I'm going to build an AR pistol to use for alternative weapon season and buying a rifle for grand kids in this caliber.

All I've ever deer hunted with in the past is 150 grain Remington core-lokt [only been hunting a few years].

Range will be from 30-150 or so yards.

What is the best weight and make of 6.5 grendel for white tail?

Thanks

Edit to add:

also need recommendations for

practice ammo
10 round mags [maximum allowed by MO Dept of conservation]
30 round mags [for practice and fun]

Hornady 123gr SST is the most common recommendation that's I've seen. The 123gr ELD-M took a Moose recently, so that as well

My wife has taken two so far this year with the 123gr SST.  A small buck ran about 15 yards bleeding profusely.  The second was a small doe and it went about 5 yards.

I use Elanders for mags and Hornady Black for practice ammo.  Hornady has a bulk pack (Sportsman's warehouse) that is 200 rounds that I see posted a lot.  Wolf is cheap and a lot of people say it runs good, but I haven't purchased any.

I know I’m going to be at odds with what most folks say here, but I can’t recommend the 123gr SST. I’ll be rezeroing with 120gr Fusion this week.

I’ve shot 2 bucks with it this year. The first buck had to be tracked for a half mile with a dog and killed with a .300Blk. The bullet exploded when it clipped the back of the scapula and ribs at 35 yards. Hardly any of it made it to the vitals. I processed the buck myself, so I got a firsthand look at what happened.

The second buck was running angled away from me at about 150 yards. I meant to hit him further back than normal to account for the angle, but not that far back. That’s on me. The problem is that I didn’t get an exit wound even though the only bone it hit was ribs on the exit side. He died within 20 yards but I got lucky because there was hardly any blood trail. The fact that he died quickly with a questionable shot is great, but that could have easily gone the other way.

^

Thanks for saying so, that is exactly the kind of feedback and experience I'm seeking.

I just shot a deer with a 120 Nosler ballistic tip. It performed great and has with hogs too. For me, this bullet shoots better from my gun.

Report here
https://www.ar15.com/forums/Outdoors/Got-my-first-deer/23-693372/

https://www.outdoorlimited.com/rifle-ammo/6-5-grendel/hornady-6-5-grendel-h8152-123gr-sst-20-rounds/

3 deer killed so far with 123gr SST.  All sunset last minute shots, within 100 yds, so...

First one my son shot. little too far back. I knew where it was going when it ran. Good exit wound but not a lot of blood, ran about 50 yards.

Second one was me. Really too dark to have shot. 120lb doe, facing to my right. Shot low, went through her right front leg and in and out of lower body, through the lungs. No blood. Once again, I knew where she was going and found her around 30 yards in the woods.

Third was a 160lb buck. Another late shot. (That's the usual in Mississippi) Was slightly quartered away from me, facing my right. Entered just behind his right shoulder, exited dead center of left shoulder. No blood until after it ran smack through a barbed wire fence, and was down about 40 yards from where he was shot.

On all the deer there was significant internal damage, but it is not opening up the exit side to give a good blood trail. So shot placement and knowledge about your deer's habits are essential I would think.

I'm using a 20" Odin Works barrel, and plan on having a 12.5" barrel for next year because I don't like heavy things.

I used a suppressor on all shots, so I always could hear the bullet hit.

Bottom line is... I would be willing to try something else, and I'm scratching my head at all of these 400 yard stone cold killer round stories I've heard.

Try to let us know about the Fusion, or I'll try to remember to ask you about it at SE3.

My cousin has already shot at least 8 hogs and a buck with it. He said Fusion works a lot better on hogs than the SST. He shot the buck at 178 yards through the shoulder. There was no exit, but he said the internal damage was impressive.

If You try something else... what would that be?

Thanks

My first thought would be loading some of Maker Bullet's solid copper projectiles. They worked well in my .338 Spectre.

I'm really tempted to try the 100gr TTSX from Precision Firearms.

123gr Hornady Blackk, 360 yards, 12" suppressed Grendel.  One and done on a decent sized buck, shredded his heart.

SST's are a fragile design.  They work well on good angle shots and will typically exit on bow angle type of shots.  If they hit heavier bone they won't exit and tend to fragment badly, it makes for a good wound but you won't get a lot of a blood trail.  For longer shots the SST's work better as they hold onto more of the bullet.  Fusion is typical of a standard cup and core bullet(even though they are lightly bonded)  under 2600 fps they will form a nice wide mushroom and cause a lot of damage(not as much as a sst type)  they will give good penetration but sometimes not as much as the sst because they won't blow the forward part of the bullet off where the sst sometimes will and you will get the pencil exit from the base of the bullet.  Bottom line fusion should be a bit more predictable.  Something like the barnes ttsx would be a good bullet to ensure deep penetration but wounds won't be as wide if bone isn't hit.  The 6.5 grendel is still a intermediate cartridge and there are going to be some compromises that you won't have with a 308 or 06, you run into compromises with those cartridges when pushed to elk and bigger sized game as all cartridges have compromises.  To me the 6.5 grendel is very similar to the 243 in on game performance, you have to match your bullet to shot presentation or your place your shot in regards to your bullet choice, thats a heck of a accomplishment to get that performance out of a ar15 sized receiver.

those 400 yard stone dead shots happen but I tend to think a lot of it is internet bullshit.

I use 123 gr Sierra Match Kings.

I wouldn't hesitate to use Hornady ELD though.

How long is your barrel?  The sst in other calibers are a bit to fragile for my liking, although if you make a double lung shot kills are often bang flop, but I figured with the lower speed the exploding effects would be eliminated.  I have had them come apart with a 408 but that's at 2800 fps impact (starting them around 2935)  haven't had that issue with the 168 because impact speeds are lower.

Mine is an 18".

Agreed.  Took a good sized Kansas Doe with an SST 123 at about 200 yards in January with a 16".  DRT but no exit wound.  Heart and lungs absolutely shredded.

I am switching to the nosler 120 mostly because it is a little more accurate.

Took my buck last year with 123gr SST, dumped @ 201 yds.  Dad used the SST in my 6.8 SPC on a doe, same result, shorter distance).  Doe was head/neck shot though.  My buck was heart/lungs.

Both of my rifles are 16", the 6.8 is a little more accurate and shoots better groups with SST, vs. the ELD-M (Black).  In my 6.5 G, the ELD-M is more accurate.  Those are the only two factory rounds I have been able to find here for either rifle.

I did order some of the Barnes copper bullets to try once I can get some more brass saved and try my hand at reloading for the cartridge.  I too have ordered a 12" barrel to try.

I had good luck with a Leupold MultiGun and now have a 1-4 AccuPower. I like em both. The trijicon is heavier, but I hunt in my yard. It was already kind of mentioned, but get the best you can afford and don't worry too much about having huge power. Most of my kills are within 100 yards but I can easily shoot 200+ with the 1-4. Because it's a hunting rig and the crepuscular nature of deer, id err on the side of better light transmission.

ETA complete fail on the thread. I thought i was still reading the scope thread. I use 123 Black to great effect.

I've never had a deer go more than 20 yards when shot with Hornady Black 123 Eld-m. That number is slightly skewed though... all but one out of 9 deer so far have taken 3 steps or less. The one other deer went about 19 yards after a heart shot.

I have been really happy with its terminal performance so far. 10-0 on one shot stops from 95-260 yards.