6.5 Grendel REDEMPTION?! Hornady SST Follow-Up Test at 100 Yards

After the original 6.8 SPC vs 6.5 Grendel Hornady SST test, there were a lot of questions about whether the Grendel’s fragmentation was simply a fluke or if the bullet was truly inconsistent against heavy wood barriers. So we went back out and ran more shots through the exact same setup at 100 yards to get more real-world data.

This follow-up test focused entirely on the 6.5 Grendel 123 grain Hornady SST fired from the same 24-inch barrel setup into our layered 2x4 wood penetration test followed by denim catch material.

The new results told a much bigger story.

Follow-Up Results
Shot #1
The bullet stayed together very well with approximately:

.64 expansion
84 grains retained weight
Deep penetration with solid holes through the wood
Shot #2
This round fragmented heavily and broke apart much more aggressively after impact with the wood barrier. Bullet still had a complete pass through with devastating holes through the wood, fragment penetrated about the same as other shots.

Shot #3
The bullet again stayed together with:

Approximately .50 expansion
Around 64 grains retained weight
Strong penetration and clean pass-through damage in the boards
What Does This Tell Us?
The biggest takeaway from this continuation test is that the 6.5 Grendel Hornady SST is absolutely still an effective hunting round, but wood barriers can create highly unpredictable stress on expanding bullets.

Wood is extremely destructive to projectiles because:

Grain density changes throughout the board
Knots create sudden resistance spikes
Hard impacts can force violent upset
Rotational stress increases dramatically
Expansion can begin too rapidly on impact
This is especially true with a bullet like the Hornady SST, which is specifically engineered for rapid expansion and energy transfer on game animals.

Hornady SST Bullet Design
The Hornady SST (Super Shock Tip) was designed as a hunting projectile that balances:

Accuracy
Controlled expansion
High energy transfer
Flat trajectory
Reliable terminal performance
Key features include:

Polymer tip for expansion initiation
Streamlined secant ogive profile
InterLock ring to help retain the core and jacket
Designed expansion window for medium game hunting
Under normal hunting conditions on deer-sized game, these bullets have built a strong reputation for quick energy transfer and effective terminal performance.

However, heavy wood barriers can create conditions far beyond normal tissue resistance. In many cases, wood can behave almost like a bullet destroyer, especially at higher impact velocities.

The Barrel Length Factor, WHICH SHOULD NOT BE IN THIS CASE.
This 6.5 Grendel was fired from a 24-inch barrel, which likely increased velocity compared to shorter setups.

Higher velocity can:

Increase expansion rate
Increase fragmentation potential
Cause more violent energy dump on hard barriers
Increase stress on the bullet jacket/core
That extra speed may explain why some shots fragmented while others held together depending on exactly what part of the wood was contacted.

Important Hunting Perspective
One thing became very clear during this test:

The 6.5 Grendel is still an excellent hunting cartridge.

The follow-up testing showed:

Strong penetration
Consistent damage through wood
Multiple bullets staying together
Reliable expansion on several shots
This was not a “bad cartridge” situation at all. Instead, it showed how difficult wood barriers can be on expanding hunting bullets.

If anything, this test highlights why hunters should always be cautious about shooting through heavy brush, limbs, or trees regardless of caliber.

Topics Covered
6.5 Grendel follow-up test
Hornady SST bullet performance
Bullet fragmentation vs expansion
Retained weight testing
Wood barrier penetration
24-inch barrel velocity effects
Hunting bullet design
AR15 hunting calibers
Real-world ballistic testing

Q: Is the 6.5 Grendel still a good hunting cartridge?
A: Absolutely. The Grendel has proven itself for hunting many times over.

Q: Why was the performance inconsistent?
A: Wood barriers are extremely unpredictable and can drastically affect bullet behavior.

Q: Is Hornady SST still a good hunting bullet?
A: Yes. SST bullets are widely respected for deer-sized game performance.

Q: What was the biggest takeaway?
A: Wood can be incredibly damaging to expanding bullets regardless of caliber.

Thanks For Watching
Thanks for watching and supporting the channel. Real-world testing like this takes time, ammo, materials, and a lot of curiosity, and your support helps make more comparisons possible.

If you enjoy honest ballistic testing, hunting cartridge comparisons, recovered bullet analysis, and real-world terminal performance experiments, make sure to:

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Видео 6.5 Grendel REDEMPTION?! Hornady SST Follow-Up Test at 100 Yards канала The Bohemian Hunting Club