6.5 Grendel

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  • DadSmith

    Grandmaster
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    Oct 21, 2018
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    Ripley County
    I just built me an AR15 in 6.5 Grendel.
    I broke the barrel in using cheap Wolf Military Classic 100gr ammunition.
    It is total junk in my rifle. 4.5" groups was the smallest I could achieve with it at 100 yards.
    I went to my local gun shop. Warpath Guns. They had Hornady Black 123gr ELD match. It shot .5" groups at 100 yards. What a difference.

    Anyone have any ammo recommendations for the 6.5 Grendel. Also if you reload what are you using and what is the accuracy of your loads. I have some 123gr Hornady SST bullets ordered in. Thinking of using CFE 223.

    I did pull the Wolf bullet and it measures .260. No where near .264. No wonder it is junk.
     
    Last edited:

    Rookie

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    14   0   0
    Sep 22, 2008
    18,155
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    Kokomo
    I get 1/2 MOA with factory loaded 123 SST. 3/4 MOA with 90 grain American Eagle.

    Yeah, there's a reason why Wolf is $.25/round...
     

    DadSmith

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    Oct 21, 2018
    22,200
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    Ripley County
    I get 1/2 MOA with factory loaded 123 SST. 3/4 MOA with 90 grain American Eagle.

    Yeah, there's a reason why Wolf is $.25/round...

    No kidding about that wolf ammo. It's not even worth having for SHTF ammo. I don't trust it.

    For the fun of it I may pull 20 and reload the cases with the SST's see what happens
     

    d.kaufman

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    Mar 9, 2013
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    Hobart
    I have 2 6.5grendel ars i built.

    I reload for them both and so far the favorite loads ive come up with are;

    18" likes 95gr Hornady vmax pills over 30grains of H335 with an OAL of 2.240. Under 1/2" groups all day long at 100 yards

    24" likes 123gr Hornady eld match over 30.4 grains BLC-2 with an OAL of 2.245. 1/2" groups at 200 yards all day long

    Thats as far as I've been able to shoot either at this point. I do have a few other powders im wanting to try yet.

    I use CCI 450 primers for both loads as well as once fired Hornady cases (I buy factory Hornady black to shoot and use the cases for reloading)

    Ive had good results with the Hornady black factory loads as well.

    Wolf ammo, well its like others have said. I can get 3-4" groups at 100 yards. Goes bang everytime though. Good for ringing 8-12" steel plates at 100-200 yards when not wanting to shoot for groups and just plink instead.
     

    DadSmith

    Grandmaster
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    1   0   0
    Oct 21, 2018
    22,200
    113
    Ripley County
    I have 2 6.5grendel ars i built.

    I reload for them both and so far the favorite loads ive come up with are;

    18" likes 95gr Hornady vmax pills over 30grains of H335 with an OAL of 2.240. Under 1/2" groups all day long at 100 yards

    24" likes 123gr Hornady eld match over 30.4 grains BLC-2 with an OAL of 2.245. 1/2" groups at 200 yards all day long

    Thats as far as I've been able to shoot either at this point. I do have a few other powders im wanting to try yet.

    I use CCI 450 primers for both loads as well as once fired Hornady cases (I buy factory Hornady black to shoot and use the cases for reloading)

    Ive had good results with the Hornady black factory loads as well.

    Wolf ammo, well its like others have said. I can get 3-4" groups at 100 yards. Goes bang everytime though. Good for ringing 8-12" steel plates at 100-200 yards when not wanting to shoot for groups and just plink instead.

    Okay thanks for the load recommendations. I'll have to pick up some BLC-2. I'll start out at 29gr and work up .3gr until I find what my rifle likes.
     

    DadSmith

    Grandmaster
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    1   0   0
    Oct 21, 2018
    22,200
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    Ripley County
    Not an expert on 6.5 grendel, but wolf is junk in every caliber. You get what you pay for but the savings arent worth terrible groups and steel cased ammo

    I normally use Wolf to break in a barrel. I normally buy 200 rds no reason to waste good ammo getting on paper and breaking the barrel in.

    Wolf 55gr fmj 223 is junk.

    Wolf 100gr fmj 6.5 Grendel is junk

    Wolf poly 145gr fmj 308 isn't bad. I used it shooting in my Ruger PR was shooting 2 moa. Not bad for $8 a box delivered. Was hitting a 12" diamond gong at 500 yards every shot. 11 mph cross

    View attachment 79157
    Hornady Black 6.5 Grendel 123gr ELD match After shooting it in the above group of 3 shots touching each other at 100 yards.
    The lower 3 shot group had almost 5" higher poi than the Wolf. Absolutely nuts how bad the Wolf ammo is.
     
    Last edited:

    omegahunter

    Plinker
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    0   0   0
    Aug 7, 2019
    27
    1
    Daviess County
    Don't have my notes available right now, so don't know my exact OAL, but I am running 129 Nosler ABLR on top of 26.5 grains XBR8208 for an average 2315 fps. Range Buddy app shows a 0.28" center to center group.

    It is a Hardened Arms 18" upper and I am going to be carrying it during deer season this year.
     

    roscott

    Master
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    39   1   0
    Mar 1, 2009
    1,652
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    I built a 12.5” Grendel pistol, and I love it. It’s sub-moa, although I’ve never put a big enough scope on it to really see what it’s capable of.

    14 hogs and 1 deer later, it’s my favorite gun.

    attachment.php
     

    roscott

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    Mar 1, 2009
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    I’m running factory 123gr SST also. It shoot well enough I haven’t felt the need to pursue anything else.
     

    DadSmith

    Grandmaster
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    1   0   0
    Oct 21, 2018
    22,200
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    Ripley County
    Don't have my notes available right now, so don't know my exact OAL, but I am running 129 Nosler ABLR on top of 26.5 grains XBR8208 for an average 2315 fps. Range Buddy app shows a 0.28" center to center group.

    It is a Hardened Arms 18" upper and I am going to be carrying it during deer season this year.

    I've been ready about people having great success with 8208xbr. If I can find a lb at my gun shop I might grab a can of that as well.
     

    DadSmith

    Grandmaster
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    1   0   0
    Oct 21, 2018
    22,200
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    Ripley County
    I’m running factory 123gr SST also. It shoot well enough I haven’t felt the need to pursue anything else.

    I watched a youtube video about the Hornady Black 123gr ELD match. It was hitting ballistics gel really well I don't see why they can't be used for hunting as well.
     

    Hohn

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    1   0   0
    Jul 5, 2012
    4,444
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    USA
    I've been ready about people having great success with 8208xbr. If I can find a lb at my gun shop I might grab a can of that as well.

    If you can let go of the pursuit of ultimate speed, 8208xbr is perhaps the most consistently accurate powder I've used thus far.
     

    1nderbeard

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    38   0   0
    Apr 3, 2017
    2,529
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    Hendricks County
    I just built a Grendel also. I found the ELD match bullets from Hornady very accurate. My optic is only a four power and my eyes are terrible, but as best I could tell groups were sub 1 inch at 100yds.
     

    jrh84

    Sharpshooter
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    3   0   0
    Jun 9, 2009
    364
    28
    Columbus
    Not an expert on 6.5 grendel, but wolf is junk in every caliber. You get what you pay for but the savings arent worth terrible groups and steel cased ammo

    Wolf .223 seemed to shoot OK in my Rock River a few years back. I went 39/40 at a full distance Appleseed/Revere's Riders event at Atterbury with it. Looked to be roughly 2 MOA if I'm remembering correctly. No malfunctions in 400+ rounds. I wouldn't be afraid of sticking up on it if I didnt reload and was pinching pennies. There's absolutely better stuff out there, but it was usable for me.

    Now Tulammo.....that's junk in every caliber. It's the only thing I refuse to shoot through my stuff.
     

    DadSmith

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    1   0   0
    Oct 21, 2018
    22,200
    113
    Ripley County
    I just built a Grendel also. I found the ELD match bullets from Hornady very accurate. My optic is only a four power and my eyes are terrible, but as best I could tell groups were sub 1 inch at 100yds.

    My local gun shop just got my 6.5 Hornady SST bullets in going to start loading a few see if I can get as accurate as the Hornady made ammo.
     

    DadSmith

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    1   0   0
    Oct 21, 2018
    22,200
    113
    Ripley County
    If you can let go of the pursuit of ultimate speed, 8208xbr is perhaps the most consistently accurate powder I've used thus far.

    Just got 1lb of 8208xbr. A box of 123gr SST. Will load 5 rds starting at the lowest and work my way up .5gr at a time. I'll report back when I found a load it likes.
     

    smythe012

    Sharpshooter
    Rating - 99.3%
    147   1   0
    Nov 9, 2011
    623
    44
    Northwest Indiana
    I have an 18" barrel 65g that is one of the most fun ARs I shoot. It's ridiculously accurate. I had a 12.5" pistol that I built for my all around gun. I sold the barrel and went back to 556, which I regret.

    As an all purpose caliber, it's hard to beat. The thing that bothers me way more than it should is the lack of 30 round magazines. I have 25 rounders that work flawlessly, and yet, it's not good enough? :dunno:

    Also, my experience with the 100gr Wolf ammo was to be expected; not super accurate but in the right application would be just fine (plinking).
     
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