FDE Grendel pr0n

[StoneHendge]

Finally got my FDE Grendel into her natural environs and remembered to take some pictures while the barrel was cooling. Aero Precision lower and COP upper. Current scope is a Vortex Viper 2.5x10. Been wanting to go to higher magnification and was contemplating the Bushnell LRTS in FDE over the winter - until Midway started selling the FDE Bushnell Elite Tactical ERS 3.5x21 with the G2DMR for $800 off this morning.... So she be even more FDE by early next week!

[Drillboss]

Very nice. How's it shooting?

[StoneHendge]

She's gotten a few 5/8" 100 yard groups, consistently rings steel at 750 yds at my local range and is in the 1000 yard club. Not bad for a carbine! Gets quite a few people walking up to me asking "what IS that?" when they see what it's capable of.

[Texas]

Very Nice!

[LRRPF52]

I like it. I've had the same experience too several times when people hear the steel being smacked by a little AR15 carbine like that at 600yds.

I frequently see confusion on their faces generated by the mouse gun. It just doesn't make sense, especially while the guys or gals with 6.5 Creedmoors to the left or right are hitting 1 time for every 3-6 of mine on the same target.

Wind drift isn't that different between the 2 at 600yds, and recoil and recovery are so fast with Grendel, that it's hard to keep up with if someone tries to fight over a steel target with you.

[BluntForceTrauma]

OK, dude, lookin' good!

[StoneHendge]

The guys with the 6.5 Creedmoor's in my parts are even slower since they have those pesky manual bolt thingies.

[LRRPF52]

The guys with the 6.5 Creedmoor's in my parts are even slower since they have those pesky manual bolt thingies.

That's what I mean.

[StoneHendge]

She just put on some weight. I said, it's okay honey, you look better than ever!

[The Profit Joseph Sith]

[Frank45]

Haha she's got some curves now. How do you like the scope? I'm leaning towards a FDE grendel for my next build.

[StoneHendge]

I'm liking the scope thus far. Took it to range yesterday afternoon to sight in along with my RPR which has a Gen 1 6x20 Viper PST. From a pure glass standpoint, there certainly isn't anything about the ERS that justifies the list price difference over the PST, and I think the PST may be a little brighter. But the turrets, oh the turrets on the ERS. Big, beefy, well marked, incredible click feel and firm yet simple lift to adjust / down to lock. I've always been a pure holdover guy, but that will change with this scope. One rotation of the turret is 10 mils and I was holding 3 mils yesterday at 750 yds. G2 reticle is also great. Simple but has everything you need for long distance holdovers.

The FDE is definitely different - almost a metallic bronzeness to it. Wasn't sure I was going to like it when I laid it next to the rifle, but once it was mounted up I liked it.

Be sure to look at the Aero Precision FDE Ultralight scope mounts for your FDE parts. Hard to believe something so inexpensive and light can do the job so well but they do - at least on a caliber like Grendel. A total PIA to set up and level - especially the first time you do it (the scope rotates as you torque the screws down), but now that I've done it a few times, I think any extra time spent leveling was offset by only having to torque down 4 screws instead of 12.

[hikfromstik]

I've used the scope level method that involves a weighted string hanging from a wall (plumb bob) and level the gun with a small level first , then get a flash light and shine backwards through the scope while keeping the gun level ,then line the scope reticle up with the plumb bob . I really liked this method a lot . After you tighten the scope down then keep the flashlight on while tightening the level up . I may have missed a step or two ,but I think everyone gets the point . Shooting bags work well to hold it in place while adjusting. The levels are the best mod for tweaking your group. I went from a just over 3/4" to near 1/2" @100yds . The next best mod to use with a level is the Atlas bipod ( lock it to level and watch your friends mouth drop). Oh no ,I'm ranting again ,sorry .

[StoneHendge]

Finally got some kinks worked out with her and stopped chasing velocity so I finally have some targets to share.

Went and revisited some loads that had previously had some promise but that I thought didn't have enough juice back when my old chrono had died. I was wrong. 2447 fps is certainly something anyone could live out of an 18" with a 123 Scenar and its .264 G7.

Now my only problem is that I need to fix the choke job I do on the fourth shot EVERY time I get a good 3 shot group. It's not just with this rifle - it's with almost anything. The 5th shot then goes back with the other 3. With whatever rifle I'm shooting.

With this one here, I pulled the SSA-E on my 4th shot as hard as I was pulling on my 4.5 lb single stage on my 458 Socom this morning. WTF?

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Here the wind picked up just as I was releasing #4. I think I thought about holding off as I released but everything felt okay.... Then #5 turned the clover leaf into an amorphous blob....

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Thing is, if I can't see the group, shot #4 is just fine. This is with a no magnification 2 MOA red dot at 50 yards. A 2 MOA red dot just covers this inch wide 1/2" group at 50 yards. The backstop was in the shade, the shots were in the gray, I could have been happy with the charge that preceded it and I had no idea how well they were grouping...

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All load development should be so easy. This was part of the first ladder I did with it and I was really hoping to get H110 to work since it's what I use for 44 mag and 300 BLK. Load is also comfortably off max - is another 50fps really going to matter with 325 grains traveling over 1700 fps......? (Sorry to go off Grendel track but it was a good morning )

[Kilco]

Great field report!! Love the fde.

I think we are all guilty of pulling the fourth shot after a cloverleaf group more often. Than not.. regardless it looks like it's grouping awesome!