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Hey all. Been lurking on this forum for a while. Real wealth of knowledge here. Seems to be a lot of mis-info around about Grendel elsewhere. Always nice to find real factual info, not web echo-chamber nonsense.
My father raised me shooting, hunting, camping, and fishing from a very young age. He taught me the importance of our Constitution and 2A. He got his first AR way back when the AWB was setting in. Paid out the nose for it too! He was always more of a wood & blued steel type. That said, he does have a fully decked-out 6.8 SPC with about $3K in it. He likes *all* his guns. I am really the family AR addict: designing, sourcing, building, shooting, suppressed, FA - I love em!!!
Built my first AR as a pistol a few years ago when the SB15 was all the rage: 12.5 inch barrel "kino" config in 5.56. Still love that upper. 12.5s seem to fit me perfectly. Short enough to maneuver, but long enough to extend my support arm a bit. A little more velocity doesn't hurt either. Great all-around length.
Less than a year later, I built my second AR pistol upper. A 7.5" BA barrel chambered in 5.56. AKA the fire-breathing dragon. Fun to shoot for giggles, but not all that practical for me. Still have that barrel, but it is collecting dust in my closet.
Next, I re-barreled the 7.5" 5.56 with a med/heavy profile 8" barrel in 300 Blackout. Much more enjoyable to shoot - and more capable - than the 556 7.5". Added the Law gen3 folder with the Thordsen cheek rest. Great combo I highly recommend.
A few months later, I found a good deal on a SS 12.5" lightweight profile 300 Blackout barrel. So naturally, I built another upper for this barrel. Why both a 8" AND 12" blackout? Why the hell not I say??!?? Built another lower, so I can have two complete guns ready at all times.
Taking these lessons learned, I then built my second 8" Blackout upper (#3 Blackout upper haha) as a lightweight shorty: tapered 8" barrel, slim lightweight handguard, lightweight adjustable gas block, lightweight BCG. Run this on my Kino lower with a gutted carbine buffer @ 1.0 oz and RTB reduced power spring (yellow= -10%). This now sports the new SBM4 brace, which I also recommend highly. Way better than the Shockwave IMO.
I admit I really slept on 6.5 and thought 6.8 was superior. My Dad's 6.8 is bad ass. That thing has some punch for sure. When I read more on 6.5, I became very intrigued. The optimal BC is a huge strength. The efficiency of 6.5 amazes me. It almost defies conventional ballistic norms. I love it. Can't deny physics. A couple months ago, I came upon some threads discussing 6.5 Grendel SBRs/pistols. The chrono velocity figures were very impressive. Then I come to find I am not the only one keen on 12.5 ARs! Joy!!! Alas, I was too late for the group buy. Fortunately I found another affordable 12.5" Grendel barrel: SS, medium profile, carbine gas, 1:9 twist. This is my most recently completed upper. Gas block is a Seekins adjustable. Carrier is RTB lightweight. Bolt is NiB type 2 which came with the barrel. Finished her a week ago. Still need to test fire it. Feels nicely balanced and I think will be a sweet little rig, once tuned. My new favorite. (Pics in following posts below)
In addition, I have an 18" Grendel upper in the early building stages. My first true rifle AR - and it's a Grendel. Using a BCA right side charge upper receiver and bolt carrier, with one of their Grendel bolts. Barrel is SS, HBAR profile, straight flutes, 5R rifling. Should be a shooter. Trying to get this completed and a rifle lower built before Fall hunting season, but might simply take the 12.5 instead. For the East Coast wooded areas I hunt, there will not be any shots longer than 200 yards. Well within reach of the 12.5 Grendel.
The recent availability and price of Wolf ammo definitely helped me take the plunge. Now that I have, I wish I had sooner. I don't think I'll be getting rid of the Blackouts because they are so fun supressed... but I've lost most of my interest in hunting with that caliber (supers) now that I have the 6.5 in my arsenal.
My father raised me shooting, hunting, camping, and fishing from a very young age. He taught me the importance of our Constitution and 2A. He got his first AR way back when the AWB was setting in. Paid out the nose for it too! He was always more of a wood & blued steel type. That said, he does have a fully decked-out 6.8 SPC with about $3K in it. He likes *all* his guns. I am really the family AR addict: designing, sourcing, building, shooting, suppressed, FA - I love em!!!
Built my first AR as a pistol a few years ago when the SB15 was all the rage: 12.5 inch barrel "kino" config in 5.56. Still love that upper. 12.5s seem to fit me perfectly. Short enough to maneuver, but long enough to extend my support arm a bit. A little more velocity doesn't hurt either. Great all-around length.
Less than a year later, I built my second AR pistol upper. A 7.5" BA barrel chambered in 5.56. AKA the fire-breathing dragon. Fun to shoot for giggles, but not all that practical for me. Still have that barrel, but it is collecting dust in my closet.
Next, I re-barreled the 7.5" 5.56 with a med/heavy profile 8" barrel in 300 Blackout. Much more enjoyable to shoot - and more capable - than the 556 7.5". Added the Law gen3 folder with the Thordsen cheek rest. Great combo I highly recommend.
A few months later, I found a good deal on a SS 12.5" lightweight profile 300 Blackout barrel. So naturally, I built another upper for this barrel. Why both a 8" AND 12" blackout? Why the hell not I say??!?? Built another lower, so I can have two complete guns ready at all times.
Taking these lessons learned, I then built my second 8" Blackout upper (#3 Blackout upper haha) as a lightweight shorty: tapered 8" barrel, slim lightweight handguard, lightweight adjustable gas block, lightweight BCG. Run this on my Kino lower with a gutted carbine buffer @ 1.0 oz and RTB reduced power spring (yellow= -10%). This now sports the new SBM4 brace, which I also recommend highly. Way better than the Shockwave IMO.
I admit I really slept on 6.5 and thought 6.8 was superior. My Dad's 6.8 is bad ass. That thing has some punch for sure. When I read more on 6.5, I became very intrigued. The optimal BC is a huge strength. The efficiency of 6.5 amazes me. It almost defies conventional ballistic norms. I love it. Can't deny physics. A couple months ago, I came upon some threads discussing 6.5 Grendel SBRs/pistols. The chrono velocity figures were very impressive. Then I come to find I am not the only one keen on 12.5 ARs! Joy!!! Alas, I was too late for the group buy. Fortunately I found another affordable 12.5" Grendel barrel: SS, medium profile, carbine gas, 1:9 twist. This is my most recently completed upper. Gas block is a Seekins adjustable. Carrier is RTB lightweight. Bolt is NiB type 2 which came with the barrel. Finished her a week ago. Still need to test fire it. Feels nicely balanced and I think will be a sweet little rig, once tuned. My new favorite. (Pics in following posts below)
In addition, I have an 18" Grendel upper in the early building stages. My first true rifle AR - and it's a Grendel. Using a BCA right side charge upper receiver and bolt carrier, with one of their Grendel bolts. Barrel is SS, HBAR profile, straight flutes, 5R rifling. Should be a shooter. Trying to get this completed and a rifle lower built before Fall hunting season, but might simply take the 12.5 instead. For the East Coast wooded areas I hunt, there will not be any shots longer than 200 yards. Well within reach of the 12.5 Grendel.
The recent availability and price of Wolf ammo definitely helped me take the plunge. Now that I have, I wish I had sooner. I don't think I'll be getting rid of the Blackouts because they are so fun supressed... but I've lost most of my interest in hunting with that caliber (supers) now that I have the 6.5 in my arsenal.
Maybe that is simply because it is new to me and I am still learning. That will plateau a bit soon enough.
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