What Size Cleaning Rod/jag For 6.5 Grendel

When I heard rumors of a new 6mm cartridge from Hornady, I was intrigued. Yeah, these days we see a lot of "new" cartridges that merely indistinguishable the ballistics of existing cartridges. They offering little more a shiny new proper noun and slick marketing. I've washed my inquiry and here'due south what I've found comparing 6mm ARC vs. six.6mm Grendel.

Nosotros can start hither: Hornady has done a lot to advanced bullet and armament design. They solved some problems that plagued ballisticians and bullet designers for decades.

Why 6mm Rounds?

I'chiliad also a big fan of cartridges firing bullets in the 6mm, 6.5mm and 7mm diameters (.243, .264, .284). The reason? Long ago I learned to discard the hype most energy transfer and knock-downwardly power. Instead, I concentrate scientifically on how the bullet acts between the cage and the target, and what it does later information technology strikes the target.

Bullets in these caliber ranges perform. They perform on the mode to the manner to the target, and they perform in one case they become there. They perform because it is possible to combine the right balance of features in a reasonable cartridge, fired by a reasonable rifle. Not surprisingly, and then, here at SHWAT nosotros've covered the 6.5 Grendel extensively. For instance, have a expect at our Maker Bullets half-dozen.5 Grendel experience. Remington and Barnes take new  half dozen.five Grendel options we test while hog hunting. And our very popular comparison of the half dozen.5 Grendel vs. .308 story has generated a lot of conversation.

As bullet diameters grow larger, getting performance requires much heavier bullets. That, in plough, which requires more pulverisation to motion them. Which then creates the need for larger cases and much larger and heavier guns. So when we reach the .308 (7.62mm) or 8mm (.323 cal.) cartridges, we see a compromise toward less effective bullet design in order to keep recoil down, cartridge length at existing standards, and rifles reasonably light.

I have long viewed the six.5mm cartridge family as ideal for the vast majority of both sporting and war machine uses. Their trajectories tin match larger magnum chamberings and their bullets retain velocities better, allowing reliable expansion and outstanding penetration at ranges beyond what almost magnum cartridges allow. The 6.5 mm bullets give us substantially more bullet weight than a .223 or 6mm cartridge.

However, both 6mm and 7mm cartridges are close contenders, and I like and utilize both, and each shooter must counterbalance advantages for their particular purpose. Let'south have a deeper dive into the new 6mm ARC.

Lantac is one of the early adopters of the 6mm ARC, and this looks like one impressive rifle!

Hornady's new 6mm Advanced Rifle Cartridge (ARC) is a 6mm cartridge based on a 6.5 Grendel example. This was a natural evolution, and information technology is non surprising that Hornady was the one to standardize such a cartridge since they accept provided outstanding back up for the Grendel from the offset. This also makes the 6mm ARC vs. half dozen.5 Grendel chat that much more interesting.

Near of the talk I have seen 6mm ARC compares it to the .308. I'll just say here that in an AR, I'd rather accept a 6.five Grendel or 6mm ARC than a .308.

6mm ARC vs. 6.5 Grendel

The existent comparison hither is between the 6.5 Grendel and the 6mm ARC.

Both cartridges are compact cartridges. Their case pattern and capacity are very like, and both are designed to be fired from an AR-xv (versus a larger framed rifle like an AR-10). This means that neither is going to deliver their all-time results with heaviest-for-caliber loads, and neither will gain the velocity of longer bolt-activity cartridges, such as .234 Winchester or half-dozen.5 Creedmoor.

Nonetheless, velocity isn't everything, and pushing a bullet too fast can exist detrimental to accuracy. I doubtable that Hornady understands this every bit their 6mm Creedmoor cartridges are only moderately faster than the 6mm ARC.

To keep our 6mm ARC vs. 6.5 Grendel comparison fair, we volition compare published ballistics from Hornady. Hornady'south numbers come from 24" examination barrels, so velocities may be slightly college than from some shorter factory barrels. All the same, I detect that Alexander Arms 6.5 Grendel barrels produce consistently higher velocities than other barrels. Hornady armament fired from my 18" Alexander Artillery butt averages but 40 fps slower than from Hornady's 24" test barrel. (It also averages faster speeds than from some xx" and 22" barrels from other manufacturers.)

As well, I don't know how fast the 6mm ARC builds velocity, and so the velocities could be closer between the ii cartridges in shorter barrels.

six.five Grendel vs. 6mm ARC Ballistics

As you tin encounter, velocities differ by 170 – 220 fps, with the lighter 6mm ARC moving faster from the compact case. This is exactly what we would look.

Exclusive densities are like, and both should exist skilful penetrators.

Ballistic coefficients are near equal, with a slight border going to the 6mm 108 ELD Match. Nevertheless, even with like BCs, velocities come into play, and the increased velocity of the 6mm ARC translates to a slightly flatter trajectory.

Downrange velocities evidence how close the BCs and SDs are between the cartridges. The 175 – 183 fps deviation in velocity at 500 yards shows the lucifer cartridges are pretty comparable, with the 6.5 Grendel property its velocity slightly better with the hunting loads.

Trajectories within reasonable hunting ranges are close. At 500 yards, the divergence in drop is most 6 to vii inches. To me, that difference is negligible.

When it comes to terminal ballistics, the Grendel has proven itself to me, with a lethal event far in excess of what well-nigh people would expect from the wicked little cartridge. Information technology is absolutely devastating on game and penetration is outstanding. I once fired a single 123 gr. Hornady SST completely through 2 goats, and the intervening space between, penetrating flesh and bone on both goats resulting in impressive exit wounds on both.

Both cartridges are sized for AR-15 rifles or mini-activeness bolt guns. Both volition offering similar ballistics and terminal performance. They increment the lethality and penetration capabilities of the AR-15 well beyond the capabilities of the 5.56mm cartridge. Both vastly increase the versatility of the AR platform, covering varmint hunting, big game hunting, cocky-defense, and armed forces roles with ease.

6mm ARC vs. half-dozen.five Grendel for Hunting

For hunting varmints, the 6mm ARC would accept the advantage. Its lighter bullets are at home here. Given the ideal long-range bullet dimensions, the best long-range 6mm bullet volition be effectually the 112 gr. weight. On the other hand, the best 6.5mm bullets will exist closer to 140 gr.  So, the 6mm will be a meliorate choice for launching 95 gr. or 100 gr. varmint bullets, though the 6.5 Grendel is certainly capable.

For hunting deer-sized game, both the 6mm ARC and half dozen.5 Grendel volition work fine. A lot of North American deer have fallen to 6mm and 6.5mm projectiles in the century or more than since Winchester, Marlin, and others began offer 6mm chamberings.

Stepping up to moose, elk, caribou, and black bear – and maybe a wild sus scrofa or two – I'd certainly prefer the extra bullet weight of the 6.5 Grendel. Alexander Arms offers a load using the 120 gr. Barnes TSX bullet. It leaves my 18" butt at 2,526 FPS. This is my go-to cartridge for hunting heavier game with the 6.five Grendel. I would not hesitate to shoot a moose or black bear with this cartridge and acquit it in my gun when hunting lighter game in brown carry state.

And while we're talking about the Barnes TSX and TTSX bullets… I'g a huge fan. They expand reliably and consistently, nonetheless even with expansion, they commonly retain all or almost all their weight and penetrate deeply. They usually exit, even with quartering shots, causing faster bleeding, and easier tracking. I accept no qualms about shooting a moose with a Barnes TSX from a 5.56. That will irritate some, but know that I grew up a subsistence hunter here in Alaska and didn't come to that conclusion every bit a keyboard commando.

Would I shoot a moose with the 6mm ARC cartridge? Without hesitation. But my first choice for this purpose would be the Alexander Arms load in the 6.five Grendel. At the ranges at which these bullets volition expand reliably, the difference in velocity won't make a difference, and the extra weight is an advantage.

Which one would I choose, the 6mm ARC or the 6.5 Grendel?

In an AR-15 or a pocket-sized bolt action, both the half-dozen.5 Grendel and the new 6mm ARC make outstanding big game cartridges for a child, with depression recoil even when chambered in the lightest of rifles. A rifle like the CMMG RESOLUTE 6mm ARC burglarize, which combines a rifle length gas system with a 16" barrel will soften recoil even farther making it an ideal hunting rifle for smaller shooters.

For my ain use, I'll take the 6.5 Grendel over the 6mm ARC, simply not by a wide margin. With velocities and trajectories very close, they are both applied for the same purposes. If I were strictly a long-range competition shooter, and so I might go with the 6mm ARC equally it has some small advantages. Just a skilled shooter would practice fine with either.

Some other enticing 6mm ARC option, this one from CMMG

With Hornady backside the 6mm ARC cartridge, information technology is certain to exist popular. I expect nosotros will meet companies similar Barnes and Norma stepping in with TSX or TTSX loads, or possibly something of their own design.

Then while both are outstanding cartridges, I will stick with the  6.five Grendel as my all-around, multi-purpose AR cartridge. That said, I would non feel under-gunned at all with the 6mm ARC. I'chiliad also not promising that I won't ever add one to the collection. CMMG'southward xx" ENDEAVOR rifle has me thinking . . .

Source: https://shwat.com/6mm-arc-vs-6-5-grendel/

Posted by: shrumofflas.blogspot.com

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