Hello from Newyorkastan

[Gman6.5]

Hello everyone.

Been in the AR platform for quite a few years now, and was going to build one in 308 but I decided I would just sell one of my 556 uppers and try the Grendel.

Had an upper all ready to build this weekend, but I have to send the barrel back due to what looked like a rough chamber and bore. Rust maybe or Oxidation. It is a SS 416R Faxon 20" 1/8 5R button rifling.

Fit and finish was impeccable all except for the bore and chamber. I ran a couple of wet patches through and was going to run some lube through like I usually do with the new barrel and noticed that there was no mirror shine like I usually see with all of my other new barrels I have ever installed.

The patches came out with what looked like some kind of corrosion on them and not the dark color usually see from the machining process.

The chamber had a brownish orange-ish rough looking corrosion that I just couldn't get it out. I even tried running a little bit flitz in it to see if I could get it smooth and shiny again but to no avail.

I will probably end up just getting a refund as I feel I can't trust anything from this company anymore as it has left a bad first impression on me.

Anyways really glad to be here and have been lurking the threads for a while here trying to learn about the 6.5 Grendel and I am really looking forward to trying this new caliber out..

From what I have read here I believe I am really going to like this and may end up even shooting this more than my 556.

[Kswhitetails]

Welcome Gman, I too like to "lurk"... you tend to read cool things that way. I built my Grendel in large part to these guys, and stayed around as a guest for quite a while. I joined to buy something off the exchange I think. One day, something got my attention enough to post a reply and I've been here ever since. Good group, good people.

Welcome to the Grendel, sit down and enjoy yourself~

[Gman6.5]

Welcome Gman, I too like to "lurk"... you tend to read cool things that way. I built my Grendel in large part to these guys, and stayed around as a guest for quite a while. I joined to buy something off the exchange I think. One day, something got my attention enough to post a reply and I've been here ever since. Good group, good people.

Welcome to the Grendel, sit down and enjoy yourself~

Thank you my friend!

[StoneHendge]

Welcome aboard and let's go Gmen!

[VASCAR2]

Welcome to the forum Gman6.5!

[Kilco]

Heeeeeeey welcome!!! Don't give up on Faxon I'm sure they will make it right!! Regardless keep us posted on what parts you roll with and your build!

My 5.56 gas been in the safe quite a bit lately..

[just_john]

Welcome to the clan, Gman6.5 from the Great Nation of Texas. Be warned! Grendels have a nasty habit of replicating! Put one if a dark place and soon there are two. Leave them alone for a while and there will be a bunch of 'em ( don't ask me how I know ).
When you were cleaning, after running patches thru, was there any evidence of the surfaces of the bore / chamber "grabbing" tufts from the patches? The PN shown "impies" stainless so there would little opportunity for rust. If you roll up a piece of a paper towel and spin it in the chamber, does it leave little tufts of material snagged on the chamber walls? Am curious as to the cause for the discoloration. If / when you return it, ask if they will respond with an autopsy report.

[Gman6.5]

Thank you again for the replies everybody!!

@just-john

Yes I am seeing little tufts of patch material left behind when pulling patches though.

While inspecting with my magnifier and bore light I can see what looks like fouling in the lands just like you would see after firing.

It was really bugging me so I made a return label for Brownells where I got it, but I ran some BF-CLP and let it soak over night.

When I got up today I ran a few clean patches through but there was still little tufts of material left behind. I ran some more wet patches though with BF and than a wet 22 cal. bush I had that seemed to be too wide for my 556 barrel and after running a dry patch through after it came out black and is leaving less tufts behind.

I'm going to keep trying this and call Faxon on Tues.

I'll keep everyone updated, and be back with the specs of this build.

I will say that I am really impressed with the quality of this barrel all except for the inside. I'm wondering if what i'm seeing are what was left behind from the machining process? I have never seen this much before though, usually just a couple of wet patches and some lube do the trick on many other SS barrels I have mounted. The great thing about Brownells is they have their own lifetime return policy so I may just go ahead and shoot this just incase it may end up being a tac-driver after all.

Thanks again for all the warm welcomes everyone!!

[Gman6.5]

Ok got an update.

Checked out Faxon's sight and the inside of their barrels are nitride coated which would explain why it may not have that mirror shine like most SS barrels.

I still could see quite a bit of machining debris left behind which I carefully tried to get out with bortech carbon remover, and some more CLP. I also ran some flitz polish on a very loose fitting bore mop and that did the trick. The bore looks 90% less rough than before. I believe I will probably have to do a break-in procedure anyway's. I usually don't and have never felt the need to personally unless specified by the manufacturer, but I think it may need to be done with this one, not sure?

I'm still going to call Faxon on Tues. just to check with them.

Anyway here are the specs of my build.

-20" Faxon 5R button rifled barrel nitride coated inside-out 1-8" twist. Fluted.
-Wilson accutech flash hider
-Phase 5 Tactical upper receiver.
-young manufacturing carrier with JP enhanced bolt.
-Rise Armament slimline 13.5 inch FF railed hand guard.

My lower which I already had put together is a DPMS with a Geissele SSA trigger, and magpul STR stock with BCM grip.

I'll try to get up some pics but not sure where I will do that because photo bucket no longer works with anything unless you want to pay a fee.

[just_john]

Sounds like you now have a serious case of Grendelosys! You know there is no cure but it can be kept under control with frequent doses of lead management.

[bj139]

You can upload photos directly to the website if you first resize them in Windows by right mouse clicking on them and choosing resize. Set resolution to medium and they will upload fine.

[Gman6.5]

Yup, I have the bug.

Goodby wallet!!!

Thanks bj139, I'll get some pics up soon!

[Gman6.5]

Got out with the new build this past weekend.

I'm really digging this new to me caliber!!
IMG_0074.JPG

Made a couple of changes before and after the first range trip.....

Replaced the comp with a PWS FSC30 from the accutech before as it has been my favorite on all my 556 platforms. Ended up using a BCM alpha KMR but that will be coming off also, I explain below.

After the range secession I am also replacing the BCM handguard because I believe the bottom of the gas block was bouncing off of the bottom inside of the rail and causing inconsistent grouping IE: vertical stringing. The BCM rail is very narrow on the inside 1.3 and it was really easy to push down on the barrel to get it to touch bottom. I think a shorter more stout 16" barrel would not do this as easy, but I wanted a 20" for this build to get the most out of the Grendel.

I have a MI SP series M-lok rail on the way which is 1.75 on the inside, so hopefully this will stop the erratic grouping.

When it did group good it grouped good!

Below are a 1/2" square grid at 125 yards with factory Hornady SST 123gr. Fired 60rds on SAT. Did a barrel break-in as per Faxon's sight in the FAQ section.

Circled in purple is a five shot group that stringed pretty lame, and circled in red is another five shot group that did about 90% better with very little stringing.

I am also wondering if there is a possibility that the barrel to receiver mach are not concentric and may need lapping? I know some other reasons for the vertical stringing can also be the shooter but I am 110% positive it is not the shooter. Just about every gun I own is 1/4" to 1/2" all day long.

IMG_0075.JPG

[bj139]

Are the groups getting better as more rounds are fired?
Many people report SSTs don't group as well as AMAXs so your groups look great, I think.

[Gman6.5]

Are the groups getting better as more rounds are fired?
Many people report SSTs don't group as well as AMAXs so your groups look great, I think.

Thanks!

They seemed to go back and forth from tight to opening up again. Barrel has only 60 rds so far so maybe needs to settle in more. Of course my larue barrels grouped tight from the very beginning, go figure?

I'm going to try and weed everything out before I start blaming the barrel. I did have a bit of concern at first because of my initial impression in my first post.

I should also say that the pic I show was the worst of the stringing. Most of the time it was within a 2-2 1/2" so maybe they ammo could be a factor too?