The 6.5 Grendel is a power-packed round specially made for the AR-15. It is most suitable for shooting at intermediate range and easily matches your AR-15 rifle. A shooting/ hunting package can never be complete, however, without a good scope.
You may not really know which scope will go well with 6.5 Grendel so let’s dive into what exactly you should look for.
Choosing the Best Scopes for 6.5 Grendel
Magnification
What you plan to use the scope for will determine the optimal magnification in large part. Get a scope with variable magnification if you’re looking for one for plinking or target shooting. Either 2-12x or 3-9x will do. You can use a scope with a high magnification of 18x or 20x for long-range shooting.
Eye Relief
This refers to the separation between your eye and the ocular lens of the scope. Your eyes are protected from the heavy recoil of rifles and you enjoy comfortable views of the target when using a scope with good eye relief. The 6.5 Grendel has the advantage of having less recoil. Therefore, a scope with limited eye relief will function. Try to find a scope with at least 4 inches of eye relief to be on the safe side.
Objective Lens
The component of the scope located in front is called the objective lens. Its primary job is to gather and send light into the scope. In general, a larger objective lens will collect more light, producing brighter and more distinct image views. Large objective lenses, however, significantly increase the scope’s weight.
Weatherproof
Reliability in the face of inclement weather is another significant consideration. If you’re going to use the scope for hunting, it needs to be waterproof and fog-proof. To prevent fog from accumulating inside the scope’s body and to keep out dirt and moisture, it should be filled with nitrogen and O-ring sealed.
Best Scopes for 6.5 Grendel Review
1) Primary Arms SLX 4-14x44mm FFP Rifle Scope
This Primary Arms scope is built with a heavy-duty aircraft-grade 6063 aluminium body, featuring a 30 mm main tube that is waterproof, shockproof, and fog-resistant. It has MIL turrets that track correctly through their full 17.5 MIL adjustment range, allowing for confident adjustments by the user.
Primary Arms 4-14x44mm riflescope is a great go-to optic that is popular for its reliability and durability. The scope comes with the brand’s advanced first focal plane ACSS HUD DMR .308 reticle which is designed specifically for popular .308 Winchester loads. The .308 reticle provides numerous features in a clean and intuitive design.
Key features
- It is made of a 30mm 6063-aluminum main tube
- It has exposed tactical-style turrets with Zero Reset
- It is shockproof, waterproof, and fog-resistant
- It has a variable 4-14x magnification and ACSS HUD DMR reticle for .308/some .223 loads
- It has a black matte finish for durability
- It has a partial red illumination with 5 brightness settings powered by a common CR2032 battery
Pros
- It is compatible with different rings and mounts
- Waterproof, fog resistant, and shockproof
- Covered by a 3-year warranty for defects due to materials or workmanship
Cons
- Low magnification settings
2) Vortex Optics Viper HS-T Second Focal Plane Riflescopes
Vortex Viper HS-T is one of the multiple configurations in the Hunting & Shooting Tactical (HS-T) line. It features a VMR-1 Reticle (MOA), which makes it perfect for accurate holds at extended ranges.
The scope is designed with the Vortex premium, fully multi-coated, extra-low dispersion lenses that provide excellent resolution and colour fidelity. The XR coatings give enhanced light gathering capability while Armortek coating protects the lenses.
The Vortex HS-T 4-16×44 has the CRS Zero Stop to allow for the reliable return to zero capability after dialling temporary elevation corrections. It also has exposed target-style turrets, made for precise and repeatable finger-adjustable clicks.
Key features
- It features a one-piece tube design
- It is O-ring sealed and argon purged for waterproof and fog-proof performance
- It has a 4x zoom
- It has exposed target-style turrets for precise and repeatable finger-adjustable clicks
- It has a side focus parallax adjustment for optimal image focus and parallax removal
- It has fully multi-coated, extra-low dispersion lenses for excellent resolution and colour fidelity
Pros
- Weatherproof performance
- Durable
- Applicable to different shooting applications
Cons
- It is a bit costly
3) Leupold Rifleman 4-12x40mm Riflescope
Leupold Rifleman is one of the scopes in the Leupold Rifleman Scopes Series. The razor-sharp Leupold model is designed with an RBR reticle and has a matte finish for that lifelong performance.
The scope is sealed and purged to provide a totally waterproof, fog proof, and shockproof performance. It also has a Twilight Light Management System that adds up to 10 extra minutes of glassing light. The riflescope is ultra-lightweight for easy operation, and is tested to perform from -40°F to 160°F.
Key features
- It has a lightweight and rugged design
- It has a wide duplex reticle and matte finish
- It offers unparalleled low-light performance
- It has a magnification range of 4x-12x
- It has a 3: 1 zoom ratio
- Eye Relief (in) – Low: 4.9
- Eye Relief (in) – High: 3.7
- Linear FOV (ft. /100 yd.) – Low: 19.9
- Linear FOV (ft. /100 yd.) – High: 9.4
- Length: 12.3 in.
- Maintube Diameter: 1 inch
Pros
- Lightweight
- It is 100% waterproof, fog proof, & shockproof
Cons
- It might require some expertise to use
4) Vortex Optics Crossfire II Second Focal Plane, 1-inch Tube Riflescopes
The Crossfire II from Vortex Optics is designed to deliver excellent performance and bright, crisp images in all lighting circumstances. It is built of an aircraft-grade aluminium single-piece tube for durability and stress resistance.
The scope has completely multi-coated lenses and a quick-focus eyepiece for the greatest shooting experience. After sighting in, the Capped reset turrets on the scope’s finger-adjustable MOA clicks can be reset to zero.
It has a Dead-Hold BDC reticle that is useful when hunting or shooting at different ranges and estimating holdover is an issue. The long eye relief keeps you safe from recoil while allowing you to swiftly obtain a sight picture of your target.
Key features
- It has anti-reflective, fully multi-coated lenses for bright and clear views
- It features an ultra-forgiving eye box
- It comes with a fast focus eyepiece for quick and easy reticle focusing
- Its max elevation adjustment is 60 MOA
- It is O-ring sealed and nitrogen purged for waterproof and fog-proof performance
Pros
- It offers long eye relief
- It has resettable MOA turrets
Cons
- It has a small magnification range (2-7)
5) Pinty Pro 3-9X32 Mil-dot Tactical Rifle Scope
The Pinty Pro 3-9×32 is crafted from aircraft-grade aluminum which provides great strength and durability. The scope features a single-piece tube design that is nitrogen purged and O-ring sealed for waterproof and fog-proof performance.
This Pinty scope offers a 3-9x variable magnification as well as a 32mm objective lens, which together offer clear, bright images for quick target acquisition and an accurate shot.
Key features
- It features a mil-dot reticle
- It has zero and 1/4 MOA fingertip windage and elevation adjustments
- It offers a generous 3.25 inches of eye relief for user safety
- It has a fully multi-coated objective lens that provides a clear sight picture
- Magnification: 3-9x
- Objective Lens Diameter (Millimeters): 32
- Field of View (ft. @ 100 yds.): 39’-13’
- Length (inches): 12.3
- Weight (ounces): 15.9
Pros
- It is weatherproof
- Affordable
Cons
- Low magnification
6) Athlon Optics Ares ETR UHD 4.5-30×56 First Focal Plane Riflescopes
This Athlon Optics Riflescope is made with a ton of features that allow you to engage targets from a long range. It is designed with a completely revamped turret system, featuring a locking Windage turret along with a true zero stop on the elevation turret that makes sure that the turrets and shots are right on every time.
The scope comes with extra-low dispersion lenses that allow for the sharpest and best colour image possible. The 34mm tube construction is able to withstand even the harshest of elements while the first focal plane reticle stays valid at all power settings. This specially designed reticle allows you to fully utilize it as it shrinks or grows along with your target as you zoom in or out.
Key features
- It has a 0.25 MOA click value and 110 MOA total elevation adjustment
- It has 25 yards to infinity parallax adjustment
- It offers 6 illumination settings
- The scope features a precision zero-stop system
- It has fully multicoated optics for increased transmission and brighter images
- It has an ED glass that greatly reduces chromatic aberration for bright and sharp images with true color reproduction
Pros
- Water and fog-proof
- Maximum light transmission
Cons
- A bit costly
Best Scopes for 6.5 Grendel FAQs
- What is 6.5 Grendel good for?
The 6.5 Grendel can be used in bolt-action rifles as a medium-range round. It works better with semi-automatic guns, though, and is essentially designed for people who want a cartridge that is neither as hefty as a.308 nor as specialized as a 6.5 Creedmoor but has a greater usable range than the 5.56mm.
- What scope do you need for 300 yards?
A 3-9X riflescope offers an additional level of magnification for every 100 feet, all the way out to 300 yards. For a long time, 300 yards was about the maximum distance that the majority of big-game hunters thought was appropriate for shooting.
Read Top 10 Best Rifle Scopes for 200 Yards
- Can you hunt elk with 6.5 Grendel?
Elks can certainly be dispatched with the 6.5 Grendel, but larger and more potent cartridges are a far superior option. You don’t have to go overboard and shoot elk with a. 338 Lapua, though it will work.
- What is the difference between 6.5 Grendel and 6.5 Grendel type 2?
The head spacing is different. The original Grendel, now known as the Type II 6.5 Grendel, was intended to be used with a Grendle bolt, also known as a bolt with 136 head spacing. In order to avoid any legal disputes, Les Baer Custom modified the 6.5 Grendel barrel’s design.
Final Thoughts
The AR-15 platform and the 6.5 Grendel round combine to produce a weapon with incredibly extended ranges. Although the 6.5 Grendel round is highly accurate and has low recoil, one needs a sophisticated set of optics to fire at those types of ranges.
Read our review on the different scopes above and choose one that you feel perfectly suits your intended use.