About 6.5 Grendel
Table of Contents
Hey all, we here at True Shot Academy are going to talk about
6.5 Grendel today. The cartridge is a popular alternative AR-15 caliber which has seen wide use since its introduction over two decades ago. Our goal is to provide a brief overview of the cartridge while delving traits, features, use cases, and more. Without further ado, let’s talk about
6.5 Grendel.
What is 6.5 Grendel?
The
6.5 Grendel is an intermediate rifle cartridge which made its debut in 2003 at the Blackwater Training Facility in North Carolina. The cartridge was developed as a result of a collaboration between Bill Alexander of Alexander Arms, Arne Brennan, a competitive shooter, and Janne Pohjoispää, a ballistician from Lapua. The cartridge achieved SAAMI standardization in 2010 and saw manufacturing support from
Hornady.
The
6.5 Grendel was designed to produce a cartridge which boasts improved ballistic capabilities at medium to long ranges. The cartridge was specifically designed to perform better than the
5.56x45mm NATO at distances from 200-800 yards. This is possible due to the round’s high velocities and optimal bullet weights. During testing, the round has demonstrated its ability to retain supersonic velocities at extended distances. Notably, the
6.5 Grendel remains supersonic out to about 1,200 yards, boasting a superior supersonic range than most
.308 Winchester and
7.62x51mm NATO loadings.
In addition to high velocities, the
6.5 Grendel also features relatively low recoil when compared to other rifle cartridges. Recoil-wise, the
6.5 Grendel is tamer than larger cartridges such as the
.308 Winchester and
7.62x51mm NATO. One could say that the recoil impulse of the
6.5 Grendel is about half of that of the
7.62x51mm NATO. When compared to the
5.56x45mm NATO and
.223 Remington, the
6.5 Grendel exhibits more recoil but is by no means stout or sharp.
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Is 6.5 Grendel Interchangeable with other Calibers?
While there are many 6.5mm cartridges on the market in this day and age besides the
6.5 Grendel, the round is not interchangeable with any of them. Like the
6.5 Grendel, these cartridges are unique and designed for different use cases and firearms. These variances do not allow for interchangeability. For example,
6.5 Creedmoor and
6.5 Grendel are vastly different cartridges which are incompatible with each other. The same can be said for these two cartridges and the 6.5x55 Swede. All in all,
6.5 Grendel is not interchangeable with any other cartridge.
Optimized for AR Pattern Rifles
The
6.5 Grendel is notably optimized for use in AR pattern rifles, allowing users to extend the maximum effective range of a carbine in the caliber. An end user can find a variety of AR-15s, components, and accessories designed with the
6.5 Grendel in mind. Additionally, due to the modularity of the platform and wide range of components, an end user is capable of building an AR-15 of their own in
6.5 Grendel.
The cartridge’s intermediate length makes it appropriate for use in STANAG style magazines. These magazines function with standard AR-15 lowers due to the adherence to STANAG pattern specifications.
6.5 Grendel specific magazines notably feature a more dramatic curvature to the magazine body to accommodate the thicker, bottlenecked cartridge. Additionally,
6.5 Grendel magazines typically accommodate fewer rounds than their
5.56x45mm NATO designed counterparts.
How Available is 6.5 Grendel Ammunition?
At this point in time, the
6.5 Grendel is supported by a number of
ammunition manufacturers from across the globe. These companies include
Hornady,
PPU,
Barnes,
Nosler, and
Federal to name a few. These loadings typically encompass full metal jacket (FMJ) boattail offerings and specialty
ammo designed for various use cases such as precision shooting and hunting. While the cartridge sees support from a wide range of companies,
6.5 Grendel ammunition is generally not as common or plentiful as other, more contemporary cartridges are. One will find
5.56x45mm NATO,
7.62x39,
.300 Blackout, and
.223 Remington ammo much easier than they will find
6.5 Grendel ammo.
6.5 Grendel ammunition is not impossible to find by any means, one may need to look harder for
ammo than they would for other calibers. Proponents of the round typically
buy bulk 6.5 Grendel ammo quantities to ensure that they have a good stock of
ammo. If one is having issue finding
6.5 Grendel ammo locally, one can choose to
shop for ammunition online and browse a wide range of options. If one chooses to
buy ammo online, one is no longer limited by local stocks and can search for specific loadings. All in all,
6.5 Grendel ammo is out there if you want it, you just might have to look a little harder for it and stock up with
bulk ammo quantities when necessary.
How Available are Firearms Chambered in 6.5 Grendel?
Like
6.5 Grendel ammo, prospective buyers will find that firearm offerings seem to be lacking for the same reasons.
6.5 Grendel offerings tend to be overshadowed by more popular and contemporary offerings in more common calibers. That being said, prospective buyers will certainly encounter many options in the way of
6.5 Grendel chambered firearms. Most of these firearms are available in the form of bolt action rifles and AR-15s. Currently, companies such as Alexander Arms, Howa, CZ, CMMG, and Ruger produce firearms in this caliber.
It is also possible for an end user to build a
6.5 Grendel rifle, in either bolt action or AR-15 form. This is often the case with specialized hunting and match rifles, with
6.5 Grendel firearms being no exception. All in all, if you are after a firearm in
6.5 Grendel, you can certainly get ahold of one. While options may not be on every local shelf, buyers will have better luck looking online or placing a special order. Of course, if you cannot find exactly what you are looking for, building something yourself is also a viable option.
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What Is 6.5 Grendel Used For?
The
6.5 Grendel is most commonly used for plinking and target shooting at long ranges. These use cases allow shooters to appreciate the desirable traits and features of the round such as its light recoil and great accuracy potential. Most of the
ammunition offerings are reflective of this use case and tend to be the mot common loadings one will find. The round is also employed in hunting applications and is suitable for various types of game. The
6.5 Grendel is suitable for dispatching varmints, coyote, and deer-sized game. As with any type of hunting, one should utilize appropriate
ammunition, firearms, equipment, and practices. By doing so, one ensures an optimal and ethical hunt.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, the
6.5 Grendel is an incredibly versatile cartridge. Its viability in both long-range precision and hunting applications allows it to appeal to a wide range of shooters. Both new shooters and experienced, specialized shooters appreciate the many benefits of the
6.5 Grendel. We here at True Shot Ammo offer
6.5 Grendel ammunition for sale in addition to the rest of our inventory. Our offerings encompass loadings for popular use cases such as hunting and precision-oriented shooting. Whether you want to
buy 6.5 Grendel ammo or
buy ammunition of another type that we stock, we have got you covered. As always, happy shooting.
Need bulk ammo? At True Shot Ammo, we have a wide variety of handgun ammo and rifle ammo available to purchase. Please visit our website trueshotammo.com, call us at (888) 736-6587, or you can email us at sales@trueshotammo.com for more ammo options.
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