Thinking about a new hunting upper

I've got the urge to build an AR for Texas deer hunting. I have a spare PSA lower to build off. I am torn between 6.5 Grendel and 300BLK for this application. I already have plenty of bolt guns and a 5.56, so wanting something new. What would choose and why?

6.8

What are the advantages over the 6.5? The 6.5 seems to have better energy at longer ranges and ammo cost is 1/2.

Shorter barrels , more Otc bullets, arp barrels, lighter weight

Where is 6.5 Grendel ammo half the cost of 6.8?

Hmm. I have never found 6.8 SPC ammo to be that plentiful.

The Grendel does have better ballistics, especially at distance, but usually shoots best out of a longer barrel. IMO for decent ammo the price is about even. Midway has 19 offerings in 6.8, only 5 in 6.5.

Around Austin, 6.8 ammo is readily available, more so than 300 in good hunting ammo.
I have both a 300 and a 6.8 and just built up my 11 year old a 6.8
He has shot deer with both and asked me to build him one as he said he had more confidence in it.

The 6.5 is a much better long rang round but you really need a longer barrel to get the most out of it.

6.5 Grendel very good little round that will do anything the 6.8 will do and beyond 300 yards do it better. Both the 6.8 and Grendel have more thump than the 300BO.

As far as the 6.8 being better in short barrels it may be but not by much if at all. There are guys using 12.5 inch Grendels on deer and hogs out to 300 yards.

I think Bill Alexander's ego/greed got in the way of it getting more widespread industry adoption.
It is a great round.

The 7mmValkerie is an interesting round out of an AR15 platform
Resized Lapua 6.5x47 brass pushing 7mmm bullets almost to 7mm08 performance

I was talking with the guy behind it today about getting one in to test and write up.

Drool.

When you're done testing it, I'll buy it from you for a dollar and you can mail it to me for my turn.

They also make a 277 for ar-15s

He is too new at it to be able to afford/justify sending me the barrel and enough ammo to do a proper test.
I have enough projects on the plate right now for the forseable future..

Been real impressed with the Grendel.

Consistent groups at 500 yards. Shot 2 deer last season and both were DRT.

Agree with you Charles on Bill A's keeping it proprietary hurt it being accepted. The Grendel is gaining ground though with Hornady, PPU and Wolf ammo now becoming available including steel cased Wolf. Those plus AA still does ammo and several smaller suppliers like precision firearms.

Howa has a new micro length action that is beginning to show up in 223 and they say the testing is looking good so far for a Grendel chambering late this year or early next for introduction.

I have killed 200+ pigs, a dozen deer and tons of varmints with sonic Blackout rounds. BUT, if I had to do it again I would get a 6.8.

The Blackout is very picky about bullets. Barnes shoot well in both guns but I have struggled to find an inexpensive plinking round that is accurate. The 6.8 has better bullet choices (that are accurate) and more shock power due to the increased speed.

No experience with 6.5!

The 6.8 and Grendal are pretty close under 300 yards. After that the Grendal has the edge. The 6.8 have a slight edge in ammo choices and it does it out of a 16" barrel vs a 20-22" barrel on the Grendal. My vote is the 6.8.

Op, where in Texas do you plan to hunt, and how? And why the AR? If you're hunting short (under 250-300 yds) and may be doing some walking or stalking, I stick by my 6.8 vote. If you've got some open space and this won't be used much on the move, and you may have a 400 yd shot, build a Grendel with a 22" barrel.

Just get a 6x45mm upper roll up some 80 gr soft points and go shoot stuff cheap and efficient and very accurate. I culled deer with 80 gr Berger and always had pass thru.... This picture shows exit wound. Also shot the doe standing next to him with the next shot and broke both shoulders.


That was my old 6x45 picked up another with a shorter barrel to run Suppressed but still does the job just nicely.....especially on predators.

6.8 gets my vote. I have 3 and all are accurate with one being exceptional. Ammo is readily available and Hornady 120 SST seems to be the go to round. OP, you are in Allen so check out the variety of ammo for 6.8 and compare to very few in 6.5 Grendel.

I was in the same boat wanted a 100yard lightweight hunting set up. so i built a 10.5in 300 blk pistol and am about to send in my form 1 one it. from my understanding the 10.5in barrel is fine for hunting out to even 150 yard with supers.

that said i have a odin barrel on order 18in spr in 6.5 grendel thats going to be my long range gun, built one for a customer who dropped a 150lb sow last weekend at 657 yards laser confirmed. that power out of an ar15 platform impresses me.

Can a 6.8 be built on an AR frame?

Yes, just buy or build a 6.8 upper (needs a 6.8 barrel and bolt). And use 6.8 magazines.
The lower is the same.

I'm like the 6.8 SPCII and the 6.5 grendel equally. Pick one,
they both hunt Texas hogs and deer to 300y.