Picking up a Howa Mini in 6.5 Grendel. For those that use it, what is your favorite bullet for deer? Partition? SST? Other?

You looking for factory loads or reloads?

I like the 129gr Accubond Long Range hand loads. The old 123gr A-Max worked well for me in the past.

A lot of people are shooting the Gold Dot factory stuff and 123gr SST.

If you reload a 100 or 125gr partition are also good choices as is the 120gr Ballistic tip.

Obi Wan,

Kmon1 probably knows more about 6.5 Grendel than anyone else you could communicate with. I would take his advice to the bank.

I agree with kmon on the factory offerings. Both that he listed are good loads that perform well on deer and hogs.

If you plan on reloading for it, I recommend you check out the 105 grain Cavity Back MKZ. They are in line, price-wise, with some of the premium bullets, a bit more than Partitions and BTs, but they work great.

The first picture is the inside of the chest cavity of a good sized Axis that I shot at just over 100 yards (entrance is on the right, exit on the left). The second shows the exit wound. This was from my 24" TC Encore barrel with a muzzle velocity of just under 2600 fps.

Agree with you HandgunHTR on the cavity back bullets if one wants to go Mono metal bullet

Both. I will eventually reload. thanks for the info.

The Amax and ELD both work great. I’m sure the SST does, also, though I’ve never used it in the Grendel.

I’m loving the Hornady 123SST.

I don't have a lot of experience with different bullets, I started with SST's when I wanted to up my game several years ago and didn't need to try anything else. I have killed a pile of big hogs and deer that dropped on the spot. Shot placement is a big part of it of course, but the bullet definitely does it's part.

Using the 123 SST and 120 Fusion. In my 20" Faxon barrel both shoot almost the same with about 1/2" difference. SSTs work great on hogs and deer. Only used Fusions in 6.8 on hogs which work just as well.

Had horrible results with the SST in the Grendel. Jacket/core separation was an issue on 5 bullets. Narrow wound cavities and little internal devastation

I drank the cool aid and bought one for my son. After seeing it in the field we sold it and got a 7mm-08


If I still had the gun I would load it with fusions and limit shots to 100 yards

Been dropping hogs with the Grendel for years factory 123 gr sst and 100 gr partitions reloads great little caliber

Also transitioning from the Hornady A-max to Nosler 129 ABLRs. Both have been DRT on deer and hawgs...