New build advice please

[Jcbuch]

HI all,

first post in this form, I have an extra Aero Precision M4E1 lower that I completed a few months back and been kicking around a 6.8 spc or a 6.5 G. I am about 99% sure I am going to build an upper 6.5G and wanted to get some advice on barrels, BCG and mags. I will put it on an AP upper. Considering a 16" inch barrel (preferred?)or maybe an 18" fluted for hunting deer in Maine. but would also like to enjoy some distance shooting . what barrel size would be best? I am looking to pick up the barrel, bcg and mags during the 4th of July sales that will be going on about now. I want to keep the price point reasonable, not going top shelf, but want quality stuff like anyone at a great price. Barrels I am considering are BA, Faxon, brownells , all seem to be around $200-$300. Any other barrel recommendation? as you all know the gun better than I do atm. Also what BCG? I saw armorally has a toolcraft 6.5 for like $90 on sale at https://www.armorally.com/shop/toolc...carrier-group/ good, bad for 6.5G? open to quality suggestions on BCG too. last is good mags?? I am not a reloader, but open to the possibility, so will probably use factory ammo. Appreciate the help and feel free to expand on anything I may have missed. I apologize if I posted this in the wrong place. Not a big forum poster, more of a lurker, when time permits, which is not often.

Joe

[A5BLASTER]

The barrels you listed should be good, I personally would afford the grendel II chamber but that is a personal thing.

I would go 18 inch on the barrel length, I run 18 inch barrels myself and they should serve you well out too 600 atleast.

Mags- they say Elander is the gold standard, don't know all I have ever used is asc mags I got from PF now using pmag 10 rounds loaded with 5 rounds of grendel works great for me your mileage my vary.

BCG- any milspec bcg will work along with the right buffer spring and buffer. I use JP lowmass parts and adjustable gas block but that's a personal choice of mine, works great.

If you go with a 18 inch barrel get it with rifle length gas.

Bout all I can think of at the moment, hope this helps sir.

And welcome to the horde.

Edit to add, try to get a barrel with a matched bolt from supplier you buy from, will help keep from getting the wrong bolt and having headspace issue's.

[Jcbuch]

The barrels you listed should be good, I personally would afford the grendel II chamber but that is a personal thing.

I would go 18 inch on the barrel length, I run 18 inch barrels myself and they should serve you well out too 600 atleast.

Mags- they say Elander is the gold standard, don't know all I have ever used is asc mags I got from PF now using pmag 10 rounds loaded with 5 rounds of grendel works great for me your mileage my vary.

BCG- any milspec bcg will work along with the right buffer spring and buffer. I use JP lowmass parts and adjustable gas block but that's a personal choice of mine, works great.

If you go with a 18 inch barrel get it with rifle length gas.

Bout all I can think of at the moment, hope this helps sir.

And welcome to the horde.

Edit to add, try to get a barrel with a matched bolt from supplier you buy from, will help keep from getting the wrong bolt and having headspace issue's.

thanks for your input appreciate the sound advice! will definitely go GII chamber on barrel, the brownells spremium barrel comes with a matching bolt, believe Satern makes them for brownells read good things about it, but would like to hear from actual users not just some paid reviewer.

[AZHTfreak]

https://www.e-arms.com/toolcraft-ar15-nitride-bolt-carrier-group-5-56-223/

This for $74, toss the 5.56 bolt in your range bag for a spare, and pick up 1-2 of BFT's group buy Monster bolts on this forum...

[A5BLASTER]

thanks for your input appreciate the sound advice! will definitely go GII chamber on barrel, the brownells spremium barrel comes with a matching bolt, believe Satern makes them for brownells read good things about it, but would like to hear from actual users not just some paid reviewer.

Had the grendel II chamber in my first grendel that's why I said I wouldn't use it, but that's my personal choice.

It was very picky on factory ammo and had to have a adjustable gas block to get it to run properly, gas port was way to big.

I was able to get it to run properly but it never produced regular groups that I was happy with, I can't 've happy with 11/2 five shit groups at 100 yards.

It did shot better but only with the factory Amax load that was avalible at the time.

Like I said it's jyst my personal believe unless you load your own ammo the grendel II chamber is not as good as the sammi chamber.

Sorry for being long winded, hope the info helps sir.

[rabiddawg]

There was a time when the Alexander Arms 16” fluted stainless barrel was the value to beat. I don’t know what they are selling it for now. I love mine, handles well and accurate. I hunt with it so I haven’t spent any time shooting it past 200 yds.

I love my Faxon 12.5” group buy barrel but I will not do business with them until I am convinced they have rectified their problems.

In my opinion, do business with people you trust. For me that is Alexander Arms and Precision Firearms.

As for that Brownells barrel, you have their reputation to protect you. I would NOT count on the maker to stand behind anything they make. Search for” liberty group buy” and see why I say that.

Good luck. Based on your post, I’m 99% sure you are smart enough to choose Grendel over the 6 8

[BCHunter]

I would also look at the Odin works barrels, Joe Bob outfitters has 16" 18" or 20" barrel, bcg and gas block package for 440. My 18" shoots better then I can .3" 3 shot groups. Search my posts on the build threads used aero upper and lower.

As for barrel length, it only matters if your shooting beyond 500 yards then the extra velocity helps with wind drift on the longer barrels usually 20 or longer. If your hunting inside 200 yards they will all have enough velocity for hunting bullets to expand. Comes down to personal preference and weight balance for your use.

[Jcbuch]

Had the grendel II chamber in my first grendel that's why I said I wouldn't use it, but that's my personal choice.

It was very picky on factory ammo and had to have a adjustable gas block to get it to run properly, gas port was way to big.

I was able to get it to run properly but it never produced regular groups that I was happy with, I can't 've happy with 11/2 five shit groups at 100 yards.

It did shot better but only with the factory Amax load that was avalible at the time.

Like I said it's jyst my personal believe unless you load your own ammo the grendel II chamber is not as good as the sammi chamber.

Sorry for being long winded, hope the info helps sir.

sorry I must have misread your reply as you afford the Grendel II chamber, no I am a little confused all the barrels I believe are talking about type 2 chambers. here is a quote from the BA barrel, "This 6.5 Grendel "Type 2" chambered 18 inch barrel is machined from 416R Stainless Steel with a bead blasted finish. Our Premium Series Barrels feature a Nickel Boron Coated Extended M4 Feed Ramp Extension."

https://ballisticadvantage.com/18-inch-65-grendel-spr-fluted-midlength-ss-premium-barrel.html

is that a saami chamber, as it doesn't read saami in the description? can someone please clarify the difference, as I am new to the Grendel world, obviously. Thanks

[BCHunter]

As for mags I have c product and e Landers no problems from either but I think it is just luck of the draw some guys just get a bad one occasionally.

[imaguy3]

how far is distance shooting for you? I have a 16" barrel and velocity is leaving me wanting more. I can feel good hunting to 400 but it drops a ton.. I'm at 1800fps at 400 yards and 1550fps at 600yrds

[A5BLASTER]

sorry I must have misread your reply as you afford the Grendel II chamber, no I am a little confused all the barrels I believe are talking about type 2 chambers. here is a quote from the BA barrel, "This 6.5 Grendel "Type 2" chambered 18 inch barrel is machined from 416R Stainless Steel with a bead blasted finish. Our Premium Series Barrels feature a Nickel Boron Coated Extended M4 Feed Ramp Extension."

https://ballisticadvantage.com/18-inch-65-grendel-spr-fluted-midlength-ss-premium-barrel.html

is that a saami chamber, as it doesn't read saami in the description? can someone please clarify the difference, as I am new to the Grendel world, obviously. Thanks

Sorry bout that, spell check has been eating my lunch today.

Most suppliers that state grendel type 2 or talking about it needing a bolt with a .136 bolt face.

Type 1 takes a bolt with a .125 bolt face.

Anything made by satern/liberty is the grendel II chamber.

I wont go into great detail but if you want to know how that chamber came about search for the liberty group buy.

I had a brownells grendel II chambered grendel I bought from a member here and it was less then impressive to say the least.

But as I stated before it's just my personal presence not to have that chamber again.

At the time I owned it I didn't load my own ammo, and all I read was how the sammi chamber was much better shooting groups with factory ammo over the grendel II chamber.

So got rid if it got me a sammi chambered barrel and it throws 5 shot groups at are well under a inch with several factory loads.

Now I'm learning to load my own.

As I stated before if you load your own I feel the grendel II chamber could be alright but at this point and my personal views on it I would never own anouther.

But at the end of the day it's your decision on what barrel and chamber to go with.

Again sorry for being so long winded and hope I was able to clear up somethings from my last post sir.

Edit to add if the supplier doesn't list it as sammi then it's best to call and ask directly if their chamber is cut to sammi spec.

[Jcbuch]

how far is distance shooting for you? I have a 16" barrel and velocity is leaving me wanting more. I can feel good hunting to 400 but it drops a ton.. I'm at 1800fps at 400 yards and 1550fps at 600yrds

well it would be primarily range shooting with a trip or two to Maine to deer hunt. Living in NJ cant hunt deer with it here, shotgun only or muzzle loaders, too small of a state. would I see better accuracy/distance with an 18" barrel vs a 16? Not sure I want a 20" length barrel. Although I read 65g likes a longer barrel, then come here and see not necessarily. Probably spent to much time at 68forum initially. The wolf ammo helps me at least for plinking ammo purely from cost, but I am not sure I want to use steel loads in my gun. So there is a concern there and If I like the gun and caliber I would consider learning to reload, over time.

[Popeye212]

I have the BA barrel and am happy with it. Buy the barrel and bolt together. I got the Toolcraft NiB BCG had a problem with it. New one coming. In the meantime bought another Toolcraft QPQ until the NiB came back. The QPQ one runs just fine and easy clean up and runs smooth. In hindsight I would skip the NiB for the QPQ and save some money. On the AP upper the BA barrel is a tight fit. Stick the barrel in the freezer for a bit. Get a blow dryer and heat the receiver, barrel will slide right in. Getting my mags from Larue. They don't have logos on em but they are $10 cheaper for the same mag from AA. As stated most of the manufacturers use TYPE II that is what BA barrels are. This is the BCG I bought http://www.wcarmory.com/toolcraft-bc...0-complete.htm

[A5BLASTER]

well it would be primarily range shooting with a trip or two to Maine to deer hunt. Living in NJ cant hunt deer with it here, shotgun only or muzzle loaders, too small of a state. would I see better accuracy/distance with an 18" barrel vs a 16? Not sure I want a 20" length barrel. Although I read 65g likes a longer barrel, then come here and see not necessarily. Probably spent to much time at 68forum initially. The wolf ammo helps me at least for plinking ammo purely from cost, but I am not sure I want to use steel loads in my gun. So there is a concern there and If I like the gun and caliber I would consider learning to reload, over time.

Depends on far you want to try and go with it.

For me 18 inch where I live is more then enough to get to 600 far as intend to take a 18 inch barrel.

More then comfortable shooting a deer are hog at 600 with it as well.

Now if I wanted to do mostly target and go longer then 600 yards I would jump up too 20 or 22 inch barrel.

Depending on how high your above sea level the longer the range you can get to with less barrel.

So barrel length comes down to how far you want to take it on targets and how far you need yo carry it hunting.

I'm a tall wide shouldered man, I can hump a 12 pound 24 inch barreled rifle all day where most cant.

Hope this helps sir.

[imaguy3]

well it would be primarily range shooting with a trip or two to Maine to deer hunt. Living in NJ cant hunt deer with it here, shotgun only or muzzle loaders, too small of a state. would I see better accuracy/distance with an 18" barrel vs a 16? Not sure I want a 20" length barrel. Although I read 65g likes a longer barrel, then come here and see not necessarily. Probably spent to much time at 68forum initially. The wolf ammo helps me at least for plinking ammo purely from cost, but I am not sure I want to use steel loads in my gun. So there is a concern there and If I like the gun and caliber I would consider learning to reload, over time.

The biggest difference is going to be velocity. I have the Ballistic Advantage 16" Hanson barrel, with a type II chamber, and a group buy bolt. I chose 16" b/c I put a can on it and didn't want it to be super long, I only get 2300fps at the muzzle though. 18" or 20" would have given me better velocity, and if I wasn't using a can I probably would have chosen one of those two lengths. It shoots great and is plenty accurate with factory Hornady American Gunner and SST.

For me, hunting, that means I fall below the 1800fps expansion threshold for the SST bullet at 400 yards (last year I shot my deer at 500, so this gun is going to be relegated to "mid range" for me). I can ding steel at 600 but it requires me to dial 18moa in elevation to do so, and it does not do it with authority b/c it's so darn slow by then.

Shoot the steel and don't stress about it. All I shoot in my 5.56 gun is Hornady Steel Match. The gun loves it and I'm not seeing any adverse issues. Save some money and IF you need to replace an extractor or barrel you'll have more than paid for it if you have shot that much to need it.