Author Topic: 6.5 Grendel vs 5.56 vs 223: Extending Your AR-15's Effective Range  (Read 690 times)

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Offline Elderberry

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6.5 Grendel vs 5.56 vs 223: Extending Your AR-15's Effective Range
« on: September 06, 2022, 01:17:54 am »
Ammo.com

When it comes to the AR-15 semi-automatic rifle, there is no denying that the 223 Remington and 5.56x45mm NATO are the kings of the centerfire cartridges. As it is the standard issue ammo for the U.S. military and an incredibly potent varmint round, the 5.56/223 Rem is by far the most popular centerfire rifle cartridge in North America.

Even though the 223 and 5.56 are both battle-proven rounds, some shooters wanted more out of their AR-15. They wanted more power and range without having to upgrade to the heavier and more expensive AR-10 platform.

Adapting new cartridges to the AR-15 platform is nothing new, as the 6.8 Remington SPC, 300 AAC Blackout, 224 Valkyrie, and 50 Beowulf have all seen moderate acceptance in the AR shooting community.

Enter the 6.5 Grendel cartridge, which gave shooters the range and stopping power they wanted in their lightweight modern sporting rifles.

But is it worth it to upgrade your AR-15 or buy a new one in 6.5 Grendel or should you stick with the tried-and-true 223/5.56 NATO?

In this article we will take a detailed look at the 6.5 Grendel vs 5.56 vs 223 Rem caliber debate and help you understand the advantages that each rifle cartridge has to offer.

What is the difference between 6.5 Grendel, 5.56 and the 223?



The 5.56 and 223 have identical external dimensions and fire the same bullets, but the 5.56 can fire higher pressure loads. The primary difference between 6.5 Grendel and 223/5.56 is the bullet diameter each cartridge fires and the cartridge case design. The 223 and 5.56 fire a 0.224” diameter bullet compared to 0.264” for 6.5 Grendel.

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Hunting

In terms of hunting, both rifle cartridges excel in their respective areas of expertise.

The 5.56 NATO/223 Rem is an awesome choice for varmint hunting, where the flatter trajectory makes it a great choice for longer range shots. However, both the 223 and 5.56 lack the kinetic energy needed to ethically harvest medium to large sized game like whitetail. Many states and provinces prohibit the use of 0.224” diameter bullets for deer hunting due to this.

This is where the 6.5 Grendel really shines, as its heavier bullets pack enough power to harvest a deer or antelope up to a range of around 400 yards. Although you could use the 6.5mm Grendel for varmint hunting, most shooters prefer the low recoil and lighter bullets fired from the 223 or 5.56 for this purpose.

Technically the 6.5 could be used to take an elk within 100 yards if your shot placement is perfect, however something along the lines of a 300 Winchester Magnum would be preferred for large game like this.

The bottom line is that 223/5.56 is an excellent varmint cartridge with its lightweight bullets and flat trajectory, while the 6.5 is preferred for deer-sized game animals.

More: https://ammo.com/comparison/65-grendel-vs-556-223

Quote
For my first AR-15 I chose the 6.5 Grendel.

Offline sneakypete

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Re: 6.5 Grendel vs 5.56 vs 223: Extending Your AR-15's Effective Range
« Reply #1 on: September 06, 2022, 03:37:10 am »
I just don't get it.

If you want a rifle chambered in a round like the 6.5 Grendel,go with a bolt-action rifle that is properly bedded,and has a decent scope.

5.56/.223 cartridges are ok for communists and other varmits at close range,but not much else.

Anyone who isn't paranoid in 2021 just isn't thinking clearly!

Offline Elderberry

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Re: 6.5 Grendel vs 5.56 vs 223: Extending Your AR-15's Effective Range
« Reply #2 on: September 06, 2022, 12:19:37 pm »
I just don't get it.

If you want a rifle chambered in a round like the 6.5 Grendel,go with a bolt-action rifle that is properly bedded,and has a decent scope.

5.56/.223 cartridges are ok for communists and other varmits at close range,but not much else.

I was already hunting with a Rem700SA chambered in 6.5x47 Lapua, shooting the 130gr Berger VLD. I'd never owned an AR15. I'd never even shot one. So I wanted to build one. I saw that I could shoot the same 130 gr Berger only giving up 200-300 fps. from the Lapua, using a 24in bbl. So that's why I chose the 6.5 Grendel. I haven't started reloading for it yet. Shooting factory ammo, I've shot some groups down to around 5/8in. @100yds. I should be able to get tighter groups once I begin reloading.

Offline sneakypete

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Re: 6.5 Grendel vs 5.56 vs 223: Extending Your AR-15's Effective Range
« Reply #3 on: September 06, 2022, 12:23:14 pm »
I was already hunting with a Rem700SA chambered in 6.5x47 Lapua, shooting the 130gr Berger VLD. I'd never owned an AR15. I'd never even shot one. So I wanted to build one. I saw that I could shoot the same 130 gr Berger only giving up 200-300 fps. from the Lapua, using a 24in bbl. So that's why I chose the 6.5 Grendel. I haven't started reloading for it yet. Shooting factory ammo, I've shot some groups down to around 5/8in. @100yds. I should be able to get tighter groups once I begin reloading.

@Elderberry

OK,that I can understand.
Anyone who isn't paranoid in 2021 just isn't thinking clearly!