Wolf 6.5 Grendel Ammo Review: Good for Plinking

There’s nothing better than heading to the range, opening up your 6.5 Grendel rifle case, and punching some holes in paper targets or listening to the joy-inducing clang of bullets on steel.

The 6.5 Grendel is designed to increase the stopping power and effective range of the AR-15 carbine. It also increases the cost of firing said carbine, as 6.5 Grendel ammo is relatively expensive. The cartridge simply hasn’t gained the same degree of popularity as 300 Blackout or 6.8 SPC, and is accordingly produced in smaller, less cost-effective quantities.

But don’t worry! If you love firing 6.5mm bullets (like I do) and are hankering for some inexpensive ammo for plinking, then Wolf ammunition is what you’re looking for.

Some shooters worry about pulling the trigger on steel-cased ammo – specifically about whether it might damage their beloved Grendel rifle .

If you're one of them, then you found the right article! In this Wolf 6.5 Grendel ammo review, I’ll dig into the ballistics and performance of Wolf Military Classic and Wolf Gold 6.5 Grendel loads so you can decide whether Wolf is right for you.

If you’re already sold on the idea of cheap plinking ammo for your 6.5 Grendel rifle, check out the 500 rds of bulk Wolf 6.5 Grendel ammo we have in stock right now. If you want to learn more before making a purchase, keep reading. I’ll explain what this ammo is best for and whether it’s safe for your AR.

Wolf 6.5 Grendel Ammo Overview

Wolf Performance Ammunition(WPA) is a large ammo manufacturer known for producing low-cost steel-cased ammo for shooters across the USA and Europe. They offer full lines of rimfire, shotshell, handgun and rifle ammo at prices most shooters can afford.

Many shooters believe WPA to be a Russian company. This couldn’t be further from the truth. The misconception often stems from the fact that Wolf ammo was produced at the Tula ammo factory in Russia from 2005 until 2009.

During this time, Tulammo and Wolf were essentially identical, as their products were loaded with the same bullets and at the same factory.

Wolf cut ties with the Tula ammo plant in 2009. It currently has manufacturing facilities across many NATO nations in the European Union, and headquarters in Placentia, California.

Another misconception about Wolf ammo is that it has lacquer coating on all its cases. This stems from Russia's old Cold War surplus ammo, which features smooth lacquer-coated cases in addition to corrosive Berdan primers.

WPA cases are actually coated in Polyformance: a low-friction and protective polymer application which reduces steel cases' odds of getting stuck in the chamber. Wolf's 6.5 Grendel ammo features (similar) "Combat Coating."

Wolf produces a wide variety of different cartridges including 9mm Luger, 223 Remington, 308 Winchester, 7.62x39, and of course, 6.5 Grendel.

Wolf offers three different steel-cased ammo lines: Performance, Polyformance, and Military Classic. The company has also recently introduced a premium Gold label, which features reloadable Boxer-primed brass cases.

Wolf makes 6.5 Grendel ammunition available under their Military Classic and Gold labels. Military Classic, which is Wolf's most common 6.5 Grendel ammo by far, comes loaded with a 100 grain bi-metal jacketed bullet and has an advertised muzzle velocity of 2,690 fps.

Our Wolf 6.5 Grendel Ammo Review

It’s important to understand that there are two classes of Wolf 6.5 Grendel ammo to consider: Military Classic, and Gold. You’ll find my detailed review of each below. You'll also learn that I prefer Gold over Military Classic, primarily due to the former's bullet and intended purpose.

Let’s start with Wolf Military Classic.

I find Wolf Military Classic 100 grain FMJ ammo to be something of a paradox. The 6.5 Grendel was designed to boost the AR-15's accuracy and stopping power, but then Wolf went ahead and loaded a round with a cheap steel case and bi-metal jacketed FMJ bullet. It doesn't make sense!

Alexander Arms conceived the 6.5 Grendel as a high-speed, low-drag type round firing an extremely aerodynamic 6.5mm caliber bullet. In some ways, it’s a smaller version of the 6.5 Creedmoor built for the AR-15.

If I’m building a precision rifle – and investing a lot of money into the match-grade barrel I'd need to milk all the accuracy possible out of the Grendel – then why in the world would I want to fire a cheap bi-metal jacketed bullet as opposed to a match-grade OTM, HPBT, or polymer tip (like the ELD Match)?

A Wolf Military Classic round's FMJ bullet has a traditional lead core, but its jacket is made of copper-washed steel (hence the "bi-metal"). Many indoor ranges prohibit the use of bullets that attract a magnet because the steel they contain can cause ricochets, create sparks, and damage range equipment. Although sufficiently accurate for plinking and casual target shooting, the bi-metal jacketed FMJ simply doesn't exhibit the external ballistics requisite for serious match or long-distance shooting.

Why would you want to go plinking with a precision rifle? When I think about plinking, I want low recoil and cheap ammo. That, to me, screams 223 Remington – not 6.5 Grendel

I love going out to the range and blasting away just as much as the next red-blooded, 2A-loving American. There’s nothing I enjoy more than punching holes in paper or making tin cans dance from 100 yards. But if I want maximum accuracy from my rifle, I’m not going to run cheap ammo through it.

Instead, I want to shoot the good stuff – i.e. ammunition like Barnes Precision Match 123 grain OTM, or Hornady Custom 123 grain SST.

If you're looking for something that’s great for handloads, then Wolf Gold is worth a look (if you can find it). Wolf Gold ammunition is loaded just like you’d expect from an American manufacturer, complete with brass cases and Boxer primers.

The Gold label represents a major divergence from WPA’s previous ammo lines, which exclusively featured steel cases. It's still not terribly expensive. If I had to pick between the two, Wolf Gold would be my preference for firing through my 6.5 Grendel AR-15.

Wolf Gold label 6.5 Grendel is available loaded with two different bullets: a 120 grain "Multi-Purpose Tactical" (MPT) BTHP (designed for accuracy and long-range shooting), and a 123 grain soft point (SP) bullet that is great for hunting.

I’m not a huge fan of Wolf Military Classic 6.5 Grendel (though I love the 7.62x39). The bullet design just doesn’t make sense for a Grendel rifle. On the other hand, Wolf Gold is a great option that can be had for a good price. It just has low availability due to low supply.

What’s It Best For?

In general, Wolf Military Classic 6.5 Grendel ammo is ideal for plinking and target practice. Wolf Gold 6.5 Grendel is great for target shooting and hunting – plus it is reloadable.

Disadvantages

Steel-cased Wolf ammo is not reloadable. Steel cases are inelastic, and do not assume their original dimensions folloing ignition; steel cases' Berdan primers (which have two flash holes and external anvils, as opposed to one flash hole and internal anvils ala Boxer primers) only make handloading them even less practical. Furthermore, this ammo is not extremely accurate, holding around 2-3 MOA for the Military Classic variety.

Pros and Cons

As much as we love ammo, we understand that none of it is perfect. Here are some of the pros and cons of Wolf 6.5 Grendel ammunition you should be aware of.

Pros

Inexpensive
Easy to buy in bulk
Reliable
Wolf Gold cases are suitable for handloading

Cons

Generally low accuracy
Steel-cased Military Classic Wolf ammo is not reloadable
Bi-metal jacketed bullets are forbidden at many gun ranges

Cartridge Specs

Here are the cartridge specs for Wolf 6.5 Grendel ammunition.

Wolf 6.5 Grendel Cartridge Specifications

Variation Review

Wolf 6.5 Grendel comes loaded in three different varieties. Below you’ll find our review of each so you can better understand which factory load best fits your shooting needs.

Wolf Military Classic 6.5 Grendel 100 Grain FMJ

Wolf Military Classic 100 grain FMJ steel-cased 6.5 Grendel ammunition is the easiest to find and least expensive of the bunch. If you’re looking for a low bullet weight, low recoil plinking load for your Grendel rifle, then this is the answer to your ammo prayers.

These rounds fire their 100 grain full metal jacket bullets at a muzzle velocity of around 2,690 fps, and have a muzzle energy of 1,607 ft-lbs. This steel-cased ammo is Berdan primed, so it’s economical yet non-reloadable.

Accuracy for these rounds is reported to be around 2-3 MOA. That's fine for short-range plinking, but far less than ideal for long-range target practice. However, this ammo is extremely inexpensive compared to new production alternatives by companies like Winchester, Remington, Barnes and Hornady. This is especially true when you buy bulk Wolf ammo, as 500 rds or more will get your cost per round below $1 (at the time of writing), which is pretty good for Grendel ammo.

This rifle ammo is great for plinking and general target practice but should not be used for hunting. The FMJ bullet is incapable of terminal expansion, and is therefore poorly equipped to kill deer quickly.

Wolf Gold 6.5 Grendel 120 Grain Multi-Purpose Tactical (MPT) BTHP

Wolf Gold 6.5 Grendel ammo is designed to compete with larger manufacturers' pricier offerings. These high-quality brass-cased Grendel loads are topped with what Wolf calls the "Multi-Purpose Tactical" (MPT) BTHP bullet.

This is match-grade ammo minus traditional $1+/round price tag. Like a Sierra MatchKing bullet, this round's 120 grain BTHP is designed for excellent external ballistics and long-range accuracy.

With a muzzle velocity of 2,615 fps and muzzle energy 1,822 ft-lbs, this Wolf ammo can shoot out past 500 yards with advertised accuracy of around 1 MOA.

Wolf Gold 6.5 Grendel 123 Grain Soft Point (SP)

If you want to go hunting with your 6.5 Grendel rifle and are on a budget, then the Wolf Gold 123 grain SP load will help you bring home that trophy buck you’ve been scouting during the off-season.

Loaded with a traditional soft point bullet, this load is designed to deliver the terminal ballistics that harvest game quickly and ethically. The soft point bullet will deform and “mushroom” following impact, creating a wide wound channel that increases blood loss and extends deep enough to reach the internal organs. That means more meat in the freezer and less tracking wounded animals through thick brush.

These loads are perfect for whitetail deer, feral hogs, and varmint hunting, and give you a farther effective range than rounds like the 300 Blackout or 6.8 Remington SPC.

Ballistics for Wolf 6.5 Grendel Ammo

Below we’ve compiled ballistics tables for Wolf 6.5 Grendel ammunition currently available on the market. Please note that muzzle velocities listed might vary depending on your rifle's barrel length.

Parting Shots

Overall, Wolf Military Classic is pretty "meh" in my book. I don’t like using steel-cased ammo in my precision rifles, as it's just not able to exhibit the accuracy I invested so much toward.

If you have a 6.5 Grendel rifle just for plinking, then this ammo is perfectly fine – and a great value, as traditional Grendel ammo can run a little pricey. Otherwise, I’d stick to traditional brass-cased ammo and normal FMJs (which aren't magnetic, and are therefore persmissible at ranges where bi-metal jacketed FMJs aren't).

Brass-cased and nonmagnetic Wolf Gold is a more appealing option. My main issue with it is that it's hard to find. I love the idea of cheap brass-cased ammo for the 6.5 Grendel, as this is largely what has limited the cartridge’s acceptance. But sadly, Wolf has not yet been able to produce enough "Grendel Gold" ammo to really affect the overall popularity of the cartridge.

If you’re in need of some inexpensive 6.5 Grendel Wolf ammo, make sure to check out everything we have here at Ammo.com. We’ll get it shipped to your door quickly and discretely so you can be out on the range ASAP!

Frequently Asked Questions

Below are some questions about Wolf Military Classic 6.5 Grendel ammunition that we get asked a lot here at Ammo.com.

Is Wolf 6.5 Grendel ammo worth buying?

Yes. If you are looking for inexpensive ammo for plinking and target practice, then it is perfectly good ammo. However, if you want high levels of accuracy, you’ll want to look to rounds like Hornady Black 123 grain ELD Match or Barnes Precision Match 120 grain OTM.

What is the range of Wolf 6.5 Grendel ammo?

The 6.5 Grendel cartridge is capable of excellent long-range accuracy out to 600 yards or more with proper loading. For Wolf 6.5 Grendel, 400 to 500 yards is about as far as I’d take it.