6.5 Grendel Project

[JJ_BPK]

A couple weeks ago, a HS friend ask for some help building his 1st AR.

I am bored and have persistent FABG, and this is a bad combo.

I have wanted an upper that spanned the gap between 5.56 to 50 Beowulf.

I spent 2 minutes looking at the AR10 7.62 route and just didn't get a warm fuzzy, besides I wanted to share one of my AR lowers.

Looked at the 7.62x39,, WHY when I have a good AK??

Looked at the 300 Blackout. It's a 30-30 squeezed into an AR.

That left the 6.8 SPC & 6.5 Grendel. Both are about the same, but I have a AA lower.

Used my google-foo on the various gun sites and have collected most all the parts.

• AA Grendel upper
• AA bolt
• AA barrel, started at 22, cut to 17, sold @ good price.
• Seekins SP3R keymod hand guard
• misc bits, gas block, tube, carrier, etc

In the process I ran into another QP that has taken a shine to the 6.5..

REF: FAGB - FOG Addicted to Gun Buying

PS: In looking at the 300 blackout, I was tweaked by the fact that it is supported by sub-sonic factory ammo for use with a can.

Knowing that at best, it's a 30-30, I looked up the ballistics tables and looked for a comparable round.

The 300 Blackout in sub-sonic mode is equivalent to the Army .30 cal, M1 carbine, one of the most anemic rounds ever created.

[tom kelly]

Is the ammo hard to get? what about the cost/round/ Tom Kelly

[JJ_BPK]

Originally Posted by tom kelly

Is the ammo hard to get? what about the cost/round/ Tom Kelly

Ammo is running around 1USD @ round delivered. You may get if locally a little cheaper. Seems to be plenty.

Wolf is also making 6.5 in steel and brass case. The steel is typical, but I understand the brass is fair. Not a 600yd tack driver, but fine for hunting.. There was an early problem with over sized primer pockets, but I think it is fixed.

I use this site, plus the normal sources for ammo. It doesn't report "no stock" but gives you an idea of what to expect.

6.5 Grendel @ .87 each
6.8 SPC run .83 each
.308 @ .50 each
5.56 @ .35 each

Most of those using it for long range, reload.
Then factor in s&h

http://ammoseek.com/ammo/6.5mm-grendel

There is a QP here that shoots 6.5 matches, might stop by??

[koz]

Hornady makes some ammo as well as Wolf (not great but ok for getting on paper). Alexander Arms makes some which is excellent. It's a nice round.

I've got some good loads using the Barnes TSX/TTSX bullets. Mark Larue killed a nice elk @ 460~ yards with a 6.5G.

[JJ_BPK]

Originally Posted by koz

Hornady makes some ammo as well as Wolf (not great but ok for getting on paper). Alexander Arms makes some which is excellent. It's a nice round.

I've got some good loads using the Barnes TSX/TTSX bullets. Mark Larue killed a nice elk @ 460~ yards with a 6.5G.

Hornady, 300 rds in the air..

My quandary, I don't need a 600 yd tac-driver. Will be shooting mostly at the range.

I'm trying to get my head(pocketbook) around a new scope.

All mine are low X deer, shotgun, pistol, or red dot, with the exception of the 6x24 on my pellet gun.

I think I need something in the 3x9 or 4x12 range, but need to keep the budget reasonable.

Unlike some of the pro level QP's, I am not looking at scopes that start with a N, S-B, or V and end in a lot of zero's..

Additionally, Because of the "bull" barrel, this build is sitting just short of 8lbs. I don't want wheels on the bipod..

Currently, I am looking at the Leupold AR series. Anyone with an opinion??

[The Reaper]

I like the .300 AAC Blackout for its flexibility and ability to shoot everything from 110 gr. to 250 gr. .30 bullets and the ability to shoot suppressed.

I liked it when JD Jones was loading it as the .300 Whisper.

The heavy subsonic .300 Blackout rounds are basically very improved .45 ACP rounds, with a high BC 240 gr. bullet at 1000 fps. If you think it is ballistically inefficient, compare it to the 6.5 gr. bullets at the same subsonic velocity.

With the lighter bullets, like the 110s and 120s, it roughly 90% of a .30-30 or a 7.62x39. The Barnes TSX bullets are great hunting rounds.

It is not bad with 147 gr. surplus M80 ball bullets, which are easy to find and very inexpensive.

I can resize and make .300 BO cases out of 5.56 or .223 cases, which are relatively cheap as well.

.300 BO is expensive to buy reloaded, but if you make / reload your own brass and use the inexpensive plinking bullets, you can shoot it for less than 40 cents per round.

Overall, it is a great way to fit a .30 round into an AR-15 action.

I also like the 6.5 Grendel (and the .260, the 6.5 Creedmore, and the original 6.5x55), but as my gunsmith says, the Grendel will not do what most people expect it to. He says that there is inadequate room in the case for the powder it needs to run. He also said it is almost impossible to get the velocities that most people think it will give, and the effective range then suffers, leading to disappointment

FWIW, I have shot the Grendel, the 6.8, and the .300 Whisper and Blackout.

As far as scopes go, you usually get pretty much what you paid for. Buy a cheap scope, don't expect it to shoot well, or for every long. As a general rule of thumb, the scope should cost at least as much as the rifle under it.

Just my .02, YMMV.

TR

[JJ_BPK]

TR

I was looking at the 300bk from the point of the a suppressor. Not as a comparison to the 6.5G down range. And speaking of suppression, any of the good brand cans will bring the noise to acceptable levels. So, I took sub-sonic ammo off the table.

The fact that I don't re-load also played into the decision.

The 6.5G fills a gap, and allows me to use my other AR lowers.

I am sure most are aware of the different AR frame rounds, but here is a chart with some numbers for those that don't.

Again, I don't reload, so I use published factory load data..

[JJ_BPK]

Originally Posted by Brush Okie

Not to adds confusion but have you looked at the 260 rem. You have to use the AR10 lower and upper but the performance is better and you get the 6.5 performance with the 140gr and its great BC

I seriously looked at going the AR10 route, and wold have looked at the different cals available. But decided on sticking to the 5.56 platform.

This build has been brewing for 2yrs.. 2yrs = 2 minutes in my decision process.