6.5 Grendel Who has one?

[Bill]

All good mate, if you struggle to get a good price happy to post 100 up for $60

[JimTom]

Thanks mate I will keep it in mind.

[wannabustbunnies]

I have spent the weekend searching the interwebs about the 6.5 Grendel and it sounds like a good little round.
I would get a varmint barrel mini action and possibly another Bell & Carlson M40 stock with DIP bottom metal like I have on my 204 or an Oryx.
I have a 6.5 Creedmoor already but that is purely a comp gun and this would be a nice all rounder that is pretty capable. Another bonus is I can use the same powder BM8208 and primers CCI450 as my 204 and 223.
No one is really listing them on their websites though. Anyone in NSW come across the American Gunner 200 packs for anything close to that Qld shop is selling it for?

[Bill]

Yeah I couldn't find nuthing better than 285/200 and that was in ACT

I'm down in Vic for work and will be driving back via centre way, if your keen I ll grab a box for myself and a 2nd if ya keen, will ring em first thing tmw am to see if I can get a good price??

Happy to bring you back 200

[wannabustbunnies]

Cheers for the offer but I am still looking at this stage, might be a present to myself in a couple of months.
Centre Way had them advertised for $250, not sure if that is still valid or not though

[madang55]

Ok, I have the Howa Mini Action. 1st thing I did was fill the trench with fibre-glass resin, routed it out a bit, and now it free-floats and is way stiffer than original.
Took it to the range, happy days, one big hole at 100yds, however the factory ammo, which was all I had, was 8 inches low at 200. Not happy days, the label on the factory ammo lied, it should have had it at around 2 inches low at 200. no matter, my re loads will be better. But what a treat to shoot. Now for the really pee-ed off part. Was on the hunt over the weekend and that bloody magazine release is a nightmare. I lost count of how many times it dropped out on me because when I carried in one hand, the balance point is right on the front of the magazine. I ended up taking the mag out when ever I didn't think I was going to need it. I have sent an appropriately and descriptively worded email off to Howa, telling them it basically sucks. And, yes, I was careful to make sure the mag was inserted properly. The only fix I can see is taking a Dremel to the catch and shortening it down to flush with the stock. I will wait and see what Howa have to say on the matter.

[Shootermick]

I picked a Howa up last Saturday, had to order some ammo in but it hadn’t arrived so I took the rifle and haven’t been back yet for the ammo, so it’s still unfired. Could only get the sporter barrel, OSA said the heavy barrel is a special order, doesn’t mean there’s not one sitting in a shop somewhere though, but I couldn’t be stuffed ringing all around the shops trying to find one. Happy with the look and feel of the sporter anyway, and all my other rifles are heavy, so a lighter one is a nice change. North Vic Ammo Supplies got some Grendel ammo in today, $250 for 200, cheaper than what I’m paying for my ordered stuff, but too far out of my way right at the moment.

[Bill]

Yeap both my Grendel I have cut the mag release down, zero chance of bump n release

The factory AGunner ammo we threw over the chrono and we got 2450fps so it def undefloaded for use in ARs but it is wonder accurate.

[madang55]

I have two Grendels. A Howa mini sporter and CZ MTR 6.5 Grendel. I wish the American Gunner stuff was available when I first got my Grendel. I paid more for new emptie brass. I paid $235 for 200 American gunner ammo in Vic.

If the American Gunner stuff is the bulk 200/Hornady 123g HPBT, that's what I have. Supposed to be 1.8" high at 100 and zero at 200. Nah....Zero at 100 ended up being 8" low at 200. Took a nice fallow at 100, but I'm guessing the MV ain't what it says on the box. It will however, make good brass. I reckon I will be able to push 95 Vmax a whole lot harder and flatter. I'm also going to invest in a Bell and Carlson for it, when I can find one that's not 4 months away.

[Cooper]

I have two Grendels. A Howa mini sporter and CZ MTR 6.5 Grendel. I wish the American Gunner stuff was available when I first got my Grendel. I paid more for new emptie brass. I paid $235 for 200 American gunner ammo in Vic.

If the American Gunner stuff is the bulk 200/Hornady 123g HPBT, that's what I have. Supposed to be 1.8" high at 100 and zero at 200. Nah....Zero at 100 ended up being 8" low at 200. Took a nice fallow at 100, but I'm guessing the MV ain't what it says on the box. It will however, make good brass. I reckon I will be able to push 95 Vmax a whole lot harder and flatter. I'm also going to invest in a Bell and Carlson for it, when I can find one that's not 4 months away.

I did magneto speed the American Gunner loads out of my CZ (it has 25.6 inch barrel) factory stuff was only doing 2440 FPS. Think it said 2590 FPS on the box. I was expecting the long barrel to up there velocity wise. Still a new barrel and I usually find factory claimed velocities are about 100fps slower than claimed. But most of my other rifles only have 20 to 22 inch barrels. So that needs to be factored in.

[madang55]

So, zeroed with the 123grHP Hornady factory. Went a hunting. As luck would have it, only fired two shots. 1st shot, took a small fallow, dropped her on the spot, 2nd shot a follow up to be sure. Missed, but she was down. On inspection the hit was on the 'center line', but a little further back than I would have liked, and I would have expected the projectile to have gone though this particular animal, but it didn't. I think back to my day at the range and the ballistics on the box definitely a bit out. I don't think the 123 hit any where near hard enough. I wasn't able to retrieve the projectile or have a look inside at the wound itself, pitch black. SO, I've pulled all of the factory and am going to load with 85gr HP and 95gr SPBT, drive them a whole lot faster. I've kept the 123gr projectiles in case I have second thoughts. My 1st thoughts are that the Grendel, whilst a credibly accurate 6.5, doesn't have the powder capacity of the Creedmore so the lighter proj are going to be flatter and harder hitting. Yes? No?

[SCJ429]

Extra speed is an advantage to a point, shoot something in the guts with a 6.5/378 Waetherby and it will still run off. The Grendel is most effective if combined with shot placement and moderate distances.

The Grendel is more than credibility accurate and will shoot inside the Creedmoor under most conditions.

You have done well and bagged two deer with yours, paid for itself.

[Gamerancher]

madang55 wrote "Supposed to be 1.8" high at 100 and zero at 200", yeah mate, that's how you should have sighted it. By sighting 1.8" high at 100, the bullet will travel on an upward trajectory path that should give a 200m zero on it's way back down. By sighting in for zero @ 100, you put the bullet on a downward trajectory from the get-go.
If you want a rifle to shoot out further than 100 without hold-over, you have to sight it to print high at 100, no matter what cartridge you use. The higher it prints at 100, the further out the zero. Do some reading on " maximum point blank range".
To use the potential of the Grendal, using data for the 123gr bullet travelling @ 2450f/s, sight it 2.5" high at 100 yards for a useful 200 yard zero and a drop of about 4" @ 250 yards. In use, for anything the size of the deer you are chasing, out to 250 yards, you just put the cross-hair in the middle of the vitals and pull the trigger.

[SCJ429]

My 1st thoughts are that the Grendel, whilst a credibly accurate 6.5, doesn't have the powder capacity of the Creedmore so the lighter proj are going to be flatter and harder hitting. Yes? No?

Shoot flatter, yes over short ranges. Hit harder, not nessessarily. The bigger bullet has more mass but a little less speed. The Grendel is very efficient at moving 100 to 130 grain bullets.

[Bill]

Yeap I consider it a 200m deer rifle, if you hit a little too far back the result is the same everytime.

I hit a mature Rusa hind about 6 inches too far back with a 25/08 110gr accubond and the deer still ran 250m and tried to hide in long grass.

100gr Nosler BT and Speer 90gr TNT both have reputations as reliable game getters and can be driven at around 3000fps even in a short barrel.

[madang55]

Extra speed is an advantage to a point, shoot something in the guts with a 6.5/378 Waetherby and it will still run off. The Grendel is most effective if combined with shot placement and moderate distances.

The Grendel is more than credibility accurate and will shoot inside the Creedmoor under most conditions.

You have done well and bagged two deer with yours, paid for itself.

Thanks for the up-grade, 1st shot hit, 2nd shot intended to make sure of the 1st actually missed. I might reload a few of the 123's and see if I can get them a bit flatter than the factory loads which were not great.

[madang55]

By the way, I would love a Bell n Carlson stock M40 mini action...... lotsa sites advertise them, however, they aint available. I looked, I asked, I emailed. They are not yet available in Australia. You can order them, 12 - 14 weeks, no problem. I even looked at getting one thru Canada. Nope....I am in a unique situation, If I get desperate enough, I will go get one. It will be one heck of a shopping trip. But, for the time being, the Bell and Carlson for Howa Mini Action M40 6.5 Grendel not available in OZ. Please tell me I'm wrong and I will bare my nether regions.

[wannabustbunnies]

By the way, I would love a Bell n Carlson stock M40 mini action...... lotsa sites advertise them, however, they aint available. I looked, I asked, I emailed. They are not yet available in Australia. You can order them, 12 - 14 weeks, no problem. I even looked at getting one thru Canada. Nope....I am in a unique situation, If I get desperate enough, I will go get one. It will be one heck of a shopping trip. But, for the time being, the Bell and Carlson for Howa Mini Action M40 6.5 Grendel not available in OZ. Please tell me I'm wrong and I will bare my nether regions.

Are you talking about the new sporter variant that just got released or the one that came out earlier in the year?
That shop near Brisbane was where I got mine from. I contacted them in April after I first saw the M40 stock was released. I was told that would be a special order initially but then a few days later received an update they would be listed on their website and be available in about 8 weeks. I received mine in July.

[madang55]

M40 Mini Action. Everyone was showing them but no one could supply under 12 weeks. I wasnt prepared to hand over my money for that sort of wait. Sporter variant? Haven't seen that one. Where, who? Will have to have a look

[madang55]

Just had a look and found the Sporter, Listed at the same price. Will make further inquiries re the M40 though as I like it betterer. Thanks

[wannabustbunnies]

The price they are charging for the M40 stock now is more than I paid unfortunately. Not sure why the price would be that much different to the other M40 stocks that they list.

[madang55]

Howa 6.5 Grendel,Mini Action......I have the rifle, I want a decent stock. Bell and Carlson fits the need. Don't like Boyds, really don't like the "skeleton stocks". I just refuse to hand over money for a 3 month wait. What I'm saying is if they advertise it, it means they have it and can supply it. (within a reasonable time) That or take orders with a token non-refundable deposit and I'm fine with that. Precious, maybe, but its the principle. I just ordered a Bullet Puller Collet which came from the states. I was told 3 weeks, and 2 weeks 3 days later I have it. Why does it take 12 weeks for anything else?

[madang55]

Have an answer back from Brisbane, in stock, 5 weeks, or thereabouts. I have asked for a price delivered to Melbourne

[wannabustbunnies]

Delivery was around $25 with some projectiles and other bits for me. Should ask them how come the price has gone up $120 too