Yes and I won't do it again. Blood trails were sparse at best. i would stay away from Barnes with the modest velocity of the Grendel.
6.5 Grendel hunting bullet
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WildRose
Well-Known Member
My limited experience with them would have me leaning towards the LRX if I were going to shoot Barnes from the Grendel. They seem to work much better with lower velocity.
Georgiashooter
Well-Known Member
The 100 TTSX works. No matter what you're shooting, if you don't make good shot placement, blood trail won't be there. Normally, when using the Barnes, you don't need a blood trail.
Yes but the lightest one in 6.5 is the 127 grain. Not only it it a little heavy for the Grendel IMO they are also so long that they seriously eat into the already limited powder capacity.
I don't have a picture to show you but we've shot several deer in/behind the shoulder with them and they just haven't left good blood trails.
Maybe Texas deer are tougher than Georgia deer.
WildRose
Well-Known Member
That's always part of the trade off with using mono's. I thought when originally developed the cartridge was built around the 120-130gr bullets available at the time?
WildRose
Well-Known Member
I had better luck with people shooting the TTSX vs the TSX. Of all the deer I've had to track for people in the last twenty years or so the vast majority were those shot with a TSX that failed to expand. Some of those deer even though arguably well hit were able to make a half mile or more before going down and some never were found because they were so far off onto other properties.I don't have a picture to show you but we've shot several deer in/behind the shoulder with them and they just haven't left good blood trails.
Maybe Texas deer are tougher than Georgia deer.
I shot 120 Gr Noslers with 2520 never have crono'd them, its shots one hole groups out of 20" AR barrel, out to 200 yds all head shots past that I shot at the junction of the neck and shoulder, pigs right behind the ear, DRT, all of em 8 deer 12 hogs year before last, all head shots on the deer. This year 4 deer, 3 were head shots one was a neck shot at 325 yds +/- lost count on the hogs but it was a bunch of them.
Barnes introduced a 115 grain TAC TX bullet this year that supposedly was designed with the lower velocities in the Grendel similar to the 110 TAC TX for the 300BO. So far I've been unable to get acceptable groups with them so I can't report on performance of them yet.
My load is 26.4 gr 8208 under a 129 ABLR, which is a compressed load at AR mag length. My 18" only makes 2300 fps or so at Minnesota temps in November, but it's dropped every deer quickly. I tried some LVR and it was low pressure even at well over book loads. I stopped around 2300 fps but plan to work up higher this season.
I have been wanting to try out that 115 TAC TX, I have some 120 TSX but worried I won't get enough speed to get them opened up.
I have been wanting to try out that 115 TAC TX, I have some 120 TSX but worried I won't get enough speed to get them opened up.
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snox801
Well-Known Member
I can tell your without a doubt the best bullet for the Grendel is the either the hammer 97gr or hammer 99gr. As mike stated the 120 plus class juts weighs to much. I've done a ton of on game testing with this round as I prefer light recoil and ar style for hunting.
I was running 123gr hornady great for paper terrible on game. Very little bullet expansion.
The 100gr eld picks up enough speed to make it a better round.
The hammer are such a noticeable improvement in performance.
I've killed over 100 game with it so far lost of hogs, deer, audad, and even a red stag.
I was running 123gr hornady great for paper terrible on game. Very little bullet expansion.
The 100gr eld picks up enough speed to make it a better round.
The hammer are such a noticeable improvement in performance.
I've killed over 100 game with it so far lost of hogs, deer, audad, and even a red stag.
levers4life
Well-Known Member
123SST's & 8208 equals cheap shooting and DRT game out of my 20" 5R
WoodPecker Hunter
Well-Known Member
What's Your GUYs Opinions of the 100 gr Nosler Partition bullet out of the Grendel at 2700 fps or so ? I think its should open up Well - Expand and still penetrate good !
Whats NOT to like ?
Whats NOT to like ?
WildRose
Well-Known Member
The NP is made specifically for punching through hard bone and thick/heavy bodied animals. At Grendel velocities there's a good chance you're not going to get good expansion.
If you're shooting soft bodied varmints/predators and don't mind them running off it's not a big deal.
The lack of expansion does make them a pretty good choice for hide hunters though.
IF you're shooting hogs it's probably a pretty good choice.
