6.5 Grendel

kg4kpg · Oct 23, 2013

So, who shoots and/or has built your own 6.5? Now that furlough #2 is over, I hope to make a speedy money recovery and start building a 6.5 with an upper and lower I have. Not going to hurry since I know it will be expensive. I think I want to go with a 20" or 22" barrel, the fixed stock from my dissapator rifle, and who knows what else. Nice trigger kit maybe.

Paco · Oct 23, 2013

I have one. Mine is 16". 20"-24" is optimal from what I understand.
You need to reload this round. Hornady is at least 1.25$ a round.
Buy a good bolt from Alexander Arms or AR15performance.com

This is what happens when you buy cheap bolts:

Failed after 17 rounds.

It does suppress well. Excellent BC on the bullets as well (6.5mm bullets fly nicely)

kg4kpg · Oct 24, 2013

Looks like AR15performance discontinued their 6.5 products. the .264, 6.8, and .300 BLK as well. One thing I've noticed since I started looking at the 6.5 barrels and bolts, they can get pretty expensive. I wasn't planning on a budget build but it may take me longer so I can save more cash. Alexander Arms bolts weren't bad though. I didn't see any barrels on their site.

Dave29461 · Oct 24, 2013

Chris, you can look at Black Hole Weaponry for the barrel and Tactical Ammunition carries the bolts that match their barrels. Not cheap but good. There are 2 types of .264 bolt type 1 is .125 depth on bolt face and is for the 7.62x39 and type II is .135 bolt face depth and is for the 6.5 Grendel and .264LBR. I have three of their barrels and they are great.

Dave

kg4kpg · Oct 27, 2013

Someone selling a .308 lower on Armslist, they really cost that much? Seems high to me.

urbancommandox · Oct 27, 2013

Colt cited numerous problems with the cartridge and wont be making the grendel line they were going to. To bad would of been goodfor the grendel.

Dave29461 · Oct 27, 2013

Chris,
this may be a good place to start.
Stripped upper and lower

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewIt ... =372293785

Lower parts kit

http://www.brownells.com/rifle-parts/re ... 27207.aspx

http://www.brownells.com/rifle-parts/re ... %20xzzx308

Stock

http://www.brownells.com/rifle-parts/st ... %20xzzx308

Tigerstripe · Oct 27, 2013

just my opinion but i decided on the 762x39 upper because of these issues like availabillity, price of ammo and parts, how long they would be around.

i hope to reload 762 with 200 or 220 gr projectiles to use with the suppressor coming. brass donations appreciated. :roll:

by the way i sent the papers Oct. 1 and got recieved reply before the shutdown. the other day Andy told me turn around was expected to be about a year now. :evil:

Tigerstripe · Oct 27, 2013

who is chris?

chris if you are looking for an AR-10 i just looked at 2 on DPMS. one was $1100 the other was $1200. and probably going up from there.

my Armalite carbine was $1350. i got 5 extra mags but dont remember if they were in that price.

kg4kpg · Oct 28, 2013

I'm just weighing all my options. I have a stripped upper and lower I can build a 6.5 on or possibly sell them and a Mossberg 500 I have and start a .308 instead. I'm taking my time since it will take a bit to make up for the savings I lost from the first furlough. They finally back-paid up (thankfully) from the money lost in the shutdown but it was added onto a regular check so they were nice enough to tax the hell out of it.
But on topic, I like what I've been reading on the 6.5. Relatively flat out to 1200 yards. Just not as common as .308. I priced the ammo for both and they aren't much different in price. We'll see. No hurry unless any parts deals fall in my lap I can't refuse.
Chris

rotarymike · Oct 31, 2013

Since the Grendel is becoming less popular (and the 6.8 too) why don't you look into the 300 BLK? Still a larger bullet. Depends I guess on what range you are looking at.

I did still think ARP was making barrels at least. Bolts are hard to come by - I just picked up a second 6.8 bolt just in case.

IMHO if you want long range either build a DMR-style 5.56 (but then marginal stopping power) or an AR-10 variant. Rock River's uses FAL mags, which is a point of issue with many AR-10s.

kg4kpg · Nov 7, 2013

As much as I wouldn't mind going with .308, all I have left to get for the 6.5 is a barrel, bolt, and compensator (if I end up with a threaded barrel). I'm using the smooth free-float tube from my dissapator rifle on the 6.5 as well. I'll be able to get the barrel and bolt after Thanksgiving, then I should be all set. A DMR style barrel isn't off the table though. Not really interested in .300, never saw much ammo on the shelf.

Paco · Nov 13, 2013

Dave29461 said:
Chris, you can look at Black Hole Weaponry for the barrel and Tactical Ammunition carries the bolts that match their barrels. Not cheap but good. There are 2 types of .264 bolt type 1 is .125 depth on bolt face and is for the 7.62x39 and type II is .135 bolt face depth and is for the 6.5 Grendel and .264LBR. I have three of their barrels and they are great.

Dave

The picture I posted is my bolt from TA. However, others have used them without issue. YMMV.

Dave29461 · Nov 13, 2013

Sorry to hear about that. I hadn't heard about bolt failures with TA. I've not used their bolts but was going by the recomendations of people on the BHW forum. I do use the BHW barrels in 308B, 260 Rem and 5.56. With no complaints or regrets except not being able to afford more of them. Did TA stand behind the bolt?

kg4kpg · Nov 13, 2013

I got on the 6.5 Grendel forum as well, lots of good advice over there too. A guy is selling a couple Saturn barrels with bolts for $550'ish, $600 with a muzzle break. No can do for me right now. I have everything to finish except the barrel, BCG and optics but with the holidays they can wait. I'd like to be finished by my birthday in February.

Shrapnel762 · Nov 13, 2013

I hunt with one. sadly I haven't taken anything with it yet so cant comment on performance. I like the flat trajectory and accuracy out of an AR. I've kicked around the idea of switching to 6.8 because of ammo options and availability.

kg4kpg · Nov 13, 2013

If you decide to just do a barrel swap, let me know, maybe we can do a deal. What length is yours? Round count?

kg4kpg · Nov 18, 2013

Wow, quiet on the forum the last four or five days. Seems like there has only been 3 or 4 new threads all weekend.

Anyeway, made some progress on my 6.5. All I have left to add are the barrel, BCG, gas block, compensator, and optics. Hopefully I can be done by my birthday in February.