6.5 Grendel Or Wildcat Variant

D

Delta Dog

New member
I made a post a while back about putting together an upper to be used as a calling rifle setup. I really had planned to go with the “boring” but capable .223 or .204. However, I made a mistake and started reading about the 6.5 Grendel.

My purposes are for this to be a coyote rig with good barrel life.

With the understanding that shot placement and bullet selection is critical, is a 6.5 Grendel a good option? Are there bullet offerings that will enter but not exit a coyote?

If not, same question for any of its necked-down little brothers?

I’ve looked into the and the .20 and .22 LBC. They seem to only be useful when ran hot with heavy bullets. Same for the .224 Valkyrie. The 6mmAR seems to be a possibility.

Really stuck on the 6.5 Grendel, I’m just convinced that it can (maybe already has been) function with lighter bullets or that a wildcat based on this case is available that fits the bill.

I think what I’m looking for is something with more thump than a .223 but that will not exit.

Thanks for the advice or even criticism.

Jake
 
IF your wanting something better than a 223 get a 22X6.8. Group buy going on now. See thread below for details. Barrel and die for $375
http://www.predatormastersforums.com/for...316#Post3123316

Maybe i misinterpreted your question but the 6.5 grendel is suited for heavy bullets. Where the 6.8 wildcats work better on light bullets.
Although I have a 6X6.8 shooting 90 grain NBT at 3000 that is lights out for yotes and deer. The 22X6.8's with 50's primary job is coyotes.
 
Last edited:
Not sure how you might get the 'thump' you want and still avoid exits. I have shot several with my Grendel and most of them suffer some damage, some of it significant. Used 95-123 bullets and most of the time have exits. I imagine smaller bullets with more speed will still do some exiting.
 
limited in available lighter bullets. 95gr VMax is commonly used and Sierra makes an 85gr HP that has a reputation for accuracy, I'm doing load development with those now. Dunno how they perform on yotes though, so far I'm just putting groups on paper.
 
Speer makes a 90gr TNT HP and there are a few 100 gr bullets in 6.5

I think everything else will be heavier.
 
IMO the Grendel isn't a great coyote rig. If they would offer a 75 vmax that you could get to 31, 3200 then maybe. I like it necked down to 6mm, what I've used the last two years. 15 last year shot with 87 gr vmax at 3000 fps from a 22" barrel, yes had exits but no blow ups. Frontal shots did not exit. This year 10 so far with 70 gr nbt at 3200 to 3300 estimated from a 20" barrel (no crony anymore). Had 1 bad blow up, on a frontal shot.

Or take the 6.8 case and do the same things, necked down to 6mm. There's a 6x6.8 barrel in the classifieds right now for a good price. A couple sponsors have good barrels and specials going on right now also.
 
From what I have read the 6.5 Grendel necked down to 6mm is called the 6mm AR?

Seems like an easy round to load for. I think that’s as close as I could get to what I’m looking for while still using the Grendel parent case.

If necking down to 6mm, is there an advantage to using the 6.5 vs 6.8 for the parent Case?

Thanks. Considering this route pretty heavily now.

Jake
 
Well the 6.8 bolt has a little more meat to it since the case is skinnier. The shorter 6.5 case means long heavy bullets are a little easier to use. the 6.5 case necked down goes by several different names, depending on who makes the barrel it seems. Very similar chambers. My BHW 243 lbc is a hammer, as is my ARP 6mm Predator. Bullets reach the lands within 10 thousandths of each other. I originally went that way because I had a 6.5 and therefore brass, etc. I'm not sure which way I'd go if I did it again. Lots of options anymore.

Only thing I'd change right now is I wish I could get a little slower twist rate. Both mine are 1-8 and I don't utilize it with heavy bullets. A 1-10 might do a little better with 55 gr bullets. Go with a Young Manufacturing bolt if you go with the 6.5 variant, it's a beast of a bolt and built with heavier walls and lugs.
 
Originally Posted By: Delta DogFrom what I have read the 6.5 Grendel necked down to 6mm is called the 6mm AR?

Seems like an easy round to load for. I think that’s as close as I could get to what I’m looking for while still using the Grendel parent case.

If necking down to 6mm, is there an advantage to using the 6.5 vs 6.8 for the parent Case?

Thanks. Considering this route pretty heavily now.

Jake

Ritch designed the 243 LBC before the 6 AR came out.

The advantage of the 6.5 case is you can go heavier on the bullets without eating up case capacity. Also the 6.5 has far better brass available and day in day out will be slightly more accurate. I've shot both extensively at 500 yards and settled on the LBC.

Greg
 
You also mentioned barrel life, I have a bore cam and at somewhere around 1600 rounds my 243 lbc still looks great. I would predict double that at least.
 
I would agree with Greg and .204 AR, you are not really going to be "burning up" a barrel on the 6.5 platform.

To echo what the other guys have said, the 6.5 is coyote hammer. But I wouldn't say that it is fur friendly. I really don't harvest coyote fur, so I have not attempted to find a fur friendly 6.5 bullet, but I am sure that you can. The best I saw was a 108gr Scenar bullet. Seemed to be ok on fur.
 
Thanks all for the information so far. To say I have learned a little in the past few days is a great understatement.

I first wanted to get an answer to my question of whether to go with a 6.5 or a necked down wildcat using that case.

I now plan to either neck it down to 6mm or maybe down to .224. Seems both have been done and do go by different names depending on the barrel maker as has been stated. Can’t seem to find much on game performance or info with lighter bullet selection.

I’m thinking an 18-20” with a 1-10 twist? Gurss I’ll start looking for uppers now...
 
Originally Posted By: Delta DogThanks all for the information so far. To say I have learned a little in the past few days is a great understatement.

I first wanted to get an answer to my question of whether to go with a 6.5 or a necked down wildcat using that case.

I now plan to either neck it down to 6mm or maybe down to .224. Seems both have been done and do go by different names depending on the barrel maker as has been stated. Can’t seem to find much on game performance or info with lighter bullet selection.

I’m thinking an 18-20” with a 1-10 twist? Gurss I’ll start looking for uppers now...

Well I posted up on killing PD's with a 22X6.8 using 50's that was devastating and Ritch has been killing coyotes with the 58 VMAX in the 6X6.8 since he designed the cartridge and an antelope at 646 yards using a 6X6.8.

In a 22 you want a 9 and in the 6 MM a 10 is good for your needs. I would go with a 6 MM in either size.

Give Ritch a call and he can get you lined up with what you might want.

Greg
 
Back
Top