6.8 spc and 6.5 Grendel Thoughts?

Squeeze, I must commend you, you did not fail me, you took that hook line and sinker. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif I threw that little tidbit up there to see who would bite. I was half expecting Constructor - since most everyone else goes crying to him when the big bad bullmastiff starts beating up on their baby /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif (say that ten times real fast) /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif You can call BS if you want, but with the 1:11 and 1:12 twist three land barrels, it is being optimized towards the light end of the bullet range. I really doubt they could stabalize 140's, let alone 150's. Where my Grendel has stabalized 160's - they were free from a friend that shoots the swede and I used them to fire form - I was impressed with the group though. Another problem with running the larger bullets in the 6.8 case is that it eats up most of it's powder space. The larger bullets were designed for the 270. The upper level of the 6.8 is 130 grains at best. Nothing wrong with that. With the bullet technology of today, you can get alot done with a 100-120 grain bullet.
 
VaPredHunter - you are right - the 6.5 brass IS more expensive - but it is Lapua. If not the best brass, most definitely in the top 3. There are a few that have gotten 20 reloads on it. If you want want cheaper brass, get Winy 7.62x39, neck it down and load it - yes - it is that simple. There is not a whole lot of difference between 7.62x39 and the Grendel. Just neck it down and go baby. Stay away from the Lee dies and you will have no problem. I use Redding and have no problem. And the Winy brass is FAR cheaper than any 6.8 brass. There are guys using the IMI brass and are loving it. Brass is not a problem.
 
birdbow - you completely miss the point of these two rounds. The point is to get a cartridge the fits in an AR-15 magazine and can be fired out of an AR-15. It doesn't surprise me at all that you got lousy performance out of a mini - that is the norm and not the exception.

But you do make a valid point - there has been ALOT of changes to the 6.8. there are two different chambers, who knows how many throats, at least 3 and probably more barrel twists, and if you use the spcII loads in the saami chamber - bad things could happen - right MNYoteRookie?

Like him or not, but by Bill Alexander keeping a tight grip on the 6.5 (the grip is loosening up now) - there have not been anywhere near the problems that the 6.8 has had. And you are right squeeze, there wasn't a whole lot left on the floor of the 6.5 - that's because it was designed right the first time by someone that knew what the he!! he was doing!
 
Now guys - don't get me wrong - I do not hate the 6.8. I think it was rushed by people who didn't know what they were doing - yeah that's right. Remington at that time wasn't owned by Cerebus yet, they had no AR yet, and they were looking at their current bullets. They lacked the ability to look outside the box. Hornady just did what they were told. There are now bullets that are desinged just for the 6.8, and that alone picks up the performance. Now, if as much time and money was dumped into the 6.5 - look out.

I am a fan of the AR. ANY cartridges designed to be fired out of the AR platform, I am all for it. I like what Remington is doing now, and can't wait for the 30AR (I think that's what it will be called) to come out. I want a 50Beowulf and a 458Socom. And I really want one of Dtech's 358WSSM's.

I think the 6.8 is a good little round - what I don't like is when people try to make these (6.8 AND 6.5) rounds out to be more than they are. Contrary to some peoples ideas, they are NOT elk and moose cartridges. They have limits. Keep within them!

Now - let's go shooting!
 
I was set on the Grendel after carefully comparing ballistics for my new small frame AR build but now am not sure since Alexander Arms has the barrel and ammo locked up. The round is'nt that great I want to be stuck with limited over the counter suppliers IMHO. If the 6.5 Grendel had the potential of the larger 6.5 Creedmore I would bite.
 
There are several manufacturers making the Grendel. They just have to get the licensing from AA. You have AA, Sabre defence, les Baer, JP rifles and a few others. Right now, there are three ammo manufacturers. AA, Black hills and wolf. The black hills you have to get through les baer, as they are the exclusive distrubutor right now. The other ammo, you can get directly from AA, or Midway, or Cabelas, as well as a few other places. And then you can always load your own. And as for scarcity of ammo, if you haven't noticed, most ammo has been pretty scarce these days, hasn't it? It's not as locked down as some would lead you to believe. I will admit though, we could use some ammo between the high end of AA and BH and the cheap ammo of Wolf.
 
Thats good info I hadnt noticed. I have a new stripped
lower enroute and want to build a 200+ yard deer gun
and I did like the 6.5 over the 6.8 for flat out bullet
drop comparison....I was right on that part I believe?
 
I never said I got lousy performance out of my mini. I could easily shoot 1" groups with the bone stock gun. I just wasn't impressed with the factory round. Most guys I believe that are really into the 6.8spc are using the spc II chambering that is higher performance. I was only answering the original posters question about the 6.8 being a good round on dogs and I don't think it is...atleast with the 120 grn sierra hp I was using. I did do my homework as far as gun selection went. Unless you go the custom route like the guns pictured above, the new 580 mini will shoot with any factory carbine length AR in the 6.8spc factory round for about $750 out the door with rings.
 
I ordered a 6.5 Grendel upper from AA on 10/29/08 (before the election and before the black gun rush) and did not receive it until 2/16/09. Today that would be good delivery time, but when I ordered I was told the upper would be shipped no later than four weeks, probably sooner. I also ordered 90 gr ammo on 10/29/09 and am still waiting. I finally ordered five boxes from Cabela's which should be here later this week.

Do I think I was jacked around by AA? You betcha! They told me last week that they are loading ammo as fast as they can, but could not even give me a guess as to when I could expect to see the ammo. Cabela's has Black Hills in stock, but no 90 gr. I will say that the workmanship on the upper is excellent, but I can't tell you how it shoots. I suspect that some "more important orders" were slipped in ahead of mine.

Woo

Quote:
There are several manufacturers making the Grendel. They just have to get the licensing from AA. You have AA, Sabre defence, les Baer, JP rifles and a few others. Right now, there are three ammo manufacturers. AA, Black hills and wolf. The black hills you have to get through les baer, as they are the exclusive distrubutor right now. The other ammo, you can get directly from AA, or Midway, or Cabelas, as well as a few other places. And then you can always load your own. And as for scarcity of ammo, if you haven't noticed, most ammo has been pretty scarce these days, hasn't it? It's not as locked down as some would lead you to believe. I will admit though, we could use some ammo between the high end of AA and BH and the cheap ammo of Wolf.

 
Back
Top