Which 6.5 Grendel Product Lines Are Most Common?
Current observed prices are in the 30-day price summary at the top of this page, recomputed from tracked retailer listings. The table below lists common product lines by bullet type, weight, and intended use. It is a reference list, not a ranking.
| Product Line | Type | Grain | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wolf Military Classic | FMJ, steel case | 100gr | Range / Practice |
| Hornady Frontier (FR700) | FMJ | 123gr | Range / Practice |
| Federal American Eagle (AE65GDL1) | Open Tip Match | 120gr | Range / Target |
| Hornady BLACK (81528) | ELD Match | 123gr | Target / Long Range |
| Hornady Custom (8152) | SST | 123gr | Hunting |
| Federal Fusion MSR (F65GDLMSR1) | Bonded Soft Point | 120gr | Hunting |
What Is 6.5 Grendel?
The 6.5 Grendel was designed in 2003 by Bill Alexander of Alexander Arms, working with competitive shooter Arne Brennan and Lapua ballistician Janne Pohjoispää. The aim was a cartridge that fires heavier 6.5mm bullets, with higher ballistic coefficients than typical 5.56 NATO bullets, from a rifle the size of an AR-15.
The case descends from the .220 Russian (5.6×39mm), a necked-down relative of the 7.62x39 case, so the 6.5 Grendel has a wide, short body with a case head larger than the 5.56. Key dimensions: the bullet is .264 inch (6.5mm) in diameter, the case is about 1.52 inches (38.7mm) long, and the loaded overall length is about 2.26 inches (57.5mm), short enough for an AR-15 magazine well. Maximum pressure is listed at about 52,000 psi.
"6.5 Grendel" was originally a trademark of Alexander Arms. In 2011 SAAMI accepted the cartridge as a standard, and Alexander Arms relinquished the trademark, which let other companies sell ammunition, barrels and magazines under the name.
Do not confuse 6.5 Grendel with 6.5 Creedmoor. Both fire .264-inch bullets, but the Creedmoor is a longer cartridge built on a .308-class case for AR-10-size and short-action bolt rifles. The two do not interchange, and neither does the 6.5 PRC or any of the older 6.5mm military cartridges. The cartridge a firearm takes is the one stamped on its barrel.
Firearms Chambered in 6.5 Grendel
- AR-15-pattern rifles — the most common platform. A 6.5 Grendel conversion keeps the standard AR-15 lower receiver but needs a Grendel barrel, a bolt with the larger Grendel bolt face, and magazines built for the wider case. A standard 5.56 bolt or magazine is not correct for it.
- Bolt-action rifles — several manufacturers chamber short, light bolt-action rifles in 6.5 Grendel for hunting and target shooting.
- Military service — Serbia adopted Zastava rifles in the chambering, among them the Zastava M19.
Common 6.5 Grendel Loads
Factory loads mostly use bullets from 90 to 130 grains. The listings IronScout tracks fall into three groups.
- Range and practice. Wolf Military Classic is a 100-grain FMJ load in a lacquered steel case, sold in 20-round boxes and 500-round cases; Wolf Gold adds a 120-grain boat-tail hollow-point load sold as MPT (Multi-Purpose Tactical). Hornady Frontier loads a 123-grain FMJ, and Federal American Eagle a 120-grain open-tip match bullet.
- Target and long range. Hornady BLACK loads the 123-grain ELD Match bullet (product 81528), with a published muzzle velocity of 2,580 fps from a 24-inch test barrel, in reloadable brass with Boxer primers. Hornady's Match line also offers a 100-grain ELD-VT load.
- Hunting. Hornady Custom loads a 123-grain SST, and Federal's Fusion MSR line loads a 120-grain bonded soft point with a published muzzle velocity of 2,600 fps.
A 16-inch AR-15 carbine barrel is shorter than the 24-inch test barrel some manufacturers publish velocities from, so velocity from a carbine is usually lower than the box figure.
How 6.5 Grendel Prices Compare
The 30-day summary at the top of this page shows the observed price distribution for 6.5 Grendel right now — the median, the quartiles, and how many retailers and listings stand behind them. Steel-case FMJ, match, and hunting loads are listed together in that summary, so expect match and bonded hunting loads to sit toward the upper end of the observed range and steel-case FMJ toward the lower end.
Pack sizes run from 20-round boxes to 500-round cases, so box prices are not comparable with each other. Cost per round is the comparable figure; the search button at the top of this page sorts current listings by it. A caliber with fewer tracked listings can move further on one retailer's sale than a high-volume caliber does — check the retailer and listing counts beside the figures. See steel case vs. brass case and how to buy ammo online for what changes between offers.
6.5 Grendel Brands
- Hornady — BLACK ELD Match, Custom SST, Frontier FMJ and Match ELD-VT loads.
- Federal — Fusion MSR hunting and American Eagle open-tip match loads.
- Wolf — Military Classic steel-case FMJ and Wolf Gold loads.
Where to Compare 6.5 Grendel Prices
IronScout tracks in-stock listings across the retailers it covers and recomputes the 30-day summary daily. Set a free price alert to be notified when a listing crosses a price you choose.
Related Calibers
- 6.5 Creedmoor — The longer 6.5mm cartridge for AR-10-size and short-action rifles. Not interchangeable.
- 5.56 NATO / .223 Remington — The standard AR-15 cartridge the Grendel conversion replaces.
- .300 Blackout — Another AR-15 conversion cartridge, built for heavier .30-caliber bullets and suppressed use.
- 7.62x39 — The Soviet intermediate cartridge whose case family the Grendel descends from.