6.5 Grendel

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Is anyone else here working with the 6.5 Grendel? I have been using them for 2-3 years now, and really like the cartridge. I have learned alot from trial and error, but overall find it a really neat rig.

It has about 20% more recoil than the 5.56, but seems to have about 80% of the energy impact on steel plates as the 7.62x51. Seems to be a great compromise to me.
 
For the amount of dicking around one has to do to get one going, setup and running properly (on this side of the border at least) it is easier to just go with .308. (imho)
 
It's kind of like the VHS vs BETA scenario..
BETA was a better format but VHS was better marketed so everyone went that way. From a military perspective, I would have preferred 6.5 or 6.8 over 5.56 and there are/were a few countries that looked at that option. 6.5 & 6.8 have better ballistic characteristics than 5.56 and are lighter and smaller than the 7.62, what's not to like? It would great to see more rifles available in 6.5 & 6.8 but I guess it's whether the companies can make it marketable.
 
Grendel is nice in ballistics, precision, low recoil...but like most new cartridges it sucks donkey's in the all-important LOGISTICS area. If it's not easily available, it's not as useful as say an SKS with a crate. Or a Chinese M-14 and a crate. Or an AR-15 and a crate. Or a crate with a crate. No, wait...
 
What's difficult to get? You can use a 7.62x39 bolt, anyone can make you a barrel and the brass is made by Lapua, all easily available. Mags might be a problem I guess, but if CProducts (just checked, they do) makes a limited mag they'll ship it straight to your door.

I for one have been wanting a 6.5 for awhile but It's not in the budget unfortunately. Do agree that more people would jump on board if the AR was non-restricted, would make a great hunting rig.
 
what i'm working on right now is sort of a 6.5grendal , necked up to 30 cailber , and made to headspace on a 7.62x39 headspace gauges .

the idea is to be able to shoot the surplus stuff , but then also use the "hig power grendal rounds " for hunting .


i definately agree that the 6.5 gredal would take right off if the ar was to become nonrestricted ......... but wo would the wssm line of cartridges in various sizes .
 
Leg said:
What's difficult to get? You can use a 7.62x39 bolt, anyone can make you a barrel and the brass is made by Lapua, all easily available.
Click to expand...

A true 6.5 Grendel bolt has about .011" more headspace than a 7.62X39 Bolt. This is the difference between a true Grendel and the 6.5CSS ( use to be a Grendel licencee )

A 6.5 Grendel bolt in a 7.62X39 won't fire off the primer...barely dents. A 7.62X39 bolt will not close over a Grendel case in a grendel chamber

I couldn't resist trying !

I have built 6.5 Grendel on both Saber Defense and Satern barrels. Both came with Grendel bolt from Alexander Arms ( a requirement of Licencing agreement ), both of which are NOT the same as 7.62X39 bolt

Don't know why people complain about "hard to get components".....6.5 bullets a plenty at all local gunstores Only have to buy dies once and when you get brass...suprisingly easy to find...buy more than a dozen and you won't have to worry about it for a long time

Since you can make 6.5 Grendel easily from 7.36X39 ( my fireforming load is only notch below my 6.5G load ) all components are easy to find
 
TRG-42 said:
Both came with Grendel bolt from Alexander Arms ( a requirement of Licencing agreement ), both of which are NOT the same as 7.62X39 bolt
Click to expand...

There's the rub (with me at least). Not sure why AA holds onto this. That and the fact a good many have reliability issues will keep me away.
If I go with a wildcat cartridge on the AR platform it will be 6XC.
 
One of the difficulties is that there are currently 3 variations of the "Grendel" that I am aware of. There is the original 6.5 Grendel owned by Alexander Arms. They require a licensing fee for anyone wanting to use the actual Grendel reamers, and call the cartridge Grendel. The next one was the 6.5CSS that has a little different neck, and finally the 264 LBC that is similar to the 6.5CSS. All three fire in the rifles I have. One is an Alexander Arms rifle, one is a rifle assembled with a Lothar Walther 6.5CSS barrel. Headspace on both rifles is within 1.5 thou on either rifle so sizing cases isn't a problem at all.

You can make brass out of 7.62x39, but when I tried it, I found it wasn't cost effective. The large primer pockets don't last nearly as long as the Lapua small primer brass. Necks crack sooner. And having to fire form the cases, costs powder, bullet, and primer. The savings of free brass is pretty well eaten up by the components to fire form, and the brass just doesn't last well. So I never did it again. I suppose if I had thousands of free 7.63x39 cases, it would be worth the work though.

The Grendel necked down to 6mm I think is called the 6mm turbo...and it is a neat cartridge.
 
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