GLAD to be here!

[Chandler2112]

Starting looking into a non-5.56/.223 AR based platform and after a long journey, found my way here.

Many guided hog hunts now require "better" than a 5.56mm or .243 to join the hunt, so I've been pushed into evaluating other rounds.

I looked very closely at the ballistic performance of both the 6.8mm SPC and 6.5mm Grendel round across the widest range of commercially available ammunition.

The results were obvious... and accounts for why I'm posting this message here, rather than on a 6.8 SPC forum.

[LRRPF52]

Welcome aboard. I watched the development of the two cartridges dating back to 2003, and after seeing the main substance behind them, made my choice as well.

I soon learned there wasn't anything the other would do that the 6.5 Grendel couldn't, especially when I did load development with the 100gr NBT and saw the same speeds from a 16" barrel. I already knew the Grendel had the edge in terms of retained energy with target pills, but I noticed the claims about superior hunting capabilities of the other, and found that those claims were unsupportable.

The numbers and real world results on game have proven that out over the years.

[Chandler2112]

Welcome aboard. I watched the development of the two cartridges dating back to 2003, and after seeing the main substance behind them, made my choice as well.

I soon learned there wasn't anything the other would do that the 6.5 Grendel couldn't, especially when I did load development with the 100gr NBT and saw the same speeds from a 16" barrel. I already knew the Grendel had the edge in terms of retained energy with target pills, but I noticed the claims about superior hunting capabilities of the other, and found that those claims were unsupportable.

The numbers and real world results on game have proven that out over the years.

This was exactly my experience.

While I know likely only a portion of what I expect many here on this BBS have forgotten, I do know the 6.5mm Grendel is simply a superior round in terms of range... ballistic coefficient...sectional density...bullet weight options, etc.

[LRRPF52]

I was also raised on 270 Winchester, and that really formed my early ideas of what a center fire rifle should be growing up. When I heard there was an AR15 chambering developed from a guy from 5th Group and an armorer in the AMU, my pants got a little tight. The biggest thing that soured me from the start though was some of the personalities associated with it, and the way it was being marketed.

I was still interested, but I would rather let the performance speak for itself rather than the negative hype that sounded more like Cleatus at the gunshow, as opposed to cold, hard results, especially as it was compared to 5.56 NATO. I had pogues who bought into the caliber telling me to my face that 5.56 gets people killed, while this would solve that problem with 1-shot magic, and having seen a lot of people burned down with 5.56, that didn't sit well with me. I wouldn't argue it with them since they were so emotionally invested, and just chuckled internally as they got more and more wild-eyed. I even knew guys in SF that were saying these kinds of things, and it just felt like there was some ulterior motive going on that I couldn't put my finger on at the time.

Anyway, another buddy of mine who had many years of trigger time on a CT Team's Sniper Section, and was an instructor at SF's CQB and Sniper School at Bragg, bought one of the first 6.5 Grendel uppers in 2004, and said it was his most accurate rifle he owned, very little recoil, just fell in love with it quickly. That stuck out to me, since he owned a lot of accurate rifles. It made my decision easy when I went to order my barrel/bolt combo from Midway in 2009 after I got back from multiple trips overseas.

Back then, you had to be on the email notification from Midway and at your computer ready to order only that one item, or you couldn't get a barrel quickly. I put an 18" in my cart, and went to check out....gone. Went back to see what was left and grabbed a 16", and was able to get it. The rest is history.

[Chandler2112]

I'm tasking a company with making a 0.3" @100 yard shooter from an 18" 6.5mm Grendel upper likely with a Krieger barrel.

The inherent accuracy is there in the Grendel... and I'm pretty sure the company is up to the job as well.

[danm]

I'm tasking a company with making a 0.3" @100 yard shooter from an 18" 6.5mm Grendel upper likely with a Krieger barrel.

The inherent accuracy is there in the Grendel... and I'm pretty sure the company is up to the job as well.

Welcome! Should be no problem with the Krieger...

[NugginFutz]

Welcome to the Horde, Chandler2112. Please keep us up to speed, as your build progresses. We're Always interested in accuracy builds, and don't cheap out on the pictures.

[pkee]

welcome . you will like it here .

[devildogandboy]

welcome.

Bruce

[Chandler2112]

Welcome to the Horde, Chandler2112. Please keep us up to speed, as your build progresses. We're Always interested in accuracy builds, and don't cheap out on the pictures.

Aside from a high quality barrel (probably Krieger as I mentioned up-thread, but maybe Bartlein) and scope (thinking IOR Valdada 10X42 fixed), a Samson Evo foregrip (which I prefer as it is light & durable) as well as a gas piston design, it won't be anything special and probably not very pretty.

Why a piston design?

As the 6.5mm Grendel continues to make inroads into AR shooter's consciousness, the prices of ammo are coming down. I've seen bulk ammo prices coming down into "plinking" affordability and cheap coyote "plinking ammo" is a good thing.

[LRRPF52]

The IOR's break a lot. I would look elsewhere. I was warned about the issue years ago, and steered clear.

A buddy of mine just broke his on his AR10, after I told him it was likely to happen, especially on a semi-auto.