05-31-2012, 12:23 PM
phillaf Wrote:Hi to everyone. Brand new to the Grendel, in fact, haven't gotten my AA upper yet, but like to prepare. For hunting Texas or Louisiana Whitetail, what would you more experienced guys prefer, 120 Nosler Ballistic Tip or Barnes 115 HPBT being sold at AA in a limited run? I have a feeling either would be great, also considering the Barnes 100 TTSX. Gotta get ready for the fall! I'm really excited about this caliber after reading some of your posts! Thanks for the input!
Phil
I haven't really hunted much with the Grendel or for that matter any rifle for the last decade because I'm primarily a bow hunter and just hunt with firearms for social reasons any more. However, prior to that I shot a lot of stuff with 6.5 caliber rifles, mostly 6.5X55, 6.5X54, .260 and 6.5 STW. My experiences lead me to believe that the 6.5 Grendel will perform much better with heavier for caliber bullets in general, but it is less important for the lighter game you will be hunting. Two bullets I have used and found to perform well in the .264 diameter and suitable for the Grendel are the 129 Hornady SST and the 120 grain Sierra Pro Hunter.
I've actually killed more game with the 140 grain Nosler Partition than any other 6.5 bullet but it is a little to heavy for the Grendel and it's tough construction really isn't needed at Grendel velocities. I've also used the Barnes bullets, the X, XLC, TSX but I stopped using them before the tipped versions were available. I'm not really that fond of the monolithic bullets, they work, and they hold together at high impact velocities, but again that isn't what the Grendel is well suited for.
To my way of thinking, it is the ideal caliber to take advantage of conventional bullet construction, a simple lead core with a gilded metal jacket. This combination has worked so well for so long at modest velocities that people tend to migrate away from them by being drawn to the glamor of the next best thing. I personally think this is a mistake.
Watch this video of an elk being taken with the 129 SST at 600 yards. This is from a 6.5 Creedmoor not at Grendel, but it is the same bullet at the same velocity that a Grendel would deliver at 450 yards. You will notice the bull doesn't go down at the shot but also know that this is typical of elk I've shot with much heavier calibers such as 30-06 and even .375 H&H, with similar hits, i. e. no major bones broken and no central nervous system hit. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2COAcHZRlI
Good hunting,
Bob
