Hornady Custom 6.5mm Grendel 123gr SST Ammo Ballistics
Brass Case • SST
Hornady Custom 6.5mm Grendel 123gr SST Ammo Ballistics
Brass Case • SST
Solved from this product's advertised 2580 fps, 123gr bullet and G1 BC 0.510, with the sight 1.5" over the bore at standard conditions. Compare every zero for 6.5mm Grendel.
How to read it: filled circles are the near and far zero, where the bullet's path crosses the line of sight;the triangle is the peak (max ordinate). The shaded band is the 8" vital zone, ±4" either side of the line of sight. The dashed line marks the edge of the hold-dead-on window. The chart is zoomed to where the zero matters; the tables below run to 500 yards.
6.5mm Grendel 123gr with a 100-yard zero
Zeroed at 100 yards with a 1.5" sight height, this load crosses the line of sight at 54 and 100 yards, peaks +0.2" at 77 yards, and is -15.9" at 300 and -35.3" at 400 yards.
| Range (yd) | Drop (in) | Drop (MOA) | Drop (MIL) | Velocity (fps) | Energy (ft-lb) | Wind drift, 10 mph (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | -1.5" | 0.00 | 0.00 | 2,580 | 1,818 | 0.0 |
| 25 | -0.6" | -2.28 | -0.66 | 2,537 | 1,758 | 0.1 |
| 50 | -0.1" | -0.09 | -0.03 | 2,494 | 1,699 | 0.2 |
| 75 | +0.2" | +0.20 | +0.06 | 2,452 | 1,642 | 0.4 |
| 100 | 0.0" | 0.00 | 0.00 | 2,410 | 1,587 | 0.7 |
| 125 | -0.5" | -0.40 | -0.12 | 2,369 | 1,533 | 1.2 |
| 150 | -1.5" | -0.92 | -0.27 | 2,328 | 1,480 | 1.7 |
| 175 | -2.8" | -1.51 | -0.44 | 2,287 | 1,429 | 2.3 |
| 200 | -4.5" | -2.15 | -0.62 | 2,247 | 1,379 | 3.0 |
| 225 | -6.7" | -2.83 | -0.82 | 2,207 | 1,331 | 3.8 |
| 250 | -9.3" | -3.54 | -1.03 | 2,168 | 1,283 | 4.7 |
| 275 | -12.3" | -4.28 | -1.25 | 2,128 | 1,238 | 5.7 |
| 300 | -15.9" | -5.06 | -1.47 | 2,090 | 1,193 | 6.9 |
| 325 | -19.9" | -5.86 | -1.70 | 2,052 | 1,150 | 8.1 |
| 350 | -24.5" | -6.68 | -1.94 | 2,014 | 1,108 | 9.5 |
| 375 | -29.6" | -7.54 | -2.19 | 1,976 | 1,067 | 11.0 |
| 400 | -35.3" | -8.42 | -2.45 | 1,939 | 1,028 | 12.6 |
| 425 | -41.5" | -9.32 | -2.71 | 1,903 | 989 | 14.4 |
| 450 | -48.3" | -10.25 | -2.98 | 1,867 | 952 | 16.3 |
| 475 | -55.8" | -11.21 | -3.26 | 1,831 | 916 | 18.3 |
| 500 | -63.9" | -12.20 | -3.55 | 1,796 | 881 | 20.5 |
123gr G1 .510 at 2,580 fps, 1.5" sight height over bore, standard conditions (59°F, sea level), 10 mph full-value crosswind. Positive drop is above the line of sight. Source: Manufacturer's advertised velocity and BC.
6.5mm Grendel 123gr with a 200-yard zero
Zeroed at 200 yards with a 1.5" sight height, this load crosses the line of sight at 26 and 200 yards, peaks +2.3" at 115 yards, and is -9.1" at 300 and -26.2" at 400 yards.
| Range (yd) | Drop (in) | Drop (MOA) | Drop (MIL) | Velocity (fps) | Energy (ft-lb) | Wind drift, 10 mph (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | -1.5" | 0.00 | 0.00 | 2,580 | 1,818 | 0.0 |
| 25 | 0.0" | -0.13 | -0.04 | 2,537 | 1,758 | 0.1 |
| 50 | +1.1" | +2.06 | +0.60 | 2,494 | 1,699 | 0.2 |
| 75 | +1.9" | +2.35 | +0.68 | 2,452 | 1,642 | 0.4 |
| 100 | +2.3" | +2.15 | +0.63 | 2,410 | 1,587 | 0.7 |
| 125 | +2.3" | +1.75 | +0.51 | 2,369 | 1,533 | 1.2 |
| 150 | +1.9" | +1.23 | +0.36 | 2,328 | 1,480 | 1.7 |
| 175 | +1.2" | +0.65 | +0.19 | 2,287 | 1,429 | 2.3 |
| 200 | +0.0" | +0.01 | 0.00 | 2,247 | 1,379 | 3.0 |
| 225 | -1.6" | -0.67 | -0.20 | 2,207 | 1,331 | 3.8 |
| 250 | -3.6" | -1.39 | -0.40 | 2,168 | 1,283 | 4.7 |
| 275 | -6.1" | -2.13 | -0.62 | 2,128 | 1,238 | 5.7 |
| 300 | -9.1" | -2.90 | -0.84 | 2,090 | 1,193 | 6.9 |
| 325 | -12.6" | -3.70 | -1.08 | 2,052 | 1,150 | 8.1 |
| 350 | -16.6" | -4.53 | -1.32 | 2,014 | 1,108 | 9.5 |
| 375 | -21.2" | -5.38 | -1.57 | 1,976 | 1,067 | 11.0 |
| 400 | -26.2" | -6.26 | -1.82 | 1,939 | 1,028 | 12.6 |
| 425 | -31.9" | -7.17 | -2.09 | 1,903 | 989 | 14.4 |
| 450 | -38.2" | -8.10 | -2.36 | 1,867 | 952 | 16.3 |
| 475 | -45.1" | -9.06 | -2.64 | 1,831 | 916 | 18.3 |
| 500 | -52.6" | -10.05 | -2.92 | 1,796 | 881 | 20.5 |
123gr G1 .510 at 2,580 fps, 1.5" sight height over bore, standard conditions (59°F, sea level), 10 mph full-value crosswind. Positive drop is above the line of sight. Source: Manufacturer's advertised velocity and BC.
Product Overview
Hornady markets its Custom 123-grain SST for medium game. The SST is Hornady's polymer-tipped hunting bullet with a lead core. Hornady rates it at a G1 BC of .510, and this load starts it at 2,580 fps. At 300 yards the bullet still carries 1,193 ft-lbs of energy.
Compared with Federal's Fusion 120-grain, the SST starts 20 fps slower but holds its speed better. At 300 yards, a steady 10 mph wind blowing straight across the shot pushes the SST about 7 inches sideways and the Fusion about 11, and the Fusion arrives with 945 ft-lbs. The two kick within 4 percent of each other in the same rifle. Compared with Alexander Arms' 129-grain SST, which uses the same kind of bullet in a heavier weight, Hornady's load leaves the muzzle 342 fps faster. The Alexander Arms load kicks about 5 percent less in the same rifle.
Buy Hornady's Custom 123 SST if you hunt medium game and want a load that holds up better in the wind than the Fusion. Pick the Fusion 120 if you want a bonded soft point, which Federal markets for big game, and a touch less recoil. Pick the Alexander Arms 129 SST if you want the heavier bullet and are happy to trade speed for a softer kick. For practice at the same weight, Hornady's Frontier 123-grain FMJ is a full metal jacket load that leaves the muzzle at the same speed.
- Zeroed at 100 yards, it drops about 35 inches at 400; Federal's Fusion 120 drops about 40
- Leaves the muzzle 55 fps faster than AAC's Sabre Blade 123-grain Black Tip
- Starts with 105 more ft-lbs at the muzzle than Barnes' VOR-TX 115-grain TAC-TX
- Underwood's 110-grain Controlled Chaos leaves the muzzle 220 fps faster
- Kicks about 14 percent more than Barnes' VOR-TX 115-grain TAC-TX in the same rifle
- Uses a lead-core bullet, where Barnes' VOR-TX 115-grain TAC-TX is copper with no lead core
Similar Products Compared
| PRODUCT | WEIGHT | TYPE | VELOCITY | ENERGY | BC | PRICE/RD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 123 gr | SST | 2580 fps | 1818 ft-lbs | 0.51 |
$1.51
500 Rounds
|
|
| 129 gr | SST | 2238 fps | 1435 ft-lbs | 0.485 | N/A | |
| 120 gr | Fusion | 2600 fps | 1801 ft-lbs | 0.34 | N/A | |
| 115 gr | TAC-TX | 2590 fps | 1713 ft-lbs | 0.387 |
$2.01
200 Rounds
|
|
| 110 gr | Controlled Chaos | 2800 fps | 1915 ft-lbs | 0.45 | N/A | |
| 123 gr | Black Tip | 2525 fps | 1741 ft-lbs | 0.51 | N/A |
All Hornady Custom 6.5mm Grendel 123gr SST Ammo Prices
| DEALER | QTY | PRICE | SHIPPING | TOTAL | PRICE/RD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black Basin Outdoors | 500 | $755.80 | $0.00 | $755.80 | $1.51 |
| Black Basin Outdoors | 200 | $315.73 | $0.00 | $315.73 | $1.58 |
| Lucky Gunner | 200 | $340.00 | $19.57 | $359.57 | $1.80 |
| Lucky Gunner | 20 | $35.00 | $18.43 | $53.43 | $2.67 |