02-27-2014, 07:55 PM
Drifter Wrote:I've used a 6.8 quite a bit. The 6.8mm 95gr Barnes TTSX and 100gr Nosler AB are both very effective for hunting applications at "typical" distances, in part, due to velocity. I think the Grendel would be very well served by a (relatively) high-BC 6.5mm 107gr hunting bullet (maybe along the lines of a Nosler ABLR). Perhaps sort of a compromise between velocity and BC for the Grendel.A 107 gr bonded hunting bullet would also do well for all North American deer.
A 100 grain lead-free expanding bullet takes one into Elk territory.
Hence the bullet weight of choice for going lighter could be influenced by the technology. My rationale for lead-free is that we will likely easily see 2900 ft/sec out of 20-inch barrels at the 85 grain levels. Barnes and Hornady already have that weight in 6mm and they are good for medium game. Pushing down toward 70 grains might let us see 3000+ fps while still keeping the pressure right.
In the end, perception of what works and what doesn't work counts for a lot. There is no question that the 100 - 107 grain bullets will work well, and that weight maps into a lot of expectations about what might be needed for deer. That is why a more aggressive terminal ballistic and field test exercise would be useful if one wanted to promote a 75 - 90 grain lead-free expanding bullet.