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I've been eyeing the Grendel for a few years, read all of the claims and drooled at the specs. I knew that the 6.5mm bullet had a long history for accuracy at moderate velocities and have personally felt the anguish of seeing what pushing it too hard can do to it's stability (I have a 1964 made Winchester Model 70 in .264 Win Mag). But this cartridge in the Ar platform? Man I wanted to crawl all over it.
I'm not a gun newb. I've been shooting since I was 3 years old. Shotguns, I wasn't a fan of, I was very good with a handgun (I've shot 1911's since 8 yoa and fell in love with them), but with a rifle I was always mediocre, except with military surplus with aperture sights. I could NOT get into shooting with a magnified optic. My eyes (which I later learned had an astigmatism) would become unevenly focused and I would get headaches. So, I ignored bolt-actions and other related longer range skills.
Then after many years in law enforcement as a law enforcement weapons instructor, I was able to convince my agency that having an armorer on staff was a good idea. I now have factory certifications in Glock, Remington 870 and 11-87 / 1100 and Armolite Ar15 / M16. I had already built two Ar15s from kits prior to the class and was hooked on it as a rather expensive hobby. I have never been impressed with the .223 / 5.56 mm, it was always too little of everything for what they wanted to do with it. Then I learned about the Grendel. Since then I've built 5 or 6 more but none in a cartridge that was what I wanted.
Last year, I got some free range currency and decided to build my Grendel. I wasn't initially building a complete rifle, I just wanted a swappable upper. So I purchased a 16 inch stainless, medium tubed barrel and matched bolt from Alexander Arms along with one of their upper receivers. I paired their bolt with a Bravo Company BC. I use Magpuls fore-ends and other accesories because I like their ruggedness and utility without adding weight. I didn't have money for a quality optic so I pulled my Dad's (I still think of it as his) old Leupold 3.5 - 10 x 40mm VarXIII from my other Model 70. It's so old that the finish is basically purple.
Then I shot the rifle. Probably shouldn't have done that.
Even I can't make it inaccurate and believe me, unintentionally, I try very hard.
Since I started shooting this Grendel, I want to learn how to shoot at ranges outside of my 300 yard comfort zone. So to that end, I wanted to join a Grendel forum hopefully to learn more about loading for the cartridge and try to avoid some mistakes along the way.
Plus, Alexander Arms blew out their Grendel marked stripped lowers last week ($58) so I'm building the upper into a complete rifle. Yipee, another build project.
I'm not a gun newb. I've been shooting since I was 3 years old. Shotguns, I wasn't a fan of, I was very good with a handgun (I've shot 1911's since 8 yoa and fell in love with them), but with a rifle I was always mediocre, except with military surplus with aperture sights. I could NOT get into shooting with a magnified optic. My eyes (which I later learned had an astigmatism) would become unevenly focused and I would get headaches. So, I ignored bolt-actions and other related longer range skills.
Then after many years in law enforcement as a law enforcement weapons instructor, I was able to convince my agency that having an armorer on staff was a good idea. I now have factory certifications in Glock, Remington 870 and 11-87 / 1100 and Armolite Ar15 / M16. I had already built two Ar15s from kits prior to the class and was hooked on it as a rather expensive hobby. I have never been impressed with the .223 / 5.56 mm, it was always too little of everything for what they wanted to do with it. Then I learned about the Grendel. Since then I've built 5 or 6 more but none in a cartridge that was what I wanted.
Last year, I got some free range currency and decided to build my Grendel. I wasn't initially building a complete rifle, I just wanted a swappable upper. So I purchased a 16 inch stainless, medium tubed barrel and matched bolt from Alexander Arms along with one of their upper receivers. I paired their bolt with a Bravo Company BC. I use Magpuls fore-ends and other accesories because I like their ruggedness and utility without adding weight. I didn't have money for a quality optic so I pulled my Dad's (I still think of it as his) old Leupold 3.5 - 10 x 40mm VarXIII from my other Model 70. It's so old that the finish is basically purple.
Then I shot the rifle. Probably shouldn't have done that.
Even I can't make it inaccurate and believe me, unintentionally, I try very hard.Since I started shooting this Grendel, I want to learn how to shoot at ranges outside of my 300 yard comfort zone. So to that end, I wanted to join a Grendel forum hopefully to learn more about loading for the cartridge and try to avoid some mistakes along the way.
Plus, Alexander Arms blew out their Grendel marked stripped lowers last week ($58) so I'm building the upper into a complete rifle. Yipee, another build project.
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