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So, I ordered a 6.5 Grendel 20" fluted Ballistic Advantage barrel from ArmOrAlly.com (got a pretty good deal IMO), put it with an Aero Upper receiver and a Stoner lightweight 13.5" free-float, BCM gas block and melonite rifle length gas tube. I added a VG6-6.5 Gamma MB and matched it all onto an existing lower.
First impressions of the barrel, fit and finish are excellent, it is a bead blasted stainless, barrel was clean, the flutes line up with the Ext pin and the gas port. Had to heat up the receiver and cool down the barrel so they would fit, it was REALLY tight (but that's a good thing). It weighs in at 33 0z, which is lots lighter than most of the 20" I was seeing... they were more like 42-46-49 oz, the med heavy/DMR style weights.
Total rifle weight comes in at 8 lb 14 oz (with the Vortex 30mm scope)... only about 10-12 oz heavier than my 16er. Nice.
65-20BA-pic.jpg
65-20-BA-Flutes2.jpg
So I plopped on a 4-12x40 Prostaff for initial breakin... which went pretty well, not really shooting for groups yet but everything cycled with no FTF, FTE's etc. Using 123 Hornady AG and 123 Black rounds, and a few Federal 90 AE's.
But I didn't like the scope on there so, I had just bought that new Vortex Diamondback Tactical, 30mm, 4-16x44 FFP, and that really helps my sight! MOA dots and lots of elevation potential, 85 MOA.
With 50 rounds downrange I already have some sub-1" groups at 100 yds in several loads, commercial and handload. No chrony results yet, those will come a bit later.
All shots at 100 yds, indoor range, 72 *F, elev 328.
123AG: 0.920" and 1 Stonehenge.
123 Hdy Black (3 rounds): 0.784" (A second pair of 0.492 but from a different box/lot# of HdyBlk)
123 SST (28.2 gr AR-comp load), 4 rounds, 0.945"
123 SST (28.4 gr AR-Comp), 3 rounds, 1.164"
And the "Screamer!!"
110 Controlled Chaos, (29.8 gr XBR), 0.541"
(the grid lines on this background paper are at 0.2" btw)
65-BA-Shots-083118.jpg
So..... so far , so good! My initial impressions are very positive, for the session I had some trouble getting my rear bag to work for me, that I think accounts for some of the spread and POI shifts during the session.
But I'm seeing 5 loads, 4 different bullets, 2 commercial and 3 handloads, with decent groupings, for a round count of 50 so far.
First impressions of the barrel, fit and finish are excellent, it is a bead blasted stainless, barrel was clean, the flutes line up with the Ext pin and the gas port. Had to heat up the receiver and cool down the barrel so they would fit, it was REALLY tight (but that's a good thing). It weighs in at 33 0z, which is lots lighter than most of the 20" I was seeing... they were more like 42-46-49 oz, the med heavy/DMR style weights.
Total rifle weight comes in at 8 lb 14 oz (with the Vortex 30mm scope)... only about 10-12 oz heavier than my 16er. Nice.
65-20BA-pic.jpg
65-20-BA-Flutes2.jpg
So I plopped on a 4-12x40 Prostaff for initial breakin... which went pretty well, not really shooting for groups yet but everything cycled with no FTF, FTE's etc. Using 123 Hornady AG and 123 Black rounds, and a few Federal 90 AE's.
But I didn't like the scope on there so, I had just bought that new Vortex Diamondback Tactical, 30mm, 4-16x44 FFP, and that really helps my sight! MOA dots and lots of elevation potential, 85 MOA.
With 50 rounds downrange I already have some sub-1" groups at 100 yds in several loads, commercial and handload. No chrony results yet, those will come a bit later.
All shots at 100 yds, indoor range, 72 *F, elev 328.
123AG: 0.920" and 1 Stonehenge.
123 Hdy Black (3 rounds): 0.784" (A second pair of 0.492 but from a different box/lot# of HdyBlk)
123 SST (28.2 gr AR-comp load), 4 rounds, 0.945"
123 SST (28.4 gr AR-Comp), 3 rounds, 1.164"
And the "Screamer!!"
110 Controlled Chaos, (29.8 gr XBR), 0.541"
(the grid lines on this background paper are at 0.2" btw)
65-BA-Shots-083118.jpg
So..... so far , so good! My initial impressions are very positive, for the session I had some trouble getting my rear bag to work for me, that I think accounts for some of the spread and POI shifts during the session.
But I'm seeing 5 loads, 4 different bullets, 2 commercial and 3 handloads, with decent groupings, for a round count of 50 so far.
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