Thinking about a 6.5 Grendel

[swampcrawler]

What's up guys? Work hasn't permitted me much time to be online here lately but I figured id hop on tonight and see if I can start up a discussion on this topic.

The rifle would be a hog/deer rifle primarily, and will mostly see ranges of only 10-200 yards. (yes I actually shoot a lot of my game at only 10-20 yards) but I'd like the rifle to be able to shoot out farther if I ever find a place to do so, at inanimate targets only of course.

So I'm pretty set on the Grendel cartridge. It's amusing to me and, in my mind, it's benifittes outweigh it's many flaws. The rifle is the question. If you guys were going to tackle such a project, how would you go about it?

I'm thinking of finding myself a spikes tactical calico jack stripped lower(as amature as it may sound, I like the jolly Roger), choosing a LPK to install, add a giessele (however it spelled) trigger, a nice comfy pistol grip and stock, and purchasing one of the shorter lighter Grendel uppers from Alexander arms. The major points that I'm unsure of are, will my home assembled lower hamper the rifle in any way, what lower parts kit to use, and what scopes to look into? I looked at a vortex viper 4-12 that may work well today, but the big target scopes are pretty bulky. I know this is a very broad post but I love the discussions that can result from such.

 

[Tolkachi Robotnik]

Alexander only one I've seen.

You won't need a huge scope for the distances you are talking about, and it will help the balance of the rifle. It will make a nice expensive hog killer. I would say you have a good plan, but have you considered a 30/30 or a 300 blackout? Both of those would work, but fat chance getting the platform you seem to want for a 30/30.

 

[TIMC]

Any small pin AR-15 lower should be fine. I love my Grendel but am set up more for longer range than you are talking about. I did opt for the 19.5" upper on my rifle just to make it easier to work with in a hunting blind. The gun will do well on anything you want to use it on. I run a heavier bullet preferring the 129 grain SST's.

My Grendel:

 

[TexasPatriot.308]

if you got lots of firearms and some extra cash, might be fun, if that is your only rifle, when you need the ammo in a SHTF situation you aint gonna find the ammo. I am lucky enough to own a few firearms but still priorities are to calibers like .308, .223, .45 auto and 12 gauge. any of the 6.5 calibers are neat, even the 6.5 x 55 Swede is one of my favorites.

 

[swampcrawler]

Thanks for the replies guys. I do have other rifles, and realize a 5.56 or other would be more practical, but I have much more fun with the oddballs. As far as shtf, id probably take a shotgun or just go with whatever Grendel ammo i had on hand and hope to obtain another weapon before expending it all, but honestly zombies are fairly low on my list of concerns, and natural disaster situations don't last long enough to need thousands of rounds.

I like the Grendel mainly for the added penetration and stopping power over 223. Plus like I said, oddballs are fun.

 

[Krusty783]

I think the 6.5 Grendel was designed as more of a long range cartridge. That's not to say that it won't kill a hog at 10 yards, but you're painting yourself into a pretty small corner gear-wise so you can run a funny car stop light to stop light.

What about a 6.8 SPC, .300 AAC blackout, or a .458 SOCOM even? They are much more common calibers and would work just as well for hunting at the ranges you stated, though I don't believe .300 or .458 do well at longer ranges.

Heck, even a regular AR-10 would do the job quite well and still have more than acceptable performance at 200 yds +.

 

[HOOfan_1]

125 grain bullets, the 6.5 Grendel will have the same energy at 200 yards that a .300 blackout has at 30.....

 

[swampcrawler]

None of the other AR calibers really interest me that much guys. Il take a lever gun for big bores, a 30-30 or 7.62x39 for an intermedeat range 30 cal, and I just don't care for the 6.8 spc. If I do opt out of the grendel it will be for a 5.56 instead but I prefer the versatility of the 6.5.

 

[rayatphonix]

Swamp, good choice all around. I have a Grendel that's done duty for coyotes and attempted to do the job on hogs, but the hogs have yet to do their part and show up. It should be a good deer gun at those ranges and I'll test it when gun season opens.

 

[gondorian]

will my home assembled lower hamper the rifle in any way, what lower parts kit to use, and what scopes to look into?

A home built lower won't hamper your build in any way, especially considering you are getting a nice trigger. I would just order a lower parts kit minus trigger group from Palmetto State Armory or another place that has something you like. (something like this.) They usually are pretty reasonable in terms of price. As far as scopes go you may want to get a red dot for the ranges you mentioned. You could even just use iron sights if you want a more KISS rifle.

I'm currently working on a grendel build too but am building the upper myself just for more experience. I'll start a thread on it once I start putting it together and am not just accumulating parts.

 

[longdayjake]

Why are there a bunch of people trying to convince him that other calibers are better for his application? The other calibers out there are maybe as good as the grendel but not better for what he wants to do. The 6.5 grendel is plenty popular and getting more so every day. There are plenty of options for ammo and brass.

What is the obsession and the hatred for Grendel?

 

[gondorian]

What is the obsession and the hatred for Grendel?

I don't get it either. All of the suggested alternatives (which weren't asked for) have worse trajectory than a grendel. Also the 300 BLK and 6.8 SPC have less muzzle energy (depending on barrel length), so I don't know how they would be "better." The big bores like .458 and .50 beowulf do give you 30-06 energy levels out of an AR platform, but wouldn't be useful for the OP's desire to "shoot out farther if I ever find a place to do so"

 

[68wj]

Also the 300 BLK and 6.8 SPC have less muzzle energy (depending on barrel length), so I don't know how they would be "better."

1. From a 16", Hornady's 6.8 SST has ~100 ft.lbs more. They do not list data for a 24" and reloading data is typically disregarded. Is that where the "depending on barrel length" is supposed to matter?
2. Muzzle energy isn't the G's strength anyway. It catches the SPC at 300 yards from a carbine where both bullets start to fall below minimum threshold for hunting ammuntion.

OP, good luck with your build. Also consider some of the .264 LBC barrel/bolt options to expand your sources. The G is a neat cartridge that will work for what you want.

I know this is a very broad post but I love the discussions that can result from such.

Some people just want to watch the world burn.

 

[longdayjake]

Also the 300 BLK and 6.8 SPC have less muzzle energy (depending on barrel length)

This may not always be true. But the differences are pretty negligible.

 

[gondorian]

Quote:
Also the 300 BLK and 6.8 SPC have less muzzle energy (depending on barrel length)
This may not always be true. But the differences are pretty negligible.

Yes I don't know why I phrased it that way. I really meant that depending on the load and barrel length combination the grendel tended to be slightly better or roughly the same. But anyways the point was that the others weren't somehow vastly better at short ranges in terms of hunting game.

 

[TIMC]

The Grendel will do what you want and more. Here is a bullet wound from a head shot on a pig at 100 yards using a 129 grain SST bullet.

This is the exit wound which was almost 1/2", The bullet entered just below the ear on the opposite side.