New build. Questions on side charging and bolts.

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  • Miner87
    Unwashed
    • Jan 2017
    • 9

    New build. Questions on side charging and bolts.

    I'm debating to build a different upper for the lower I currently have. Right now I have a 20" Windham weaponry varmint barrel on there now. I'm considering the Grendel cartridge hoping to be able to take a larger variety of game and also to be able to hit steel farther. Would it be wise to keep what I have or will this be a big improvement? My other question is about the bear Creek side charging upper with the 7.62x39 bolt. Are there any disadvantages to this and what type of barrels will mate with that bolt? I'm thinking an 18" barrel nothing extremely heavy but not too light either. Thanks
  • 1911man
    Warrior
    • May 2015
    • 482

    #2
    When you say would it be wise to keep what you have are your referring to just sticking with your current caliber and trying to shoot game and long range steel? What caliber do you have now? I am assuming 5.56/.223.

    For the Bear Creek side charger I have 2 of them and love them both. I am running their 7.62x39 bolt with my .125 head spaced barrel. In my opinion the 7.62x39 or type 1 bolt is inferior to the .136 heaspaced or type 2 bolt in design. However there are pros and cons to both. The biggest pro for the 7.62x39 bolt is availability. There have been many times that I have struggled to find a type 2 bolt because they were out of stock. In a perfect world I would say always buy a barrel with an SAAMI chamber and a .136 headspace but I would not and did not let that hinder me from buying a barrel I liked that is running the type 1 bolt.

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    • Miner87
      Unwashed
      • Jan 2017
      • 9

      #3
      Yeah I'm running a 5.56/.223 barrel now. I just didn't know if it would be that much of an advantage to go to the trouble of building a Grendel or just stick with what I got. Right now I just use it for coyotes but thought about maybe hogs mule deer and antelope in the future. I shoot some long range steel targets now to about 400 but someday would like to try to 1000.

      What is the difference between the two types of chambers? Is accuracy different or reliability or what?

      Comment

      • 1911man
        Warrior
        • May 2015
        • 482

        #4
        Originally posted by Miner87 View Post
        Yeah I'm running a 5.56/.223 barrel now. I just didn't know if it would be that much of an advantage to go to the trouble of building a Grendel or just stick with what I got. Right now I just use it for coyotes but thought about maybe hogs mule deer and antelope in the future. I shoot some long range steel targets now to about 400 but someday would like to try to 1000.

        What is the difference between the two types of chambers? Is accuracy different or reliability or what?
        With .223/5.56 and the right load you can reliably hit targets out to 800 yards but its not going to be an easy shot. The Grendel is going to buck the wind much better which is what really matters when shooting long range. For hunting the right shot placement can drop anything but like with the long shooting its just going to be much more difficult. The Grendel hits harder and is going to create a better wound channel to drop game. With Hogs especially I dont see .223 getting the job done unless your taking shots at a close distance. Ive killed hogs with a .17HMR but that is taking ear shots at 100 yards or shorter. I think its hard to take an ethical shot with a .223 on a relatively large animal for the average shooter.

        For the Chamber there are many different types from SAAMI to 264LBC, Grendell II, etc. With SAAMI you have a more "standardized" chamber that gives you a little extra assurance that your barrel will like boxed ammo all though there is no guarantees there. Its also easier to find data on this site because so many members have the SAAMI chamber. This is just my opinion though.

        Comment

        • LRRPF52
          Super Moderator
          • Sep 2014
          • 8569

          #5
          .223 doesn't register on steel well past 400yds, and hit probability in the wind is lower due to poor BCs.

          I shoot them and spot for them a lot side-by-side in my DM courses.
          I won't be building any more 5.56 guns in the forseeable future, let's just put it that way.

          I have plenty already, and really use them most for CQM from shorter barrels.
          NRA Basic, Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun, RSO

          CCW, CQM, DM, Long Range Rifle Instructor

          6.5 Grendel Reloading Handbooks & chamber brushes can be found here:

          www.AR15buildbox.com

          Comment

          • 1911man
            Warrior
            • May 2015
            • 482

            #6
            Originally posted by LRRPF52 View Post
            .223 doesn't register on steel well past 400yds, and hit probability in the wind is lower due to poor BCs.

            I shoot them and spot for them a lot side-by-side in my DM courses.
            I won't be building any more 5.56 guns in the forseeable future, let's just put it that way.

            I have plenty already, and really use them most for CQM from shorter barrels.
            Thats a great point, its all really hard to spot misses with a smaller caliber further out.

            Comment

            • LRRPF52
              Super Moderator
              • Sep 2014
              • 8569

              #7
              Originally posted by 1911man View Post
              Thats a great point, its all really hard to spot misses with a smaller caliber further out.
              It's the hits that you often can't see or hear because the energy of .223 Rem/5.56 is so low. Unless you have virgin steel with fresh paint, seeing the impacts is very difficult on steel that has multiple hits already.

              In no-wind conditions, you can hear it much better, even out to 600yds and beyond, depending on what barrel, but we rarely have no-wind conditions.

              With 6.5 Grendel and 123gr, you get a sound more like a 168gr SMK from the .308, but with better wind drift and half the recoil.

              It's very noticeable when you shoot them side-by-side.
              NRA Basic, Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun, RSO

              CCW, CQM, DM, Long Range Rifle Instructor

              6.5 Grendel Reloading Handbooks & chamber brushes can be found here:

              www.AR15buildbox.com

              Comment

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