Ruger American in 6.5 Grendel

[Jmccracken]

It will be interesting to see what the after market parts are for these. A few more thoughts:

• The magazine catch and button look exactly like AR parts. I'd have to take it apart to verify for sure, but right now I'm about 90% sure that they are.
  
  
• Ruger kind if mis-marketed this by putting it in their "Predator" line in my opinion. At this length of gun, it may as well be a 6.5 Creedmoor. It has the same length and weight as their new Predator in 6.5 Creedmoor that takes AI mags. I know that some people would want the Grendel over the Creedmoor just for recoil reasons, but it should really be in their "Ranch" line with a 16" barrel. I'm tempted to have the barrel on this one cut down.
  
  
• With the AR mags it takes a bit more force to close the bolt and load a round. If you think about it, AR bolts are spring loaded and there is more force pushing that round out of the mag than I often realize. I took the spring out of my side charging upper once just to see how hard it was to load a round with no spring assistance. It takes a fair amount of force. The Ruger American is kind of the same way. It's not a buttery smooth transition like some bolt actions. It takes some "assertiveness". I think it has to do with the magazines though and not so much the rifle.
  

I still need a scope and mount for it, but I will give it a good cleaning and get it ready for the range. It is nice that it takes the same mags as my other Grendels. After I shoot it and get a better feel for it, I can decide if I want to cut it down and make it a "Ranch" gun or keep it long and maybe replace the stock on it at a later date for a coyote gun. There is a big hay barn out in the middle of a field that is great for sniping coyotes out of. Shot opportunities go out to 1,000 yards which is well past my capability.

I understand the barrel issue, but why 16? why not 18?

What are the velocity differences from 22 to 16?