Bolt Action AR upper in 6.5 Grendel

[Dead Center Miss]

I ask myself the same question. 6.5 something in a bolt action could be 6.5 Creedmoor, 260 Rem, 6.5-284, etc.
Do I want to go Grendel and give up a lot of performance? Why? Accuracy maybe?

I could see the grendel in a little bolt action. But if you are gonna go bolt action,why a AR bolt action? Seems silly.

[bj139]

The LANTAC is interesting because of the small changes.
1. Spring assisted bolt unlocking
2. NO gas rings as in none
3. Coated cam pin (nickel boron?) to reduce friction

Edit: Can the LANTAC bolt be inserted into an upper with a gas block and tube and what happens if fired?
I'm guessing nothing except a lot of gas in the receiver.

BTW, I did try firing an AR without a gas block or tube AND also without a recoil spring. It fired fine and stayed locked.
Feeding had to be done with a hard forward push since there was no spring assist.

[DDRanch]

i like the AR Platform and have lots of custom uppers and lowers. Also when I go to California I won't have to deal with their BS gun laws that they have on ARs!

[drewthebrave]

i like the AR Platform and have lots of custom uppers and lowers. Also when I go to California I won't have to deal with their BS gun laws that they have on ARs!

As a California resident, I can confirm that the laws are ridiculous for semiautomatic centerfire rifles. Manually operated centerfire rifles aren't subjected to the same regulations, so this would be a suitable workaround for legal use in CA.

I briefly considered getting a barrel without a gas block and creating a straight-pull side-charger, but eventually decided that featureless was the way to go. The Thorsden stock I use is actually pretty great, and keeps me in the clear with no serious drawbacks (other than using an odd looking stock).

[bj139]

I had a spare stripped bolt without gas rings and installed it in a carrier.
Without gas rings there is almost no friction.
I am looking at where I can buy a spring of the right size locally.
I will definitely try these small improvements.

Edit: I am about to head over to Lowes with my BCG to look at this.
Maybe stainless steel if used in a sink.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Danco-SEATS-and-SPRINGS-FOR-DELEX/1082005

Edit again: I bought this.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Danco-1-Handle-Plastic-Faucet-Or-Tub-Shower-Repair-Kit-For-Delta/4764823

Here is my new manual ejection Grendel bolt. I think I will paint the visible side of the bolt carrier FDE so I know which one it is without removing it from the receiver.

Painted it.

[Nodak]

I could see the grendel in a little bolt action. But if you are gonna go bolt action,why a AR bolt action? Seems silly.

I've always scatched my head on why a company hasn't started making dedicated actual bolt action uppers. To me it makes perfect sense. Lower cost than a chassis gun(have you seen the price of chassis). Widest selection of aftermarket parts(but stocks, forends, triggers). You can work on then yourself. Ergonomics. And don't forget the cheap mags. Slows down the shooting. Easy to chase/save brass. There really is no down fall to a real bolt action upper. 'Silly', really? It boils down to is "Why not"

[VASCAR2]

I agree Nodak, wondered that myself when I contemplated buying a Howa action. Having an AR-15 upper receiver with Savage style barrel attachment with Savage bolt/head for 6.5 Grendel or any other AR-15 compatable cartridge. Would be a great way to test Wildcat cartridges, almost like a universal reciever but one you could actually use in the field.

[grayfox]

Heck, just change over the upper receiver-eject port opening and the bolt to use the proverbial bent bolt handle... and make barrels without the gas tube hole, wouldn't that do it?
Could use AR barrel nuts, everything else AR-xxx; the bolt throw would be what, 30-45*? Even leave a weaker spring in the buffer tube to assist in closure if desired...

Could a standard upper be modified to do this, I wonder.

[bj139]

I had a spare stripped bolt without gas rings and installed it in a carrier.
Without gas rings there is almost no friction.
I am looking at where I can buy a spring of the right size locally.
I will definitely try these small improvements.

Edit: I am about to head over to Lowes with my BCG to look at this.
Maybe stainless steel if used in a sink.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Danco-SEATS-and-SPRINGS-FOR-DELEX/1082005

Edit again: I bought this.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Danco-1-Handle-Plastic-Faucet-Or-Tub-Shower-Repair-Kit-For-Delta/4764823

Here is my new manual ejection Grendel bolt. I think I will paint the visible side of the bolt carrier FDE so I know which one it is without removing it from the receiver.

Painted it.

I switched the LANTAC like bolt into my Grendel 16" BCA side charging upper. It seemed more practical for a faster second shot.
I removed the gas block and gas tube. I may go shoot it tomorrow.
I put a few cases fired in another Grendel into the chamber and slammed the bolt shut. It extracted them very easily steel case and brass case.

[DDRanch]

Here is my respnose I got from LanTac;

Hi D

Although this ‘Should’ work on a straight pull, we haven’t tried running 6.5Grendel in straight pull configuration yet.
You may find the chamber will suffer with extraction as it wont have the impetus of the gas assisting it.


Kind regards,

S
Firearms Manager
Lantac-USA

[bj139]

How can the gas assist it if this is manually operated?
Does this use a gas block and gas tube for a bit of assist?
I can't find any specifics on their website.

[DDRanch]

I don't think so, the pic of the bolt and carrier does not show any provision for gas assisted blow back;

https://www.lantac-usa.com/product-page/enhanced-bcg-straight-pull-223-5-56

[drafter3d]

bj139; I am really interested in how that bolt operates with the spring you have. The hardest thing about a bolt action upper is the primary extraction, so if that spring helps the bolt get unlocked that would be massively helpful. I also didn't think about removing the gas rings to reduce friction. I gotta do that to mine. As for the response from Lantac I read as 'grendel is harder to extract then 223 so without gas it's going to be extra tough." There's no way I can see that gas can help their straight pull BCG since the gas key is closed off.

nodak; POF-USA makes a bolt action upper called the 'revolt'. Edit; also uintah precision makes the UPR-1 bolt action upper.

[Texas]

I have an early model Sabre Defence Piston rifle, and they have a spring on them as pictured. This was a standard part in the piston rifles. If you can find a complete piston BCG, you should be good to go.

[bj139]

Heck, just change over the upper receiver-eject port opening and the bolt to use the proverbial bent bolt handle... and make barrels without the gas tube hole, wouldn't that do it?
Could use AR barrel nuts, everything else AR-xxx; the bolt throw would be what, 30-45*? Even leave a weaker spring in the buffer tube to assist in closure if desired...

Could a standard upper be modified to do this, I wonder.

The bolt in an AR turns opposite from a bolt action rifle.
The bolt handle would move up to lock and down to unlock.
For a left handed handle it would be the same as a bolt action rifle, down to lock and up to unlock.