6.5 Grendel ammunition warning

[beltfed]

The 123gr. bullets really are at the top of the range in my opinion - velocities need to be curbed accordingly.
The Lapua 100gr. Scenars in Lapua brass is the ideal base for the Grendel round.
Stick with a good quality bolt like the LMT enhanced and keep your pressures and velocities within reason and this round performs great.

 

[mileageman]

The limited case capacity has always had me wondering why guys jumped on this so quickly as the new top dog in an AR-15 size action. On paper it seems really limited as a hunting round even though it has fantastic long range target potential. I'm still not convinced it's better than a 6.8SPC when it comes to hunting. But then again I don't have a lot of experience with the 6.8 and have never shot a 6.5G (waiting for my second MS upper to arrive).
It's a neat little cartridge that I'm looking forward to experimenting with. Definitely an improvement on it's parent

Here in Canada at least the reason for a 6.5G vs a 6.8spc is easy to explain for a ATRS MS or Maccabee SLR. There are no commercially available 6.8spc barrels that are longer than 18.6in. I can point you too at least 6 or 7 different barrel manufacturers that are available off the shelf in Canada for 6.5G.

 

[Brian46]

Here in Canada at least the reason for a 6.5G vs a 6.8spc is easy to explain for a ATRS MS or Maccabee SLR. There are no commercially available 6.8spc barrels that are longer than 18.6in. I can point you too at least 6 or 7 different barrel manufacturers that are available off the shelf in Canada for 6.5G.

You can order a 19" and longer from McGowan in 6.8spc (270)

 

[Brian46]

The limited case capacity has always had me wondering why guys jumped on this so quickly as the new top dog in an AR-15 size action. On paper it seems really limited as a hunting round even though it has fantastic long range target potential. I'm still not convinced it's better than a 6.8SPC when it comes to hunting. But then again I don't have a lot of experience with the 6.8 and have never shot a 6.5G (waiting for my second MS upper to arrive).
It's a neat little cartridge that I'm looking forward to experimenting with. Definitely an improvement on it's parent

The Rem 30ar is the top dog in an AR15 action

 

[cr5]

The Rem 30ar is the top dog in an AR15 action

According to you, and I'm not arguing it's performance, but who else has one? They are rare and by top dog I mean most popular among the masses. If the 30AR doesn't catch on soon it will fade away like all the others. Maybe it's more popular south of the border but I've never seen a retailer around here with factory ammo on the shelf. Yet I saw 224 Valkyrie was on the shelf at Canadian Tire months ago? It's weird.

I don't understand how one cartridge takes off while another with better performance just fades away. This happens all the time with different cartridges. 6.8SPC never really caught on, even ones like my 7SAUM which outperforms the 7WSM yet the 7WSM is still going while the SAUM is rare.
All I can figure is that it must be more to do with how well a company advertises, they just convince people it's the best without any real world proof and if people fall for it the cartridge takes off.

 

[Brian46]

I'm talking actual performance, not popularity.

I just bought 400rnds from a Canadian retailer the other day, already delivered to my home.

 

[mileageman]

You can order a 19" and longer from McGowan in 6.8spc (270)

McGowan 6.8spc would be a custom order option, like getting one made by a gunsmith. 6.5G available off the shelf by many manufacturers.

 

[Brian46]

McGowan 6.8spc would be a custom order option, like getting one made by a gunsmith. 6.5G available off the shelf by many manufacturers.

my point was, it's available. I guess that is why certain calibers are not as common, we leave that choice up to retailers for us by what they stock their shelves with rather than the intended purpose we have for the rifle

 

[cr5]

I'm talking actual performance, not popularity.

I just bought 400rnds from a Canadian retailer the other day, already delivered to my home.

This is what I'm talking about.

Quote from wikipedia

Remington was the only company that manufactured this ammunition and its components.[3] The cartridge was a commercial failure and has been discontinued by Remington.


More from Wiki

The rim size is.492" and because the round generates 55,000 psi, Remington opted to use a .308 rifle bolt in a 5.56 sized rifle for increased case support.[4] With a 150 grain bullet, the round travels at 2575 fps.[5]

Does your 30AR use the 308 bolt or an opened up 223 bolt?

And when I think performance other factors enter my mind, things like how with a 150gr projectile you're getting close to 308win performance but it sounds like 125gr is what the cartridge was designed around which doesn't give any options for a projectile with a good ballistic coefficient. Your limited to under 500 yards which is where if falls behind the 6.5G. So in some aspects it's the top dog, but in others it's not so great.


Take the 30AR and continue necking it down to a 6.5 and you've got a real winner in my opinion.

 

[Brian46]

This is what I'm talking about.

Quote from wikipedia

Remington was the only company that manufactured this ammunition and its components.[3] The cartridge was a commercial failure and has been discontinued by Remington.


More from Wiki

The rim size is.492" and because the round generates 55,000 psi, Remington opted to use a .308 rifle bolt in a 5.56 sized rifle for increased case support.[4] With a 150 grain bullet, the round travels at 2575 fps.[5]

Does your 30AR use the 308 bolt or an opened up 223 bolt?

And when I think performance other factors enter my mind, things like how with a 150gr projectile you're getting close to 308win performance but it sounds like 125gr is what the cartridge was designed around which doesn't give any options for a projectile with a good ballistic coefficient. Your limited to under 500 yards which is where if falls behind the 6.5G. So in some aspects it's the top dog, but in others it's not so great.


Take the 30AR and continue necking it down to a 6.5 and you've got a real winner in my opinion.

My rifle uses a custom ar15 bolt made out of S7 steel built specifically for my conversion. S7 is stronger than carpenter and 9310.

As for the cartridge being discontinued by remington, that is false, years after its release and supposed failure, they brought out a new loading in their hog hammer line and I continue to purchase all five of their loadings here in canada

The 30ar has 20-25% more case capacity than the grendel.

 

[Brian46]

When the ACR was first announced by remmington, 30ar was one of the calibers that it was to come in along with 450 and 6.8spc.

30ar was a dud simply due to remington group stopping everything to build AR's for all the panic buying in the USA at the time. They are now slowly churning out what they promised many years ago.

 

[cr5]

When the ACR was first announced by remmington, 30ar was one of the calibers that it was to come in along with 450 and 6.8spc.

30ar was a dud simply due to remington group stopping everything to build AR's for all the panic buying in the USA at the time. They are now slowly churning out what they promised many years ago.

Remington just about killed the ACR at the same time.
Would be cool to see a NR factory 30AR conversion come out for it.

The 30AR needs to be made into a 6.5AR so some more streamlined projectiles can be used. It would perform almost as well as the 6.5CM and still fit in an AR-15 size rifle.

 

[Brian46]

Remington just about killed the ACR at the same time.
Would be cool to see a NR factory 30AR conversion come out for it.

The 30AR needs to be made into a 6.5AR so some more streamlined projectiles can be used. It would perform almost as well as the 6.5CM and still fit in an AR-15 size rifle.

you can Wildcat one. It is unlikely remington will take a chance on loading a bunch of ammo types for guys who won't even try 30ar because wiki says it's dead

I would rather see a NR version of the POF revolution. If they can make a 308 rifle in an ar15 sized package, so can everyone else

 

[Anomaly]

The 30ar has 20-25% more case capacity than the grendel.

Also has 10-15% more energy than Grendel, so I think it's a better straight up hunting cartridge, but unfortunately the projectile choices have pretty lackluster ballistic coefficients compared to Grendel. Grendel hits a nice balance between hunting/target shooting because of the higher BC projectiles available.

 

[cr5]

you can Wildcat one. It is unlikely remington will take a chance on loading a bunch of ammo types for guys who won't even try 30ar because wiki says it's dead

I would rather see a NR version of the POF revolution. If they can make a 308 rifle in an ar15 sized package, so can everyone else

I won't try a 30AR even though it's a better hunting round because it's lacking in other areas I value.
I don't need it for hunting because I don't hunt big game with my black rifles. I have a hunting rifle that stomps any cartridge you can stick in your black rifle.
So for me the 30AR offers nothing I need, a supercharged 6.5 in an AR-15 sized rifle would be much more attractive to me.

Also has 10-15% more energy than Grendel, so I think it's a better straight up hunting cartridge, but unfortunately the projectile choices have pretty lackluster ballistic coefficients compared to Grendel. Grendel hits a nice balance between hunting/target shooting because of the higher BC projectiles available.

I still feel like the Grendel is a little lacking as a hunting cartridge. It may have great ballistics but the velocity is a little low for proper bullet expansion, hopefully the bullet manufacturers develop some thinner skinned projectiles that expand at lower velocities like they did for the 300BLK.

 

[Brian46]

I won't try a 30AR even though it's a better hunting round because it's lacking in other areas I value.
I don't need it for hunting because I don't hunt big game with my black rifles. I have a hunting rifle that stomps any cartridge you can stick in your black rifle.
So for me the 30AR offers nothing I need, a supercharged 6.5 in an AR-15 sized rifle would be much more attractive to me.

it is never a "need" with hunting that determines what rifles we use for what hunts, personal choice is how we decide what we hunt with

I will use 338 or 50bmg if I am hunting areas where I expect to be presented with long range shot, however I wouldn't carry them for regular spot and stock, thicker brush, etc.

Surprised the companies producing NR receiver sets are not all over trying to make their own version of the POF revolution to be honest.

 

[cr5]

it is never a "need" with hunting that determines what rifles we use for what hunts, personal choice is how we decide what we hunt with

I will use 338 or 50bmg if I am hunting areas where I expect to be presented with long range shot, however I wouldn't carry them for regular spot and stock, thicker brush, etc.

Surprised the companies producing NR receiver sets are not all over trying to make their own version of the POF revolution to be honest.

Well I don't need a NR black rifle in 30AR because I don't hunt big game with underpowered or borderline underpowered cartridges just because I can when I have a hunting rifle that weighs the same as an AR but carries a cartridge that will knock down any critter I point it at within 700 yards.
I've hunted deer with black rifles and with my DT SRS 338 Lapua and it was fun but practicality has taken over to some extent when it comes to hunting these days. 30AR is almost useful to me and maybe if I didn't already have NR semis is 223, 308, 6.5CM, 6.5G, and 300BLK I might give it a try.

Maybe in time the companies making NR receiver sets will start modifying their product to better support some of the less mainstream cartridges but for now I'm content that they are making what they are. When they get caught up with demand I hope they do start experimenting.
By they I mean ATRS, I have no interest in any NR ARish products from anyone else. At least not till a new company starts up that actually does a good job.

 

[Brian46]

I think Troy will have their NR 556 rifle out and I will have converted it long before atrs has product on the shelf to sell unfortunately

 

[Brian46]

Master of arms has a 3.6lb ar. The average person I see hunting in BC has a 300win of some manufacture that is not light by any means, probably 10 lbs after optics, shell holder, limb saver, etc

 

[cr5]

Master of arms has a 3.6lb ar. The average person I see hunting in BC has a 300win of some manufacture that is not light by any means, probably 10 lbs after optics, shell holder, limb saver, etc

How much do your NR black rifles weigh? Doesn't matter what some book says, none of my AR's or ARish rifles are anywhere near 4 pounds, lets try to stay in reality please.
Even my FX-9 is 7.2 pounds with just an Aimpoint T-1, I doubt there's much more to take away from it without buying some carbon fiber.
And those 300win rifles you see being carried around will take a deer at 700 yards, I wouldn't be using a 30AR on an animal past 300 yards (and that would be absolute max).

I just don't understand why you're so determined to hunt with a black rifle when there are so many better options out there.
And what about the rest of the year? Do you have fun black rifles that don't cost over a buck a shot to play with?

Anyway, this thread was about a 6.5G ammo warning I found not a sales pitch for a cartridge very few people have much need or interest in. What works for you isn't always what works for everyone else.
Enjoy your 30AR, it's an interesting cartridge but it fails to fill a couple of the check-boxes I have when shopping for a new caliber to put in one of my rifles.