Anyone hunt whitetail with 6.5 Grendel?

[nomad 68]

I'd like to hear some feedback from those who've used it on deer. Your bullet of choice and the realistic hunting ranges for this cartridge. Thanks in advance.

 

[islandhunter]

My daughter has shot 3 whitetails and 2 large mule deer bucks with her cz527 grendel. All were good kills with the 129 nosler LRAB. This years buck was a headshot at 20 yards though

 

[Beeron]

I hunted everything this season with my 6.5 Grendel.

3 deer and a black bear this year.

105 Cutting Edge Maximus.
The bear was with a 115gr Barnes Tac -TX

But i would use the 105 CE to 300 without hesitation.

 

[DaveMachine]

Small buck at ~200 yd with 120gr Fed Fusion out of the XCR-L in the before times. Good performance, didn't go very far.

 

[Beeron]

Should have added,
Howa mini action.
22” barrel.
2535fps at muzzle.

 

[nomad 68]

Thanks all for the feedback. Been thinking the Howa Mini would make a nice little treestand rifle and wondered if this was the right cartridge given that my daughter might want to use it as well. How is brass availability?

 

[Beeron]

Thanks all for the feedback. Been thinking the Howa Mini would make a nice little treestand rifle and wondered if this was the right cartridge given that my daughter might want to use it as well. How is brass availability?

It’s an awesome cartridge in a bolt gun.
Plenty of jam to kill anything that lives in NA if u use an appropriate bullet (ie. avoid bullets designed to retain mass and “penetrate”). That’s why I’m not using Barnes anymore in this cartridge.

As for brass, I had no issues.
I bought 200 Starline right off the bat and i cant see needing more in my lifetime.

 

[Nashville]

Whiteys, mulies and elk.
Farthest so far was an elk at 270yds and wouldn’t hesitate to do it again.

Factory Hornady black 123 Eld-M for everything.

 

[Joel]

Whiteys, mulies and elk.
Farthest so far was an elk at 270yds and wouldn’t hesitate to do it again.

Factory Hornady black 123 Eld-M for everything.

Thats some experience alright.

Stinkycoyote here shot a lot of game (deer, moose, bear) with that bullet too and had great results, from 0 to I think 400 yards.

Honestly lookin at the wounds I couldn't tell it wasn't a bigger rifle.

It’s an awesome cartridge in a bolt gun.
Plenty of jam to kill anything that lives in NA if u use an appropriate bullet (ie. avoid bullets designed to retain mass and “penetrate”). That’s why I’m not using Barnes anymore in this cartridge.

Didn't get the terminal performance you wanted out of that one? I was thinkin the 100gr TTSX woulda been the way to go, given it starts a lot faster, even if the 115 was designed for the Grendel.

Course I've only ever shot things with it out of a 6.5 CM and 6.5x55

 

[Beeron]

Thats some experience alright.

Stinkycoyote here shot a lot of game (deer, moose, bear) with that bullet too and had great results, from 0 to I think 400 yards.

Honestly lookin at the wounds I couldn't tell it wasn't a bigger rifle.



Didn't get the terminal performance you wanted out of that one? I was thinkin the 100gr TTSX woulda been the way to go, given it starts a lot faster, even if the 115 was designed for the Grendel.

Course I've only ever shot things with it out of a 6.5 CM and 6.5x55

It killed the bear pretty well but like most Barnes shots it was a complete pass through.
Since my Barnes load was rigjt around 2600, i figured 200 yards would be max for me and the bear was 179.
With the CE Maximus, i can reasonably extend my range to 350 which for me is plenty.
I also did not yet have my hands on the CE bullets.
I still have lots of the tac-tx sitting here and I will prolly shoot them at stuff. I got an excellent load of 1/2 moa with that bullet.
I might try them in my creedmoor as well.

 

[Joel]

Ah gotcha, the only thing that displeased you on it was the pass through, besides wating the longer range? From 200 to 350 IS a pretty big increase...