Our picks for some of the best 6.5 grendel ammo options for hunters. We’ll give you solid tips on what to use for hog, varmint and deer hunting.
When it comes to cartridges, many hunters adhere to a “bigger is better” mindset. However, modern ammo technology is sending smaller projectiles downrange at faster velocities than ever before. These advancements are opening a whole new world of cartridge possibilities for hunters.
At first glance, 6.5 Grendel doesn’t look like much. Stand it next to a .30-06 cartridge and it seems downright teensy. Although 6.5 Grendel is indeed a compact package, it is surprisingly efficient. Grendel also takes the standard AR-15 and turns it into a highly effective hunting rifle suitable for deer and other medium-sized game.
If you’ve ever dreamed of toting your modern sporting rifle into the deer woods, but have felt restricted by .223/5.56 cartridges, 6.5 Grendel could be the answer to your deer hunting prayers.
Our Picks – Best 6.5 Grendel Hunting Ammo
Best 6.5 Grendel Ammo for Hog Hunting
If you’re trying to keep the population of this nuisance species in check, 6.5 Grendel is a great tool for the job. Here is one of our favorite loads for harvesting wild bacon (and sausage, and ham, and pork chops, and barbecue…)
Hornady Custom 123 Grain SST
Hornady’s Custom line is largely responsible for the company’s insane success. Stuffed with their signature SST (Super Shock Tip) projectiles, these cartridges are killer… literally. That polymer tip increases ballistic performance (as if the 6.5mm projectile needed any help) and initiates rapid expansion.
Basically, Hornady Custom offers the consistent accuracy of a match load and the terminal performance necessary for quick, ethical kills.
Not only do these loads seem to work miracles on feral swine, they are also highly effective on whitetails, pronghorn, mule deer, and coyotes.
Best 6.5 Grendel for Coyotes
Just under a century ago, coyotes could only be found west of the Mississippi River. Today, ‘yotes range from El Salvador to Newfoundland and can be found in 49 states (They’ve yet to jump a cruise ship bound for Hawaii).
This massive range means their habitat varies tremendously. While some hunters like to call these predators in close, others like to snipe them long-range, and the 6.5 Grendel is the perfect tool for the job.
Federal American Eagle 90-grain TNT
American Eagle has a nice line-up of varmint-specific loads. Unfortunately, few are offered in 6.5 Grendel. However, these TNT loads are a welcome (and capable) exception.
Featuring Speer TNT jacketed hollow points, these loads offer tack-driving long-range accuracy and terminal performance that will leave ‘yotes quaking in their tracks.
TNT bullets feature an ultra-thin jacket with internal fluting that guarantees sharp, fragmenting expansion upon impact.
Best 6.5 Grendel Ammo for Deer Hunting
While lightweight bullets aren’t typically considered ideal for whitetails, Grendel has enough power behind it to make it work. Most 6.5 Grendel loads push 1000 foot pounds of energy at 300 yards, which is considerably farther than the average whitetail shot opportunity. If you want a capable round with practically zero recoil, Grendel definitely delivers.
Nosler Trophy Grade 129-grain AccuBond
Nosler Trophy Grade is trusted to fill big game tags across North America. While you won’t be bagging moose or elk with this load, 6.5 Grendel Trophy Grade is perfectly suitable for deer, even those whopper whitetails that call Minnesota home.
AccuBond bullets are famous for their weight retention, expansion, and driving penetration. Plus, AccuBond is one of the sleekest, most aerodynamic hunting bullets on the face of the planet.
Federal Fusion Rifle 120-grain
There’s no denying that Federal Fusion has put a ton of venison on family dinner tables. It performs admirably in 6.5 Grendel. Although a 120 grain projectile might seem a tad on the paltry side for whitetails, the bonded design and impressive velocity (2600 fps out of the muzzle) make up for its light weight.
Fusion bullets are electrochemically bonded, which provides maximum weight retention and deep-driving penetration. The projectiles also have a skived nose that produces rapid, consistent expansion.
6.5 Grendel Vs 6.5 Creedmoor
The shooting world is currently in love with 6.5mm cartridges.
However, 6.5 Grendel is often overlooked. It tends to lurk in the shadows of the more famous (and just as frequently misspelled) 6.5 Creedmoor. Though the names are often confused, and both cartridges use the same bullet diameter, these two cartridges were built for different purposes.
6.5 Grendel was developed by Arne Brennan, Bill Alexander and Janne Pohjoispää. Their intention was to produce a high-accuracy, low-recoil cartridge that could function in the AR-15 platform and provide effective terminal ballistics on targets out to 800 yards.
As a combat round, Grendel sits firmly in the middle ground between 5.56x45mm NATO and the 7.62x51mm NATO.
On the other hand, 6.5 Creedmoor was designed for precision long-range competition.
Creedmoor and Grendel shoot bullets that are the same diameter and weight. However, Creedmoor sends those projectiles downrange 300 to 400 feet per second faster than Grendel. That extra speed results in flatter trajectories and less windrift. It also results in heavier recoil.
Both 6.5mm cartridges work well on whitetails, hogs, coyotes, fallow deer, pronghorn, and mule deer at moderate ranges. While 6.5 Creedmoor might have a slight edge on game animals beyond 300 yards. However, since the difference in performance is minimal and the vast majority of ethical shot opportunities occur inside of 300 yards, the point is relatively moot.
The overall length of the 6.5 Grendel cartridge is 2.26 inches, the maximum size that will fit into an AR-15 platform rifle. At 2.825 inches, the 6.5 Creedmoor is considerably longer. That means you can shoot the Grendel from an AR-15. If you want to hunt with 6.5 Creedmoor, you’re going to need a bolt action or an AR-10. You can learn a lot more about the differences between these two ballistically in this 6.5 Grendel vs 6.5 Creedmoor guide.
6.5 Grendel Compared to Other AR-15 Cartridges
While .223 Remington/5.56 NATO (the original AR-15 cartridge) is legal for hunting in most states, it is prohibited during deer season in a large portion of the US. For example, in Colorado, you have to use a .243 caliber cartridge or larger. That cartridge also needs to produce at least 1000 foot pounds of energy at 100 yards. That rules out .223/5.56 and many .300 BLK loads.
If you want to hunt whitetails with your AR, you’re going to need one chambered in something other than the standards. (It doesn’t hurt if you’re hunting hogs, either).
The 6.5 Grendel has greater velocity than.300 BLK and heavier bullet weights than .223/5.56. This means better terminal ballistics and more ethical kills at common hunting ranges.
If you want to see Grendel’s performance stats compared to 5.56 NATO, you can check them out here and here.
How 6.5 Grendel Measures Up as a Hunting Cartridge
Recoil
Determining felt recoil is anything but an exact science. Some shooters handle recoil better than others. Usually big, burly guys tend to handle recoil better than small, 12 year-old children. Before you send me hate mail, I’ve seen plenty of exceptions to this “rule”. (I’m looking at you whiny, muscle-bound dude rubbing your shoulder after one shot with your .30-06.)
The weight and construction of your rifle also affects the way recoil is distributed.
Basically, felt recoil varies from shooter to shooter, and rifle to rifle.
Free recoil is a whole other science. Free recoil is the rearward energy created when a firearm is discharged without any support from behind. This is easier to measure because there are few external factors (like support, shooting form, body composition, and whiny attitude) that come into play.
Warning: If you want to calculate free recoil, there’s a ton of anxiety-inducing math involved. However, if algebra and physics make you happy, have at it. Here is the formula for calculating free recoil energy.
Free Recoil Energy
If you’re anything like me, you would much rather spend your time shooting than ciphering. Thankfully, other math-minded people have done the recoil dirty work for us. Here’s a quick table that compares the recoil of some of the most popular hunting cartridges.
| Cartridge | Average Rifle Weight | Projectile Weight | Projectile Velocity | Free Recoil |
| .243 Winchester | 7.5 lbs | 100 grains | 2960 fps | 8.8 ft-lbs |
| 6.5 Grendel | 7.5 lbs | 120 grains | 2600 fps | 8.9 ft-lbs |
| .30-30 Winchester | 7.5 lbs | 150 grains | 2400 fps | 10.6 ft-lbs |
| .308 Winchester | 7.5 lbs | 150 grains | 2800 fps | 15.8 ft-lbs |
| .30-06 Springfield | 7.5 lbs | 150 grains | 2910 fps | 17.6 ft-lbs |
| .300 Win Mag | 8 lbs | 150 grains | 3320 fps | 23.5 ft-lbs |
As you can see, 6.5 Grendel is an incredibly mild cartridge. It actually has significantly less recoil than the gentle .30-30 Winchester and nearly half the recoil of .30-06, both of which are considered easy to manage by most shooters.
This means the 6.5 Grendel can be a major advantage for small-frame or recoil sensitive shooters. Milder recoil will have an impact on accuracy and shooter confidence, even if you aren’t particularly sensitive. It also means shooters can walk away from a day of range training with a smile on their face instead of a sore shoulder.
Don’t underestimate the impact that recoil has on the ability of a person to shoot accurately either. Some people do handle recoil better than others, but all other things being equal, they will absolutely shoot more accurately with a milder recoiling cartridge.
Cost
Considering current ammo prices, cost per round can play a huge role in deciding on the chambering of your hunting rifle. The 6.5 Grendel isn’t exactly an expensive boutique cartridge. While it may not be as readily available as .223/5.56, it isn’t exactly rare or elusive either.
On a good day, you can sometimes find 6.5 Grendel for around the same price as .223/5.56.
Ammo expenses aside, there is another budget-friendly reason to make the switch to 6.5 Grendel. If you want to go Grendel with your existing AR-15, all you need to do is switch out the upper receiver.
You can theoretically use your standard 5.56 magazines. However, cartridges feed much better from magazines designed specifically for 6.5 Grendel.
If you want to start with a brand-new rifle, there are plenty of factory-built Grendel ARs that don’t require a huge financial investment.
Can’t You Just Use an AR-10?
AR-15s make awesome hunting rifles because they are lightweight, easy to shoot, and highly maneuverable.
The efficacy of deer hunting with standard .223/5.56 ammo is questionable. However, .308 Winchester is one of the most popular whitetail cartridges on the market. So why not just opt for an AR-10?
An AR-10 is a great option for deer hunters who want to use a semi-auto modern sporting rifle. While the AR-10 and AR-15 have plenty of similarities, they also have plenty of differences.
First, the AR-10 is larger and heavier than the AR-15. This might not seem like a deal breaker until you’ve hiked a rifle deep into the backcountry or hauled one into a treestand before breakfast.
The size and weight of the AR-15 are also major assets for small-framed hunters. Plus, the lighter, more compact AR-15 is easier to maneuver in the woods and within the tight confines of a blind.
AR-10s also tend to be more expensive and difficult to upgrade. If you want to customize a hunting rifle, it doesn’t get more customizable than an AR-15.
