This Is All You Need to Know About 6.5 Grendel
The 6.5 Grendel was designed as a 200-800-yard cartridge that could be fired from a standard AR-15 magazine. The 6.5 Grendel, based on the 220 Russian cartridges (the parent case used for the 7.62x39mm, 5.45x39mm, and 6PPC), is a 6PPC necked up to 6.5mm with a no-turn neck. Because of its inherently accurate case design, short powder column, small rifle primer, and long neck, the 6 PPC has dominated the 100- and 200-yard bench rest circuit since its introduction in 1975. The 6.5 Grendel shares these characteristics.
While the Grendel is a smaller 6.5mm cartridge in terms of case capacity (35.0-grain water capacity) and isn’t as fast as larger 6.5mm cartridges like the 260 Remington, 6.547 Lapua, and 6.5 Creedmoor, it does offer AR shooters larger diameter bullets with better ballistic coefficients and improved performance at extended ranges when compared to.224 projectiles from a 223 Remington/5.5645 mm NATO rifle.
This article will look at all you need to know about 6.5 Grendel.
The 6.5 Grendel Is Relatively Inexpensive
This is a significant selling point for the 6.5 Grendel ammo. This is good news for Grendel because the round has become much more affordable over the past ten years. Now, the least expensive 6.5 Grendel steel case ammunition costs roughly equal to the least expensive 5.56mm per round. Additionally, 6.5 Grendel ammunition frequently costs less than.308 ammunition.
The popularity of the 6.5 Creedmoor has also driven down the price of 6.5mm barrels, making the cost of constructing a 6.5 Grendel rifle comparable to that of creating any other AR-15.
As a result, the 6.5 Grendel may grow in popularity as more people search for a round that fits AR-15 pattern rifles but provides superior long-range performance at a price roughly equal to 5.56mm.
1. Long Range Performance
The 6.5 Grendel is not the long-range precision powerhouse that the 6.5 Creedmoor is. However, the 6.5 Grendel performs surprisingly well out to about 800 meters.
The 6.5 Grendel has a range of 1000 yards. However, the round isn’t ideal for extreme long-range shooting.
It’s a viable option for DMR rifles that require more long-range capability than a standard AR-15 without adding too much weight to the platform.
The 6.5 Grendel is also an effective medium-range round for bolt-action rifles. It is, however, best suited to semi-automatic rifles.
The 6.5 Grendel is made for people who want a round that is neither as heavy as a.308 nor as specialized as a 6.5 Creedmoor but has a longer valid range than the 5.56mm.
2. Hunting Viability
The 6.5 Grendel is a good hunting round.
It might not be ideal for a bolt-action rifle, but it could be used to build an AR-15 for hunting around the 6.5 Grendel. It would have better terminal ballistics and a longer range than a 5.56mm AR. And it’d be a genuine modern sporting rifle.
3. The 6.5 Grendel Hits Harder
The Grendel is faster than the .300 Blackout and has heavier bullet weights than the 5.56 NATO/.223 Remington. At most ethical hunting ranges, this results in more energy on target.
At 100 yards, the Grendel delivers nearly 500 foot-pounds more energy than the Blackout and 600 more foot-pounds than the .223. This is significant.
Even the .224 Valkyrie, designed to fire heavy-for-calibre bullets, struggles to keep up at the close range. The 90-grain Valkyrie round from the Fusion line is nearly 200 ft-lbs. Heavier than the Grendel at 100 yards.
Few dedicated AR-15 cartridges hit harder at 400 yards. As a result, you have more oomph to smash the scapula of a deer, ensuring proper bullet penetration and expansion.
4. Respectable Accuracy
If you only want a range queen AR-15, look at Valkyrie. The newish cartridge’s downrange performance is exceptional, surpassing or mirroring the storied 6.5 Creedmoor 1,000 yards and beyond. The 6.5 Grendel is no slouch.
From 800 yards, it shoots extremely flat and has excellent ballistic characteristics. And it’s more than capable of connecting at 1,000 yards with some patience and understanding.
5. Grendel Allows You to Use The AR-15
This may appear to be an obvious ruse, but it has some nuances. While the 5.56 NATO/.223 Remington (among others., 22 calibers) is a legal deer cartridge in nearly half of the country; it is illegal in many states.
For big games, Colorado, for example, requires a.243 calibre or larger. Furthermore, it must deliver 1,000 ft-lbs of energy at 100 yards. The 6.5 Grendel delivers on all fronts.
Why not upgrade to an AR-10 and use a tried-and-true big-game caliber? 308 Winchester or 6.5 Creedmoor? While the two ARs operate similarly, they are distinct rifles. AR-10s are larger and more expensive than AR-15s. This isn’t to say the AR-10 isn’t a good choice; it just lacks many desirable features found in the AR-15. Size is essential, as the smaller rifle is a second thought when tramping into the backcountry or climbing into a tree stand.
Bottomline
To be sure, the 6.5 Grendel is not the be-all and end-all of hunting rifles. However, it does fill a significant void. It’s a low-cost hunting round that performs well from a semi-automatic rifle. That’s an exciting niche. Alexander’s gem is second to none for those looking for an AR platform to take down deer (or elk) at ethical hunting ranges. And, once you’ve mastered it, you’ll be able to ring steel from a mile away with the Grendel. What is there not to like about that?