New Grendel owner in Oklahoma

[SG4247]

Hello all,

Been hanging out here a couple of months while I finish up my first Grendel build.

I shoot AR STEEL challenge match competition here in Oklahoma.

I use a .260 rem AR-10, 6.5 x 47 Lapua AR-10.

New Grendel build just finished yesterday! I'll post the pics and targets in the build section.

Results are encouraging! Very happy with the Grendel so far.

Glenn

[XcountryRider]

Welcome!! How do you like that AR10?

[SG4247]

The 6.5 x 47 Lapua AR-10 is an excellent rifle. My current favorite.

Light recoil, extremely accurate, but not cheap to shoot!

Glenn

[LRRPF52]

Welcome aboard. I also have a .260 Rem AR10, and it definitely is not cheap to shoot, but it's a laser.

[SG4247]

Welcome aboard. I also have a .260 Rem AR10, and it definitely is not cheap to shoot, but it's a laser.

Good to know! as the accuracy on my .260 has been disappointing. I guess I need some load information help with it.

I have .260 Lapua brass, Bergers, Scenars and Amax bullets - by the pound. Most powders too. Just haven't found the right combination I guess. Thought it would be an awesome 500 yd round.

Any help would be appreciated.

Glenn

[LRRPF52]

I used a Bartlein barrel in my .260 Rem, so I'm really having a bad day if it shoots .75" 5rd groups at 100yds. My very first load with 139gr Scenars and H4831 was .6" at 100yds for a 5rd group.

The very first 5 rounds I put through it with 123gr Scenar and N540 were .75" at 100m in the dark, right after the sun had set and I could barely see the target. Best 5rd groups have been .4" at 100yds.

140gr A-MAX's I haven't found a good load for...don't know why. 142gr SMK's shoot one ragged hole with RL17.

I really like my results with the 130gr VLD on H4350. 3rd groups are under 1/2" at 100yds in the node, but I need to re-work my loads since I switched to Lapua brass. I was using sized 7mm-08 Winchester brass, which I really kinda like. I was pushing pressures on my loads, and primer pockets have stayed tight up to at least 3 loads.

I also found that I needed to run all new Lapua brass through my full-length sizing dies to get reliable feeding and extracting. I loaded up 200 rounds with brand new Lapua brass, and had some FTExtracts malfs in the middle of a competition last year.

Hodgdon's and RL17 are the go-to powders. RL17 you have to be careful with in a gas gun because you can end up with serious port pressure with such a slow-burning powder.

What barrel is your .260 Rem? Is it a DPMS by any chance? I started out with a DPMS .260 Rem and accuracy wasn't where I wanted it either. .260 Rem at 500yds is like clubbing baby seals in a bucket. It barely starts to get fun at 700yds on IPSC sils or similar man-size sils. Very pleasant to shoot and easily groups at 1000yds with the bullets you mentioned. Even with a purposely ignored wind change, I have shot 9.25" at 1000yds with the 130gr Berger VLD.

In the gas gun, I think the 130gr VLD is a perfect match for the .260 Rem, as I can beat the 140's for trajectory and drift by means of velocity.

[tackdriver]

Don't suppose you have a good source of either a 6.5*47 or .260 ar-10 barrel, my grendel needs a big brother

[LRRPF52]

Lilja has a drop-in .260 Rem AR10 barrels: http://www.riflebarrels.com/products/ar_10.htm

[SG4247]

Thanks for info LRRPF52. You are onto something here, YES it's a DPMS 20" stainless barrel. According to DPMS it is an early .260 barrel because it is 1:7.5 twist. DPMS does not make a .260 in that rate any longer, I think they are all 1:8 now. I have been suspicious that the barrel was below par. It looks wonderful with the bore scope, so I keep shooting it.

I did order a Satern .260 22" barrel in April thinking that may the ticket, since the DPMS barrel just would not cooperate with any loads that I tried. My testing does show huge potential for the 260, with 2700 fps on light loads with 120 gr Bergers and 42.8 g of RL17. That has been the best load so far BTW with 3 in .500".

[LRRPF52]

If it's the DPMS LR-260L, I would consider turning it into a lightweight antelope/mountain rifle. I shoot the 130 VLD's at 2820fps from my 22", so I think that or the 123gr A-MAX would be great in a 20" gun. Might also try the 129gr SST, and 130gr Sierra Game King.



What does your overall 20" system weigh? I thought about doing another .260 Rem build with a 20" barrel, going as light as possible with a Proof Research pipe, Carbon Fiber handguard, a lightweight lower, low-profile custom billet upper, and maybe a Magpul STR stock. The .260 Rem gives you 200yds extra effective range over the Grendel for hunting, which can come into play out here in the West on antelope, and will also give you no-worries big game capability with the 140gr class of pills at farther distances.

I just need to be able to have a well-balanced gun that handles perfectly in positions, so I end up falling back to the Grendel for that. The AR15 frame is hard to beat.

[SG4247]

image.jpgimage.jpgimage.jpg

DPMS High top upper mod for side charger
FULTON billet lower
FULTON A2 stock
AR gold trigger
ARMALITE AR-10 BCG mod for side charger
DPMS alum hand guard
SJC Titan comp
BTE clamp on alum gas block
Ergo soft grip
20" DPMS SS barrel 1:7.5

12.0 pounds as shown with optics. No mag or ammo.

To damn heavy to even carry out to the truck!

[Whelenon]

Welcome SG. Have you shot the 260 & Grendel side-by-side? Curious about the recoil comparison.

[SG4247]

Welcome SG. Have you shot the 260 & Grendel side-by-side? Curious about the recoil comparison.

Thanks for the warm welcome. My .260 AR has considerable recoil with 140 gr pills. Not as bad with 120 gr pills. With 140s its more like a .308 AR-10 with 168s. The Grendel is much closer to a .223 in terms of recoil, with 120 grainers.

Remington makes "reduced recoil" ammo for hunting with the .260. It's very pleasant to shoot with those factory loads.

They are slow and not very accurate soft points.

A Grendel with a good brake is hard to beat in terms of recoil.

Hope that helps...

[LRRPF52]

I'll second that. The .260 Rem AR10 feels like a light projectile .308 load. It's a .308 case necked down to .264"/6.5mm, pushing 120-140gr pills at up t0 60,000psi. You need a heavier gun to dampen the recoil, or a muzzle break. When you push the loads, it isn't as pleasant to shoot.

The Grendel can be shot by kids all day, for 3 days in a row without fatigue.