6.5 Grendel barrel

[LDHunter]

I'm kinda new to the world of Grendel. Does anyone have any actual data on velocities from an 18" barrel?

It seems that most data I've found is from a 24" barrel which I imagine is unnecessary with the Grendel because I think I remember that one of the beauties of that cartridge is that it doesn't require a very long barrel to perform well.

 

[RT2506]

With 120/23 gr bullets I can get 2500 to 2550 fps on average with my 18" Oden Works 6.5 Grendel AR barrel. It depends on the bullet itself and components.
That is with using the same data published with the longer barrels.

 

[LDHunter]

So I guess now I understand why some people call it the 30-30 of the 6.5's.

Kind of a good usable velocity in a great caliber and it has low recoil and works on a standard mil-spec AR15 lower.

I've been looking around and it seems that loaded ammo isn't too expensive for it either.

Hmmmmmm.....

Thanks,
LDH

 

[RT2506]

If you get the Hornady 123 SST or a 120 like the Nosler BT going 2400+ fps it will still be supersonic at 1000 yards. You can't do that with any 30-30 Win. But I understand the comparison according to the velocity but the ballistic coefficient of the .264 bullets is awesome.

I have an 18" barrel AR that I hunted with exclusively this year It is as light as the old 94 Winchester 30-30 but carries better. I used a two point sling, one end up at the front of the handguard and the other at the buttstock. With the sling over my right shoulder I can carry the rifle across my chest in patrol style and can be hands free when needed but quick to get into action if needed. Smoked a deer using 120 Sierra Pro Hunter. Bang flop.

 

[LDHunter]

If you get the Hornady 123 SST or a 120 like the Nosler BT going 2400+ fps it will still be supersonic at 1000 yards. You can't do that with any 30-30 Win. But I understand the comparison according to the velocity but the ballistic coefficient of the .264 bullets is awesome.

I have an 18" barrel AR that I hunted with exclusively this year It is as light as the old 94 Winchester 30-30 but carries better. I used a two point sling, one end up at the front of the handguard and the other at the buttstock. With the sling over my right shoulder I can carry the rifle across my chest in patrol style and can be hands free when needed but quick to get into action if needed. Smoked a deer using 120 Sierra Pro Hunter. Bang flop.

That's crazy isn't it? It was just a few short years ago and we thought you had to have a big ole honkin' magnum with a LOOOOOONG barrel to shoot at a thousand yards and now a tiny little semiautomatic carbine as light as a 30-30 with an 18" barrel and with very little recoil can do it easily.

That kinda makes me look at the big ole honkin' magnums in my safe with a jaundiced eye. LOL

No kidding this thread has made me see the error of my ways and yes I've already ordered an 18" grendel upper and some factory ammo.

Am I the only one taking a second look at his (or her) favorite rifles and wondering if they really need to burn a pound of power to reach out and touch something?

 

[LDHunter]

With 120/23 gr bullets I can get 2500 to 2550 fps on average with my 18" Oden Works 6.5 Grendel AR barrel. It depends on the bullet itself and components.
That is with using the same data published with the longer barrels.

Would you please share what powder(s) you've been happiest with for your Grendel loading?

 

[RT2506]

IMR 8208, CCI 450 primers. I have been using Hornady cases and shooting 120 gr. Sierra Pro Hunter and Speer Gold Dots mainly. I have set both of my rifles up to hunt under 300 yards but most will be under 100 yards.

Some really like ARcomp powder but I have not tried it. I started out with IMR 8208 and it worked so good why try to fix it if it ain't broke.
I am going to give H335 a try with some 90 to 100 gr one of these days. Many over on the Grendel web site (6.5grendel.com) use this with good results.

One thing that I found and others have also is with the Hornady 123 SST bullet. Your rifle will either like it or hate it. Both of my rifles hate it either in factory ammo or numerous hand loads with different powders. Best I could get with either rifle was about 1 1/2".

What upper did you get. I hope it was not a Bear Creek Arsenal or one of the others that use their barrels.

 

[LDHunter]

I hate to admit that I went so cheap but I got a complete PSA upper. I'm not much of an AR guy and don't want to mess with a build.

They're taking their sweet time getting it to me.... I'm thinking I'll get a really good complete upper if I really end up liking the Grendel which I'm pretty certain I will.

 

[longtubeman]

Best power I have found for speed and grouping is cfe 223. It also loves cci 450 primers. I get 100 ttsx going almost 3100 fps with 35 gr of cfe 223 and grouped .363. Also did the barnes 127 lrx bullet with cfe 223 at 32 gr and got 2650 fps at a group of .436. This was all done on a windy day with 15 mph gusting wind. So it could be better groups. This is a 24" stoner barrel. They have a oal of 2.295 .(These loads are pretty worm so please start lower and work up.)

 

[RT2506]

The PSAs from what I have heard and seen do pretty good. I have two friends that have their AR10 in 308 Win and they shoot as good as most bolt rifles. Just do a brake in shoot and clean and then put a few round through it to slick everything up and then do your load work ups and you should be OK. Good luck.

 

[CaptnC]

IMR 8208, CCI 450 primers. I have been using Hornady cases and shooting 120 gr. Sierra Pro Hunter and Speer Gold Dots mainly. I have set both of my rifles up to hunt under 300 yards but most will be under 100 yards.

Some really like ARcomp powder but I have not tried it. I started out with IMR 8208 and it worked so good why try to fix it if it ain't broke.
I am going to give H335 a try with some 90 to 100 gr one of these days. Many over on the Grendel web site (6.5grendel.com) use this with good results.

One thing that I found and others have also is with the Hornady 123 SST bullet. Your rifle will either like it or hate it. Both of my rifles hate it either in factory ammo or numerous hand loads with different powders. Best I could get with either rifle was about 1 1/2".

What upper did you get. I hope it was not a Bear Creek Arsenal or one of the others that use their barrels.

Don't fall into the BCA crap they push at 6.5 Grendel.com. I have 5 of their barrels (4 6.5 Grendel and one 7.62x39) wouldn't swap one of them with anyone's barrel...I have two shooting buddies that have one each...6.5 Creedmoor barrel and a side charge 20" SS 6.5 Grendel upper.

I've posted targets and all that stuff on the Grendel site, but they refuse to even pay attention to it! They also push the 12.5" barrel Grendel...fought that crazy idea for months but they too hard headed to get it...

Off that soap box...

Try Benchmark for lighter bullets...if you look it up on Hodgdon web site it produces some of the faster velocities and it shoot great in my 24" BCA SS 6.5 Grendel shooting 107 Sierra HPBT. I also run it behind 90 TNT in a BCA 16" SS 6.5 Grendel.

The H335 has been my best powder for the 123 SST...Used up almost two pound of 8208 (won't be buying any more of that) could get any consistency with it.

 

[longtubeman]

How good are the groups your getting with it, and speed in a 24" barrel?

 

[Kmccord]

I have a BCA complete upper in 6.5 Grendel, I have only put 40 rounds through it so far and it is very accurate. It can only get better once I put more rounds through it.

 

[RT2506]

You may be getting great success with your BCA barrels but I as well as a good number of others have had the opposite situation. Don't want a bickering secession just stating the facts from the opposite experience with BCA. My barrel had to be replaced and the crown looked like it had been done with a side grinder. Others have has short throat issues as will as very poor rifling. As I go back and read over a number of post on problems it seems that they were all in a short period of time so it could have been poor operators and product inspection and control. At the time I had my problem I could not even get anyone to return an email or call me back when I left a voice mail in a 3 week period. I also heard that they had problems from ICE removing some of their workers. After I got my upper back with the barrel change after about 100 rounds down the bore it started to shoot sub MOA. But if I would have taken the money that I put in ammo and gas to the range and back plus the aggravation of the process I could have purchased a really high quality upper. I do have an AR Stoner 223 upper that I am pretty sure and have been told by others that they also think that BCA makes their barrels that shoot pretty good but It was made a couple years before my Grendel issues. Me personally, I am steering clear of BCA because I don't want the aggravation if something goes wrong.