The 6.5 Grendel is the perfect alternative for people who are looking for a 5.56mm alternative but not into the idea of a heavyweight .308 caliber. Instead, they just want a longer range on their AR/bolt action over 5.56mm.
The Grendel is the perfect choice for hunters as well. Whether you are doing some mid-game hunting or on a professional mission to hunt some invasive wild animals, you will find the 6.5 Grendel highly accurate and extremely powerful.
A powerful cartridge demands a powerful scope as well. That’s why, you will need to find a good scope for the Grendel. But finding out the best scope for 6.5 Grendel isn’t as easy as it sounds like. Without further ado, let’s start.
How To Choose a Scope For 6.5 Grendel?
6.5 Grendel scopes are not rare. A lot of scopes out there support this caliber and plenty of more upcoming scopes will work with this caliber as well. That’s why finding the best 6.5 Grendel scopes is quite hard. But I managed to bring you some of the best ones available on the market right now.
But you still have some worries about selecting one from them. For those, I have a simple solution. You will find out which one is the best for you within these two steps.
The first one is the easiest. What do you want from a scope?
- Do you want high magnification?
- Do you want low magnification?
- Do you want a scope that will support other cartridges as well?
Depending on that, you will need to decide on whether Nightforce clenches your thirst or something else does. Then pick the scope that ticks most of your unchecked boxes.
The next one is simple. The budget. You will need to make up your mind about the amount of money you want to spend on your scope.
If you want to go all out and grab the higher-end models, by all means, go for it. But if you are not feeling comfortable about spending that much money and want something cheaper. You can do that as well. It will all depend on your needs.
1. Nightforce NX8 4-32x50mm F1 Scope
Nightforce makes some of the best hunting riflescopes on the market. Their scopes are usually more expensive than competitors and there are good reasons for that. The NX8 is an extremely long-range scope suitable for bolt-action rifles and AR rifles.
Whether you are using the scope for AR hunting or sniper hunting, you will have extreme accuracy.
The scope is constructed from high-quality aluminum. The aluminum is durable and rigid. It’s also quite lightweight considering just how big of a scope this is. The tube thickness of this scope is 30mm. It’s a standard size tube that supports almost any brand of ring you want.
The scope lenses are fully multi-coated. They are extremely clear and vibrant. The color accuracy of this scope is 100% accurate.
The scope doesn’t suffer from chromatic aberration, color alteration, double vision, or distortion related issues. The light transmission and gathering capability of the scope is excellent. Thanks to that, the scope’s low-light performance is impeccable. Thus making it a good choice for a hunting scope.
What kind of rings should I get for this?
As the tube diameter is 30mm. You should opt for Vortex Pro Series rings. They are precisely crafted and will hold on to zero for a long time.
What kind of warranty does Nightforce have?
The scope is part of Nightforce’s transferable limited lifetime warranty. The limited period is long enough to last you a long time.
Is the reticle of this scope illuminated?
Yes, the DigIllum reticle is illuminated as well. The scope also features ZeroStop and parallax adjustment with a power throw lever.
2. Swarovski Z5 5-25×52 BT Riflescope
Hailing from Austria, Swarovski has been making some stellar riflescopes for hunting and recreational shooting. The Z5 is available with 4W and Plex reticle. Depending on the task you have in your mind, the reticle choice will vary.
The scope is manufactured from CNC machined aluminum. The aluminum machining is flawless and the anodization is on point. The scope looks extremely appealing and premium. The performance of the scope is equally premium.
The tube is also purged with nitrogen to make it immune to internal fogging. As the scope is also O-ring sealed, there is no way of water getting inside.
The lenses of the scope are also fully multi-coated. Their light transmission is excellent. The amount of light that can pass through the optical system is enough to generate an excellent amount of illumination to perform well during low light. The vibrant colors and the wide field of view are amazing for hunting.
What kind of rings does it require?
As the tube diameter is 1”, you will need to buy a pair of one inch mounting rings. You can look into Burris P.E.P.R QD rings.
Does Swarovski scope have any warranty?
Of course. They offer a limited lifetime warranty with their scopes. But keep in mind to not void the warranty T&C that you can find on their website.
Where is this optic made?
The optic and related parts originated in Austria. The assembly process of the Z5 is done in the USA.
3. Leupold VX-3i 4.5-14x50mm Riflescope
Leupold is a very well-known sports optics maker. Their VX series has always been a better choice for newbies compared to other options on the market. The VX-3i is a mid to long-range scope with a maximum of 14x magnification.
The scope housing is made out of aircraft-grade aluminum. The anodization of the scope is in matte black with golden accent colors. The accent color gives the scope a new depth of look that looks awesome.
The scopes field of view is also quite good. The fast focus feature on this scope is excellent. You can change your target on the fly and still land your shots with high accuracy.
The scope lenses are fully multi-coated. They are clear, vibrant, vivid, and extremely lifelike. There is no chromatic aberration or such present on the scope. Thanks to that, you won’t see any random lines or mirages on the scope out of nowhere. The distortion on the scope is quite minimal and almost non-existent.
Does Leupold include scope rings with this optic?
Unfortunately, no. They don’t include any mounting accessories with this scope. You will need to buy a pair of 1” rings for this scope. Leupold makes great 1” rings. Their Rifleman series is quite good.
Does Leupold offer any warranty?
Yes, they do. They offer a lifetime warranty with their products. As long as you have a Leupold product, they will take care of you.
Is this a good scope for hunting?
Yes, it is. It’s an excellent scope for hunting. You will have tons of fun hunting with this one. The accuracy and clarity of the scope are what make it a great scope for hunting.
4. Vortex Optics Viper PST 5-25×50 Gen II FFP Riflescope
The Vortex Viper series of optics is not a new name in the community. I’m sure you have heard of them from me also. The performance of these scopes for the money is quite good. On top of that, scope is available in different magnifications. And you also have the option to choose from different reticles as well.
The scope tube is made out of high-quality aluminum. The aluminum is also lightweight and extremely durable. The tube is purged internally with argon. Argon molecules are known to eliminate moisture with ease.
Making the scope fog proof. As the lenses are sealed with an O-ring, water can’t get inside either.
The lenses are fully multi-coated. They are bright and extremely clear. The scope also features an illuminated reticle. The reticle has 10 levels of intensity setting. You can increase or decrease the illumination with a knob and the illumination won’t randomly move out.
Is the turret capped on this scope?
As you know there is more than one option available of this scope, you will find both capped and tactical options. The 2-10×32 variant has a capped turret and the higher magnified ones have a tactical turret.
Is the scope under Vortex forever warranty?
Yes, it is. The warranty is unconditional, unlimited, and a lifetime commitment.
Does this come with a sunshade?
Yes, it does. The scope comes with a metal screw on the sunshade and some bikini style lens covers as well.
5. Athlon Optics Ares BTR Gen2 HD 4.5-27×50 FFP Riflescope
Ares BTR Gen2 is an extremely long-range riflescope made for hunting and recreational shooting. The scope features 27x of maximum magnification. The objective lens is huge as well. Light transmission is not a problem for this scope.
The lenses of this scope are fully multi-coated. They are bright, clear, and have no problems long-range. There are no chromatic aberration or blur related issues either. The hunting performance of this scope is fabulous.
Whether it’s a whitetail you are chasing or similar sized game, you will be able to chase your target down, and thanks to the 6.5 Grendel, you will be able to score a game as well.
The scope tube is extremely durable and it’s made out of aluminum. The chassis is purged with chemicals to remove internal moisture. The exterior of the tube is also anodized and coated with XPL coating. The XPL coating enhances the anodized color on the scope and makes it resistant to scratches.
Are the turrets of this optic capped?
No, they are not. The turrets are designed to be exposed. They are adjustable with a small tool.
Does Athlon provide any warranty with this optic?
Yes, they do. They offer a limited lifetime warranty with the optic.
Will this work on a .308 caliber rifle?
Yes, it can. It doesn’t matter what you put this on top of. It can adjust with any caliber you have in your mind.
6. Primary Arms SLX 4-14x44mm FFP Rifle Scope
The SLX is an excellent hunting scope. The reason why it’s recommended with 6.5 Grendel is because of the optical performance.
The SLX is a long-range scope that can work with both bolt action and automatic rifles. Just like the 6.5 Grendel, this scope is also versatile enough for hunting and recreational shooting.
The SLX is made out of durable aluminum. Through CNC machining the aluminum billet is turned into this beautiful scope. The inside of the scope is purged chemically to remove moisture and make it immune to internal fogging.
But that won’t mean much if the scope isn’t durable from the outside as well. That’s why, Primary Arms made sure the scope is fog and shockproof as well.
The lenses on this optic are also fully multi-coated. They are extremely clear and vibrant. Light transmission of the scope is fantastic and it doesn’t suffer from reflecting light. While the lenses aren’t scratch proof by any means, they are quite resistant against scratches, dust, oil, and water buildup.
Is this a good scope for hunting deer?
It’s an excellent scope for hunting deer. The scope has plenty of range for you to stalk the deer and take your shots from afar. It’s also good for wild boar.
Does the Primary arm offer any warranty?
They do. They offer a 3 year period of warranty that covers defects due to materials or workmanship.
Does this require a battery for the illumination?
Yes, it does. It requires a 3V CR2032 lithium coin battery. You will find one included in the package to get you started.
Will this work with a .308 rifle?
Yes, it will. It won’t have any issues with a .308 rifle or a sniper rifle either. If you want to use this with an AR, you are more than welcome to do so.
7. Burris Fullfield II 4.5-14x42mm Hunting Scope
The Fullfield II is an inexpensive offering from Burris that people use to hunt small game. While the scope is available at 20x magnification as well, it’s not often used as a 20x magnified scope.
The scope is made out of durable aluminum and it’s extremely bright. Depending on which magnification you opt for, the objective lens diameter will vary.
The highest it can get is 50mm. And that objective lens is capable of gathering plenty of light to work through the entire day. Including low-light environments like dusk.
Lenses of this scope are fully multi-coated. They are bright, clear, and vivid. They don’t suffer from any aberration or color alteration. There is no mirage or double vision present on the optic either. This is surprising considering a lot of lower-end scopes suffer from double vision.
Is this a good scope for hunting?
Yes, it is. It’s an excellent optic for hunting. Just like the higher-end Burris products, this one is capable of hunting small to medium game.
Can I install a sunshade on this scope?
You can. The scope has threads where you can insert and install a sunshade if you are not happy with the stock light blocking.
Does Burris provide any warranty?
Of course, they do. They offer an unlimited lifetime warranty with their optics. If you have Burris optics with the SL, then we will provide a warranty regardless of what number owner you are.
Conclusion
Like all good things, this must also come to an end. Before we part ways, I hope you found this read enjoyable and useful. I may have made some errors, if so, pardon those and consider the motive behind the post.
Finding the best scope for 6.5 Grendel sure was a hard task. But not an impossible one. It won’t be impossible for you either. Just think about the decision a little bit and pull the trigger. Good luck.
As always, I’m happy to help you and I appreciate you reading this. I will be back with more similar posts for you. Till then, take care and have fun.