With 123 grain bullet like ELD-M or SST your looking at 2450-2480 FPS and you need a minimum velocity of 1800 FPS for expansion. That gives you 375-400 yards reliable hunting distance. Ive shot steel and paper targets out to 800 yards with my 16 6.5 Grendel at 450 ASL. My scope was maxed out on elevation and I had to use the mil dot reticle to get enough elevation. I now use a 20 MOA mount so I have enough elevation for where I shoot.
Youll save yourself some money if you get well defined criteria on how you intend to use your rifle. Hunting less than 350 yards compared to predominantly target shooting out to 1000 yards to PRS or 2 gun match.
Where you live and shoot makes a significant difference. Are you only going to be carrying your rifle from a vehicle to a fixed shooting position in a heavy wooded area. Are you going to hike and stalk in the mountains or shoot in wide open rolling plains at 7000 ASL. It all makes a difference. A Friend was shooting and hitting steel consistently at 800 meters with a good spotter using a 18 6.5 Grendel. How many times a year are you actually going to shoot your 6.5 Grendel. Do you reload or depend on factory ammo. All these things affect my decision making.
Using a Hornady ballistic calculator on G1 with 2450 FPS at sea level, scope 2.5 over bore, I got the following info with 100 yard zero. I used 123 grain bullet with G1 BC .510.
400 yards, velocity 1830 FPS, 914 ft lbs energy, 8.8 MOA come up.
600 yards, velocity 1563 FPS, 667 ft lbs energy, 17.7 MOA come up.
800 yards, velocity 1335 FPS, 487 ft lbs energy, 29.1 MOA come up.
1000 yards, velocity 1158 FPS, 366 ft lbs energy, 43.4 MOA come up.
For long range it is better to use G7 but this gives you a general idea. Many scopes have about 70 MOA of elevation adjustment or about 35 MOA up or down. Using a canted 20 MOA mount will give you approximately 55 MOA upward elevation adjustment. Most mounts are the same price whether zero cant or 20 MOA.
Youll save yourself some money if you get well defined criteria on how you intend to use your rifle. Hunting less than 350 yards compared to predominantly target shooting out to 1000 yards to PRS or 2 gun match.
Where you live and shoot makes a significant difference. Are you only going to be carrying your rifle from a vehicle to a fixed shooting position in a heavy wooded area. Are you going to hike and stalk in the mountains or shoot in wide open rolling plains at 7000 ASL. It all makes a difference. A Friend was shooting and hitting steel consistently at 800 meters with a good spotter using a 18 6.5 Grendel. How many times a year are you actually going to shoot your 6.5 Grendel. Do you reload or depend on factory ammo. All these things affect my decision making.
Using a Hornady ballistic calculator on G1 with 2450 FPS at sea level, scope 2.5 over bore, I got the following info with 100 yard zero. I used 123 grain bullet with G1 BC .510.
400 yards, velocity 1830 FPS, 914 ft lbs energy, 8.8 MOA come up.
600 yards, velocity 1563 FPS, 667 ft lbs energy, 17.7 MOA come up.
800 yards, velocity 1335 FPS, 487 ft lbs energy, 29.1 MOA come up.
1000 yards, velocity 1158 FPS, 366 ft lbs energy, 43.4 MOA come up.
For long range it is better to use G7 but this gives you a general idea. Many scopes have about 70 MOA of elevation adjustment or about 35 MOA up or down. Using a canted 20 MOA mount will give you approximately 55 MOA upward elevation adjustment. Most mounts are the same price whether zero cant or 20 MOA.