I shot ten big game animals this year with a number of cartridges from 6.5 RM to .358/375 Ruger... the cartridge (within reason) has very little to do with the outcome. The Grendel is a cool little cartridge, I very much enjoy loading the X39 case in all of it's forms. It is also a very pleasant range rig for those of us that just enjoy shooting.
10 Head of Big Game - 6.5 Grendel - 4 Seasons
- Thread starter blakeyboy
- Start date
Absolutely look for a Grendel for him. Recoil is not much more than a .223 and as shot placement is much more important than anything else, he's going to want to shoot the Grendel lots. Much more than something like a .243 which kicks a little more but doesn't kill any better.
Haha, was on my mind, will see what I can do. I’ve got that well catalogued also but not so forum savvy on pic posting these days and sort of vowed to not do that on forums anymore. Stay tuned
Well I put together a little Instagram page to document the 6.5 Grendel hunting experiences to date, lots of pics, some vids, some necropsies. Check it out here...
https://www.instagram.com/65grendelhunters/
https://www.instagram.com/65grendelhunters/
Well I put together a little Instagram page to document the 6.5 Grendel hunting experiences to date, lots of pics, some vids, some necropsies. Check it out here...
https://www.instagram.com/65grendelhunters/
Could not agree more! Sako has their 85's in the XS action that would be amazing in Grendel! There's no real higher end options and the cartridge is more deserving of it. Savage is chambering the 6mm ARC in a few models which is just a rebarrel away from Grendel. But Ruger seems to be the only domestic in the game and they have chambered in the m77 7.62x39 in stainless with the boat paddle stocks and also compact blued/walnut...which both would be a rebarrel away from Grendel also...I drool over several of those options but for a workhorse I'm really like the 10 round AR mag Ruger in the chassis. So hopefully the 6mm ARC will help spur some of the other players we typically buy to get in the game. I'm not a fan of blocked mags and full length actions but both together no...only tikka's I liked were long action because of that. My Ruger will be full length action but at least it's a proper length magazine not some bulky blocked aics mag. The new CZ600's will likely eventually chamber Grendel so they will be one to watch for at some point, they look like a nice rifle with most of the right features etc.
elimsprint
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Kelowna, BC
How much better is that than the original 7.62x39?
which .30 cal has the .311 bore? is the 7.62x39 one of them? or just the .303? I guess the answer is there in 7.62 as the 7.62x51 is the .308 correct? but I was thinking the same thing, what's difference between the major and the 39?
I'm a bc/sd hoe though so only the 6.5 will do with those 123's from this measly 29.6 gr of powder, max efficiency but we only care about hunting.
Love the Grendel... and a big fan of the Ruger American rifles... but the one downside (for me) that has pushed me away from them is the safety that doesn't lock the bolt. Too many times while hunting the bolt has come out of battery on me. I just wish there were more options for the 6.5G (and 6 Creed too).
elimsprint
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Kelowna, BC
I guess I should have asked why you would bother to neck up a grendel to 30 cal when you already have the 7.62x39 available.
elimsprint
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Kelowna, BC
The Howa Mini 3 position safety locks the bolt with the safety full on.
I cannot say. All I do know is it is a very accurate score round. Neck and neck with 30BR. Have not seen any 7.62 x39 in the winners circles. The case in the major is a much better design as well. IMO
Ya it’s not my fav either but one work around I’ve found is that extra stiff spring in those ar magazines puts lots of upward pressure on the bolt and I just run the bolt handle up, it locks in there more solid than down. So in a chassis the safety is is a crap spot anyway so a few things conspire to give us a reasonable solution.
Has any one shot any BIG Game aimals ?? with the 6.5 Grendel using a Barnes 100 or 120 0r 127 gr TTSX or LRX bullet ? RJ
Not me. I do have some stock on the Barnes factory 115gr TTSX Tac-TX ammo though but probably picked it up just in case we go lead free one day I have something until I can get into reloading. The only Barnes I think to look at for the Grendel is this 115gr tac-tx because they designed it to open up down to 1400 fps for the short barrel suppressed AR's. I haven't been able to find any gel or game harvest info yet online. There was one article from guys shooting 80 hogs from helicopters down south and it did well but no one took out their knives...shame on them.
Anyway, I'm sure we will see some data on that 115 soon. The regular barnes stuff I think will just be too tough for the slow Grendel speeds.
EDIT! I spoke too soon, did a quick search and now finally some gel info. https://www.65grendel.com/forum/showthread.php?22023-Barnes-115-gr-TAC-TX-Gel-results
Still looks too tough for me. I'll be sticking with the ELD-M for the Grendel.
We added 2 more bears this spring, 25 yard shot DRT, and 55 yard shot with 20 yard recovery. That's 12 for 12 in 4.5 seasons, 5 species of Alberta big game up to 420 yards, average shot distance 185 yards, average recovered distance 11.5 yards. Still batting 1000.
