Rick:
We have a member of my hunting lease that used the "6.5 Grendel" (CZ) for 2 years. He bloodied up so many whitetails (6...I think) that were not retreived that we (some of the senior members of the club) had to have an intervention. He insisted that we didn't know what we were talking about. Upon "re-explaining" that, if he didn't start using snother rifle, he was going to have find another place to hunt he decided to go with a 300 Win. Mag. Even though the big gun is a bit of overkill, he stopped losing whitetails.
I agree that for "small whitetails" the 6.5 Grendel would be fine. I also believe that, like my 257 Roberts, it should be used within a 200 yard range. Both of these cartridges are awesome in that wheelhouse. We have many shots requiring shots at 250 and more. The 6.5 "Swede" has a bigger fuel tank!
Best, Capt. Chris

You're right, the 6.5 Grendel is definitely a short range cartridge for small deer. The Swede is a much better performer, not to mention it's long and storied history which makes it appeal to me even more.

I just think the mini-Mauser and mini-cartridge concept is interesting. I was thinking it might make a decent stalking rifle in thick woods for our small Florida deer.

It's mostly the concept itself that interests me. I like thinking about new ways to get to the same place.

But if I ever really needed a stalking rifle I'd just grab my 30-30!

Have a safe trip to Blade and post some dispatches from the front if you get the chance!

I think the guy wounding deer with the 6.5 Grendel may have been using the wrong bullets. What bullet was he using in that 6.5 Grendel ammo?

I use Barnes bullets for hunting exclusively, regardless of caliber. Bullet placement is number 1, followed by bullet construction to make effective kills. I would still use a 6.5 Grendel with Barnes bullets (my handloads) if the range were out past 350 yards or so. Here in Wisconsin, shots that far are very rare though.

All of my hunting friends are using the 300 WSM with Barnes bullets, and the size of the exit wounds are twice as big as with my .260 Rem. at similar ranges. My friends have never recovered a Barnes bullet from deer firing their 300 WSM's, even when penetrating the deer length-wise.

I have recovered only 1 bullet using Barnes bullets in my .260 Remington for the past 10 years. That was this past season and it was found under the hide on the rump after penetrating the buck length-wise at about 100 yards. He dropped right there.

The one for me which has always worked like Thor's hammer is the 450 Marlin Guide gun. The longest shot I have taken is with this as well, 220 yards with a 2 3/4 power scope.
My best and favorite rifles are the oldest; a Flaig's custom Mauser 30.06 caliber which puts 165 grain Core-lokt's into an inch at 200M, and my Dad's old Marlin 30-30 (circa 1956), 5/8 to 3/4 inch with the Lever evolution ammo. I like to mess with various rifles and cartidges, but the standard ones are what I circle back to.
Oh, can't forget the Winchester Model 70 7mm Rem Mag with BOSS...1.5 inches at 300 yards. This round is quite disagreeable to most everything. I like magnums and big knives whether they are required or not; you can't shoot something too hard, you can shoot it badly though.

On the other end of the spectrum, I love me a 17 HMR, dropped a hog in its tracks with one at 60 yds, little 17 grain placed properly is quite disagreeable too.

I had a buddy that swore by his 22-250 for mule deer. I told him he was crazy. I bet him $20 that his 22-250 wouldn't go through a 6" diameter pine tree at 100 yards, that it would explode and not penetrate. I lost, it went right through the tree, no problem. Bullet placement is the real key. Although I did have another hunting buddy that loved his .264 mag, it was a tack driver, but he used it on elk and after losing 3 to neck shots, he went to a 7mm Mag and had better luck. Like was mentioned, the type of bullet does make a difference, but the shot placement is where it's at.

Pap

454 casull in revolver , 44AMP in pistol, 45-70 and 450 marlin in lever action,12 in shotgun, 8x68S in bolt action, 7x75R WH in kipplauf. ,450-400 3" in double rifle, 35 rem in Contender-

Since the late 1980's I have been hunting with Black Powder Cartridge Rifles. Rolling Blocks,Remington Hepburns, Winchester 1885's. Hunting in deer stands I use a 38-40,44-40. Hunting out west I use a 45-70,45-90,50-110. The longest shoot has been at 200 yards. I use black powder and flat base cast lead bullets. Shoot placement is the key for putting meat on the table. Walt RKS#5924

Some would say I'm "Smooth" and some would say I'm a "Bore"

So, my latest 12 gauge smoothbore "toy" under the Christmas Tree fits me to a "T".

Just in time for April turkey season.

For WI whitetails I like the good old 30-30. Rarely is more needed here and the 160gr Hornady FTX , higher BC, significantly flatter trajectory, really gives the old load a new lease on life. Such history, it'll always be a favorite up here.
32.5gr/Reloader15 under the Hornady works nicely in a 94.

Pics of those guns would be worth seeing.