[arinvolvo]

At the local show, there was a small pistol, similar looking to a KelTec, apparently made by a company called Grendel..

A rather interesting design to me, as there was no removable clip, rather the slide must be locked open, and you load rounds into the grip through the ejection port. Keep in mind, while I am not "new" to handguns, I have had rather limited exposure do vaiations of design etc...

BTW, the pistol was used in decent shape, price was 99....Didnt really look worth 99 to me though...:confused:

[smooth operator]

The way I understand it, the Grendel is the forerunner to thr KelTec P-11. George Kelgren developed both pistols. The Grenel is no longer made & my locasl gunsmith doesn't think much of them.. I guess there are quite a few NIB still around. I have a friend who has a broken one.
Jerry

[yzguy]

it is the father of the P-11...

I wouldn't bother....

Used P-11's for around $150 are not unheard of, look for one of those....

[George Hill]

It would be a fine back up gun to a CCW gun.

[gbelleh]

From what I've heard, the Grendels were not reliable. They made a model with a removable magazine too.

It would be a neat little gun to have in a collection if you're into somewhat unusual guns.

[Hkmp5sd]

and it is a POS. Total, complete junk. Might get 4 rounds fired before a feed failure. Not reliable.

[Chipperman]

Fired one at a "Polar Bear Shoot" last weekend. It was a two-handed stage, where you alternated shots with the Grendel in one hand and a G30 in the other.

It worked reliably for us, but the trigger pull was honestly the heaviest I've ever felt in a handgun. People were putting the first shot in the dirt because they were pulling so hard.

It reminded me of those shooting nighmares you have, where you are trying to shoot but can't pull the trigger. I hate those dreams. :(

[David Roberson]

Hkmp5sd is right. My brother had one of these guns. He got rid of it. It was a POS.

[BamBam-31]

Ask Hunter Rose. ;)

[HerbG]

I bought one new for $100. Interesting design and it functioned reliably with FMJ ammo until the mainspring broke. Spring is like a circular clock spring. When you squeeze the trigger, the spring is compressed. I returned it to be repaired at no cost, and they shipped it back to me via UPS. I liked the Grendel, but it is absolutely the all-time most difficult handgun to strip for cleaning that I've ever encountered.

[Kevlarman]

http://members.aol.com/rllyvncnt/grendel.htm

From a Gunsmith Cats website. :D

[Jim K]

They were intended to be loaded through the top using an M16 clip and a clip guide that was attached while loading. One of each came with the gun.

So there you are, in a gunfight in a dark alley, and you have to reload, so you get out the clip guide and attach it to the pistol, then you get out the loaded clip and fit it into the clip guide, then you strip the rounds from the clip, and then you ..... throw the gun at the bad guy and run like hell!

Yes, it was an unreliable, useless POS.

Jim

[Mannlicher]

I thought all computers with internet access could do search fuctions. Mine does

Gendel:

http://www.vpc.org/resource/content/grendel.htm

http://web4.integraonline.com/~bbroadside/1996_Production.html

arnt computers wonderful? now you dont have to ask silly questions anymore. :p

[alamo]

Good information IF someone had asked about Grendel production figures.

[Hkmp5sd]

Getting gun information from VPC...something weird about that.

[arinvolvo]

Jeez...thanks Man licker. All of those figures and words were exactly what I was looking for you putz.

I wanted some REAL info about them...like personal experience etc..

Try harder next time, and dont be a smart ***.

And thank you to everyone who provided real info about the grendels....I will stay away from them...

[SAWBONES]

Night fiend, monster of the fens and deep, whom Beowulf slew.

[Felonious Monk]

Thanks Sawbones!

Glad to know at least a FEW of us "rabid, half-crazed gun nuts" aren't one-dimensional. :p

[ahadams]

Which brings up the obvious question (well obvious to me, anyway) why hasn't there ever been a rifle or pistol named after the hero of the saga? What would a Beowulf look like? for that matter wouldn't it be fun to watch the antigunners react to an entire line of firearms named after the heros of mythology? the mind boggles!

[arinvolvo]

Monk, true, we are not all one dimensional...however many of us have yet to unveil our "two dimensional"- ness.

ahadams...possibly the reason there hasnt been a firearm named Beowulf is because it isnt all that attractive of a name. And if you want to talk about Beowulf, lets wax poetic of the similarities and parallels to The star wars trilogy.. ;)

[agony]

Speaking of Grendel/Beowulf, did anyone read the 'sequel' to Beowulf titled, I think, "Grendel?"

Also, there was a great but highly-stylized comic book titled "Grendel".... one of the best super-hero/anti-hero designs since the 1980's/Frank Miller era Daredevil.

[arinvolvo]

http://www.thecomicbox.com/review/reviewpics/grendel-bwr1.jpg

[Okiecruffler]

I owned both the grendel P-10 and the P-12. The only mechanical problem I had with either was I needed a replacement mag for the P-12. The little plastic ledge that holds it in was worn down and it would fall free when firing. I didn't have a loading clip for my P-10 (bought it used for $60, got the P-12 for $45) so I lubed it frequently with blood. Trigger pull is measured in kilos rather than pounds. And don't take one apart unless your a grandmaster puzzle solver. Grendel also made the P-30 which was a .22mag pistol, and a .308 bolt action rifle with a folding buttstock that IIRC was called the Beowulf.

[Lone Star]

ahadams-

Don't know about guns, but there ARE good knives named after NORDIC mythological gods. Try www.fallkniven.com and click on, "English" when the main page comes up.

I have the NL2 Odin, and like it very much. These are probably the best production Bowies made. Smaller ones are also in the line, as routine camping/hunting knives.

It's worth a trip to this wonderful site just to see the background painting for the NL1 model. (I think that one is the Tor/Thor.) (You have to click on the small photo of the knife on the purple background to see the larger photo with the background painting.)

Lone Star

P.S. Sawbones, you beat me to it. I thought I was the only one irreverant enough to make the "Beowulf" quip. Some of you guys are considerably more sophisticated than the public think we "gun people" are...

[David Roberson]

There's also a Beowulf in the gun world, too. It's a .50-caliber upper receiver for the AR rifles -- the .50 Beowulf.

[Okiecruffler]

The Grendel rifle was called the SRT-20F, you can see how easily it is to make that mistake. They made several versions of the P-30 with different barrel lengths and removable muzzle breaks. They also made a carbine (R-31) in .22mag with a 30rd, 16 inch barrel with muzzle break, and a telescoping tubular stock. Kelgren may not be as great as JMB, but he sure has some interesting ideas.