I'm about to start building my 6.5 Grendel!

[R2BRO]

sup bros!

so here is a thing, I have factory made Colt AR-15, 16", 1:7, .223

Ideally, I wanna build another AR-15 with 6.5G, including making my own lower from 80% slab, however; right now, in order to facilitate the process, I am planning to just build the upper and connect it with the lower of my existing rifle described above.
I am myself a reloader too, right now I am reloading my own .223

So here are my qestions:

1) I already purchased low cost but US made 20" 1:8 6.5G Type 2 barrel from Classic Firearms for $95. So, I got the barrel already. Now, given the barrel I bought, should I change the spring and buffer tube from my factory lower from above described rifle (AR-15 Colt 1:7, 16")? Because my current rifle is mid-length, but my 20" 6.5G barrel is rifle length, so if I do need to change buffer tube and spring, can you point me to a proper product (and cheaper too) ?

2) I saw some cheap chinese low profile gas blocks, is it a good idea to purchase those? Or do I need a better low profile gas block since this part is kinda critical? or it is not *that* critical? if you can recommend (again as cheap as possible) low profile gas block just let me know?

3) same question about gas tube, any recommendation for cheap gas tube?

4) and of course I'd like to get some recommendation for a proper upper for this build, again a cheap one, as long as it is made I guess from 7075 aluminium, right?

5) Need recommendation to proper 15" foregrip too if you can? I do want exactly 15" not less, keymod or m-lock? Also I need it to be cheap, cuz I last time paid like $200 for my foregrip its ridiculous, I do not need it to be cheap, I guess this part is not as critical as other moving parts so as long as it is made of proper alloy it should be good, correct me if I am wrong?

6) BCG recommendation. I am planning to shoot a lot of "hot" loads from this rifle, so on this part i'd not be that cheap, but dont wanna go crazy either.

That is it I guess, let me know if I miss anything from 2 to 6? Do I need to buy anything else to get started with lower of my existing rifle?

and also, what about this scope:

https://swfa.com/catalog/product/view/id/105770/

[Randy99CL]

Your barrel was made by Bear Creek Arsenal, which most think is a decent lower-cost brand. They have some of the best prices out there. https://www.bearcreekarsenal.com

It's usually cheaper to buy a complete upper than the individual pieces so add it all up both ways. For example, I bought one of their 6.5G uppers for $335: 20" barrel (nitrided, fluted, 5R rifling) side-charging receiver with BCG and type-2 bolt, 15" mlock handguard. Gas block, tube and flash hider included. https://www.bearcreekarsenal.com/upp...85r-mf-15-mlok
When I add up their prices for the individual parts it's $140 higher.

And one of the best things is that the complete upper has a real warranty. If it doesn't work I only have to deal with BCA, I don't have a lot of parts that may or may not play nice with each other.

[Slappy]

[Sticks]

...
6) BCG recommendation. I am planning to shoot a lot of "hot" loads from this rifle, so on this part i'd not be that cheap, but dont wanna go crazy either.

...

Check out the reloading section. Loading "hot" is not going to end well. This is a 50k psi cartridge, and like anything else, you exceed the max pressure on a regular basis, parts start to fail - most likely you will likely start shearing lugs from your bolt, and/or breaking extractors.

[VASCAR2]

So here are my qestions:

1) I already purchased low cost but US made 20" 1:8 6.5G Type 2 barrel from Classic Firearms for $95. So, I got the barrel already. Now, given the barrel I bought, should I change the spring and buffer tube from my factory lower from above described rifle (AR-15 Colt 1:7, 16")? Because my current rifle is mid-length, but my 20" 6.5G barrel is rifle length, so if I do need to change buffer tube and spring, can you point me to a proper product (and cheaper too) ?

Answer: Your current lower with a carbine buffer tube, carbine buffer spring with carbine buffer should be fine. 20” 6.5 Grendel barrels manage gas very well.

2) I saw some cheap chinese low profile gas blocks, is it a good idea to purchase those? Or do I need a better low profile gas block since this part is kinda critical? or it is not *that* critical? if you can recommend (again as cheap as possible) low profile gas block just let me know?

Answer: I’d suggest buy quality US made gas block, I’ve used CMMG, YHM and a couple others.

3) same question about gas tube, any recommendation for cheap gas tube?

Answer: Gas tubes are not always marked by manufacture but my last one was from CMMG. Just buy from a reputable retailer.

4) and of course I'd like to get some recommendation for a proper upper for this build, again a cheap one, as long as it is made I guess from 7075 aluminium, right?

Answer: Many on the forum like BCM but I’ve used RRA, Double Star, DPMS, PSA and my last two were Anderson. I like to use a lapping tool to face the receiver and bed the barrel extension and gas block with Loktite.

5) Need recommendation to proper 15" foregrip too if you can? I do want exactly 15" not less, keymod or m-lock? Also I need it to be cheap, cuz I last time paid like $200 for my foregrip its ridiculous, I do not need it to be cheap, I guess this part is not as critical as other moving parts so as long as it is made of proper alloy it should be good, correct me if I am wrong?

Answer: Hard to beat the price of Bear Creek Arsenal hand guard, you could also buy the gas block and gas tube from Bear Creek Arsenal. I used a Rousch Sports keymod hand guard, easy to install inexpensive.

https://rouschsports.com/shop/ar15-upper-parts/ar15-handguards-forends-quad-rails-best-dicount-price/v3a-keymod-super-slim-free-float-handguard-forend-12-inch/

6) BCG recommendation. I am planning to shoot a lot of "hot" loads from this rifle, so on this part i'd not be that cheap, but dont wanna go crazy either.

Answer: As other poster mentioned the 6.5 Grendel is not the cartridge to run hot loads. You won’t gain much velocity but hot rodding doesn’t get you much additional range as the high ballistic coefficient bullets loose velocity slowly. Bear Creek Arsenal has cheap BCG for the 6.5 Grendel. I bought a 5.56/223 BCG and use the bolt for a spare and bought a Group Buy 6.5 Grendel bolt for $58, best of both worlds.

That is it I guess, let me know if I miss anything from 2 to 6? Do I need to buy anything else to get started with lower of my existing rifle?

and also, what about this scope:

https://swfa.com/catalog/product/view/id/105770/

Answer. That scope is straight 12 power, is great for target shooting but is not versatile for most general plinking, hunting or tactical/CQB. If your going to shoot past 800 yards I’d invest in a 20 MOA mount. I’ve used Warne, very good inexpensive one piece mount.

[LRRPF52]

VASCAR answers pretty much how I would.

I would not buy a cheap, Chinese gas block. Get a steel, US-made gas block and make sure to align it correctly with the gas port on the bore axis, as well as cant.

Before you do your build, check that factory ammo or dummy rounds will chamber in the uninstalled barrel, and fall free. If they require more than a light tap to drop free, you might have a tight or short chamber.

For handguards that are good but don't break the bank, look at the Guntec line. They have plenty of 15" options that are half of that $200 price.

For your reloading questions, most of them will be answered with the 6.5 Grendel Handbooks that we put together as a forum project.

Welcome aboard.

[Dcommoncents]

If I were you I would return the barrel you bought and just get a complete BCA upper. That will be much cheaper than buying parts individually, although if you have the itch to build it from the ground up I can certainly understand that. Better yet, you can just admit now that you'll want to build another 6.5 G upper eventually, keep the barrel you have, and buy a complete BCA upper with a different type of barrel length/profile.