Joining the club 18" barrel & stuff ordered today.

[Flyguy11]

It was suppose to be a 6.8 SPC but then Brownells started offering 6.5 Grendel options cheaper and I reload so Santa was good this year. What if any problems have been experienced with the 18" Saturn barrel mid-length gas system set ups? Brownells carries them now. I am going to also use a Carbine adjustable stock with standard buffer. Any links and tips are appreciated.

[A5BLASTER]

I dont know bout their 18inch barrel but I just bought a complete rifle from a horde member that has a 21inch 11 degree target crown barrel on it when it gets to me later this week I can post you up some range pics it may give you a idea of what yours will do.

And welcome to the horde bro you will like it here lots of info and very experinced members to draw ideas and inspiration from here.

[devildogandboy]

welcome to the forum and enjoy the Grendel when it's built.

Bruce

[VASCAR2]

Welcome aboard, best recommendation for the Brownell's 6.5 Grendel 18" barrel is an adjustable gas block. These barrels usually ship with larger than needed gas ports. If your reloading stay away from Lee 6.5 Grendel dies which supposedly over work the brass and shortens case life.

Only other encountered problems with reloading 6.5 Grendel is you have to hit the sweet spot on neck/shoulder set back, not enough and the rounds won't chamber. To much set back and you can ruin cases so setting the sizer die properly is important. Lapua cases uses a small diameter flash hole which is to small for some decapping pins. My Hornady sizing dies/decapping pin work fine for reloading the 6.5 Grendel and aren't real expensive.

[Flyguy11]

I would like to not go with the adjustable gas block if there is a way of doing that. I went with Forster Dies Lapua brass and Berger 130gr OTM (AR ones) for the bullets.

[Flyguy11]

After reading many post and builds on here I agree with you (VASCAR2) that an adjustable gas block is going to be a requirement. Ordered the Syrac Ordnance 100-015-084WB .750" Adj Gas Block, Set Screw, Stainless Mfr Part: SO10024 from Brownells today. Thank you VASCAR2 for the heads-up on this.

[VASCAR2]

No, problem, I'm an old retired guy that spends more time on gun forums than on the gun range. Before I retired I thought it might be the other way around but there are only so many days a year I can shoot rifles beyond a couple hundred yards. One nice thing is I can step out my back door and shoot shorter distance as much as I want.

I hope you enjoy your 6.5 Grendel, glad I could help.

[danm]

It was suppose to be a 6.8 SPC but then Brownells started offering 6.5 Grendel options cheaper and I reload so Santa was good this year. What if any problems have been experienced with the 18" Saturn barrel mid-length gas system set ups? Brownells carries them now. I am going to also use a Carbine adjustable stock with standard buffer. Any links and tips are appreciated.

Greetings! I'm sure a 6.8spc would've been a fun rifle but 6.5g is just better, you'll see

[LRRPF52]

It was suppose to be a 6.8 SPC but then Brownells started offering 6.5 Grendel options cheaper and I reload so Santa was good this year. What if any problems have been experienced with the 18" Saturn barrel mid-length gas system set ups? Brownells carries them now. I am going to also use a Carbine adjustable stock with standard buffer. Any links and tips are appreciated.

Welcome aboard.

The .094" gas port on a MLGS will gas the action extremely hard unless it is tamed. You'll need an adjustable gas block and a heavy buffer to do that, as well as a full weight (M16) bolt carrier.

I'm dealing with an 18" MLGS Underground Tactical barrel with .094" gas port right now, using an adjustable gas key, and it has been a major pain to try to get it functioning.

Normally when I put a Grendel together, it is very straightforward and they just work out of the gate, but the improper gas port diameters in any caliber can make things difficult.

I'm using one of my lowers with an H2 buffer, and it's proving not enough, even with the gas tuned. It will probably need an H3 at least, if not the MGI RRB ($142), and I'm still not sure it will work. I'm on the ragged edge right now between locking the bolt to the rear and failure to extract due to early unlocking.

I wish manufacturers would take notice and use a .076" gas port on the MLGS 18" guns. I've never had a problem getting 18"/MLGS .076" running right out of the gate.

[Flyguy11]

Update:

I have received almost everything from Brownells except the BCG which is back-ordered. I will not be able to do the build until January or February; gotta love work. This is the first receiver that I will be truing using the Brownells laping tool. Anyone have any input? Looks pretty straight forward to me.

[rabiddawg]

The .094" gas port on a MLGS will gas the action extremely hard unless it is tamed. You'll need an adjustable gas block and a heavy buffer to do that, as well as a full weight (M16) bolt carrier.

I wish manufacturers would take notice and use a .076" gas port on the MLGS 18" guns. I've never had a problem getting 18"/MLGS .076" running right out of the gate.

Knowing satern, they decided that it would be fewer problems for THEM to make sure the port is large enough that it could never be blamed for not working. Much easier for them to tell customers to buy agb or heavier buffer etc. than to have it sent back to enlarge the port.

That's my opinion.

[Flyguy11]

I took the advice from folks from here and ordered the Syrac Ordnance adjustable gas block. I figured I would save myself a headache. I did contact Satern Barrels and they emailed me similar on gas block spec of .093". Can someone please post a link on why folks here seem to not be so happy with Satern. Several years ago this was the go-to 6.5 barrel maker.

[LRRPF52]

Update:

I have received almost everything from Brownells except the BCG which is back-ordered. I will not be able to do the build until January or February; gotta love work. This is the first receiver that I will be truing using the Brownells laping tool. Anyone have any input? Looks pretty straight forward to me.

Follow the distractions. I hold the work vertical, rather than horizontal. I use a thin oil on the shaft of the tool, with lapping compound on the face that trues the receiver.

I use the tool to check the receiver face beforehand, because many of them are good to go out of the box.

[Drillboss]

Follow the distractions. I hold the work vertical, rather than horizontal. I use a thin oil on the shaft of the tool, with lapping compound on the face that trues the receiver.

I use the tool to check the receiver face beforehand, because many of them are good to go out of the box.

Can you define good to go?

Is it simply some contact around the entire circumference of the receiver face, or should one continue until there is a relatively even contact surface around the face?

[LRRPF52]

When I hold it up to the light, I look for any light showing between the tool face and receiver face. I check all the angles, and if no light, I call it good and bed the barrel into the upper after working over the extension.

Before any of that, I check that factory ammo of several types, both secant and tangent ogive pills, will drop into and out of the chamber without jamming the lands. I fully seat the cartridge in the chamber with hard finger pressure, then turn the barrel muzzle up. The cartridge should fall out. I do this with every caliber in the AR15 and AR10.