So AAC released their Grendel ammo for reasonable prices the other day. I have been flirting with a 6.5 for a minute now. Unfortunately I can't find terribly good data about the callber from a short pipe.

How much of a drop is 14.5 in velocity terms, and is 11-12.5 that much more of a drop in terms of effectiveness? I understand there will be a loss in long range efficacy, but if I'm maintaining a distance envelope of no more than 500yds am I going to be so disadvantaged?

Can’t remember where I found the first set of data, but second pic is out of my ~12” Lilja

At 500 yards, Barnes vor-tx 115gr  should be 1500ft/s with 566ft/lbs of energy


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I wondered the same thing and got a 12.5. 6.5 Grendel has a good BC and 2230 fps out of a 12.5 with a 123 grain projectile is cooking. I would say a 12.5 will be as effective as you are behind it at any reasonable distance. I plan on taking mine out to at least 600 yards, maybe more.

I don’t plan on killing an animal past 300 yards. I just plan on shooting steel at 300-600. 500 yards is nothing out of a 12.5 5.56. I would think Grendel would be equal or better.

The 6.5 Grendel is an interesting round. It shoots very flat, has a great BC and makes for a particularly good DMR setup.

I would not hesitate to get a 12.5

I have some 95gr vmax that needs measured in my yet untested 10.5" . Seems there were some 90gr varmit loads I wanted to test too .

Good info. Dropping to 12.5 from 14.5 seems to be about 70fps difference, which I don't anticipate making a big difference if I just want a 500yd laser beam. Would make for a comfortable alternative to the Mk18 upper on there slinging 75gr lol

This data is some I collected from listed sources or what a Friend and I got using his Magnettospeed chronograph a few years ago.

12” 6.5 Grendel chronograph results

Buffman Range video 12” PSA 6.5 Grendel Federal Berger 130 grain HOTM GMM 2073 FPS (Pro Chrony)

18” PSA Nitride 6.5 Grendel Federal 130 grain Hybrid-OTM Berger GMM 2322 FPS (Pro Chrony)

12” PSA  SS with LabRadar.


123gr Hornady American Gunner bulk HPBT = 2201 FPS ave with SD of 14.7 (2" to 2.55" groups)
123gr Hornady ELD-M Black = 2265 FPS ave with SD of 13.2 (1.4 to 1.7" groups)
123gr Hornady Custom SST Factory= 2277 ave with SD of 11.8 (2.9 to 3.2" groups)


12” Faxon

Wolf steel case at 2364 Avg. SD was 9.7.



Here is a list of the tested ammo by average velocity for each barrel length.

120 Grain HP BT PPU

16" 2392

18" 2455

20" 2480

24" 2559

110 grain FMJ PPU

16" 2510

18" 2570

20" 2614

24" 2683

123 grain A-Max Hornady

12” 2265 (123 grain ELD-M)

16" 2419

18" 2464

20" 2505

24" 2568

123 Grain SST Hornady

12” 2277

16" 2430

18" 2493

20" 2511

24" 2583

Hand Load 123 Grain Nosler CC, 31.0 grains CFE223, CCI 450

16" 2449

18" 2471

20" 2526

24" 2619

100 Grain FMJ Wolf

12” 2364

16" 2507

18" 2571

20" 2615

24" 2695

Hand Load 107 Grain SMK 28.5 IMR8208XBR, CCI 41 Hornady cases.

20" 2658

24" 2729

Hornady 123 grain American Gunner

12” 2201

Here is the difference between the 18” barrel compared to the shorter 16” barrel which was slower with every load.

120 grain PPU HP BT

63 FPS difference

110 grain PPU FMJ

60 FPS difference

123 grain A-Max

45 FPS difference

123 grain SST

63 FPS difference

Hand load 123 grain Nosler CC

27 FPS difference

Wolf 100 grain FMJ Steel cased

64 FPS difference


Difference between 20” and 18” barrel 6.5 Grendel

120 grain PPU HP BT

25 FPS difference

110 grain PPU FMJ

44 FPS

123 grain A-Max

41 FPS difference

123 grain SST

18 FPS

Hand load 123 grain Nosler CC

55 FPS difference

Wolf 100 grain FMJ Steel Cased

44 FPS difference

Velocity Difference 20” compared to 24”

120 grain PPU HP BT

79 FPS difference

110 grain PPU FMJ

69 FPS Difference

123 grain A-Max

63 FPS Difference

123 grain SST

72 FPS difference

Hand load 31.0 grains CFE223 CCI 450 primer 123 grain Nosler CC

93 FPS Difference

Wolf 100 grain FMJ

80 FPS Difference

Hand Load 107 grain SMK 28.5 grains IMR8208XBR CCI 41 primers

71 FPS Difference

Comparing 90gr .264 bullets to .224 it's easy to beat 62gr .224 in sectional density and BC .

The 95gr vmax is just shy of .200 SD . Good for hunting .

* in theory

I shoot the 123 SST’s out of my 12 inch and it has impressed the hell out of me. Now all my buddies are running similar set ups. It is hell on hogs for sure. My kids  use it for deer. It works well, and will still be effective way further than anything I am going to shoot at other than paper/steel.

1236 ftlb

2154.5 fps

12 inch faxon barrel shooting 120 grain ballistic tip bowler factory ammo. I wasn’t getting much different velocities with other brands similar grains.

94*F
12.5” BA 6.5 Grendel
Rex Silentium Mg7k .264
Hornady Black 123 gr ELD-M
Av 2268 fps
Es 35
Sd 11.3

Labradar

My son was saying how much more he likes shooting the AR compared to my other hunting rifles, so I ordered the PSA 12" barrel and bolt combo for $200.   Should be awesome for deer at the 25-75 yard ranges we shoot them at.  

I hope it shoots the SSTs well.

My 12" PSA with Hornady SST today:

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How do you like the Rex on 6.5?  I've been using a Rex 308 on my 12" 6.5 and seems to work well enough.  Debating picking up the 6.5 can and can pull double duty on 5.56