6.5 Grendel what load for deer?

C

coop2564

Member
Currently I am loading 85gr HH @2780 18" barrel using TAC started getting light ejector marks past this load. I have shots to 300yds pretty often not much further, most shots 50 -175yds. Thought the 85gr would be great for that. shot a coon @ 110yds and he didn't seem to impressed with the bullet. I thought I had missed as he just trotted off about 50yds and then started getting a little drunk and fell over. Looks like the bullet didn't expand tiny exit and only one hole that I could find. It was perfect behind shoulder. Was about 15lb coon. Maybe it was to light a target and narrow to expand? But was disappointed in performance. @ that speed would of thought it would of expanded. Y'alls thoughts? Been thinking of switching to AH 97gr to get a little more energy for 300yds and the speed boost of the AH, Grendel can use all the help in speed, what do y'all think? What powder for the 97AH. I have lots of TAC, 6.5 staball and Varget. Some CFE223 but really have had issues with temp on this powder here in TX.
 
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coop2564 said:
Currently I am loading 85gr HH @2780 18" barrel using TAC started getting light ejector marks past this load. I have shots to 300yds pretty often not much further, most shots 50 -175yds. Thought the 85gr would be great for that. shot a coon @ 110yds and he didn't seem to impressed with the bullet. I thought I had missed as he just trotted off about 50yds and then started getting a little drunk and fell over. Looks like the bullet didn't expand tiny exit and only one hole that I could find. It was perfect behind shoulder. Was about 15lb coon. Maybe it was to light a target and narrow to expand? But was disappointed in performance. @ that speed would have thought it would have expanded. Y'alls thoughts? Been thinking of switching to AH 97gr to get a little more energy for 300yds and the speed boost of the AH, Grendel can use all the help in speed, what do y'all think? What powder for the 97AH. I have lots of TAC, 6.5 staball and Varget. Some CFE223 but really have had issues with temp on this powder here in TX.
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I’d hit Riceman up on this load:
 

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It would be helpful to know what rifle your using?

If a gas gun/AR platform magazine will limit longer bullets velocities. Im using the 97gnAH in my AR for a deer load and getting 2800fps. IMO the 97gn is about the best for the AR magazine.

Somewhere in here I recall some posts taking a couple large hogs with the 97gnAH and did really well, if you want something comparable to deer. I wouldnt go by one example on a racoon myself.
 
Koda said:
It would be helpful to know what rifle your using?

If a gas gun/AR platform magazine will limit longer bullets velocities. Im using the 97gnAH in my AR for a deer load and getting 2800fps. IMO the 97gn is about the best for the AR magazine.

Somewhere in here I recall some posts taking a couple large hogs with the 97gnAH and did really well, if you want something comparable to deer. I wouldnt go by one example on a racoon myself.
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Its 18" AR15. the 85grs group great 1moa to sometimes .5moa when I do my part. I killed a 125lb hog last fall with the 85gr bullet worked well on it. But after reading about the AH and its speed increase thinking maybe I could have more weight and near same speed=more energy. I cant find much load data for them with powders I have?
 
coop2564 said:
all with the 85gr bullet worked well on it. But after reading about the AH and its speed increase thinking maybe I could have more weight and near same speed=more energy. I cant find much load data for them with powders I have?
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IMO there's enough of a weight difference between the 97AH AND 85HH im not sure youd get enough of the Absolutes velocity to make a difference.
Not that it isnt worth trying if you have the time....
But the 97AH is longer and so will need to be seated deeper inside the case in order to fit the AR magazine, reducing powder capacity.

Im getting 2800fps from my 20in bbl AR using A2520. I may have tested some CFE223 and shared in the Absolute load data thread if you search my screen name there. Iirc, it pressured out too soon.

If I had a load that was moa with the 85HH id have no problem calling it good with that for deer.
 
Gday coop
I think this is showing where we need to be careful with the hollow point variety
Cycling is one way of getting a compromised hp & I like the coon as it is showing enough for me that the pill has not behaved like the norm I would replicate if possible to confirm but that aside I would cycle first & a magazine full would give a idea of the potential hp compromised

The 97AH would still have this issue on the whole but due to nose profile it may be fine 🤷‍♂️

To me this is where the hht is the one that will stop those issues & that is where I would personally head in that direction after examining what is causing the issue imo

Cheers
 
I should mention that for my 97AH load in my AR, I do hand feed the first round slowly and close the bolt with the forward assist.
I have cycled some rounds thru normal and the tip -usually- stays ok 1 or 2 cycles, but not for several cycles.
 
Farleg said:
Gday coop
I think this is showing where we need to be careful with the hollow point variety
Cycling is one way of getting a compromised hp & I like the coon as it is showing enough for me that the pill has not behaved like the norm I would replicate if possible to confirm but that aside I would cycle first & a magazine full would give a idea of the potential hp compromised

The 97AH would still have this issue on the whole but due to nose profile it may be fine 🤷‍♂️

To me this is where the hht is the one that will stop those issues & that is where I would personally head in that direction after examining what is causing the issue imo

Cheers
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Farleg, I just tried to test this, and I do not believe my gun is likely to damage the tips. I took five loaded rounds and cycled them like 1st loads up going hunting. Put them in mag and loaded like first load on all five, 3 times each (15 test) and no damage at all was done to tips. Then I tested shooting them. I shot one let it cycle the next round and extracted the round and inspected, again no damage. Tried two more shots and extracted next cycled round and each time they were in perfect condition (only 3 test but no damage) so, I do not think cycling in my semi-auto is damaging the tips. I believe the soft and narrow tissue of the coon only about 7" wide, the hollow point just didn't open. yesterday I watched several gel videos of HH's being shot into gel and on quite a few they didn't open until 5-7 inches mark and on a few they didn't open at all but tumbled at 7 to 8" and flew out of gel. But I have watched many that worked very well. But I think I will look into making the switch to the tipped version and stop using the small HP tips. This also has been a LONG time debate on bergers. Maybe we will get a tipped AH soon???
 
Gday coop
Great testing thankyou for crossing that off the list
This is why this place is so cool as find out factual information rather than assume like I did

On gel I still see no comparison of opening in the transition zone of a comparison from gel to critters & never used gel myself yet in some fairly deep conversations with a couple guys that know their stuff & use gel & we are trying & I mean really trying to get a close comparison of gel & critter similarities & those discussions/results are no where near finalised to come up with a yes that will occur in gel to critter but we can learn I’ll give it that & potentially one test to come will narrow the gap a fair bit but time will tell

It’s nearly 1am here & up in 2&1/2 hrs so I’ll not go through my pictures but I test extrems on low resistances & low velocity so could you please tell me that impact on that coon & I’ll either find those videos or pics of mine to show what I’ve found for a comparison or I’ll just go smack 20 or so to show those results as I think it’s important to find out where the line is & hence thanks for speaking up on the coon results

No proof read & I may not make sense as a couple huge days & very little sleep so I may just be off with the fairies so please bear with me I’ll get information asap
Cheers
 
According to my ballistic calculator impact velocity was 2475 @ 110yds. Impact was behind the shoulder ribs and lungs 7" roughly on depth of animal.
 
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Interesting, my son shoots the 85hh out of his 6.5 Grendel. 20" barrel w/muzzle velocity of 3k. Has had great luck on deer and about 10 coyotes so far.
In fact one this morning from the tractor. This one was 185 yrds center mass spun a few times and made it 5 yrds. 2" exit.
8" twist 150' above sea level.
We use sw tactical rifle powder.
 

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riceman said:
Interesting, my son shoots the 85hh out of his 6.5 Grendel. 20" barrel w/muzzle velocity of 3k. Has had great luck on deer and about 10 coyotes so far.
In fact one this morning from the tractor. This one was 185 yrds center mass spun a few times and made it 5 yrds. 2" exit.
8" twist 150' above sea level.
We use sw tactical rifle powder.
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Yeah, that's what I expected on the coon. But didn't happen for some reason? I've killed several deer and hogs where they worked fine. But somehow it didn't open this time.
 
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