6.5 geendel bullet choice for deer

[john 800]

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?

 

[DLT]

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?

I know it will get some backlash but the 123eldm is a great bullet for deer out of a grendel. The 123sst, 120 Sierra pro hunters, 120 speer gold dot also get pretty good results. As well as the 100 and 120 Nosler ballistic tips

 

[ncageneral]

I have only used Sierra Prohunters 120 gr in my daughters Grrr. I'd already had alot of experience with this bullet in my oldest daughters 260 Rem, running them both in the 2500 fps range. They both performed extremely well.

 

[PharmerJon]

… but the 123eldm is a great bullet for deer out of a grendel.

Same.

12” grendel. I limit shots to no longer than 300yds and it’s a deer killing machine!

 

[EBaker]

I love the Hornady 123 SST. Have killed deer, hogs raccoons and coyotes with it. Works well in my 16 inch suppressed AR.

 

[5spd]

Noslers 100g NHBT bullet, flat out drops deer, antelope. I'd have no issues to 600 yards with that load.
The deer, goats I got this year were 135 to 225 yds, 1 shot kills.
Sierra 85g jhp slams coyote hard, just about 2930 fps on top of h335, (discontinued though)
I run a ruger predator 6.5G, got rid of the ar15s.

 

[Enosiophobia]

129g Hornady Interlock.....



....just shy of 200 yds.

 

[South Paw Sammy]

100 Nosler ballistic tips no problem on deer and hogs.

 

[Turpentine]

I only have experience with two bullets on game with Grendel because I haven’t needed to go anywhere else. Hornady123 Sst, hand loaded or factory. Or Hornady ELDM 123. Hand loaded or factory Black. Both kill deer, hogs, way better than they have a right too. The old 123 Amax was a hammer also. These are not shabby on armadillos either. Privi Partisan 120 BTHP is also great armadillo medicine.

 

[Turpentine]

I know it will get some backlash but the 123eldm is a great bullet for deer out of a grendel. The 123sst, 120 Sierra pro hunters, 120 speer gold dot also get pretty good results. As well as the 100 and 120 Nosler ballistic tips

None from me. The eldm and old Amax are my go to. 168 in 308, 123 in 6.5G, 147 or 140 in 6.5-06. They don’t play. I’d shoot the eldm 168 for deer and hogs with the gas 308 too but they aren’t nearly as the Amax 168 in that gun.

 

[Bradly S.]

Berger 130gr AR Hybrid! Been shooting deer and pigs with it since the Grendel was introduced! I know it’s a target bullet but it is devastating on Game!

 

[603Country]

Given a choice of bullets, I’d use the 100 gr Nosler Ballistic Tip. From years of use in my 260 on deer and hogs, it’s all I’d want or need. And, being on the light end of hunting bullets I can use in the Grendel, you can get some velocity with it. Unfortunately I can’t get more these days, so I’m shooting the Hornady 123 gr SST, which is working just fine on hogs. When Nosler finally makes more 100 gr BTs available, the price will likely cause me to stay with the SSTs.

 

[Turpentine]

Given a choice of bullets, I’d use the 100 gr Nosler Ballistic Tip. From years of use in my 260 on deer and hogs, it’s all I’d want or need. And, being on the light end of hunting bullets I can use in the Grendel, you can get some velocity with it. Unfortunately I can’t get more these days, so I’m shooting the Hornady 123 gr SST, which is working just fine on hogs. When Nosler finally makes more 100 gr BTs available, the price will likely cause me to stay with the SSTs.

You won’t be upset with the 123 sst on deer but it is comforting to use what you are used to for sure. Nosler products have certainly been rare this past year.

 

[SD guy]

Any interest in the all copper or non cup & core options? quite a few good options both cup & core & all copper IMHO. If you are considering non cup & core Id give Hammer offerings a look.

 

[john 800]

Any interest in the all copper or non cup & core options? quite a few good options both cup & core & all copper IMHO. If you are considering non cup & core Id give Hammer offerings a look.

I had a horrible experience with all copper bullets a while back and swore them off, but I will have to look into them just to satisfy my curiosity, I have never heard of them, here we go Google

 

[DiRTY DOG]

The 85gr Hammer Hunter seems like a match made in heaven. It's superbly accurate in my 6.5x47L.

 

[DLT]

You won’t be upset with the 123 sst on deer but it is comforting to use what you are used to for sure. Nosler products have certainly been rare this past year.

Way longer than a year

 

[wwbrown]

I used to shoot deer with great success using 130 g Accubonds out of my old swede, all of the deer shot were very impressed with the the bullet (for a very short period of time). I think the longest a deer went after the 130 g was maybe 30 yards, all shots were under 300 yards.

 

[MrK.]

I have had good luck with the 120 Noslers and the 123 SSTs mentioned above. I also had good luck with the now discontinued Speer 120 Hot-Cores (#1435). They were cheap, accurate and reliable. I still have about a half a box. Has anyone used the Speer 120 Gold Dots on deer sized game? I assume they are a replacement for the 1435s in Speer's line up.

 

[john 800]

I have had good luck with the 120 Noslers and the 123 SSTs mentioned above. I also had good luck with the now discontinued Speer 120 Hot-Cores (#1435). They were cheap, accurate and reliable. I still have about a half a box. Has anyone used the Speer 120 Gold Dots on deer sized game? I assume they are a replacement for the 1435s in Speer's line up.

Hotcors is n general are a pretty darn effective bullet and cheap as a bonus.