2016 Deer Hunting Results

[jim_bob]

I was able to put two nice does in the freezer this year. I hunt the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia and am very grateful for the time I am able to spend in the woods in pursuit of whitetail deer in hopes of putting meat on the table. This is the second year I have hunted with my 11.5" Lilja barreled 6.5 Grendel and I'm even more convinced of the capabilities of this cartridge in a SBR format. The SBR and the Hornady SSTs performed as expected and made clean and ethical kills.

MiniRecce.jpg

The first deer walked out into a previously cut corn field about 130 yards away from where I was set up in my tree stand. A single SST resulted in a DRT.

2016_Deer_1.jpg


The second deer was taken from about 70 yards. I was hunting a deep draw between two tall ridges, there is a lot of mountain laurel on one of the ridge slopes, but the other slope is nice and open forest. The deer came out of the laurel about 90 yards away and started up the other ridge at a brisk trot, it had obviously been spooked. I was able to stop it with a whistle and then sent a single SST home. The deer ran 15 yards and crashed.

2016_Deer_2.jpg

[kmon]

Congrats on some good eating

[LRRPF52]

Very nice! 6.5 Grendel AR15 SBR is really the most capable, compact hunting package you can own, without peer.

With that load, you have a 275yd effective range if you want to stay above 1800fps where the SST stops expanding. You have 904ft-lbs of energy at 275yds.

With the 129gr Nosler Accubond Long Range, you have expansion out to 750yds, and 910ft-lbs at 325yds.

[jim_bob]

LRRPF52, I become more and more convinced on the 6.5 Grendel shorty every time I have a successful hunt. It is nice and light, maneuverable and has plenty of firepower to make clean ethical kills. I have yet to find a better tool for the job in my neck of the woods. I would like to try a 2-7 scope instead of the 1-4 at some point.

I am very interested in the 129 grain Accubond Long Range projectiles. Unfortunately I haven't caught them in stock at Precision Firearms just yet. Guess it's time to find a used reloading setup.

The other nice thing about the Grendel is you can eradicate quite a few coyotes in quick fashion if a pack happens to come by your stand. I just can't manipulate a bolt any where near quickly enough to put a comperable amount of lead down range.

[SHORT-N-SASSY]

(http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...ar-attack.html)

This news article fails to mention the firearm or cartridge used by the hapless hunter. Obviously, a second or third follow-up shot could have changed the outcome in this story --- and poses the question: Does a 6.5mm Grendel-chambered short-barreled auto-loading rifle, such as used in this Thread, constitute an Appalachian Mountain black bear hunting rig?

My guess: Loaded with 140-grain high sectional density projectiles, it does.

[jim_bob]

Good question, I'm not sure what cartridges are popular among black bear hunters.

[SHORT-N-SASSY]

I Googled, "images for black bear hunted with a 30-30" and was rewarded with numerous pics of same (https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q...d+with+a+30-30).

The following is a down-range ballistics chart comparing the 6.5mm Grendel cartridge, "A", loaded with the new Hornady 143-grain ELD-X (expanding) hunting projectile, with a Ballistic Coefficient of 0.623 and Sectional Density of 0.293, fired from a 12-inch-long barrel, against the venerable 30-30 Winchester cartridge, "B", loaded with the 170-grain Soft Point projectile, with a Ballistic Coefficient of 0.254 and Sectional Density of 0.256, fired from a 20-inch-long barrel. I dialed-in a 10-mph crosswind, at sea level ---

[BoxofRox]

Good question, I'm not sure what cartridges are popular among black bear hunters.

I have 2 with my Grendel using 123gr SST, plan on doing it again this year. Might even take a 12" Grendel.

The bigger one was 300lbs