New Grendel Build

[Rissen]

Hello everyone. I have spent a lot of time here the last couple months reading and researching the Grendel. I want to thank everyone for all the information available. I decided to take the plunge and ordered the AA 16" fluted barrel. I have attached a picture of my finished AR15 Grendel.

I took it out to the range last weekend to sight in the scope and shot 8, 5 shot groups. I shot one group of Wolf and the rest with Hornady A-MAX. The best was about .75 MOA. Wolf didn't group well at all, about 2.5 MOA. I will post pictures of my groups when I have a minute. Pretty amazing to be able to shoot less than MOA with a $200 barrel, Alexander Arms is doing good work on these.

Anyway just wanted to introduce myself. I plan to reload for the Grendel and look forward to learning as I develop loads for my gun.

[LRRPF52]

That's a slick set-up.

What receivers did you use? Looks like San Tan STT-15 ambi.

What does it weigh as pictured?

The way AA does their fluting just looks really pleasing to the eye. I have people asking if there are 5.56 barrels like that available.

Order the 6.5 Grendel Reloading Handbooks and most of your questions will be answered about the 6.5 Grendel on the load bench.

[Rissen]

Hi, thanks. Yeah I used the San Tan upper and lower. This is my first time using that receiver set, the ambi controls are pretty nice and work well. As shown the rifle weighs 8lbs 4oz which is definitely heavier than I would like but I am not sure what I could do to lighten it up without making sacrifices I don't want to make. I did debate putting the muzzle break on it as it probably weighs a pound itself but with it on it basically has no recoil or muzzle flip which is nice.

I will definitely buy the reloading manuals before I start reloading anything. I have purchased a few bullets and would like a good place to start with each on loads.

[LRRPF52]

You could shed a lot of weight with the flip-up sights, and install a Titanium forward assist, Ti pins.

That would put you at the same weight or less than my 7lb 12oz ~18" Lilja Wasp barreled Grendel.

I used a no-forward assist upper on it, and I really like those uppers.

Looks like you spared no expense and invested in quality components across the board.

Did you bed the barrel and what torque did you use? 65 ft-lbs + is ideal for accuracy with 6.5 Grendel. I still haven't bedded my 16", and need to pull it apart and tweak some things, but it's a solid MOA gun and has been since I got it in 2009. Shoots everything from 90gr TNT to 129gr SST into MOA at 100yds, easy to hit steel with out as far as I can see.

I wish they would have had those 16" fluted back then, because they are just a great-feeling and great-looking barrel.

What bullets did you get, and we can get you started on powder selection.

[Rissen]

The no forward assist uppers make a lot of sense. I used one for my last 5.56 build, it seems they just add weight and not usefulness. I may take your advice and ditch the sights, it has just been one of those items I always include on rifles but they never get used.

I did try to use quality components. I have been just saving up components over the last year or so and buying only when I get a great deal. I bought the trigger when Larue had a sale on his trigger for $100. I did the same thing with the rail, bought it for a great deal.

Anyway, I did not bed the barrel and didn't even know what that was until recently. I have read some about it and may go back and do that. Although I was pleased with the accuracy with the amax loads I shot. I torqued the barrel nut to 40 ft-lbs which is what was recommended in the instructions. I could certainly crank on it more because 40 ft-lbs did not seem like much when I was tightening it. I agree with you I really like the fluted barrel. I was surprised with how nice of a barrel it was when it arrived. It is a real bargain for what they are charging for them.

So I bought some of the 123gr Hornady amax bullets as well as the 123gr Sierra Matchkings. Originally I thought I would load those up and see what kind of accuracy I got out of them. But I also recently bought a box of the Nosler 129gr ABLR bullets to try out too. I have some of the powders that I have seen people load including CFE223, 8208XBR, Ramshot TAC, Varget, H335. I had planned to get the reloading manuals to see how some of these powders do with the bullets I have. Any recommendations you can give me for these bullets would be appreciated.