6.5 Grendel

Just finished my first AR build and had a blast with it. Looking for my next project and pondering on building a 6.5 Grendel upper. Anybody on Tman have experience with this cartridge?

i usually ask here https://www.65grendel.com/
since I will get the most experienced answers, from the most folks, in the shortest time.

I Like easier to find cartridges

The Creedmoor is getting to be very popular. All of a sudden I know several people that got one recently.

I got it in a 10.5" pistol and I really do love it, will love it even more OK new I get one in a rifle.

I built one on a 22" platform and love it. My main suggestion would be to buy the magazines from alexander arms. They hands down function the best of what I have tried. Have never had an issue with them but had some initial feeding problems before I switched to them.

Bought a CZ527 in this caliber-love love love the caliber and gun-its not a long range cartridge IMO but up to 300yds it will do the job on deer etc.Cannot wait to shoot a deer with it! Have got 100 grain Nosler Partitions shooting under 1/2" so I am happy with that,but I am still playing with 120 grain Sierra Gamekings to see if I can get them down that tight.Such a cool little cartridge!

I have the Grendel in an AR. It's a little better than ok, shot a mangy fox with it. Better than a good job at a little over 120 yards. If the animal didn't have mange it wouldn't have been good at all. I also have a 22 inch Howa mini action in Grendel. It's a real tack driver and I don't have to chase any brass. Took two deer with it at about 150 and 170 yards. Both were a 30/35 yard dash and crash with a decent blood trail that wasn't really needed. All and all I feel it's a good cartridge for deer and antelope class game. Larger game deserves more. Would I use it on elk or big black bears, NO. You can only get between 24 and 2500 fps with a 120 grain bullet. I use CFE223, 120 Sierra soft point, and a CCI 450 primer. The Howa is also a lot lighter and easier to handle.

MB, I haven't tried the Partitions yet. I'll have to give them a go. I do use the Sierra and get just a hair over 3/4 inch at 150 yards which is my zero. I agree that 300 should be the max for deer and antelope. Closer always better.

Hornady SST shoot and perform well when they get where they are going as well
It is a reloaders cartridge imho

I have the CFE223 loaded right now with 7 1/2 Remington primers and 120 gr sierras and am going to shoot Thursday A.M. as it looks to be a cool calm morning coming-will let you know how it does.Hoping it shoots these well so I can have a couple of different grain bullets that shoot well to choose from cause this little gun is a keeper! Wanted a lighter gun for close range shooting that didn't kick like a mule-this cartridge fits the bill perfectly.

I tried the SST. Worst bullets I have ever tried. Couldn't get them to group at all with several different powder/primer combinations. Narrowed it down to a .015 plus variation in COAL. Never seen such an issue. Finally measured the projectiles themselves and they were the problem, both boxes (same lot number). Both had a total variation of a little over .015 using my comparitor. If I shot some of of the same dimensions they shot great. They all weighed the same so that tells me the shape was not consistent. I'm not willing to buy 10 boxes to sort them and hopefully get a 100 or so of the largest cut. Maybe the problem has been corrected now, don't know. The experience has just soured me on the SST.

built one 2 years ago, Awesome, I bought some American gunner bulk pack (200) for the brass casings for reloading and just shoot for range time but boy does that stuff shoot well Hornady 123 BTHP so I shot a big doe and a 8 pointer with it last year. 200 loose pack in a plastic box was 134.00 plus shipping from SGAmmo now its 219.00, go figure

Have a Howa 1500 mini action in 6.5 Grendel. Killed 2 deer with it so far without issue. Love the round.

Got a 16" M4 style AR in the Grendel. Daughters have shot several deer and antelope with it. Shot a few coyotes with it way out yonder. IF I ever have only one gun, that will be the gun. Accurate, low recoil, tolerable muzzle blast, good bullet selection, just a dandy all around cartridge in my opinion.

Muzzel blast was my biggest issue, 20" barrel, I actually compared mine to a lever action 30/30, after I installed a 308 suppressor (best price) it was the gun others talk about

tried the CFF223 with 120 grain Sierras this morning-great cool calm morning-they didn't shoot as well as I would like-thought maybe it was me-then I shot my 17HMR Lithgow and better than 1/2" at 100yds with a rimfire-twice-so ya the Sierras will need some more playing around before I give up on them.So 100 grain Nosler Partitions it is for this fall season deer.Just love the caliber and the CZ 527-what beautiful little rifle/combo.