I have a few loads that group really well. I'm narrowing it down to one for mule deer this fall based on accuracy, performance, and component availability.
#1 is 130 gr Sierra TGK CCI 400
Ram Tac 27.0 gr 2.260Avg Mz Vel 2300SD 10 ES 20, ½ MOA.
#2 123 gr SST 2.260 CCI 400
AR Comp 28.0gr avg Mz vel 2539
ES 14 SD 8 ½ MOA
#3 120 gr Speer Gold Dot 2.261 CCI 400
26.0 gr Ram Tac ½ ish MOA
Avg Mz Vel 2300 ish.
The TGK's are the most consistant but hardest to find. The SST's much more available and a decent performer it seems. The Gold Dots are great performing hunting bullet but hard to find. My goal is to practice and confirm my dope out to 500 between now and my hunt.
run hornady factory black beside everything you do as a baseline and or backup option and or maybe it becomes lead option imo, we are 12 for 12 after this spring bear hunt on Alberta big game now with 5 species over 4.5 seasons with hornady black to 420 yards, works fantastic
With that velocity and accuracy, and its proven performance out of a Grendel, it's hard not to go with the SST. That would be my vote out of those options.
Good shooting. But I dont think attempting to harvest deer size game with a Grendel @ 500 plus yards would be a good choice, IMO. Keeping the energy over 1k ft. lbs. is key for quick clean kills. I doubt that you are achieving that threshold with with either of those loads posted.
Again .just my opinion. Not meaning to ruffle any feathers.
I will echo a little of Kosh65 too. find out what impact speed each bullet needs to open up reliably. then using the BC and the MV for each, figure out how far you can shoot and still get the bullet to open up. even if you can hit a deer at 2 miles, if the impact velocity is lower than the speed needed to initiate reliable expansion, then the wounding capability goes down considerably (think FMJ) and you may or may not be able to recover the animal if you hit it. It will likely die eventually, or maybe sooner than later, but there's a good chance you won't be able to recover it. Just giving something to think about. How you proceed is, of course, entirely up to you.
As an aside on expansion at lower impact velocities, one bullet that has a pretty soft nose to get expansion at lower velocities, but also will retain enough mass at high impact velocities for adequate penetration, and doesn't get a lot of press here in the forum is the 100gr. Nosler Partition. Or if you like a little more mass, the 125gr Nosler Partition. Another bullet that is purpose designed to open at lower impact velocities is the Nosler Accubond LR. Of course the SST is pretty soft too, and should open up at lower impact velocities.
Best of luck on your deer hunt, by the way. I wish you success and a wonderful time afield.
-tdbru
