02-05-2020, 04:30 PM
(This post was last modified: 02-05-2020, 04:33 PM by lazyengineer.)
LRRPF52 Wrote:My lightweight Lilja Grendel barrels would match or out-shoot your Shilen .223 barrel.
I've rapid-fired full magazines into the head of 18" Sils at that distance off the bipod on a concrete bench, to the point it wasn't really much of a challenge.
If you really want to smoke that course of fire though, you need to look at the 6mm AR with 107s or whatever new hotness 6mm bullets there are.
You get the same speed and better ToF than .223, with way higher BC, and a very flat trajectory.
If someone is looking at this as a solid Grendel vs .223 Wylde conclusion, they shouldn't, and should pay very close attention to the fact you recognize that this is a Shilen vs economy barrel really, though the .223 Wylde will have flat trajectory and the newer high BC .224" bullets are more competitive than 69gr or 77gr SMKs.
If I was pursuing the paper discipline, I would definitely invest in at least 2 6mm ARs and do all the brass-prep and fire-forming necessary for that.
I personally really enjoy the immediate feedback from steel, and do a lot of field positions in unmolested terrain out in the Mountain West region, so the Grendel is Goldilocks for that since there is a ton of factory ammo and the projectile weights impact the steel with enough authority to hear the hits even out to much farther distances.
None of that impact energy matters on paper, as long as it groups well, so there is a distinct difference.
Thanks for the detailed report. Would love to see it with a Shilen, Lilja, Krieger, Criterion, or Bartlein Grendel and 123gr ELD-M, SMK, or Scenar. 120gr Scenar-L would be another good bullet, as would the 107gr SMK.
Excellent reply and thank you! Fully agree on all points. I did expect the Team BBL to shoot a little better, but that may not actually BE the barrel; as there is much more involved. Next time I get the chance, I'll put the Grendel upper on my lead-weighted A2 competition lower, which should help tame some of the recoil. And I may even run a sling. I suspect the notable rebound "gun-launch" of a relatively light rifle from bipod on concrete, may well have been a factor. It's interesting that the lighter 95 gr bullet shot best. And my very best results tend to be with 90 gr TNT's (not fired at 600 this day). It's curious to note how the lower the bullet weight (and so lower the recoil), the better this particular shooter seem to group.
For me, I like Grendel because I view it as the ultimate do-all round. Which is why I used it at this competition in its nominal configuration. I like Grendel because it should have performance, and also has ass to do something when it gets there. How did the do-all gun do? It does decent. I think with practice and effort it can do even better. If I were to go back next week and had to compete with it, I would take my 95's, and would hope to break a 190 score out of 200 - I think I could and that would be Master level score. I don't know if I can break High Master (97%) with it like I can with a National Match .223; but if I loaded the rounds to the lands (i.e. single load length only), put it on a heavy NM A2 leaded stock .... then maybe.
Regarding gongs, I find Gong's much more satisfying as well! And agree - I find trying to shoot .223 at 500 yard gongs means you better have a friend spotting - because with .223 direct hits can be so weak as to not be even noticed on your own! Grendel hits a lot harder. But for me at least, I noticed that when I shoot gongs I've found it easy to mind-convince myself I'm doing better than maybe I really am. 14 out of 20 shots being hit makes me think I'm doing great, and those 6 misses were easy for me to just neglect. With actual paper and a score-keeping sitting behind me scoring every shot; I don't get to do that (and 7's are damned expensive!). AND I get to see just where they are going!
Many people's goal is to win the competition. I sure want to too; and when it matters I bring the A game. But I shoot competition because I just plain love to shoot; and love to tinker. So I'll show up with gear that isn't quiiiite all perfect, because I'm trying to test something. I'm guessing a lot of us can related to that!
