Hunting & Fishing Hunting Mulies with 6.5 Grendel. Which rounds to use...?

[Wyzrd]

Alright guys, I'm gonna be hunting some big WY mulies here in a few months with a 6.5 grendel AR15 and wanted to see if any of you guys have taken game with this little cartridge. If so, what rounds did you use? Hand loads or factory ammo? So far, I've had the best accuracy in my rifle with factory Wolf Gold 120gr MPT, and the Hornady SST and ELD-M coming in second place. I guess I'm wondering if it would be wise or not to try the 120gr MPT's on game...? I know shot placement is key and I have complete faith in my rifle with that ammo, but I'm just not sure if it'll impart enough ft/lbs of energy when it connects.

Anyways, if anyone has hunted with their 6.5 grendel, please share what ammo you used, and on what game animal. Thanks guys!!!

 

[krw]

Can you kill a mule deer with a Grendel, of course. Can you kill a mule deer with a 22LR, of course. There are lots of better cartridges to hunt mule deer with.

 

[Wyzrd]

Yes, there are plenty of other cartridges, and I do have other calibers, but currently, my 6.5 grendel is the lightest rifle I have right now (short of my other AR's). That's one of the biggest reasons I'm going to be humping it up in the mtns this season....well that and I have complete faith in it to put the bullets right where I need them to go. I am just a little unsure of using the 120gr MPT round, or if I should just stick to the SST...? Unfortunately my light weight 308 rifle won't be ready by opening day, or else I'd be bringing it.

 

[coldboremiracle]

I am not sure what kind of bullet the MPT is, I assume its just a hollow point? Similar to a match bullet maybe? Provided it has a lead core, and not some pixie dust center, I would expect it to work just fine. 120 grain bullets are plenty to bring down a mule deer as long as you hit them in the right spot as you mentioned. I'd rather have shot placement confidence than not.

 

[Wyzrd]

Yes sir, the 120gr MPT (Multi Purpose Tactical) round is a bthp bullet. Nothing special, just a good ole lead core. I haven't chronoed it yet, but it should be trucking along around 2600 fps up here at 6200' ft, out of my rifle. I'll be limiting my shots to 400 yds max, and closer if I can be sneaky enough. I wholeheartedly agree with good shot placement! Fortunately I've had awesome accuracy with this ammo out of my rifle, so more than likely I'll just go ahead and run with them come hunting season. Still a couple months out, but I'll post my results when I harvest my deer!

 

[FCS]

I'd chronograph that 120 MPT or back out a velocity from known elevation needed at distance; I don't recall the 120 MPT running 2600 fps from a 20" or shorter barrel. YMMV. I have some chrono data from years ago but it is from years ago, different lot # and different barrel so not exactly an apples to apples comparison.
How long a barrel and what gas system are you running on your AR?
What kind of accuracy are you considering awesome: 0.5 MOA, 1 MOA, 2MOA or ???

 

[Wyzrd]

Yes sir, I do plan on chronographing them, I just haven't got around to it yet. My set up isn't anything special at all. 20" SS barrel with a rifle length gas block. With that ammo out of my rifle, I've shot lots of 1/2 moa 3 rd groups, lots of sub-moa 5 shot groups, and my personal best (freak occurrence) 5 shots into a sub 1/4 moa group... Accurate enough for me willing to take a shot on a mulie out to 400 yds max. I've been practicing with it out to 700 but am putting my max distance for game at 400 with that set up...hopefully closer. Would you be willing to share your chronograph data? If so, I'd greatly appreciate it and would be interested in comparing them with the #'s I get when I do run mine over the chronograph.

 

[FCS]

If I find the chrono data, I've no problem sharing the info. Biggest problem I have is finding the data from 10 years ago.

 

[Wyzrd]

I understand. If you happen to come across it, great. If not, it's all good. Either way, I appreciate it!

 

[waveslayer]

Tough to beat the TTSX for the Grendel. Have you gotten the Grendel reloading manual that Paul wrote over on the 6.5 Grendel forum? Worth looking at. If you plan to shoot at any distance check out the 100 or 95 grain TTSX. They are also selling some loaded 130 Socorro bullets. Take a look. And not a bad choice to hunt deer with... of you want to use an AR the Grendel is the way to go

My wife thinks I only have 3 guns

 

[coldboremiracle]

Yes sir, the 120gr MPT (Multi Purpose Tactical) round is a bthp bullet. Nothing special, just a good ole lead core. I haven't chronoed it yet, but it should be trucking along around 2600 fps up here at 6200' ft, out of my rifle. I'll be limiting my shots to 400 yds max, and closer if I can be sneaky enough. I wholeheartedly agree with good shot placement! Fortunately I've had awesome accuracy with this ammo out of my rifle, so more than likely I'll just go ahead and run with them come hunting season. Still a couple months out, but I'll post my results when I harvest my deer!

You should be absolutely fine then, plenty of medicine for a deer. My son dropped his first buck last year with a 120BTHP from a 260 at 2800ish. Blew right through him at 490yds.

 

[Wyzrd]

Tough to beat the TTSX for the Grendel. Have you gotten the Grendel reloading manual that Paul wrote over on the 6.5 Grendel forum? Worth looking at. If you plan to shoot at any distance check out the 100 or 95 grain TTSX. They are also selling some loaded 130 Socorro bullets. Take a look. And not a bad choice to hunt deer with... of you want to use an AR the Grendel is the way to go

My wife thinks I only have 3 guns

No sir, I don't have or haven't seen that reloading manual yet. I will definitely look into it. I haven't messed around with any Barnes bullets yet in my grendel, although I have had good success with the 150 gr TTSX in a 308. I took a big old mulie in a damn near front on shot, with me elevated up on a rock face shooting down at him. It went in and out of his neck, through the top of his spine completely busting it up, and I recovered the mushroomed bullet in his hind quarter... Almost a complete pass through. That deer dropped in its tracks, never took a step. I loved the performance of that bullet, so I will definitely be seeing how they shoot in my grendel.

 

[Wyzrd]

You should be absolutely fine then, plenty of medicine for a deer. My son dropped his first buck last year with a 120BTHP from a 260 at 2800ish. Blew right through him at 490yds.

That's awesome! Congratulations to you and your son on a successful harvest! It's always memorable when you get your first buck. My son is 4 right now and I already can't wait to bring him out hunting too!!! I've been acquiring all the necessary gear for him ever since he was born so that when he is ready to come out in the field, he'll already be GTG.

 

[coldboremiracle]

That's awesome! Congratulations to you and your son on a successful harvest! It's always memorable when you get your first buck. My son is 4 right now and I already can't wait to bring him out hunting too!!! I've been acquiring all the necessary gear for him ever since he was born so that when he is ready to come out in the field, he'll already be GTG.

Keep after it, I did the same thing. Junior has been hunting with me since he was 4, now he thinks he's just one of the guys. When it was time to start training him for shooting, I built a little short barreled 260. And it hammers.


https://youtu.be/zKV8aA8l2D8

 

[brianf]

Go with a tsx or a accubond. Both are nice and pointy for the semi autos and put meat on the table.
As much as I hate to say it I have been using more and more tsx for hunting. My kids are starting to eat what I bring home, just can't fight the science with ingesting lead and its issues.

 

[260284]

You should be absolutely fine then, plenty of medicine for a deer. My son dropped his first buck last year with a 120BTHP from a 260 at 2800ish. Blew right through him at 490yds.

I believe the 120 MPT is the PPU 120 that you load for your son's 260. I pulled some of those from the Wolf Grendel ammo and then bought some of the 120 PPU from Grafs. They are very accurate for the money. I blew a big hole in a yote with my Grendel at about 100 yards.

 

[coldboremiracle]

I believe the 120 MPT is the PPU 120 that you load for your son's 260. I pulled some of those from the Wolf Grendel ammo and then bought some of the 120 PPU from Grafs. They are very accurate for the money. I blew a big hole in a yote with my Grendel at about 100 yards.

The one I use is from PVRI, you may be right, it may be the same one. If so, that should do fine on a muley.

 

[Coffee_and_Pipes]

Hey @Wyzrd , I’m just seeing this thread. How did the 6.5 Grendel work for you? I’ve been thinking about one as a nice, lightweight hunting semi-auto.