Newest 6.5 Grendel Build

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I just finished up a 6.5 Grendel build this past week. I did not hold back and bought mostly high-quality components from reputable manufacturers. I still need to shoot it to make sure everything works without issue and then I'll dimple the barrel, possibly pin the gas block, and install the muzzle device. That's why the red thread protector is still on the end of the barrel.

I also need a scope... does anyone have suggestions? I would love a Primary Arms scope with the ACSS reticle calibrated for 6.5 Grendel, but they do not offer it for 6.5 Grendel. I will mainly be using it for long-range shooting while plinking on the range. I will also use it for deer.

The build looks sharp and everything fit perfectly. The only issue I have is that I cannot access the gas block for adjustments unless I remove the handguard. Pretty minor considering that I will probably shoot it, get it tuned, and then set it and forget it. However, it would still be nice to access it quickly if I throw a can on it and want to adjust the gas.

Anyways, below are the components that I selected and a few pictures. I included the prices at the time of my purchase. The majority of items came from Primary Arms. Some came from Cheaper Than Dirt. I bought the trigger brand new from an individual on AR15.com. Some of the components were on sale at the time; as such, current prices may be different on some or all of the items.

-Aero Precision Gen 2 FDE Lower- $54.88
-Aero Precision M4E1 Enhanced Upper Receiver- $119.99
-Aero Precision 15" Enhanced M-Lok Handguard Gen2- $129.99
-Aero Precision Billet Trigger Guard- $13.52
-DPMS Lower Parts Kit (minus trigger)- $31.39
-Geissele SSA-E 2-stage Trigger- $155.00
-Faxon Firearms Match Series 20" Rifle Length Heavy Fluted Barrel- $275.04
-Faxon Firearms Bolt Carrier Group- $125.40
-Magpul UBR Gen 2 Stock- $159.99
-Magpul MOE K2+ Pistol Grip- $19.95
-Radian Raptor Ambidextrous Charging Handle- $60.00
-Seekins Precision Low Profile Adjustable Gas Block- $57.00
-Spikes Tactical Melonited Rifle Length Gas Tube- $12.96
-CMMG Carbine Buffer Spring- $4.03
-TacFire 4.9oz Buffer- $9.97
-VG6 Precision Gamma 6.5 Muzzle Brake- $49.99
TOTAL: $1,279.10 + tax & shipping

Rifle 1.jpg
Rifle 2.jpg Rifle 3.jpg
 
Nice lookin' rifle! Can't you get at the gas block adjustments through the handguard slots?

If the gas block was forward about 1/2" or back about 1/2", I would be able to easily access it through the handguard slots. However, there is a piece of the handguard directly over the gas block adjustment screw making it inaccessable... go figure!
 
Drill a hole through the side of the handguard to offer access to the gas block. A long wrench from the front works fine for some, but the Seekins is a side adjust screw. Lay it out and make it look obviously intentional. Either drill a round port, or hog a dimple into the side of one of the mlok slots to reveal the screw. Easy peasy, and works like a charm.
 
should be a fantastic rig!

Time to get out the drill... Bummer one of the slots doesn't line up..

Drill a hole through the side of the handguard to offer access to the gas block. A long wrench from the front works fine for some, but the Seekins is a side adjust screw. Lay it out and make it look obviously intentional. Either drill a round port, or hog a dimple into the side of one of the mlok slots to reveal the screw. Easy peasy, and works like a charm.
thirded, that's why I did on my 300aac upper.
I'd paint the raw aluminum on the hole black instead of trying to match the cerakote.
 
I have recently started thinking about a 6.5 grendel build and this has given me some inspiration. What kind of magazines are you planning on using?
 
UPDATE: After some trial and error, I discovered that I am able to adjust the gas block without having to drill through the handguard. I can still turn the screw even at an angle.

I took it to the range and got it all tuned. I wasn’t going for accuracy, just function. I turned the gas off and then opened 1/2 turn. I fired and had to manually eject the first round. I then opened up the port 1/2 turn more. The spent casing extracted, but it did not lock back. I then opened it up 1/2 turn more three more times and then it had enough gas to extract the spent case and lock back. I then gave it another 1/8 turn so it would have a little more gas in case it got bogged down. I then fired a mag of two rounds without issue. I then screwed in the gas block set screw to lock the adjustment in place. Then, I loaded the mag with three rounds and fired them in quick succession without issue. The rifle is super enjoyable to shoot. It’s not super loud and the recoil is only slightly more than a .223. It seems plenty accurate. All the shots were about the size of a fist. I was only at 50 yards; however, I was using the Magpul plastic flip up sight which are not super precise and I wasn’t concerned about accuracy since I wanted to ensure reliability and tune the gas setting.

In total, I fired ten rounds. I thought everything went super smoothly. Now, I’m going to dimple the barrel for the set screws and then test it again to make sure nothing got out of whack. Then I’ll call it good.

I still need to get a scope. Are there any 6.5 Grendel specific scopes out there?


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I have recently started thinking about a 6.5 grendel build and this has given me some inspiration. What kind of magazines are you planning on using?

I bought a couple ASC magazines. One is a 26 rounder and the other (the one that I used for testing) is a 15 rounder. I bought both of them from Primary Arms. I’ll probably pick up a couple more 15 rounders as they seem more practical since they’re straight and aren’t as awkward when firing from the bench or in a prone position. I’ll mainly use this rifle for long range shooting and hunting so I don’t have a need or desire for 26 rounders.
 
I have a Vortex Viper PST 2.5-10x32 FFP on my 20” 6.8 SPC II and feel it is matched really well for its use and range. The 6.5 and 6.8 are very similar.
 
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I think you'll be happy with a PA LVPO. Go for one that has the KISS reticle. It's a simple reticle with a chevron and hash marks at 2 and 3 mils.
 
If the gas block was forward about 1/2" or back about 1/2", I would be able to easily access it through the handguard slots. However, there is a piece of the handguard directly over the gas block adjustment screw making it inaccessable... go figure!
Drill a hole, what I did..
What I got for my very similar 6.5 Creedmore build on an AR10 frame size, most components other than barrell are same :
https://www.amazon.com/Vortex-Optics-Viper-6-24x50-Riflescope/dp/B013XRQLNQ
 
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I still need to get a scope. Are there any 6.5 Grendel specific scopes out there?

Don’t bother with a “caliber specific” or otherwise bullet drop compensating (BDC) reticle. It’s only a gimmick, preying upon folks who don’t know better and don’t really need what they think they need from their scopes. They’ll only slow you down in the field and will rob you of developing real marksmanship skills. Pick up a proper milling/MOA’ing reticle and live happy.

Right now, crazy low prices are available on Bushnell Nitro and Forge scopes, first focal plane with milling or MOA’ing reticles. I ordered a Nitro recently on this sale, excited to stick it on top of a 243win specialty pistol. For a long range Grendel build on a budget, these would be my lowest choices. The Vortex Viper HSLR 6-24x FFP is a viable option for about $650 as well (MOA based reticle), and a good scope for the money. I had one on a Grendel for a while myself, shot a few PRS and long range progressive matches with it, as well as took my buck 4yrs ago with it before a colleague took the rifle over. The PST is a bit better scope with more appropriate features, for a bit more cost. For around $1000, I highly recommend the Bushnell DMR II.
 
Don’t bother with a “caliber specific” or otherwise bullet drop compensating (BDC) reticle. It’s only a gimmick, preying upon folks who don’t know better and don’t really need what they think they need from their scopes. They’ll only slow you down in the field and will rob you of developing real marksmanship skills. Pick up a proper milling/MOA’ing reticle and live happy.

Right now, crazy low prices are available on Bushnell Nitro and Forge scopes, first focal plane with milling or MOA’ing reticles. I ordered a Nitro recently on this sale, excited to stick it on top of a 243win specialty pistol. For a long range Grendel build on a budget, these would be my lowest choices. The Vortex Viper HSLR 6-24x FFP is a viable option for about $650 as well (MOA based reticle), and a good scope for the money. I had one on a Grendel for a while myself, shot a few PRS and long range progressive matches with it, as well as took my buck 4yrs ago with it before a colleague took the rifle over. The PST is a bit better scope with more appropriate features, for a bit more cost. For around $1000, I highly recommend the Bushnell DMR II.

Do you recommend first or second focal plane?
 
Do you recommend first or second focal plane?

For long range, field shooting, I strongly recommend first focal. For known distance (fixed distance shooting), it’s largely irrelevant, as you’ll shoot the same magnification all of the time, and really, in those circumstances, you don’t need a graduated reticle at all - like benchrest or Service Rifle. But for any variable range shooting, mid-long range hunting or precision rifle competition as examples, you’ll want your reticle to give you info, and you’ll want it to stay consistent with magnification. Say I’m shooting a prairie dog at 643 yards in a 14mph crosswind - I dial 3.3 on the turret and hold 1.4 on the horizontal, send it. No wait, I have an SFP and I’m on 18x instead of 21x, what am I supposed to hold? My reticle is bigger relative to the target than at 21x, so now I have to divide 1.4 by 21 and multiply by 18, 1.2 instead of 1.4. Damn, the prairie dog went down into the hole again while I was correcting my wind hold. Or worse, I sent it at 1.4x, forgetting to correct, and I missed by .2mil (4.6”) - and maybe it was a deer instead of a prairie dog... so instead of a heart shot, I missed by 4.6” (plus half of my 5” group size), and slipped it between his lung and liver...

SFP’s work, but they require more math to do the job than an FFP, which means more diligence by the shooter, and more time.
 
Do you recommend first or second focal plane?

In regards to FFP and SFP, the benefits of FFP only come into effect IF the shooter is willing to learn how to range targets with the reticle. Otherwise, it has downsides, namely being the very thin reticle at low powers and at high power it will be thicker and obscure more of the target. So, I always tell people who are asking about FFP and SFP a few questions:

Are you going to learn how to range with your reticle? You have to be able to correctly determine a known size near the target being shot at and be able to calculate with your reticle the distance before adjusting for your drop and wind. That is a required precursor in my mind to get a FFP scope, because if one is going to use a laser range finder then the FFP has disadvantages. FFP scopes are more expensive, there are more options for SFP scopes. FFP scopes are the only way to go for military for the obvious reasons of multiple threats at different distances, with little time to make adjustments for the shots; snipers in the military know their reticles better than their significant others faces though.

Now it sounds like I don't like FFP scopes, not at all; it just depends truly on the shooter that is going to use the scope. I have both types of scopes (and as mentioned above a FFP for my 6.8), for big game hunting I'm not using FFP scopes, I don't like the thinness of the reticle at low powers and don't like how thick it is at high power magnification, but to each his own. But for precision rifle shooting or places where one doesn't have the time to setup a shot with a lasered distance or known distance and have spent the time learning to use the reticle MIL/MOA ranging, it makes sense.

I don't know @giggitygiggity from Adam, I don't know what type of shooting he aspires to do. But I would suggest him to really read up on scopes and make the decision after looking through both a FFP and SFP scope of the desired magnification range and see how the reticle looks.
 
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@<*(((>< has focused only on one largely outmoded use for FFP, graduated reticles. It’s patently false to say FFP’s are ONLY valuable if you’ll be rangefinding with your reticle.

“Milling” used to be a critical skill, but very few folks are still ranging targets with their reticle. A far, far larger number of folks are holding over with their reticle for range compensation and even more are holding wind corrections on the horizontal stadia with graduated reticles.

I spelled out, specifically, the use of a graduated reticle above for wind compensation in my post above, and also specifically how SFP reticles introduce complication over FFP.

Have a pair of coyotes at 200 yards, wanna shoot both? One’s gonna drop, one’s gonna run, so you’re going to have to hold over as he runs away. You’ll even have to lead it a bit, most likely. With an SFP, you’ll have to know your trajectory and wind deflections, but you’ll also have to do math in the field, on the fly, to figure out your holds as the range moves out, and calibrate your scaling against the wind hold and mover lead. With an FFP, you simply need to know your trajectory and wind response, no corrections or calibrations needed.

To be honest, if a guy is skilled with the math behind rangefinding with a reticle and is knowledgeable enough to calibrate their magnification range, it’s defensible to say an SFP is actually more accurate for rangefinding. But that’s largely where the benefit ends.
 
It’s patently false to say FFP’s are ONLY valuable if you’ll be rangefinding with your reticle.

Agreed, shouldn't have said it the way I did.

Have a pair of coyotes at 200 yards, wanna shoot both? One’s gonna drop, one’s gonna run, so you’re going to have to hold over as he runs away. You’ll even have to lead it a bit, most likely. With an SFP, you’ll have to know your trajectory and wind deflections, but you’ll also have to do math in the field, on the fly, to figure out your holds as the range moves out, and calibrate your scaling against the wind hold and mover lead. With an FFP, you simply need to know your trajectory and wind response, no corrections or calibrations needed.

Great example of the benefits of FFP. I was posting while you were posting your response and did not see your subject of wind and game speed reference.
 
Good stuff. I have an Aero M5 .308 very similar to your Grendel. I have a Trijicon TA11J 3.5x ACOG on it right now, but am looking to upgrade to a 1-6 FFP LPVO, and also to replace the Midwest Industries forend with an Aero at some point. I love the UBR and the VG6 Gamma.

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In terms of optics, I'd put the best 3-15ish FFP milling optic I could afford.
 
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