Which is more VERSATILE: An AR-15 in 6.5 Grendel, or an AR-10 in .308?

WVGunman

WVGunman

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I'm thinking about building or buying one of these. Some factors to consider here:

- I can reload .308, and COULD reload 6.5G if I wanted (just need the dies). I already have all the stuff for .308 reloading though, and have another gun in that caliber already.
- No AR-10 will be as modular as any AR-15. I doubt I could just slap a new barrel and mag into an AR-10 and have a new caliber.
- Given the way runs on ammo happen these days, I'd like to avoid 5.56/.223 altogether, along with any components that caliber uses (.224 bullets, small rifle primers, which I suppose 6.5G also uses).
- Is anyone going to care about 6.5 Grendel in 10 years?
- I hear 6.5G has "half the recoil" of .308 in a lot of places. True?
 
Practical? .308......its nearly always more practical than the other options simply because of availability.

In terms of specific use, I think its best to decide on what your particular requirements are and then go from there.

The Grendel will likely recoil with a little more than 1/2 the energy and speed of a .308 using "standard" loadings. Some of this is also do to the Grendel likely weighing a pound or more less for a similar configuration.
 
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I don’t know what practical is in your situation but if I had to carry it around and all I needed to kill was medium sized, non dangerous animals, it would be the smaller/lighter platform.

Once I have a thermal and a can on it, they are already too dam heavy with the small 15 but what doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger..,or buy a handheld...
 
I am asking myself the same question. And considering the same options. Right now I am leaning toward 6.5 Grendel or some other iteration of an AR-15 upper swap. These are my reasons.

1) As you said, the AR-10 is not standardized. They are not like the AR-15 where you can mix and match uppers and lowers to swap out calibers or optics on a whim. In my case, I would rather have one (or a few) well built AR-15 lowers to change uppers on based on my need or activity.
2) Uppers are less expensive than a whole rifle.
 
WVGunman said:
I'm thinking about building or buying one of these. Some factors to consider here:

- I can reload .308, and COULD reload 6.5G if I wanted (just need the dies). I already have all the stuff for .308 reloading though, and have another gun in that caliber already.
- No AR-10 will be as modular as any AR-15. I doubt I could just slap a new barrel and mag into an AR-10 and have a new caliber.
- Given the way runs on ammo happen these days, I'd like to avoid 5.56/.223 altogether, along with any components that caliber uses (.224 bullets, small rifle primers, which I suppose 6.5G also uses).
- Is anyone going to care about 6.5 Grendel in 10 years?
- I hear 6.5G has "half the recoil" of .308 in a lot of places. True?
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As a guy with a 6.5 Grendel in both a bolt and a semi auto rifle yes I think it will be here in 10
Years yes it does take small rifle primers not a huge deal you have to have primers lately I’ve had more trouble finding large rifle go figure lol

But for me it boils down to the weight and modularity of the AR -15 over the Ar-10 plus I’m a confirmed 6.5 junkie so I lean that way as well the AR 15 is smaller lighter trimmer and yes the recoil is Much Less than a 308 so that’s what I did and would do if I were you
 
WVGunman said:
- No AR-10 will be as modular as any AR-15. I doubt I could just slap a new barrel and mag into an AR-10 and have a new caliber.
Click to expand...
Yes you can. They are just different than the AR15 cartridges. AR15 = 223/5.56, 6.5 Grendel, 6.8 SPC, 300 Blackout, 350 Legend, 450 Bushmaster, 458 Socom, etc. Also, 223/300BO/350 Legend, 6.5 Grendel, 6.8 SPC/224 Valkrie, and 450 Bushmaster/458 Socom, and their respective family of cartridges, all use different bolts. AR10 cartridges are often (but not always) just short action bolt gun cartridges with a .473 rim diameter based on the 308 cartridge, such as 308, 6.5 Creedmoor, 243, 7mm-08, 338 Federal, and 358 Win. Or even 45 Raptor if you are feeling frisky.
WVGunman said:
- Given the way runs on ammo happen these days, I'd like to avoid 5.56/.223 altogether, along with any components that caliber uses (.224 bullets, small rifle primers, which I suppose 6.5G also uses).
Click to expand...
When runs on ammo occur, less predominant cartridges are the first to disappear and the last to come back. In this regard, 6.5 Grendel would be a mistake to invest in before 223/5.56mm. Get a 5.56 upper and a stockpile of much less expensive 5.56/223 ammo before committing to 6.5 Grendel.
WVGunman said:
- Is anyone going to care about 6.5 Grendel in 10 years?
Click to expand...
Yes, unless some seriously bad things happen during the preceding decade.
WVGunman said:
- I hear 6.5G has "half the recoil" of .308 in a lot of places. True?
Click to expand...
It has significantly less recoil but also much less brute power.
 
For me, it hinges on weight and range. I don't need a .308's range for the critters it's appropriate for, so the Grendel makes more sense to me. The one below came in at 7lbs with a slightly lighter optic than the ACOG. I doubt any AR10 will come within a pound of that, probably more like 2lbs. I honestly don't see much point in an AR10 for hunting.

I also really don't worry about cartridges going away, especially those as popular as the Grendel. If I thought it was an issue, I'd buy another 500rds of brass from Starline and forget about it.
 
CraigC said:
For me, it hinges on weight and range. I don't need a .308's range for the critters it's appropriate for, so the Grendel makes more sense to me. The one below came in at 7lbs with a slightly lighter optic than the ACOG. I doubt any AR10 will come within a pound of that, probably more like 2lbs. I honestly don't see much point in an AR10 for hunting.

I also really don't worry about cartridges going away, especially those as popular as the Grendel. If I thought it was an issue, I'd buy another 500rds of brass from Starline and forget about it.
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The photo didn’t show up
 
horsemen61 said:
The photo didn’t show up
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Oops, I forgot!

IMG_2993b.jpg
 
Here comes the debunking! You CAN get an AR10 in 308win to have the felt recoil of a 5.56! Also it being under 7# without optic and possibly under 7# with optic! I can give you the build info to do so. I have an AR308 20" barrel that weighs 5# 6oz without optics. If your distance is under 500 yards the Grendel should have the energy for deer? If under 500 is what you're shooting then no need for a 308? An AR10 is as modular as an AR15 as long as you stay with DPMS compatibility.
 
Mini30SS said:
I have the same question as the OP, but to be more specific: is the 6.5G enough gun for Deer and Wild hogs up to 250 lbs? Or should I just stick with the 99 savage in .243 Winchester?
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OK, first I'll say I don't have experience with 6.5G, but I do have experience with 6.8 SPC and they're very similar in effectiveness on game out to 300ish yards. It's almost 6 one way, half a dozen the other. 6.5G is plenty for deer within reasonable hunting limits. There's a video of a guy on YouTube using both calibers and he couldn't tell a difference on wild hogs at reasonable distances between the calibers. As with most cartridges, you simply have to use the right bullet for the job and put it where it needs to go.
 
I like the grendel a lot, and I have a 300 hamr upper to just because I don't care much for 223. However, if all my stuff was destroyed and needed replacing, I'd just get a ruger sfar in 308 (or 6.5 creed if that ever comes out just for less recoil) and be done with it.
 
Practical for what? Home defense? Shooting prairie dogs? Elk Hunting? Range toy?

People make the parts compatibility of AR10's into a bigger deal than it really is. Almost everything is DPMS pattern and about half of the parts are the same as an AR15. The biggest thing is that the handguards and the external dimensions of receivers are not standardized, but if you just buy the receivers, handguard, and small parts kit from the same manufacturer you will be good. Absolutely no problem swapping barrels on an AR10 and there are even more calibers that will work in an AR10 than an AR15. Personally I do not like AR10's because they are very large and top heavy compared to AR15's.
 
Whether you load it or buy it, the 308 is much more prolific and typically sold in any place that sells rifle ammunition. It is in world wide use, which means that there is a global supply of various types of 308 ammunition "out there", whether we are talking about rounds designed for hunting, accuracy, or various military surplus (or mil-spec"ish") FMJ, along with plenty of reloading data. This has been the case for a very long time. To the best of my knowledge, there are no surplus options for grendell, and certainly not from a global market- and 308 is a round that likely won't be effected in a way that MILSURP like 7.62x39 or x 54 can and is being effected by various sanctions and whatnot. As far as recoil, the semiauto AR10 isn't going to give the felt recoil that something like a lightweight bolt action sporter is going to produce.
 
This is going to boil down to what you're gonna use it for. Are you going to be carrying it around? Are you going to be trying to kill something at distances beyond the capability of the Grendel?

For closer ranges, I have a 7.62x39. For farther ranges, I have a .308. In an AR platform, if I could only have one, I'd go with the Grendel simply because of the form factor. .308s are big. In a bolt gun, I'd go with the .308 because they're about the same size and weight and the .308 can do everything the smaller caliber can.

I understand that the SFAR is pretty lightweight for a .308, but I don't know how much of that system is proprietary. I'd avoid an ultra lightweight build in any platform because the tradeoffs wouldn't be worth it to me. You've gotta sacrifice something to get that light weight.
 
TonyAngel said:
This is going to boil down to what you're gonna use it for. Are you going to be carrying it around? Are you going to be trying to kill something at distances beyond the capability of the Grendel?

For closer ranges, I have a 7.62x39. For farther ranges, I have a .308. In an AR platform, if I could only have one, I'd go with the Grendel simply because of the form factor. .308s are big. In a bolt gun, I'd go with the .308 because they're about the same size and weight and the .308 can do everything the smaller caliber can.

I understand that the SFAR is pretty lightweight for a .308, but I don't know how much of that system is proprietary. I'd avoid an ultra lightweight build in any platform because the tradeoffs wouldn't be worth it to me. You've gotta sacrifice something to get that light weight.
Click to expand...
The SFAR is proprietary in the receivers and bcg.
 
At this point, unless recoil is a genuine concern (and I honestly don’t believe it should be unless a child is shooting this thing), the way to go is the Ruger SFAR or POF-USA Rogue. AR-15 frame, but chambered in 308. I like my 6.5 G and my 6.8 SPCs, but 308 packs more punch, is fairly ubiquitous and there‘a zero chance that it goes away in our lifetimes.
 
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