AR Grendel, bolt 243, 260 or 6.5Swede

[dust]

Been going back and forth, and for a while was convinced that the Grendel would be my next purchase. I sold an x39 upper, and I am looking to get another in a shorter version. Also wanting to get something for shooter farther, at steel plates and appropriate Texas sized game, unless I somehow get an invite to long range (insert small animal here) hunting. Shooting groups is not my thing, and I would like to shoot for less than $1 a pop. I like that Fiocchi offers 243, and it seems that the Swede can be found in Prvi Partizan for decent prices. The .260 can't.

Does anyone have thoughts? Any other metric I should be looking at? I can't bring myself to go .308, as enticing as ammo etc is.

 

[Muttt]

Well,

If you plan on long range hunting, then you may want to rethink getting the caliber with the cheapest ammo available. The Privi is probably not going to give you decent accuracy. If you plan on hunting long range, then you need to look to the bullets with the better/best accuracy. Being able to shoot the cheapest bullits doesn't always equate to long range accruracy. Long range hunting is pointless if your ammo isn't accurate enough for you to hit your game. And, more importantly, killing your game humainly.

As for the AR15 platform, I would personally go with Grendel. It shoots so flat. And, it has excellent long range accuracy. Even the cheapest Grendel ammo (Wolf MPT) doesn't shoot half bad. And, Grendel ammo has a very high BC. But, you would get much much better results by moving up to the AR10 platform. Many more long range options are available in the AR10 platform which deliver much more energy down range.

If you only shoot factory ammo, you may want to consider reloading. Then, the cost of ammo won't really be a consideration in your decision making. Your better off going with the caliber that gives you the better accuracy and performance over which one has the cheapest ammo. You can make even the most expensive ammo yourself, for much cheaper than you will ever buy it from the factory. And, the accuracy is usually better with hand loads. You can get a decent RCBS starter kit for 300-350 dollars. In the first year, the reloading equipment will pay for itself. It's really easy to do. I regret not reloading my own ammo 25 years ago.

Hope that helps you in your decision.

 

[dust]

The cheap ammo was in regard to steel shooting. My grandfather would rise from the dead to strangle me if I went cheap when shooting living animals. I understand that accuracy is expensive, just that man size plates at 100-300 yards wouldn't take premium ammo.

I don't want to get into the ar10. For that price I could have a Tikka with Cdi mags or a Stevage with better parts, etc. That said, if the right deal fell into my lap, I wouldn't be against it, it just seems that cost/accuracy is in the bolt guns favor. $1100 for a used R-25 will buy a Stevens 200, barrel, stock, scope, etc.

 

[WildRose]

Been going back and forth, and for a while was convinced that the Grendel would be my next purchase. I sold an x39 upper, and I am looking to get another in a shorter version. Also wanting to get something for shooter farther, at steel plates and appropriate Texas sized game, unless I somehow get an invite to long range (insert small animal here) hunting. Shooting groups is not my thing, and I would like to shoot for less than $1 a pop. I like that Fiocchi offers 243, and it seems that the Swede can be found in Prvi Partizan for decent prices. The .260 can't.

Does anyone have thoughts? Any other metric I should be looking at? I can't bring myself to go .308, as enticing as ammo etc is.

Buying cheap junk ammo is not going to do anything but frustrate you in the end.

Overall the .260 is the superior round of those you list and from what I gather you aren't looking to just burn up piles of ammo in spree shooting so go with the .260 and you'll be much happier in the end.

Remember once you get to reloading the cost differential between those calibers becomes negligible anyhow.

BTW the Federal Fusion shoot extremely well in my AR-260 with 24" 1:8.5 twist and they are rather (comparatively) inexpensive to buy. Once I have 200-300 empties piled up I'll start loading with Amax's for plinking and Sirocco's for hunting.

 

[WildRose]

The cheap ammo was in regard to steel shooting. My grandfather would rise from the dead to strangle me if I went cheap when shooting living animals. I understand that accuracy is expensive, just that man size plates at 100-300 yards wouldn't take premium ammo.

I don't want to get into the ar10. For that price I could have a Tikka with Cdi mags or a Stevage with better parts, etc. That said, if the right deal fell into my lap, I wouldn't be against it, it just seems that cost/accuracy is in the bolt guns favor. $1100 for a used R-25 will buy a Stevens 200, barrel, stock, scope, etc.

If you want to go the inexpensive route you can get the DPMS AR-260 with a heavy fluted barrel and a pretty nice set up overall for under 1,200.00.

The advantage of course to the AR platform is that you can build multiple uppers for different applications and run them all on the same lower.

 

[dust]

Buying cheap junk ammo is not going to do anything but frustrate you in the end.

Overall the .260 is the superior round of those you list and from what I gather you aren't looking to just burn up piles of ammo in spree shooting so go with the .260 and you'll be much happier in the end.

Remember once you get to reloading the cost differential between those calibers becomes negligible anyhow.

BTW the Federal Fusion shoot extremely well in my AR-260 with 24" 1:8.5 twist and they are rather (comparatively) inexpensive to buy. Once I have 200-300 empties piled up I'll start loading with Amax's for plinking and Sirocco's for hunting.

WildRose, I want the availability of junk ammo. I have friends and a wife that may want to shoot the gun. I don't want to feed it $2 a pop ammo so that they can shoot cans at $50 yards. I have no problem spending more money on better ammo, I just want the ability to plink for cheap.

I know that reloading will make things cheaper, but being that the three hunters in my family have fired off maybe 100 centerfire rounds total in 5 years, mixed between .308, 7.62x39, 5,45x39, .38/357, with the 2 x39s, and a few of the .308s being steel case, you can see that it would take a long time to amortize beginning reloading. That may change, but right now, we don't shoot enough to buy-in.

If you want to go the inexpensive route you can get the DPMS AR-260 with a heavy fluted barrel and a pretty nice set up overall for under 1,200.00.

The advantage of course to the AR platform is that you can build multiple uppers for different applications and run them all on the same lower.

The only other upper that might be bought would be a .308 to replace my father's Saiga.

 

[WildRose]

WildRose, I want the availability of junk ammo. I have friends and a wife that may want to shoot the gun. I don't want to feed it $2 a pop ammo so that they can shoot cans at $50 yards. I have no problem spending more money on better ammo, I just want the ability to plink for cheap.

I know that reloading will make things cheaper, but being that the three hunters in my family have fired off maybe 100 centerfire rounds total in 5 years, mixed between .308, 7.62x39, 5,45x39, .38/357, with the 2 x39s, and a few of the .308s being steel case, you can see that it would take a long time to amortize beginning reloading. That may change, but right now, we don't shoot enough to buy-in.



The only other upper that might be bought would be a .308 to replace my father's Saiga.

You can buy the federal fusion for about 1.30 pr/rnd.

.260 Rem rifle ammo ammunition - AmmoSeek.com

Honestly though it sounds like you might be better off buying a cheap AK clone for the red necking, and a much better quality rifle for LR shooting.

High volume shooting with junk ammo in a quality LR is like buying a Ferrari and running it on the cheapest gas you can find.

 

[dust]

You can buy the federal fusion for about 1.30 pr/rnd.

.260 Rem rifle ammo ammunition - AmmoSeek.com

Honestly though it sounds like you might be better off buying a cheap AK clone for the red necking, and a much better quality rifle for LR shooting.

High volume shooting with junk ammo in a quality LR is like buying a Ferrari and running it on the cheapest gas you can find.

I'll have the 7.62x39 for cheap plinking, just want have the ability to get trigger time with the rifle. I don't think Prvi Partizan would be horrible for shorter range stuff, and i am currently thinking that the heavier .243 would be a good place to start, then maybe a .260 barrel if necessary. Good .243 seems to be a little cheaper than 6.5G. the bolt action .243 would be be a good start for a .260 as well. The 6.5$ uppers are around $850, plus magazines. That would put me into a Tikka T3 with CDI bottom metal, or semi-custom Stevage.

 

[WildRose]

I'll have the 7.62x39 for cheap plinking, just want have the ability to get trigger time with the rifle. I don't think Prvi Partizan would be horrible for shorter range stuff, and i am currently thinking that the heavier .243 would be a good place to start, then maybe a .260 barrel if necessary. Good .243 seems to be a little cheaper than 6.5G. the bolt action .243 would be be a good start for a .260 as well. The 6.5$ uppers are around $850, plus magazines. That would put me into a Tikka T3 with CDI bottom metal, or semi-custom Stevage.

Yep. The problem is, if you really want a consistenly Sub MOA rifle at long range there's just no really cheap way to get there.

I spent a good bit putting my AR-260 together but in the end I got exactly what I wanted for the purpose intended.

What I'm now seriously considering is getting another .260 bolt gun since I love the caliber, but while the AR certainly serves it's intended purpose well, it's definitely not one I'd want to pack very far on a walking hunt.

 

[dust]

it's definitely not one I'd want to pack very far on a walking hunt.

That's one of the reason I want to stay away from the AR10 platform, even in the 16" pencil barrel variety, it's gonna be heavier than a similar bolt action.

 

[WildRose]

That's one of the reason I want to stay away from the AR10 platform, even in the 16" pencil barrel variety, it's gonna be heavier than a similar bolt action.

The platform isn't an issue, it's jus that a 24" BB is by nature heavy.

Cut it back to 20" and a nice fluted .725" and the weight is no problem at all. 9lbs to me is a very reasonable weight.

I built this one specifically as a long range varminter and 1,000yds plinker.

 

[N10sivern]

for a bolt gun, i would choose 6.5x55. plinker ammo can be found for cheap. if reloaded to modern pressures, the 6.5x55 is faster than the 260 remington i believe. plus it is a very popular hunting cartridge, especially in europe. i have been trying to find a tikka in 6.5x55 for a while, but they rarely come up for sale. it was alimited production run andtikka sold out and isn't making any more until possibly next year.

i'm just a little bit biased toward this cartridge since i collect pre WW2 swedish military sniper rifles

 

[dust]

I am now swinging toward a bolt, with the Tikkas being in the $500-600 range, less than a Grendel upper. There are a few .243s, and 1 or 2 6.5x55s. No 260s that I can see. I can pick up a 204 upper or bolt and the Tikka for the price of a slightly used Grendel