Designated Marksman

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  • Rwjeter
    Unwashed
    • Apr 2017
    • 8

    Designated Marksman

    Hey guys. I need some advice. I've been doing a little reading on here to try and get some ideas for my first ever Grendel build. I'm wanting to do a designated marksman on a matched billet upper and lower I have in the safe. I have a range fairly local that goes to 600. I was considering an AA 18" barrel with a matching bolt. Is there a better length barrel? I'm wanting to keep it around $250 for the barrel if possible. Eventually I'll probably spring for a Lilja or similar barrel. What else do I need to look into. Any advise is greatly appreciated.
  • 85_Ranger4x4
    Warrior
    • Nov 2016
    • 264

    #2
    If you want to get a Lilja or something else later... it will save you $200 to cut to the chase and just get it to start with.

    I am personally figuring on a 18" AA at this point though.
    Last edited by 85_Ranger4x4; 04-27-2017, 06:34 PM.

    Comment

    • A5BLASTER
      Chieftain
      • Mar 2015
      • 6192

      #3
      Agree if your just going to upgrade a lil time down the road it would make more sense and save some cash to just hold on and save up to buy the barrel you really want.

      You said 250 if you save up a lil more you can get a barrel from PF for around 350.

      I have the JP lightweight on my rifle and I'm in the process of building a 22 inch JP.

      Comment

      • StoneHendge
        Chieftain
        • May 2016
        • 2009

        #4
        i can't attest to their Grendel barrel, but at that price point I personally would go with the Odin Works 18" DMR barrel - my 18" 22 Nosler DMR profile barrel from them is a laser beam. Hand lapped and an MOA guarantee. JoeBobs has a package with barrel, bcg, gas block and tube for around $400. I will note that that their DMR profile = heavy. I've been struggling with my AR Stoner/Satern 18" barrel and am about to give up on it. I would have already if the 18" Odin was compatible with my monolithic upper, but the gas system is too long (I need a mid length) so I'm probably holding off for a bit so I can comfortably go with a Lilja
        Let's go Brandon!

        Comment

        • Rwjeter
          Unwashed
          • Apr 2017
          • 8

          #5
          The main reason I was going to go with a lesser Barrel to start with was to have something I could throw steel ammo through and get a lot of Trigger Time with. Really learn the ropes of the caliber. Then I can retire that Barrel to standard forged upper and have a spare. Then I'll keep only match ammo for the higher-end barrel. What would you suggest as an optimal length? Am I correct in assuming 18? Or should I go with a longer Barrel? 600 yards is probably the most I'll shoot. But there is the possibility for 1000. But I don't want this to be a benchrest gun. I understand it will be heavier, but at the same time I don't want it so overly heavy but it's a pain to lug around. I guess I'm really looking for that happy medium.

          Comment

          • mdram
            Warrior
            • Sep 2016
            • 941

            #6
            if you want lesser, there are $100 grendel barrels out there
            just some targets for printing
            https://drive.google.com/drive/folde...xQ?usp=sharing

            Comment

            • Bigs28
              Chieftain
              • Feb 2016
              • 1786

              #7
              There are people on this forum who have successfully shot out to 1k+ with the 16"aa barrel so to answer your original question yes the 18" will reach your target.

              Comment

              • Rwjeter
                Unwashed
                • Apr 2017
                • 8

                #8
                Sounds like an 18" AA to me then. Thank y'all for the input.

                Comment

                • LR1955
                  Super Moderator
                  • Mar 2011
                  • 3355

                  #9
                  Originally posted by Rwjeter View Post
                  The main reason I was going to go with a lesser Barrel to start with was to have something I could throw steel ammo through and get a lot of Trigger Time with. Really learn the ropes of the caliber. Then I can retire that Barrel to standard forged upper and have a spare. Then I'll keep only match ammo for the higher-end barrel. What would you suggest as an optimal length? Am I correct in assuming 18? Or should I go with a longer Barrel? 600 yards is probably the most I'll shoot. But there is the possibility for 1000. But I don't want this to be a benchrest gun. I understand it will be heavier, but at the same time I don't want it so overly heavy but it's a pain to lug around. I guess I'm really looking for that happy medium.
                  RW:

                  Don't buy the steel case ammo or a poor quality barrel. You won't learn a thing by blasting cheap ammo through a cheap barrel other than what the carbine won't do for you.

                  Save until you can buy a good barrel. A good barrel will shoot most bullets well and quality bullets very well. A poor barrel will shoot all bullets poorly.

                  You aren't buying that much velocity with a barrel over 16 or 18 inches and if you are using optics, you don't have to worry about sight radius.

                  You don't need a bull barrel for precision shooting. You do need a quality barrel, even if it is light.

                  1000 yards is pushing a Grendel unless you live at a pretty high altitude. You won't notice a difference in performance at 1K between a 16 inch barrel and a 24 inch barrel unless you are a very skilled 1K yard shooter. And then the difference will not be very much.

                  LR55

                  Comment

                  • Rwjeter
                    Unwashed
                    • Apr 2017
                    • 8

                    #10
                    Originally posted by LR1955 View Post
                    RW:

                    Don't buy the steel case ammo or a poor quality barrel. You won't learn a thing by blasting cheap ammo through a cheap barrel other than what the carbine won't do for you.

                    Save until you can buy a good barrel. A good barrel will shoot most bullets well and quality bullets very well. A poor barrel will shoot all bullets poorly.

                    You aren't buying that much velocity with a barrel over 16 or 18 inches and if you are using optics, you don't have to worry about sight radius.

                    You don't need a bull barrel for precision shooting. You do need a quality barrel, even if it is light.

                    1000 yards is pushing a Grendel unless you live at a pretty high altitude. You won't notice a difference in performance at 1K between a 16 inch barrel and a 24 inch barrel unless you are a very skilled 1K yard shooter. And then the difference will not be very much.

                    LR55
                    LR55, thank you for your input. I would much rather you talk me into spending more money on quality components than talk me into spending Less on complete junk. I've already sunk $400 into a stripped receiver set, it only makes sense to put an extra $200 and get a quality Barrel as well. This is going to be built piece a time anyways. What would your recommendation on a barrel be? Lilja? Krieger? AA? What about length and Contour? I've shot my entire life and am a halfway decent shot. Hand me my RRA varminteer and watch me work. But I've only shot a Grendel once. With that caliber, I am green as a gourd as they say around here.

                    Comment

                    • Klem
                      Chieftain
                      • Aug 2013
                      • 3509

                      #11
                      There seems to be two ends of the spectrum here. You want a DMR but want to start by shooting steel on the cheap.

                      Don't get one barrel and then another down the track. You want two uppers. One is a dirt-cheap, rubbish, embarrassing heap of sh*t that you don't mind lending to your friends. The other is the quality parts upper that gets all the love and the best spot in your gun safe. Just don't expect the dirt cheap to turn into Cinderella.

                      There's a dirt-cheap upper on Gunbroker right now for $300. Get that first, to help relax you while you are saving for the precision DMR.

                      Comment

                      • Rwjeter
                        Unwashed
                        • Apr 2017
                        • 8

                        #12
                        Originally posted by Klem View Post
                        There seems to be two ends of the spectrum here. You want a DMR but want to start by shooting steel on the cheap.

                        Don't get one barrel and then another down the track. You want two uppers. One is a dirt-cheap, rubbish, embarrassing heap of sh*t that you don't mind lending to your friends. The other is the quality parts upper that gets all the love and the best spot in your gun safe. Just don't expect the dirt cheap to turn into Cinderella.

                        There's a dirt-cheap upper on Gunbroker right now for $300. Get that first, to help relax you while you are saving for the precision DMR.
                        I guess I should've clarified, I have 100 yard range at home I can shoot whenever. Steel ammo in a MID grade barrel (not a $100 Anderson) could get me a lot of Trigger Time shooting plates and bowling pins. The steel ammo should group plenty tight enough for that. Then when I do have my once every six month outing to the 600, I could throw some match grade though it and still produce some nice groups on paper. However, a top tier barrel I'm afraid might have too tight of tolerances to reliably feed the more economical steel at my home range.
                        Last edited by Rwjeter; 04-28-2017, 08:13 AM.

                        Comment

                        • Sticks
                          Chieftain
                          • Dec 2016
                          • 1922

                          #13
                          Based on what I have read here, even at 100y, Wolf Steel on average is 1.75moa. Quality ammo (Hornady ELD, SST, Amax, Federal TNT....) are sub moa...like .5.

                          For me, trigger time can be accomplished with a 5.56 (I'm swimming in ammo right now). Accuracy practice and training is shooting for tight groups, or tiny targets, and adding additional challenges in shooting position and target position. Lots of discipline also - looking for that cold bore first round hit, not shooting until you make contact. Not dirt clods or bowling pins.

                          Spend the money on quality and then get your trigger time. You are not going to waste barrel life doing so.
                          Sticks

                          Catchy sig line here.

                          Comment

                          • Rwjeter
                            Unwashed
                            • Apr 2017
                            • 8

                            #14
                            Originally posted by Sticks View Post
                            Based on what I have read here, even at 100y, Wolf Steel on average is 1.75moa. Quality ammo (Hornady ELD, SST, Amax, Federal TNT....) are sub moa...like .5.

                            For me, trigger time can be accomplished with a 5.56 (I'm swimming in ammo right now). Accuracy practice and training is shooting for tight groups, or tiny targets, and adding additional challenges in shooting position and target position. Lots of discipline also - looking for that cold bore first round hit, not shooting until you make contact. Not dirt clods or bowling pins.

                            Spend the money on quality and then get your trigger time. You are not going to waste barrel life doing so.
                            I get that. But sometimes I like to practice rapid transitions between targets, different stances, shooting in the move. Not just groups. I don't want a precision rifle. I want a DMR. Something light enough to be comfortably mobile, capable of hits at longer ranges. I don't mind paying more for the barrel. But it HAS to be capable of reliably cycling steel when I just want to shoot for fun. When I want to check my groups, I'll feed it quality. So, what high end barrel would you use that will reliably cycle steel, but also be capable of hits to 600 or 1000 when using quality match ammo?

                            Comment

                            • LR1955
                              Super Moderator
                              • Mar 2011
                              • 3355

                              #15
                              Originally posted by Rwjeter View Post
                              LR55, thank you for your input. I would much rather you talk me into spending more money on quality components than talk me into spending Less on complete junk. I've already sunk $400 into a stripped receiver set, it only makes sense to put an extra $200 and get a quality Barrel as well. This is going to be built piece a time anyways. What would your recommendation on a barrel be? Lilja? Krieger? AA? What about length and Contour? I've shot my entire life and am a halfway decent shot. Hand me my RRA varminteer and watch me work. But I've only shot a Grendel once. With that caliber, I am green as a gourd as they say around here.
                              RJ:

                              If you are confident that you know something about rifles and marksmanship, you also know what quality of barrel, length, weight, and contour you want for your purposes. My view given previous and later posts to this thread is for you to find a barrel that balances well when shooting from standing or kneeling position. Let me suggest you talk with Mark at Precision Firearms about your barrel. He will set you up with something that meets your demands.

                              Also, Klem gave some very good advice if you insist on blasting Wolf Steel Case ammo at short ranges. Get or make a cheapo blaster that functions and use it to blast plates and stuff at 100 yards. Then you can be more specific about components such as barrels and lengths for your once every six month trip to a longer range.

                              I am not sure why you think performance using a Grendel cartridge is different than performance with any other cartridge. I guarantee you that if you want to blast steel plates or shoot at 600 yards, you will use the exact same skills shooting a 5.56 or 7.62 as you will shooting a Grendel.

                              LR55

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