity Backs are mono-metal bullets designed for the lower impact speeds of the Grendel and 6.8SPC. They work great on deer sized game.

That being said, any of the lighter 6.5 bullets in the tipped or HP design should work just find in the Grendel. It is a very forgiving cartridge. You will need something that will expand at lower impact velocities, however, so that is why the match bullets or tipped bullets tend to work best.

 

[gldprimr]

After seeing on the other thread how many 6.5 grendel shooters are around I thought it would be a good place to discuss what bullets ya’ll are using for deer. I have a 18” barreled ar for my daughter to hunt with. I have a few 120 ballistic tips and some 123 ssts to try, I have heard about success with those, and will start with them, but I was wondering about the 130 accubond lr, 90gr partition or a 100 ballistic tip, or whatever else you guys have used. Mostly looking for feedback about on game performance. What do ya say?

Either of the bullets you have on hand will take deer effectively out of the 6.5 Grendel.

FWIW - In my 6.5 Grendel I have taken deer with factory ammunition loaded with 123 gr. SSTs, my hand loads with 120 gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip, 100 gr. Partition, 125 gr. Partition and 129 gr. ABLR - either the 123 gr. SSTs or 120 Nosler BTs would work well for you. I got a load with the 129 gr. ABLR that shoots better for me than the others so that’s what I’ve settled on. If not that, I’d personally go with the 120 gr. BTs as I have a number on hand.

 

[Mark611]

JMO, a lot of good info on these bullets, I don't hunt but I will suggest you try to find the most accurate bullet that shoots from your barrel, if your planning to hand load? you can hopefully figure it out in a reasonable amount of time, the reason I say this is because I used suggestions on bullets from other people's info only to find the bullets that should work don't shoot as accurate from my barrel, for example, my 24'' 1&8 barrel, I have tried to get decent accuracy using the 123 an120gn Hornady ELDM's I like the HI BC's of these bullets but I have not got the accuracy form them I think I should, but I'm still testing powders for this barrel and I'm trying some 120gn SMK's on my next trip out with a tried and true load that shoots very well from my 18'' 1&8 barrel, my 24'' has been a work in progress.