Real World Capability 6.5 CXP1,2,3?

[AppalachianGunSlinger]

[Sticks]

Elk and Bear have been taken with the 6.5. The knock down survey thread has a boatload of info on animals taken, range, and effects.

Lot of number pushing shows even a pistol or SBR 6.5 Grendel (12"-12.5" barrel) with 129gr ammo will still have sufficient speeds for expansion out to 300 IIRC.

As always, shot placement is the key.

[Slappy]

There is a boat load of info in here about just that. In North America other than a Kodak Brown bear I think I have seen everything else fall to the Grendel on this forum. BANG BANG!! Black bear, Anteeelopeeee, white tail, mule deers, Elk, coyoteeees, porkers, ground hogs, prairie dogs, goats, a moose (I think I saw), cats, if it can be hunted it has been killed with the Grendel!! And the 123SSTs seem to be the goto round.

[Slappy]

There is also Vol 1 and 2 reloading books with about every conceivable load data that can be purchased here also. With a lite weight carry type rifle the 123 SSTs is going to be the bullet. That is my opinion but others will chime in too!! But I am about keeping it simple, there are many that eat and sleep bullet and ballistics it will give you brain freeze!! BANG BANG!!

[LRRPF52]

Volume II has several chapters devoted to this, including matching bullets to intended game, expansion threshold effective engagement ranges based on barrel length and muzzle velocity metrics, and a terminal ballistics chapter with ballistics gel shots across the velocity spectrum.

CXP 1 bullets for 6.5 Grendel would be 85gr Sierra Varminter, 90gr TNT, 95gr VMAX, FMJ pelt harvester bullets from Lapua and Norma, and maybe the 95gr Controlled Chaos.

CXP 2 Lite bullets for 6.5 Grendel include: 95gr Lehigh Controlled Chaos, 100gr Nosler Ballistic Tip, 100gr AMAX, 100gr Hornady SP,

CXP 2 Medium include: 86gr GS Customs HV, 100gr Barnes TTSX, 100gr Nosler Partition, 120gr North Folk SS, 110gr Controlled Chaos (new), 120 Nosler BT, 120gr Speer Hot For, 120gr Sierra Pro Hunter, 123gr AMAX, 123gr SST, 123gr Prvi SP, 125gr Nosler Partition, 129gr Hornady SP, 129gr SST, 129gr Nosler Accubond LR, 140gr AMAX, 140gr Hornady SP, 130gr Berger Hunting VLD, 140gr Hunting VLD, 140gr SST

CXP 3 Bullets include: 97gr GS Customs HV, 100gr Barnes TTSX, 120gr Barnes TSX, 120gr GMX, 125gr Nosler Partition, 127gr Barnes LRX, 129gr Nosler Accubong Long Range (1300fps expansion bonded bullet), 130gr Nosler AB, 130gr Swift Scirocco, 130 Barnes TSX, 140gr Hornady SP, 140gr Nosler Partition, 140gr Swift A-Frame, 156gr Norma Oryx, 160gr Hornady RN, 160gr Sierra Pro Hunter.

If I were to pick one CXP 2 and CXP 3 bullet, it would probably be the 129gr ABLR. Rapid expansion, bonded, plows through, way low expansion envelope that is beyond well-suited for Grendel speeds.

We've also done some experiments with shortened Hornady 120gr GMXs down to 86gr, 94gr, 95gr, 105gr that show a lot of promise. The new 110gr Controlled Chaos from Lehigh is an interesting bullet as well, with advertised 1500fps petal and nose separation, with deep penetration from the core.

100gr TTSX, 120gr TSX, 123gr SST, and 125gr Nosler Partitions have been used to take large cow and bull elk. TSX out to over 400yds from a 20" by Mark LaRue, large bull, piled right up just a few yards from the shot.

Volume II has a systemic approach to determining where your limitations and capabilities are based on bullet expansion envelope, barrel length or mv, penetration, retained weight, optics, types of hunting, and finally the load data.

[rickOshay]

LR - you left out the new bullets from Maker (85, 95, 110 gr), Cavity Back Bullets (105, 118 gr) and Peregrine (120 gr).

[6.8 klr]

LR - you left out the new bullets from Maker (85, 95, 110 gr), Cavity Back Bullets (105, 118 gr) and Peregrine (120 gr).

The 105 Cavity Back did this to a smallish local Mule Deer.

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[AppalachianGunSlinger]

Awesome. Thanks for the responses. All great information. I am gonna have to look at picking up the handbooks when I order my barrel for this build and work up my loads.

[kmon]

I would go ahead and pickup the handbooks even if the gun is still a ways out in the big picture. There is a lot of information to go over. Tons on here as well.

I cot here late as I was just having fun shooting critters with the AR Grendel and discovered this site when researching a boltie build. Old school I guess but I still prefer a boltaction for hunting and there were none available when I decided to build one. Also you might keep an eye out for bullets and brass on sale if you are a reloader, picked up my choice of bullets for hunting on a very good price 129gr long range accubonds. The biggest deer I expect to find hunting with the Grendel are a little over 200lbs but the hogs can and do get much bigger so I like a bullet that will easily handle either.