6.5 Grendel Semi-Auto Options: Please Help

I feel like if you don't trust a 5.56 AR-15 in terms of reliability, you probably won't be happy with a 6.5 Grendel. From what I can tell (and in my own experience with my Grendel), they aren't as reliable as a standard AR-15. Most of this seems to be magazine related, and I've had to manually tweak the lips on every one of my magazines to get my Grendel to cycle reliably.

Over the years I have watched several of DNS's videos. I've never seen him have a problem with his AR 6.5gren in feeding issues. My Dad and I both use the 6.8 SPC (dad is superhunt54) in AR's and I have found it about the best all around hog gun I have used out to 200 or so yards. Now he also has the .458 SOCOM which will lay waste to about any animal walking this Earth out to 150 or so yards! I don't like it all that much but he loves that rambunctious beast. He also has several other AR's and my brother has a few himself. Living here in Illinois reduces our use of them since they aren't legal to hunt with except for coyotes (figure that one out and explain it to me and I'll be happy) but we all travel a lot with the old man on hunting trips for hogs so they get used well. While my own personal experience is somewhat limited with the 6.5gren, I have observed several in use on some of our hunts and have seen many hogs dropped with them. Never seen one used past 230 yards but seeing the ballistic data on it I see it being capable of 500 yards with plenty of energy left over. I do feel 800 would be stretching it's limits (as well as the shooters) a bit to much.

primalmu said:

I feel like if you don't trust a 5.56 AR-15 in terms of reliability, you probably won't be happy with a 6.5 Grendel. From what I can tell (and in my own experience with my Grendel), they aren't as reliable as a standard AR-15. Most of this seems to be magazine related, and I've had to manually tweak the lips on every one of my magazines to get my Grendel to cycle reliably.

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Definitely true - 6.5 Grendel reliability is worse than 5.56 reliability by a large amount.

Yep, the only Grendel AR15 problems I have with reliability is shooting other people's reloads.

I build a 6.5 for similar reasons a few years ago. I'm very happy with my choice, and I went with an 18 inch barrel. It's not that you with loose much accuracy with the 16, just that for terminal ballistics and for 800 yards you want the extra velocity. I have an a bull barrel, but with a carbon fiber handguard, and it is nicely balanced with a fixed stock. If I had to do it over I would still get an 18, and maybe flute it if it has a heavy profile. When I was west two years ago I set up clays from 300 to 500 yards. I got first shot hits on every clay pigeon at 300, most of them at 400 and took 2-3 shots to hit the ones at 500. All shooting from the prone unsupported with a sling. I don't think there is a semi auto platform in the price range of a 6.5 AR that will do any better than that. So go ahead and build what you want and get out and have fun. Don't skimp on optics the trigger. Getting a great trigger was the best $300 I ever spent on guns, there is a night and day difference between a good trigger and a regular AR trigger.

As far as "anti personnel", I'm not worried about a long range weapon for that. I have arms for SHTF scenarios for what I would need, close up work. As far as a 400 yard rifle for hog and deer, you would be fine with a 16 inch barrel as long as you yourself was capable of the shot. AA makes some pretty good rifles. DNS touched on a pretty good subject about factory loads. Since this cartridge was specifically designed around the AR platform, the factory loads are fairly specific as well. I reload, my old man reloads, everyone in our family reloads. I don't think anyone in our family have bought more than a box or 2 of something new on the market for testing other than .22 ammo in many years. But I think with the 6.5 gren, I would probably start off with a couple of boxes of whatever DNS recommended for hog's, being he is kind of an expert with the round, and then make up some reloads for myself and customize them to my particular rifle.

VEPR offers a 6.5G rifle. Nothing you need to do to it, but shoot it.