6.5 Grendel Realistic velocity out of 16" barrels

[mongoslow]

I

I need to get my chrono out and see how fast my 18” Grendel is actually launching the 123 Hornady SSTs, but I’m betting around 2450 based off range results and the ballistic calculator I’ve been using. I still prefer my 6.8 SPCs, but the Grendel is growing on me as a pig hunting cartridge.

I'm with ya about the 6.8spc! I like my 26cals, but love the 6.8 more than the gren!

I would love to lay hands on a 6.8spc II myself, I want 6eight Razorback but $$$, thinking about having my shop order a Radical 16" 6.8 just so I can have a rifle in this caliber

 

[small town life]

I



I would love to lay hands on a 6.8spc II myself, I want 6eight Razorback but $$$, thinking about having my shop order a Radical 16" 6.8 just so I can have a rifle in this caliber

Just get an upper. I've never had a problem using the same lower setup between the 2

 

[mongoslow]

Just get an upper. I've never had a problem using the same lower setup between the 2

my Grendel is a Ruger American Ranch, but my MPR is chambered for 350L, I'm sure a good 6.8spc would work fine on that lower I just prefer complete rifles to swapping uppers around

 

[marksman13]

my Grendel is a Ruger American Ranch, but my MPR is chambered for 350L, I'm sure a good 6.8spc would work fine on that lower I just prefer complete rifles to swapping uppers around

I feel you on the complete rifle thing. I’ve never had an upper that remained just an upper for very long.

 

[greyling22]

Well, 6.5 Grendel capacity-wise is a 7.62X39 necked down to 6.5, but shooting the same weight bullet. So muzzle speed will be similar to the 7.62X39. Those run 2460 with 16" barrels and cheap ammo. So where do the speed improvements come with the Grendolin? Well, improved powders or super hot loads might get you 100fps. so 2450- 2550 fps.
Now my 270 WSM will beat that by 700 fps. with a slightly heavier bullet. However, much harder to get that round in an AR platform.

except it's not merely necked down. they also straighten the walls and give it a sharper shoulder. kind of like an ackley improved round. I believe the brass is also thinner. published data indicates the x39 has more capacity, but I cannot see how that could be. when I ran a x39 case in my grendel die, it is noticeably smaller than a grendel case, especially up by the shoulder. these are not my pictures, but you can see the difference here. (I'm pretty sure when he says "coverted" he means sized, but not fire formed)



source: https://atgreloading.forumotion.com/t315-cartridge-conversion-7-62x39-to-6-5-grendel

 

[small town life]

I was running ql #'s on a 24" barrel w/Lapua 144fmj-bt. This I'm going to try! Of course I'll work up to be safe, but here's the data.

case 2.516"
coal 2.248"
rl17 30.6gr (105%, subjective)
2,481fps
1,967 lbs/me

525 yards will drop less than 8' and have 1,063 #'s of energy. 1k of energy at 574 yards. 800 yards has 750 #'s of energy according to qt (quick target) with 252" of drop. I gota test some of these!