Since I got the AR, I’ve used the 123 gr SST. It has worked quite well on the hogs, so no complaints there. But, when I had the barrel shortened, my groups opened up. No surprise there, but it was still Ok for 150 yards or more. Now that my pile of reloads is shrinking, it’s time to load up something. I have several options:

- stay with the 123 SSTs and find a new powder charge. (Estimated speed 2400)
- switch to the 100 gr Nosler BT (Estimated speed about 2600)
- switch to the 95 gr Hornady V-Max, which did fine on hogs too when I used it for a while

So…big slow bullet or lighter faster bullet? I’m leaning toward the 100 gr BT, since it has worked so well on deer and hogs in the 260. And, it might go deeper than the 95 gr V-Max. Using a V-Max on a hog just seems a bit wrong, though it did work on the few hogs I shot with it.

Whaddayathink?

Stacks of hogs have fallen to 120gr Nosler BTs

I’m of the opinion that 120 gr would be better , can’t quantify that but just a feeling

https://www.sierrabullets.com/product/264-cal-120-gr-tgk/

Hard to beat a Sierra Game King.

Not directly comparable, but I've been shooting pigs with a 300 Blackout for 10-12 years now and I've settled on the Hornady 110 grain SP bullet, which is categorized by them as a varmint bullet. At Blackout velocities (I don't have a chronograph but if I believe the load data I should be getting close to 2,400 fps at the muzzle) it expands satisfactorily and exits on shoulder shots on hogs up to about 175 Lbs. I'm typically shooting at distances of less than 100 yards.

My point being if you're working with velocites around 2,500 fps perhaps a varmint bullet isn't necessarily a bad idea.

I second this motion.

They are easy to get to shoot tight. They are reliable on terminal performance.

Well, I did use that 95 gr V-Max for a while, but they were all head shots. If I was gonna stay with 120 gr bullets, I’ll keep going with the 123 gr SST bullet, which is cheap compared to the Nosler 120 gr, which is my 260 bullet. I suppose that I’ll set up to reload in a week or so and work up new loads for the 123 SST’s and the 100 gr Nosler’s. I’d like a bit higher MV, so probably a switch to the 100’s is in order, but I don’t have to decide right now. I have plenty of both bullets on hand.

I looked at that 120 gr Sierra TGK just now. I did not know that bullet was designed for the 6.5 Grendel. Thanks for alerting me to that. Still, changing to that from the SST won’t do much for me velocity-wise or downrange impact-wise. Maybe I need to just quit chasing velocity with the Grendel, since it isn’t a long range round anyway. but, I wonder if Sierra makes a 100 gr TGK. I’ll look…

Moderate speed bullets, a little heavy for cartridge are killers!

I don't chase velocity. I prefer a heavier hammer, leaving the barrel slower if that's what I've got to work with.

I've ran out of freezer space with a 7mm-08 A.I. and a 162 ELD-X with a MV of 2640 fps. Some would say that's "slow". It doesn't matter to me, it works.

Like Scottfromdallas quoted "Heavy bullets at moderate velocity and you can eat right up to the bullet hole". Or something like that.

I'd stick with the SST if I were you. They can be found cheap, they are accurate and consistent. And, IMO, they shine at moderate velocities. I use 125gr SST's in my 300blk at around 2200fps. I've recovered 1 bullet from a pig. It smashed the shoulder blade of a large boar, and lodged just under the hide on the opposite side. It mushroomed nicely and shed a lot of weight. If I recall, it weighed about 60 grains upon recovery. I love cheap bullets that perform well.

I have a pile of them, so sticking with them is easy. And, like I said, the SST hasn’t failed me, so I have no gripe about it. I’ll set up to reload in a week or two and count up the various bullets. And I’ll work up loads for the Nosler and new loads for the SST and maybe even the V-Max. Might as well, since I am presently caught up on all the ranch issues…sorta.

I had pretty ood luck using the 129 gr. Hornady spire point. They were originally designed for the little 6.5's like the Jap and the Carcano. So soft enough and in your velocity range. And usually cheap. Another bullet is the Speer 90 gr. TNT, it seems to work pretty good from things I have read.

Following closely.

I've had a grendel for a while that I claim is meant for hunting. I have some 129sst that I bought specifically for this purpose but haven't loaded anything.

I've been debating different bullets for my 6.8 to take deer with since the 120SST made Jello of the inside of one of my little bucks. Now I see your post and I think I have the solution. I'm gonna run these Sierra's in my sons Grendel because he won't need it during deer season, he only kills hogs. Now I can't understand why I never thought of that before. Anyway, thanks.

603Country, it sounds like you need an excuse to try a different bullet, so, let me help. The 3 bullets that you already have, that you know kill hogs, might not kill them as dead as the 120gr Sierra. If it doesn't, it still might be more accurate in your rifle! Your welcome.

We shoot the 120 Noslers with 22 grs 4198. and the 123 SSTs with 29 grs of Win 748
All thru 16” barrels with suppressors

After your comments, and having given it all a bit of thought. I think I’ll load up a bunch of the 95 gr V-Max first, for coyotes and plinking. And I’ll load up a bunch of the 123 gr SSTs for when the hogs come back. And I’ll work up a load with the 100 gr Nosler BTs, just to have the info handy. As for the Sierra bullet, if I stick with the 123 gr SSTs, I don’t need a 4th bullet. The 123s work fine and the pigs are acceptably dead. I do wish they’d come back…

Yesterday, a 16" bolt action 6.5 Grendel. 120 gr Sierra Tipped Game King.

When you shortened your barrel the groups opened up with 123 gr SST

Why would you continue to load that bullet if for stated reasons it won’t shoot well ?

If it were me, I’d find the bullet that shoots best in the barrel and then account for weight/ cost/ and effectiveness

A poor shooting rifle/load combo is a non-starter for me and if the shortening of the barrel brought that forward then it would be time to switch bullets . . .

What were group sizes and velocities before and after the shortening of the barrel ?

Odd question. I’ll just work up a new load with the 123 SST for the harmonics of the shorter barrel. A bit more or a bit less powder. I’m sure it’ll shoot great, but if not I’ll try another bullet. The groups opened up a bit, but not so much that I can’t hunt with it. Part of my shooting problem is the trigger. i have LaRue triggers in 2 ARs. One, the 223 trigger, is great, but the one in the grendel isn’t so great. I don’t know how they could differ so much, but it makes the Grendel harder to be accurate with.

I’m trying to avoid buying more bullets. I already have a lot of bullets in a couple of calibers. I might sell some of the ones I don’t plan to use. I’ll open a new tread on AR triggers, though it’s been discussed a lot already. Maybe there’s something new.

So, new load and new trigger…or maybe I have the wrong spring in it. Better check before I buy another trigger.

Send that trigger with problems back to LaRue

Every MBT trigger I own (6 last count) feels and breaks the same - there was one rifle that it didn’t quite fit right in (can’t remember brand) and so I couldn’t get the MBT in it - sold the gun kept the trigger

With the shorter barrel it might make sense to change to the 100 gr Noslers

I know I have to shoot light for caliber bullets in 308 with my 14.5” barrel to get the same killing effect

Odd question Man

Just went out to the workshop and dry fired both LaRue triggered guns a few times. I don’t have a trigger pull scale, but the Grendel seems a bit heavier. Could be my imagination. I wonder if my trigger finger can really tell the difference between 4.5# and 6# (the heavy spring). I looked around in my pile of ‘gun stuff’ to see if I had a lighter LaRue spring, but didn’t find one. I guess I’ll stick with this trigger for now.

As for bullets, the Nosler 100 gr would give me a good bit more MV. That’s why I restocked. It was great on pigs and deer in the 260, but now I use the 120 BT in it, so the 100’s don’t now have a task.

How so?

100gr nosler accubond is perfection in the Grendel

If only that bullet existed !

He was asking why I’d use that bullet (the SST) if it wouldn’t shoot well. I thought it an odd question because I expect to be able to work up a good load even with the shorter barrel. I wouldn’t assume it can’t be made to shoot well. But…we’ll see. Next week.

I do worry that the shorter barrel will have me shooting a slow enough load with that 123 gr bullet that mimics my old 35 Remington. That’s what has me thinking about using lighter bullets. If, by chance, the 95 gr V-Max and the 100 gr Nosler shoot to nearly the same place, I can use the cheap V-Max for general use and the more expensive Nosler for more serious uses. That would be ideal. I know for a fact that the 100 gr Nosler BT will work on deer and hogs, but they aren’t cheap and they are often hard to find.

I’d imagine that a lot of Grendel shooters have had the same ideas about bullet weight and velocity in 16” barrels.