Anybody try the 6.5 Grendel?

Discussion in 'Firearms' started by Blackjack, Feb 13, 2008.


  1. Blackjack

    Blackjack Monkey+++

    I've been reading a lot about the 6.5 Grendel round (as well as the 6.8 SPC) for the AR platform, and wondered if anyone has tried it.



    If I'm understanding correctly, the 6.5 Grendel:

    1) Recoils only slightly more than 5.56...... and half of a 308

    2) Has even better accuracy past 800/1000 yds than 308

    3) Has more ko power than 308, even past 1000 yds

    4) Still allows for 25 rd mags in an AR, and ammo weighs less than 308


    Sounds near too good to be true.
     
  2. BAT1

    BAT1 Cowboys know no fear

    The stats are impressive. Super after 1000 yds. Milk jugs at 800 yds. WoW .The Alexander Arms 6.5 Grendel [.com] uppers will fit any Milspec Platform and runs about 900.00, which isn't bad considering a 1200.00 custom rifle that won't swap calibers. Hand loaders dream. Perfect dual purpose caliber combo. Better than the 6.8 SPC after 200 yds. Great B/C.
     
  3. E.L.

    E.L. Moderator of Lead Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    I would really be interested in one if the ammo quantity increased, along with the price.
     
  4. Blackjack

    Blackjack Monkey+++

    Yeah, price is pretty steep. Wolf is making some "on the cheap" now, but it's still relatively expensive.
     
  5. E.L.

    E.L. Moderator of Lead Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    The uppers need to come down too. For under $600 I can get a CMMB bargain bin AR. That extra $300 could buy 20 Magpul PMags, or about a case of ammo.
     
  6. hartage

    hartage Monkey+++

    You might want to try 7mm rem mag if your reason is long range shooting. Two rounds are superior in flight efficiency 6.5mm and to a tad lesser degree 7mm. 7mm rem mag of course has the huge advantage of being a commercialy available common round. Look at the balistics table at remington.com and take a peek to see if 7mm fits your purposes for less dime than 6.5mm.
     
  7. E.L.

    E.L. Moderator of Lead Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    My guess is he likes the AR-15 platform, or at least the semi-auto-box fed platform and is looking for something with a little more potency.

    As far as long range, well I am a .300 Win. Mag. fan myself, and even the flat shooting .270 with a 130 gr. bullet is a wonder. Just my preference though.
     
  8. Blackjack

    Blackjack Monkey+++

    Yeah, I was just looking for the best possible "all around" cartridge/upper for my AR (not that I could afford it now anyway). To be used as a shtf "can do anything" rifle.

    Something with more punch and range than the 5.56, but keeping the recoil down.

    If money weren't an issue, the 6.5 Grendel is looking like the perfect setup.
     
  9. NWPilgrim

    NWPilgrim Monkey++

    Does the 6.5 Grendel use the exact same mags as 5.56? How about the same bolt, etc. Is it just the barrel that is different?

    I know the 6.8 SPC is more widely available but it uses different parts than the 5.56. If the Grendel uses all the same parts then I could just get a 6.5 barrel and be good to go with any 5.56 upper, correct?
     
  10. hartage

    hartage Monkey+++


    Hmm you could go the cheaper route. 7.62 x 39 just buy an sks for around $250. A whole other gun to lug around though. More accurate than an ak more punch than 5.56 and cheap to boot. I could swear I've heard of 7.62 x 39 conversion kit for ak but prob just cheaper to buy a whole sks.
     
  11. Blackjack

    Blackjack Monkey+++

    Nope, different parts.... Needs completely different upper/bolt/mags. The cartridges are short and fat, kinda like the "short mags", but you can still get 25 rd mags for them.
     
  12. Blackjack

    Blackjack Monkey+++


    I'm hoping that one day... price won't be an issue, til then I'll just stick with my 5.56 AR. I've got lots of hours on the trigger (for 20 yrs now), so even with the added punch that an sks has, I am still personally more effective with the AR.

    The more I read about the Grendel, the more impressed I am. More power and effective range than even the 308 and at half the recoil.... man, that's wicked!
     
  13. hartage

    hartage Monkey+++

    That does sound like a good round. Too bad it is not widely adopted just yet making price such an issue.

    I'm happy with my little sks though. Cheap to feed, more stopping power than 5.56, carbine (short), accurate enough out to 300 yards. Being 10 round komifornia limit no detatchable mag isn't an issue. Stripper clip loads in plenty fast for me. Thanks to C&R status I get my bayonet too. Nothing like sticking it to em' with a bayonet. I figure if the sks gave our troops hell through two wars, it can dish out enough hell to work for me.
     
  14. BAT1

    BAT1 Cowboys know no fear

    The 6.5 Grendel upper, bolt and kit would be alot easier to mobilize with. Too bad the .308 takes a different platform. Better get one while they are gettable.
     
  15. alice1rn

    alice1rn Monkey++

    Not having a 6.5 Grendal I don't know how much I can add to this but I do have a 6.5x55 sporterized Swedish Mauser. The 6.5 is only a little slower than the .270, kicks me less and is incredibly flat shooting and accurate. For me it's a perfect light weight cartridge that offers high power ballistics and a hard hitting bullet. If the Grendal is anything like the 6.5 Mauser you won't be sorry you have it.
     
  16. NWPilgrim

    NWPilgrim Monkey++

    Are there any 6mm or 6.5mm cartridges that neck up the 5.56x45 NATO case? And are available in an AR upper? The Grendel sounds great but I don't want to have to buy a complete set other mags, bolt, too.
     
  17. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    If nobody comes up with an answer here, try the Handloader's Bench via the link on our main page. Those guys know some stuff. [beer]
     
  18. Quigley_Sharps

    Quigley_Sharps The Badministrator Administrator Founding Member

    http://www.dtechsuperstore.com/Wildcat.htm



    <TABLE height=1552 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width="100%" height=1></TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=1>
    Alternate Calibers
    </TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=1>
    [​IMG]
    </TD></TR><TR><TD height=1>
    Beginning January of 2007, I will be offering several new calibers and services. As my company has grown I have found it necessary to offer more twist-rates and chamberings than in the past. Historically, Olympic Arms has provided me with barrel assemblies to cover my product line. With the growing popularity of the .204 Ruger, and the fact that Olympic Arms does not offer a .20 caliber barrel, I was forced to look elsewhere for .20 caliber blanks. I tried several barrel makers and have decided on Shilen. Shilen has an outstanding reputation for quality barrels, and in speaking with them, and other barrel manufacturers, I felt that Shilen was the most logical choice.

    Let me just say that I have now sold over 1200 of the Olympic Arms, stainless ultra-match (SUM) barrels and firmly believe they are the best, off the shelf, factory AR barrel you can buy. The only way to get a better barrel would be to use a premium barrel, such as a Shilen, and have it hand-chambered. Olympic Arms has grown a lot since I started buying their barrels back in 1991. They have found it necessary to eliminate some services they had been offering. With the growth of their business, they have little time for the non-standard barrels. The 6 x 45, .17 Remington and the .300 Fireball were once quite readily available from Olympic Arms. In 2006, lead-time for special-order barrels from Olympic Arms prompted them to quit taking orders for anything but off-the-shelf barrels for 2007. This prompted my move to start purchasing Shilen blanks, and at the same time, expand the chamberings that I could offer. At this time, I have some Olympic Arms .17 Remington and 6 x 45 barrels in-stock. When those are sold-out, they will not be replaced. I am offering them, as well as many others, in hand-profiled, hand-chambered, Shilen barrels.
    ( All of the 6 x 45 and .17 Olympic barrels are now sold)
    AR-15 uppers in "alternate" calibers start at $675.00.
    Alternate caliber uppers are all chambered in Shilen select-match stainless barrels. I use a forged flat-top upper receiver with dust-cover and forward assist. Every upper gets squared and detailed before assembly. Due to the fact that each barrel is hand-made, custom contours are available. I keep an extensive inventory of Shilen barrels in stock to keep leade-time to a minimum. The base price does not include bolt/carrier or charging handle. Options for the alternative caliber uppers are the same as the .223 uppers. Look here!
    • .17 Remington (Note: Fluting for .17 and .20 cal. $129.00)
    • .17/.223 (I stock 1:9 twist in the .17 cal.)
    • .20 Vartarg (I stock 1:9, 1:10 and 1:12 twist in the .20 cal.)
    • .20 Tactical
    • .204 Ruger
    • 6 x 45 (6mm/.223) (I stock 1:10 and 1:8 in 6mm)
    • .25 x 45 (.25/.223)
    • 6.8 SPC
    • 6.5/.243 WSSM Note: the WSSM uppers are not priced the same as the rest of the "alternate calibers"
    • .300 Fireball
    • .260 Remington*
    • .243 Winchester*
    • 7mm 08*
    • .308 Winchester*
    • .338 Federal**
    * = Available in the AR-10 only
    ** = Coming soon!
    </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
     
  19. Quigley_Sharps

    Quigley_Sharps The Badministrator Administrator Founding Member

    "6.5/223 Developed by E. Gates, oct 1975; Adopted by Thompson /Center 1982 as the 6.5T/C. He also did the 6mm & 7mm T/C's. Simply stated a .223 case necked up to .264. Complete load data included in book from 120 gr. Noslers up to 160 gr. Hornady"s.
     
  20. NWPilgrim

    NWPilgrim Monkey++

    Thanks Quigley, that is perfect. After I finish my current 5.56 build I am going to try either the 6x45, .25 x 45 or 6.5x45. Thanks!
     
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