Ask Grendel shooters which barrel length the cartridge wants and most give the same answer: 20 inches. It is long enough to burn the powder charge properly and short enough to carry like a carbine, and the chart below puts numbers on that claim for the cartridge’s two best known bullet weights, charted from the muzzle out to 1,000 yards. A second, larger table further down gathers the factory loads held in the stored library, and it comes with a catch worth knowing before you quote any of its muzzle figures.
Table of Contents [Click to minimize]
6.5 Grendel Ballistics Chart: 20 Inch Barrel
| Load (20 in Barrel) | Vel. Muzzle (fps) | Vel. 50 (fps) | Vel. 100 (fps) | Vel. 200 (fps) | Vel. 300 (fps) | Vel. 400 (fps) | Vel. 500 (fps) | Vel. 600 (fps) | Vel. 700 (fps) | Vel. 800 (fps) | Vel. 900 (fps) | Vel. 1000 (fps) | Energy Muzzle (ft-lb) | Energy 50 (ft-lb) | Energy 100 (ft-lb) | Energy 200 (ft-lb) | Energy 300 (ft-lb) | Energy 400 (ft-lb) | Energy 500 (ft-lb) | Energy 600 (ft-lb) | Energy 700 (ft-lb) | Energy 800 (ft-lb) | Energy 900 (ft-lb) | Energy 1000 (ft-lb) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 90 gr Speer TNT | 2880 | 2725 | 2570 | 2280 | 2010 | 1755 | 1525 | 1320 | 1145 | 1010 | 915 | 845 | 1657 | 1484 | 1320 | 1039 | 807 | 615 | 465 | 348 | 262 | 204 | 167 | 143 |
| 123 gr Hornady SST | 2568 | 2490 | 2415 | 2270 | 2125 | 1990 | 1855 | 1725 | 1605 | 1490 | 1385 | 1290 | 1801 | 1693 | 1593 | 1408 | 1233 | 1081 | 940 | 813 | 704 | 606 | 524 | 454 |
Read the velocity panel from left to right and the story of this cartridge tells itself: raw speed wins the first stretch, then aerodynamics take the race over.
Two Bullets, Opposite Habits
The 90 gr Speer TNT is the sprinter of the pair, out of the muzzle at 2,880 fps while the 123 gr Hornady SST manages 2,568 fps. Sprinters fade, though. The TNT’s advantage melts to almost nothing by 200 yards, the SST edges ahead somewhere before 300 yards, and at 1,000 yards the score reads 1,290 fps for the heavy bullet against 845 fps for the light one.
Energy Belongs to the Heavy Bullet
At no point on the chart does the light load hit harder. The SST begins with 1,801 ft-lb to the TNT’s 1,657 ft-lb, roughly doubles it at 500 yards, 940 ft-lb to 465 ft-lb, and finishes at 1,000 yards with 454 ft-lb while the TNT is down to 143 ft-lb. Anyone choosing between these weights for hunting distance is really choosing how much energy survives the trip.
Reading the Drop Figures
The trajectory numbers published for the 123 gr SST assume the rifle is zeroed at 100 yards. From there the bullet prints 4.5 inches low at 200 yards and 15.5 inches low at 300 yards, both easy holds for field shooting. The fall steepens with distance: 62.5 inches low at 500 yards, 101.5 inches at 600 yards and 413.5 inches at the full 1,000 yards, territory for turrets rather than reticle holds.
Five Factory Loads Over a Chronograph
Charts describe test conditions; a chronograph describes a real rifle. When five factory loads were clocked from a 20 inch barrel, the averages landed between 2,480 fps and 2,615 fps. The two PPU loads took the ends of that spread, 2,614 fps for the 110 gr FMJ and 2,480 fps for the 120 gr HP BT, and the Hornady 123 gr SST recorded 2,511 fps, a modest 57 fps shy of the figure in the chart at the top of this page.
| Load | Muzzle Velocity (fps) |
|---|---|
| PPU 110 gr FMJ | 2614 |
| Wolf 100 gr FMJ | 2615 |
| Hornady 123 gr A-Max | 2505 |
| Hornady 123 gr SST | 2511 |
| PPU 120 gr HP BT | 2480 |
The Factory Tables Tell a Different Barrel Story
Thirteen factory loads with complete published charts appear in the table below, drawn from six makers, and every one of them was measured under conditions other than a 20 inch barrel. Nosler and Barnes name 24 inch test barrels, Sellier & Bellot names a 23.5 inch barrel, and Federal, Remington and Hornady name none at all, so treat their muzzle speeds, which span 2,247 fps to 3,000 fps, as figures from longer or unspecified tubes. Each row carries its own trajectory zero: 200 yards for eleven loads, 100 yards for the Barnes Match Burner and the heavy Sellier & Bellot match load. The Sellier & Bellot row stops at 400 yards for velocity and energy because that is where the maker’s table stops, and the Nosler tables continue to 800 yards in their full published form.
Factory 6.5 Grendel Load Data
| Brand | Load | SKU | Traj. Zero (yd) | Vel. Muzzle (fps) | Vel. 100 (fps) | Vel. 200 (fps) | Vel. 300 (fps) | Vel. 400 (fps) | Vel. 500 (fps) | Energy Muzzle (ft-lb) | Energy 100 (ft-lb) | Energy 200 (ft-lb) | Energy 300 (ft-lb) | Energy 400 (ft-lb) | Energy 500 (ft-lb) | Traj. 100 yd (in) | Traj. 200 yd (in) | Traj. 300 yd (in) | Traj. 400 yd (in) | Traj. 500 yd (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Federal | 120 gr Open Tip Match | AE65GDL1 | 200 | 2610 | 2403 | 2206 | 2019 | 1840 | 1675 | 1815 | 1539 | 1297 | 1086 | 902 | 747 | 2.3 | 0 | -9.4 | -27.2 | -55.8 |
| Federal | 90 gr Speer TNT Jacketed Hollow Point | AE65GDL90VP | 200 | 3000 | 2641 | 2309 | 2002 | 1721 | 1472 | 1798 | 1394 | 1065 | 801 | 592 | 433 | 1.7 | 0 | -8.3 | -25.5 | -54.6 |
| Federal | 120 gr Fusion Soft Point | F65GDLMSR1 | 200 | 2600 | 2346 | 2107 | 1881 | 1674 | 1485 | 1801 | 1467 | 1183 | 943 | 747 | 588 | 2.4 | 0 | -10.1 | -30.5 | -63.1 |
| Remington | 130 gr Berger Open Tip Match | 21205 | 200 | 2400 | 2251 | 2108 | 1969 | 1836 | 1711 | 1663 | 1463 | 1282 | 1119 | 973 | 845 | 2.7 | 0 | -10.4 | -29.7 | -59.8 |
| Hornady | 123 gr ELD Match | 81528 | 200 | 2580 | 2409 | 2244 | 2086 | 1935 | 1791 | 1818 | 1585 | 1376 | 1189 | 1023 | 876 | 2.3 | 0 | -9.2 | -26.4 | -52.8 |
| Hornady | 123 gr SST | 8152 | 200 | 2580 | 2410 | 2247 | 2090 | 1940 | 1796 | 1818 | 1586 | 1379 | 1193 | 1028 | 881 | 2.3 | 0 | -9.1 | -26.3 | -52.7 |
| Barnes | 115 gr TAC-TX BT | 30829 | 200 | 2590 | 2367 | 2155 | 1954 | 1765 | 1590 | 1713 | 1431 | 1186 | 975 | 796 | 646 | 2.4 | 0 | -9.9 | -28.9 | -59.1 |
| Barnes | 120 gr Match Burner | 30831 | 100 | 2590 | 2408 | 2233 | 2065 | 1905 | 1753 | 1788 | 1545 | 1329 | 1137 | 967 | 819 | 0 | -4 | -15 | -34.2 | -62.9 |
| Nosler | 90 gr Varmageddon | 65182 | 200 | 2800 | 2549 | 2311 | 2086 | 1874 | 1677 | 1567 | 1298 | 1067 | 869 | 702 | 562 | 1.9 | 0 | -8.5 | -25 | -51.4 |
| Nosler | 120 gr Ballistic Tip | 61023 | 200 | 2400 | 2216 | 2040 | 1872 | 1714 | 1566 | 1534 | 1308 | 1108 | 934 | 782 | 653 | 2.8 | 0 | -11.2 | -32.3 | -65.3 |
| Nosler | 123 gr Custom Competition | 44501 | 200 | 2400 | 2234 | 2075 | 1922 | 1777 | 1640 | 1573 | 1363 | 1176 | 1009 | 862 | 735 | 2.7 | 0 | -10.8 | -31.1 | -62.4 |
| Nosler | 129 gr AccuBond Long Range | 60146 | 200 | 2350 | 2193 | 2042 | 1896 | 1756 | 1621 | 1582 | 1377 | 1194 | 1030 | 883 | 752 | 2.9 | 0 | -11.2 | -32.1 | -64.4 |
| Sellier & Bellot | 142 gr HPBT | V343112 | 100 | 2247 | 2100 | 1958 | 1822 | 1689 | – | 1592 | 1390 | 1209 | 1046 | 900 | – | 0 | -5.9 | -20.9 | -46.3 | -84 |
The Listing: Loads That Name Their Barrel
This shorter listing rounds up the stored loads that name a test barrel without publishing a full chart, printed with the barrel each maker actually used. The lengths bracket the subject of this page rather than matching it: 16 inches for both Lehigh Defense loads, 22 inches for the Gorilla bolt gun figures, and 26 inches for Fort Scott. Gorilla also rates its 110 gr load at 2,290 fps from a 16 inch gas gun, and Lehigh adds velocity and trajectory figures out to 300 yards for its pair. Energy appears only where a maker publishes it, which leaves the Gorilla and Fort Scott cells blank.
| Brand | Load | Product Line | SKU | Test Barrel (in) | Muzzle Velocity (fps) | Muzzle Energy (ft-lb) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lehigh Defense | 110 gr Controlled Chaos | Controlled Chaos | LA65G-110-CC | 16 | 2500 | 1527 |
| Lehigh Defense | 120 gr Tipped Controlled Chaos | Tipped Controlled Chaos | LA65G-120-TCC | 16 | 2300 | 1409 |
| Gorilla Ammunition | 110 gr Punisher Fracturing | Punisher Series | GA65G110PS | 22 | 2425 | – |
| Gorilla Ammunition | 85 gr Punisher Fracturing | Punisher Series | GA65G85PS | 22 | 2850 | – |
| Fort Scott Munitions | 123 gr Solid Copper Spun SCS® | SCS® TUI® | 758381721679 | 26 | 2538 | – |
The Listing: No Barrel Named
The last group publishes a muzzle velocity and nothing about the barrel behind it, so the figures are gathered here exactly as printed, with no barrel length attached. Left out of this article entirely: two European home market tables stated in metres per second from barrels of 610 mm and 600 mm, which were not converted into imperial figures; a Hornady Frontier load whose chart entry carries no data; and a single Ammo Inc load held from a retail listing instead of factory data.
| Brand | Load | Product Line | SKU | Muzzle Velocity (fps) | Muzzle Energy (ft-lb) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AAC | 123 gr Sabre Blade Black Tip | Sabre Blade Black Tip | AAC65GSAB1-20 | 2525 | – |
| HSM Ammunition | 107 gr Hollow Point Boat Tail MatchKing | Match | HSM-65Grendel-3-N | 2750 | 1797 |
| HSM Ammunition | 120 gr Pro-Hunter | Game King | HSM-65Grendel-1-N | 2557 | 1743 |
| HSM Ammunition | 123 gr Hollow Point Boat Tail MatchKing | Match | HSM-65Grendel-2-N | 2557 | 1786 |
| HSM Ammunition | 130 gr Match Hunting Very Low Drag | Trophy Gold | BER-65Grendel130VLD | 2450 | 1733 |
| PPU | 110 gr FMJBT | Standard Rifle Ammunition | PP6GF | 2756 | 1855 |
| PPU | 120 gr HPBT | Standard Rifle Ammunition | PP6GH | 2674 | 1905 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How fast does a 123 grain Grendel leave a 20 inch barrel?
At 2,568 fps, carrying 1,801 ft-lb of muzzle energy. The same bullet is still making 1,855 fps when it reaches 500 yards.
Which load wins at the muzzle, the 90 grain or the 123 grain?
The 90 gr Speer TNT wins on speed at 2,880 fps, but the 123 gr SST wins on energy with 1,801 ft-lb against 1,657 ft-lb. By 300 yards the SST leads on both measures.
How flat does the 123 grain shoot to 300 yards?
Very flat for the class: zeroed at 100 yards, it drops 4.5 inches by 200 yards and 15.5 inches by 300 yards. At 500 yards the drop grows to 62.5 inches.
At what range does the 90 grain load go subsonic?
Somewhere between 800 and 900 yards it crosses through the speed of sound, reading 1,010 fps at 800 yards and 915 fps at 900 yards. The 123 gr SST never gets there, holding 1,290 fps at 1,000 yards.
Why do factory muzzle velocities look higher than the 20 inch figures?
Because the factory charts were not produced with 20 inch barrels. The makers that name a barrel used 24 inches or 23.5 inches, and three of the six makers in the factory table name no barrel at all.
How many stored factory loads use a 20 inch test barrel?
None of them. Across every stored 6.5 Grendel dataset, no load publishes a 20 inch test barrel, which is exactly why the 20 inch chart at the top of this page had to come first.
What is the strongest factory load at 500 yards in the stored table?
The Hornady 123 gr SST, with 1,796 fps and 881 ft-lb remaining at 500 yards. Its ELD Match sibling sits just behind it at 1,791 fps and 876 ft-lb.
Which zero does the factory trajectory data follow?
Eleven of the thirteen charted loads follow a 200 yard zero. The Barnes 120 gr Match Burner and the Sellier & Bellot 142 gr HPBT follow a 100 yard zero, and each row of the table says which.
Is the 20 inch barrel enough for 1,000 yard shooting with this cartridge?
With the 123 grain bullet, yes: it arrives at 1,000 yards still supersonic at 1,290 fps with 454 ft-lb of energy. The price is 413.5 inches of drop on a 100 yard zero, so the optic needs the elevation travel to match.
What muzzle speeds should a shooter expect from a real 20 inch rifle?
Chronograph testing of five factory loads from a 20 inch barrel produced averages from 2,480 fps to 2,615 fps. Expect a given rifle to run a little under the figures printed on most factory charts.