Grendel Finished

[hunter24605]

the 6.5 Grendel I built for my brother is finished..Aero upper & lower, 20" Faxon barrel, magpul furniture, Radical Firearms BCG, ALG_ACT Trigger, VG6 Gamma Brake, and Seekins enhanced LPK, and a couple of E-Lander 10 round mags...It went together like a dream...So far only function tested, but hopefully tomorrow take it for live fire testing. I'm taking a serious liking to the slick-side upper! I have a pile of brass, 8208 XBR and some 123 SST's and 120 NBT's. That scope mount is just one I had laying around. He has a medium height PEPR mount on the way.

 

[mjcmichigan]

Nice looking build. Need any more brothers?

I was thinking a 7mm-08 would be a fun build.




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[hunter24605]

Nice looking build. Need any more brothers?

I was thinking a 7mm-08 would be a fun build.




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Haha...I guess I should be clearer, he put up the $$$ for it, I just came up with the parts list and assembled it. Yeah I've thought about a 7-08. but that would mean stepping up to AR10...I've built a few AR10's, but they are not standardized like the ar15 is between different manufactures. It can be a real PITA making sure all the AR10 parts are going to be compatable.

 

[mjcmichigan]

You are a couple steps ahead of me. Parts ordered for a 5.56, and already thinking on the next. It will be either the Grendel for the reasons you mentions, or 6.5 Creedmoor or 708 inspite of the AR10 issues...let’s see how this one goes..

Congratulations! Send a range report I. When you can!


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[1Shot]

Nice looking rifle and should shoot well with the Faxon barrel. Break it in good and shoot around 100 rounds through it and then start load work ups for best accuracy is the way to go I have found. Don't be surprised if you can't get those 123 SST's to shoot well. It seems that either a barrel loves them or hates them with nothing in between. Both of my rifles will not shoot this bullet worth a hoot either in factory or numerous hand load combo's. Another thing I have learned is with ASC/AR-stoner magazines (they are the same) you can load a longer COAL than with the Elander, The COAL of my load with 120 Speer Gold Dot that shoots the best will not fit into an Elander mag but does fine in the ASC/AR-stoner mags which are good mags. I have been hand loading for 40 years including numerous wildcats and loading for the 6.5 Grendel in an AR has been a new learning experience. I have ran into pressure with one bullet much quicker than with another bullet of the same weight. I have also learned that when you start to see what we call normal pressure signs like primers flattening or slight ejector swipes you are already way over pressure with the Grendel. Also watch the top end loads with IMR 8208 it can spike pressure really quickly. Don't get me wrong I think it is one of the best powders for the Grendel and is very temp stable but just watch it. Also you might want to try some 120 gr Hornady ELDM bullets. I was watching Jonny's Reloading on YouTube and he has a BUNCH of load work ups using the 6.5 Grendel. He has found that the 120 ELDM has been his most accurate bullet no matter what powder is used. Yes this is 120 gr not 123 gr. Next time I order some bullets these will be in the order. What I really like about the AR-15 platform with the 6.5 Grendel is that the rifle is light weight to carry while hunting and the ease of carrying with a two point sling with the rifle across my chest I can be hands free but quickly get into action. This caliber really packs a punch for it's size. With most 120ish gr bullets if you get them going over 2400 fps they are still supersonic out to 800 or so yards and still pack 1000 foot pounds of energy to around 400 yards.

I really like the Primary Arms 1-8 with the ACSS reticle I have on my 18" rifle I hunted with this season. Set on 1 power you can light up the reticle and use like a red dot if you want. When at first light or last light you can turn on the lighted reticle on the last one or two settings and see the reticle fine but it does not wash out your target like brighter reticles do. On my 20" rifle I have an OLD Leupold VXII 3-9x50 that I sent off years ago to Premier Reticle which is long ago out of business and had a German style heavy cross hair put in it and target click turrets added. I have two of these and you can see the cross hair with no problems even past legal shooting light but they are hunting scopes not fine pin point accuracy target scopes because of the heavy cross hair.

I think the 6.5 Grendel has a niche and is growing in popularity with some bolt rifles being made and ammo companies are starting to come on board. Even Remington has come out with some ammo.
Have fun with your brothers rifle and I hope you jump on one also. LOL

 

[hunter24605]

Nice looking rifle and should shoot well with the Faxon barrel. Break it in good and shoot around 100 rounds through it and then start load work ups for best accuracy is the way to go I have found. Don't be surprised if you can't get those 123 SST's to shoot well. It seems that either a barrel loves them or hates them with nothing in between. Both of my rifles will not shoot this bullet worth a hoot either in factory or numerous hand load combo's. Another thing I have learned is with ASC/AR-stoner magazines (they are the same) you can load a longer COAL than with the Elander, The COAL of my load with 120 Speer Gold Dot that shoots the best will not fit into an Elander mag but does fine in the ASC/AR-stoner mags which are good mags. I have been hand loading for 40 years including numerous wildcats and loading for the 6.5 Grendel in an AR has been a new learning experience. I have ran into pressure with one bullet much quicker than with another bullet of the same weight. I have also learned that when you start to see what we call normal pressure signs like primers flattening or slight ejector swipes you are already way over pressure with the Grendel. Also watch the top end loads with IMR 8208 it can spike pressure really quickly. Don't get me wrong I think it is one of the best powders for the Grendel and is very temp stable but just watch it. Also you might want to try some 120 gr Hornady ELDM bullets. I was watching Jonny's Reloading on YouTube and he has a BUNCH of load work ups using the 6.5 Grendel. He has found that the 120 ELDM has been his most accurate bullet no matter what powder is used. Yes this is 120 gr not 123 gr. Next time I order some bullets these will be in the order. What I really like about the AR-15 platform with the 6.5 Grendel is that the rifle is light weight to carry while hunting and the ease of carrying with a two point sling with the rifle across my chest I can be hands free but quickly get into action. This caliber really packs a punch for it's size. With most 120ish gr bullets if you get them going over 2400 fps they are still supersonic out to 800 or so yards and still pack 1000 foot pounds of energy to around 400 yards.

I really like the Primary Arms 1-8 with the ACSS reticle I have on my 18" rifle I hunted with this season. Set on 1 power you can light up the reticle and use like a red dot if you want. When at first light or last light you can turn on the lighted reticle on the last one or two settings and see the reticle fine but it does not wash out your target like brighter reticles do. On my 20" rifle I have an OLD Leupold VXII 3-9x50 that I sent off years ago to Premier Reticle which is long ago out of business and had a German style heavy cross hair put in it and target click turrets added. I have two of these and you can see the cross hair with no problems even past legal shooting light but they are hunting scopes not fine pin point accuracy target scopes because of the heavy cross hair.

I think the 6.5 Grendel has a niche and is growing in popularity with some bolt rifles being made and ammo companies are starting to come on board. Even Remington has come out with some ammo.
Have fun with your brothers rifle and I hope you jump on one also. LOL

Lots of good info, Thanks! Im a big fan of the gold-dots in 2 different 308 wins, and my experience is they are accurate and have flattened deer and pigs. I mentioned he should try the 120gr gold dot and I think he's ordering some..You're correct about 8208, I've used a bunch in the 22-250 and 308's and it can be "spiky" all of a sudden..I shoot all 8208 loads across a chronograph..He ordered a Vortex Tactical 1-8..I'll be sure to mention the mags

 

[longrangehunter]

I think once you find a bullet it likes, stick with it and don't worry too much about max speed for the weight. The sleek bullets will help for drop/dope and you'll soon realize your holds/dope. It's a neat round that fits well in the AR as it was designed to be. Looks nice BTW, your brother should be very happy!

 

[JD338]

Nice looking rifle! Its been well thought out and I'm sure it will be a shooter.

JD338

 

[1Shot]

I looked at the Vortex tac 1-8 and compared it with the Primary Arms 1-8. The Vortex reticle was a bit large for my liking. The horseshoe covered up too much for me. The Primary Arms horseshoe is about half the size of the Vortex. Oh, the ASC/ARstoner mags cost less than the Elander.

 

[djauofd]

I love my Grendel actually it’s a 264 LBC , any hoot currently I have two BHW barreled uppers . One a 20” Medium contour one is a 24” semi bull. They shoot great and they load easy. I use AR Comp, Power Pro Varmit, and CFE 223. and load everything from 107 SMKs, to 123 SST’s, 129 SST’s, 130 RDF, I have even loaded 140 RDF’s but I leave these to the 24” barrel only. Great round Tempted to get some Maker 85 gr. https://youtu.be/cnepAXQPhUc they look like a devastating bullet.


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[350JR]

Nice looking rifle. I keep shying away from the ARs. I'm afraid I'll like it as much as a couple friends and my bolt guns will just sit, LOL. I have a lady and 3 daughters (all grown, wonder about THAT story some days) that live 1/2 mile down the road, and they are vegans. They walk their dogs by my house ALL kinds of hours (EVEN IN THE DARK) who glare at me now just because I shoot my Grendal CZ 527 behind the house. I cannot amagine the riff I'd get from them with a semi-auto. Being ignorant, I'm POSITIVE they would call the county PD. They've "informed" me a couple times that firing weapons "that close" to another home is not legal. Uhhhhhhh.....wrong.

The Maker bullets do look impressive. Some good reports around on them. I'm going to test some 95 and 110 grain ones later this year. Opening up to "almost 3 times the bore diameter" has me a bit on edge on how far they will penetrate with light, low SD versions. Dead is dead but going with my gut for now.

On the Grendel. Neat round, shoots great. I HAVE TO get the thoughts of a 25 Grendel out of my head though. Very little difference in expansion ratio between .257 and .264 and there is a pile of 100 grain bullets around made for medium game in the quarterbore. The Grendel case fires a 100 gr about 200 fps faster than a 120gr so........hmmm The 25 cal 100 grain also have a slightly higher SD and BC too in most versions.

I'd probably not tell much of a difference hunting.......but here I am anyway. :?

Lucky brother, in both directions. Having a brother to shoot and hunt with has to be a blessing.

God Bless
Steve

 

[hunt127588]

Why not go Grendel in 6mm?

 

[hunt127588]

Why not go Grendel in 6mm?

 

[Thebear_78]

6mm AR TURBO, basically an improved 6mm Grendel.


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[djauofd]

I have a 264 LBC rifle one 20” and one 24”. . I did a lot of research and seriously though about making a 6mm AR or AR turbo.. A 6mm AR turbo slinging a 105 Berger at 2850 fps gets you to 1,190 yds transonic and 1315 yds supersonic at sea level. A 264 LBC 24” barrel can sling a 130 gr RDF at 2,620 fps gets you 1,175 yds transonic and 1,310 yds supersonic at sea level. With a 10 mph 90 degree wind drift for the 6mm Berger is 1.95 mils the 6.5 mm Grendel (264 LBC) 130 RDF
has a drift of 1.86 mils. For energy comparison at practical hunting range of 500 yds Grendel with 130 gr has 1,125 ft lbs while the 6 mm AR with the 105 Berger has 1,018 ft lbs of energy. While SD number are slightly different just could not see investing in minimally different cartridge performance.



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[hunter24605]

I have a 264 LBC rifle one 20” and one 24”. . I did a lot of research and seriously though about making a 6mm AR or AR turbo.. A 6mm AR turbo slinging a 105 Berger at 2850 fps gets you to 1,190 yds transonic and 1315 yds supersonic at sea level. A 264 LBC 24” barrel can sling a 130 gr RDF at 2,620 fps gets you 1,175 yds transonic and 1,310 yds supersonic at sea level. With a 10 mph 90 degree wind drift for the 6mm Berger is 1.95 mils the 6.5 mm Grendel (264 LBC) 130 RDF
has a drift of 1.86 mils. For energy comparison at practical hunting range of 500 yds Grendel with 130 gr has 1,125 ft lbs while the 6 mm AR with the 105 Berger has 1,018 ft lbs of energy. While SD number are slightly different just could not see investing in minimally different cartridge performance.



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A major consideration is the fact that he doesn't hand load. I do some loading for him, but he's 275 miles away, so availability of factory ammo was a big factor in deciding on a chamber...

 

[Dwh7271]

A major consideration is the fact that he doesn't hand load. I do some loading for him, but he's 275 miles away, so availability of factory ammo was a big factor in deciding on a chamber...

With him not loading you may want to try Hornady Black Grendel loads. Both of mine shoot them well, one really well.

 

[djauofd]

I have a 264 LBC rifle one 20” and one 24”. . I did a lot of research and seriously though about making a 6mm AR or AR turbo.. A 6mm AR turbo slinging a 105 Berger at 2850 fps gets you to 1,190 yds transonic and 1315 yds supersonic at sea level. A 264 LBC 24” barrel can sling a 130 gr RDF at 2,620 fps gets you 1,175 yds transonic and 1,310 yds supersonic at sea level. With a 10 mph 90 degree wind drift for the 6mm Berger is 1.95 mils the 6.5 mm Grendel (264 LBC) 130 RDF
has a drift of 1.86 mils. For energy comparison at practical hunting range of 500 yds Grendel with 130 gr has 1,125 ft lbs while the 6 mm AR with the 105 Berger has 1,018 ft lbs of energy. While SD number are slightly different just could not see investing in minimally different cartridge performance. The 264 LBC is a 6.5 Grendel with a different throat



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[taylorce1]

I'm currently building a Grendel on a Stevens 200 action. The pre-owned barrel I bought needs to go on a diet, I'm going to shorten it by 9.5" and see how that works. The 26" Varmit profile has just the barrel weighing in at 5.6lbs.

 

[djauofd]

I'm currently building a Grendel on a Stevens 200 action. The pre-owned barrel I bought needs to go on a diet, I'm going to shorten it by 9.5" and see how that works. The 26" Varmit profile has just the barrel weighing in at 5.6lbs.

I would go to 20” or 18”. Just saying you will appreciate the extra velocity in particular if you go to use heavy bullets. Just depends on your philosophy of use for the rifle.


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