Hello from Alaska

[Snow_Nigerian]

Hey everyone,

I'm a brand new owner of a 6.5 grendel Howa Mini Action as of 2 days ago. I live in southeast alaska, and i'm a reloader thankfully to be able to toy around with the far and wide variety of 6.5 bullets to try and down a deer or more around here. So far my project is typical, a lightweight deer rifle with the capability of bear if need be. So far, I've got the Howa in a carbon fiber stockey's stock, and at ~5lbs without a scope. Waiting on a Leupold 2-7x33, although that SWFA 2.5-10x is looking really nice at 9.5oz. Heard the top end of the magnification isn't so good though. I'm looking at chopping down the barrel to a cool 14.5" or 16" and sticking my suppressor on there, but I've got a ton of questions, hence my joining the forum! I'll probably be asking in the appropriate forum later but here's a couple icebreaker questions.

Through a 14.5"-16" barrel, I'm looking to down deer up to 300yd max. I need a reliable expanding bullet out to 300yd. Factory ammo is nearly out of the question out here. What bullets do you all suggest for Sitka Blacktail Deer out to 300yd for a 14.5" barrel? If not 14.5", 16"? 22"?

Thanks for letting me join. Now to go browse and see if there's any mini action magazines for sale... seem to unobtanium!

Cheers,
Snow

[sundowner]

Welcome to the horde from Wisconsin .

[LRRPF52]

Hey everyone,

I'm a brand new owner of a 6.5 grendel Howa Mini Action as of 2 days ago. I live in southeast alaska, and i'm a reloader thankfully to be able to toy around with the far and wide variety of 6.5 bullets to try and down a deer or more around here. So far my project is typical, a lightweight deer rifle with the capability of bear if need be. So far, I've got the Howa in a carbon fiber stockey's stock, and at ~5lbs without a scope. Waiting on a Leupold 2-7x33, although that SWFA 2.5-10x is looking really nice at 9.5oz. Heard the top end of the magnification isn't so good though. I'm looking at chopping down the barrel to a cool 14.5" or 16" and sticking my suppressor on there, but I've got a ton of questions, hence my joining the forum! I'll probably be asking in the appropriate forum later but here's a couple icebreaker questions.

Through a 14.5"-16" barrel, I'm looking to down deer up to 300yd max. I need a reliable expanding bullet out to 300yd. Factory ammo is nearly out of the question out here. What bullets do you all suggest for Sitka Blacktail Deer out to 300yd for a 14.5" barrel? If not 14.5", 16"? 22"?

Thanks for letting me join. Now to go browse and see if there's any mini action magazines for sale... seem to unobtanium!

Cheers,
Snow

Welcome aboard!

Most of the 115-130gr hunting bullets will do the trick out to 300yds, and several of the tipped target bullets will too. 123gr ELD-M, 120gr ELD-M, 130gr ELD-M, (and the A-MAXs if you find any old stock).

Grendel does well within those ranges with most/all of the cup and core bullets meant for medium game in that weight range.

Two of the most common, mass-produced bullets now are the 123gr ELD-M and 123gr SST. ELD-M is a bit softer, so will open more. SST has controlled expansion.

If you want a premium cup/core option that is bonded, the 129gr Nosler ABLRs expand down to 1300fps impact velocity.

14.5” is plenty though. With 123gr ELD-M loaded in the 14.5” bolt gun, you can get 2350-2400fps.

I saw 2658fps with 123gr SST from my Howa 22”, using CFE223. Loading 1gr less than I did for max, you will still see 2370-2420fps from the 14.5” using the same components.

For lead-free options, you have to be selective since a lot of them open up only down to 2000fps. The new Barnes 115gr TTSX opens up lower, as do the Maker TREX bullets. Legacy Barnes TSX and TTSX will be tight on expansion and do a lot of penciling through maybe even as close at 150yds from a 14.5"

I would also recommend getting the 6.5 Grendel Handbooks we put together as a community, complete with industry data compiled into a single format, expansion threshold data included based on terminal ballistics testing, barrel length/velocity charts, loading procedures, chamber diagrams, history, etc.

[kmon]

Another lead free bullet I would expect to work is https://lehighdefense.com/264-diameter-1...count.html it was designed with the Grendel in mind and expansion threshold of 1500fps.

The old A-Max was my preferred bullet and still have a hundred or so so good for a bit just using them for hunting mostly. One of my Favorites is the 129gr LRAB that LRRPF52 mentioned.

[VASCAR2]

Welcome to the forum Snow_Nigerian!

[just_john]

Welcome to the clan, SN, from the great nation of Texas! You'll be real happy with the Grendel for your purposes. And, by all means, get the books.

[stef1274]

Hi there! Dig your style with the 2-7. Where you can't see with 7x magnification, you probably should stop shooting anyway. I have a 2-7x33 and 3-9x40, and the compactness of the 2-7 is something that truly goes with a lightweight mini action - don't depart from your original plan. It is not just scope weight that counts, but also the physical size.