I agree. I like the Grendel a ton. But, one has to take the disadvantages as well as advantages. You only get a couple bullets to do what what you wish for with the 6.5 Grendel. As much as I hate to say it, the 123 gr. A-max is NOT one of those bullets. Good, but doesn't meet what the Grendel can do. They are, however, much more accessible than the others.
In any case, most anything out of a 6.8 SPC II chamber will beat a Grendel inside 500 yds. For all out power from an AR-15 it doesn't compare with the WSSM's and the various large caliber cases chambered for the AR-15 inside 200 yd. ranges. Where it shines, and the only place it shines, is it has the right bullets that are capable of getting 1400 yds. supersonic and creating a great group because of that. But, where it shines, it's adequate all the way out.
I guess I should can my 123gr A-MAX loads then. I was only able to get 2489fps with 31.1gr of CFE from my 16" Grendel. 31.4gr gave me 2520fps, and 31.7gr gave me 2532fps. This was with 2.275" COL and a true Grendel SAAMI chamber. My other velocities are posted in the thread I shared with all the details, and I went way higher than that before seeing any excursions from the trendline in velocity. Hornady lists 31.7gr the max with the
129gr SST. I was shooting the 123gr A-MAX, which behaves like a Nosler Ballistic Tip on game by the way. People have been killing coyotes, hogs, and deer with it every since it came out.
My 2489fps load
only keeps me supersonic out to 1290yds in the conditions I was shooting in. The 2532fps load
only has supersonic speed out to 1300yds. What bullet do you recommend I go to in order to improve this performance from my little 16" Grendel? The 123gr A-MAX was specifically designed for the 6.5 Grendel.
Which couple of bullets are the only ones that will do what you wish from this line-up?
This is less than half of the 6.5mm bullets available, and there are more than I will be able to ever develop loads for in this lifetime. If someone can point me to the couple that will work, that would sure save me a lot of trouble, because I've only been able to get 9 of them to shoot well for me so far:
90gr TNT
100gr NBT
107gr SMK
120gr SMK
120gr NBT
123gr A-MAX
123gr SST
123gr Scenar
129gr SST
The 123gr A-MAX is one of the standards in the 6.5 Grendel, for accuracy and efficiency. It has a .510 BC, fits well in the Grendel case and AR15, is affordable...basically what's not to like about it?
About the 6.8 SPC II, there isn't a load that will beat the Grendel inside of 500yds. I've run so many comparisons using the SSA Tactical loads, and I can't find one that compares well past 275yds. The 110gr Nosler AB Tactical load at 2630fps from a 16" barrel is one of the better ones, but still loses easily to the low-pressure Hornady factory 123gr SST from a 16".
If we had the 110gr Barnes (ATF BS ruling) with its .452 BC, it would easily out-gas anything in the 6.8 line-up in 110gr. Otherwise you're left comparing 100gr-123gr to 100gr-120gr, and it never works out well for the 6.8's little football-shaped pills. The 110 AB and 120gr SST are exceptions to this, but they still don't cut it, compared to even a 14.5" Grendel, and they are more expensive.
As far as hunting reach goes, the Grendel in 16", 18", and 20" barrels is commonly used to kill rather large animals at extended ranges. We've seen Alaskan Caribou (275yds and 400yds-123gr SST/18" Grendel), Kodiak Island black tail deer (442, 458, 498yds with 120gr NBT/20"), 9-point buck at 337yds in 30mph 1/2 value wind with 123gr SST at 2530fps, and 370yds on a 3-pointer with 123gr SST just within the past 8 weeks. Even 10.5" will keep the 123gr over 1800fps out to 250yds, and has been used to kill large deer up north with the 123gr A-MAX, DRT.
