Best 6.5 Grendel AR upper?

[21Glock]

Hi guys,
I know this topic has probably been talked about many, many times here, forgive me for bringing it up again.
I was looking to add a 6.5 Grendel upper to my Bushmaster AR carbine lower later this year.
I have looked at the Radical Arms uppers on-line and have some interest in those. Around $500-600 average price. Saw some good reviews on them on you tube.

Any other AR 6.5 uppers that you would recommend that are in that price range and quality?

Also what Hi-cap mags would you recommend?

I would use this upper for target shooting and some occasional deer hunting.

Thanks!

[LRRPF52]

Welcome aboard.

Best as in best price for something that actually works, or best money can buy?

I've been seeing a lot of reports of the Radical Firearms barrels coming un-torqued in different calibers on AR15.com. They said they fixed the issue and got a different barrel supplier, but I personally have a very hard time taking a gun seriously at those prices unless it's a basic 5.56 upper from PSA with an FN barrel and C-158 Bolt, with Mil-spec carrier.

Alexander Arms (the company that spent years and tens of thousands of dollars on the RDT&E on the 6.5 Grendel, worked with the ammunition manufacturers to bring it to market) has complete uppers for $680 with a fluted barrel, carbon fiber handguard, and high quality bolt that has been MPI'd and tested.

http://www.shopalexanderarms.com/6_5_Grendel-Uppers.html

[21Glock]

Thanks for the info. I assume to get the best ballistics from the cartridge I should look at longer 24" barreled uppers, which are about $840. Is this the brand upper you shoot?

[bwaites]

There is very little difference between 18" and 24", so unless you are trying to eke out that last 50 FPS or so, you will be happy with 18" or 20". I have 16", 20" and 28" rifles, and I shoot the 20" the most, with the 16" close behind. If I had a lighter barrel in the 16" it would be the rifle I shoot the most.

[21Glock]

There is very little difference between 18" and 24", so unless you are trying to eke out that last 50 FPS or so, you will be happy with 18" or 20". I have 16", 20" and 28" rifles, and I shoot the 20" the most, with the 16" close behind. If I had a lighter barrel in the 16" it would be the rifle I shoot the most.

Thanks, I'll look at the 20" barrel as well. I really like what I see here on this forum and look forward to getting a great upper from the advice I'm getting from you folks who know and love the 6.5 Grendel like I know I will. Who makes the uppers you shoot the most?

Is there a list somewhere here of current 6.5 Grendel upper suppliers?

[LRRPF52]

I was just killing steel at 1000yds this weekend with my 17.6" barreled Grendel with a relatively mild handload.

I've shot out to 1200yds with my 16" AA Grendel with factory Hornady AMAX, but I am at higher elevation as well.

With a tight twist rate, these rifles shoot really well at distance to the point that even I have been pleasantly surprised at how far I actually have predictable impact.

[21Glock]

That's fantastic performance from a 17.6" barrel at 1000yrds! Great job on the steel!

[LRRPF52]

That's fantastic performance from a 17.6" barrel at 1000yrds! Great job on the steel!

http://www.65grendel.com/forum/showthread.php?11666-1000yd-Results-with-Lilja-17.6-quot-Barrel

[bwaites]

Thanks, I'll look at the 20" barrel as well. I really like what I see here on this forum and look forward to getting a great upper from the advice I'm getting from you folks who know and love the 6.5 Grendel like I know I will. Who makes the uppers you shoot the most?

Is there a list somewhere here of current 6.5 Grendel upper suppliers?

Alexander Arms, then Precision Firearms. It is VERY hard to beat the price on the upper from AA mentioned above.

It is almost impossible to catalog who makes Grendel uppers anymore, because so many are coming on board. It seems like I hear a new builder every other day!

[21Glock]

Have you ever built any of your 6.5 Grendel uppers? How hard is it to do a quality build and does it save alot of money to do a build?

[LRRPF52]

Have you ever built any of your 6.5 Grendel uppers? How hard is it to do a quality build and does it save alot of money to do a build?

I've built all mine and many more, but I've been eyeball-deep into the AR15 since the 1980's. Just in parts, I am at more than what the AA uppers sell for assembled and test-fired.

The main reason is handguard preference and I Cerakote everything. It's going to be hard to touch the price point of a $680 AA upper, especially when looking at their components, starting with the fluted barrel and carbon fiber handguard.

[bwaites]

I've built my own and had great luck and enjoyment doing so, but you really can't build cheaper than you can buy at this point, especially if you count in the time for troubleshooting if you have an issue. When you buy from a AA, you are getting their expertise in the build, but also their expertise in fixing it if something is possibly not as it should be.

[tj_farmer]

precision firearms, they will put a guarantee on their work. AA will not. heard a few stories about them not backing a few flawed uppers also.
ive got a used precision and a radical, both 24"... Precision will shoot slightly better, id put precision at .25-.4 moa at any range. radical somewhere in that .3-.6 range...matters how the operator is feeling at the time, and the load...buddy has a radical that shoots just slightly less accurate then mine. his had problems first, radical fixed it in about 2 weeks turn around and shooting great now...both are very very nice shooters, and they come from both sides of the price spectrum..been around a jp rifle lately, awesome rifle as well.
of what ive read, the barrel problem was awhile ago, with the service my buddy got on his, I wouldn't think twice against owning another one, deep sub moa for $500 is a lot of gun for the $....wow I just seen they went up to $680, id but a entry level precision for $850 when getting into that price range....I figured they would have to go up, they were selling way too many for a great product.

[LRRPF52]

precision firearms, they will put a guarantee on their work. AA will not. heard a few stories about them not backing a few flawed uppers also.
ive got a used precision and a radical, both 24"... Precision will shoot slightly better, id put precision at .25-.4 moa at any range. radical somewhere in that .3-.6 range...matters how the operator is feeling at the time, and the load...buddy has a radical that shoots just slightly less accurate then mine. his had problems first, radical fixed it in about 2 weeks turn around and shooting great now...both are very very nice shooters, and they come from both sides of the price spectrum..been around a jp rifle lately, awesome rifle as well.
of what ive read, the barrel problem was awhile ago, with the service my buddy got on his, I wouldn't think twice against owning another one, deep sub moa for $500 is a lot of gun for the $....wow I just seen they went up to $680, id but a entry level precision for $850 when getting into that price range....I figured they would have to go up, they were selling way too many for a great product.

AA has even fixed other company's uppers and replaced barrels that weren't theirs, and several forum members here have posted those experiences.

[bwaites]

precision firearms, they will put a guarantee on their work. AA will not. heard a few stories about them not backing a few flawed uppers also.
ive got a used precision and a radical, both 24"... Precision will shoot slightly better, id put precision at .25-.4 moa at any range. radical somewhere in that .3-.6 range...matters how the operator is feeling at the time, and the load...buddy has a radical that shoots just slightly less accurate then mine. his had problems first, radical fixed it in about 2 weeks turn around and shooting great now...both are very very nice shooters, and they come from both sides of the price spectrum..been around a jp rifle lately, awesome rifle as well.
of what ive read, the barrel problem was awhile ago, with the service my buddy got on his, I wouldn't think twice against owning another one, deep sub moa for $500 is a lot of gun for the $....wow I just seen they went up to $680, id but a entry level precision for $850 when getting into that price range....I figured they would have to go up, they were selling way too many for a great product.

Hmmmmmm.....if you are going to make that statement, please provide evidence, since there are plenty of members here who will say otherwise.

Precision WILL give an accuracy guarantee, when AA won't, but most manufacturers won't either.