Want to do a 6.5 grendel, what should I avoid/look for

Rotty

Rotty

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Title says it all, I have an upper and lower, and I want to build a 6.5 grendel for everything from prairie rats to deer to target shooting....
what should I avoid or look for for the rest of my components?
Do I need a specific bolt/carrier? Because I have a spare of those as well.
 
The bolt is not standard but the rest is.

Take a look at a Satern barrel. They are the best in my opinion. That is what I have on my Grendel and it is a tack driver. Mine shoots less than 1/2" with more than one bullet/powder combo.

For a long time the Satern barrels were a 10 month wait but Midway has them in stock right now.

http://www.midwayusa.com/browse/BrowseProducts.aspx?tabId=8&categoryId=11624&categoryString=649***20766***8807***11619***&refineSearchKeywordDisplay=satern&refineSearchKeyword=satern

You will probably have a hard time finding brass and loaded bullets. I don't know if you plan on reloading but I would recommend it.
 
As stated by ghilliedogger, the brass can be an issue, and pricey. Since I am a handloader, I don't shoot factory ammo. I found 100 pieces of Lapua, and 150 pieces of Hornady.

My Grendel shoots several different bullet/powder/primer combinations very well. Mine uses an E.R. Shaw 20" 1 in 9 twist barrel. I am no fan of E.R. Shaw barrels but this one is a good one. If Midway has the Satern barrels in stock, I would go that route. I think you will like the Grendel. I have killed one big male yote with it using a 90 gr. Speer TNT at 2810 fps. He went down and didn't move. Can't wait to try it on deer this fall.

PaPa 260
 
First, go to 65grendel.com and read up. There is alot of info to learn about this little cartridge. Satern is a great choice for a barrel - if you can find one. You could contact Precision Firearms, they currently have brass, and load for the Grendel as well. They also make custom uppers and you might be able to get a barrel and bolt from them. Competition shooting sports helped create the grendel - long story short - there was a parting of ways and they call theirs the 6.5 CSS - it's a grendel with a tighter neck. They use Lothar Walther barrels - another good choice in my opinion. Templar consulting is another place you can check for barrels. Don't stress about the brass. Yes, Hornady made 500K for their first run and it ran out in less than a month. Demand is very high, but there is brass out there, you just have to look and call. There is also another option. You can make Grendel brass from 7.62x39 brass by just running it through your sizing die, load a light load with any 6.5 bullet and go shooting. You will have 6.5 Grendel brass when you pick it up. A couple of things to remember, 7.62x39 brass is usually large rifle primered (an exception is some Remington 7.62x39 is small rifle) and Lapua and Hornady Grendel brass is small rifle primered. Also, 7.62x39 brass is thicker and therefore decreases case volume, so start low and work up. Your max load for x39 brass will be about 7-10% lower than Grendel brass. If you don't reload - START!!!! Get a Redding or Forster die set - do not get the Lee die set. I don't care if you have had good success with Lee in the past, DO NOT GET THE LEE DIE SET IN 6.5 GRENDEL. Oh, yea, M-4 feed ramps are not necessary, but I think they help if you are using soft point bullets. Magazines - they have to be for 6.5 Grendel or 6.8 SPC. A regular GI mag will NOT work. Most fail to feed problems are magazine related, but easy to fix. Most AR's are EXTREMELY over gassed - the Grendel even more so. Get an adjustable gas block or adjustable gas tube. Your brass will thank you later. And get a good trigger. This cartridge can really reach out and touch....don't handicap yourself with a stock AR trigger. Probably the most important thing I could tell you is DO NOT GET THE LEE DIE SET IN 6.5 GRENDEL - did I say that already? The next important thing is, have fun!
 
I just put a 6.5 together with a complete Precision Firearms upper. It's fantastic. I have posted another thread with target photos.

I found 150 pcs. of new Hornady brass and 90+ pcs. of 1X Hornady brass. I have another 300 pcs back-ordered. So, I'm set for now.

Thursday morning I'm off for south central TX to introduce the new 6.5 to pigs!

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It will be in good company!

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A 450 Bushmaster! Her third trip to pig country.

I guess I could call them the "pig twins"!

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The shot was taken from 131 steps. The yote was quartering toward me and the 90 gr. TNT @ 2810 fps entered midway up the on side shoulder and a piece of the jacket or core exited just in front short ribs on the off side. It left about a nickle sized hole. When I picked the yote up it sounded like a couple of quarts of water was inside the chest cavity. So yes at Grendel velocities the the 90 gr. Speer did to seem to fur friendly. If it had been a broadside shot it may not have been fur friendly. I know out of a 260 Rem. @ 3420 fps it is NOT fur friendly. The same load that I killed the coyote with really messes up a jack rabbit at Grendel velocities.

PaPa 260
 
On a side note, Alexander Arms has been loading the 90 gr. TNT in their ammo, but will be replacing it with a 100 gr. Berger bullet. There is also a 100 gr. Lapua Scenar that is supposed to be very good also, but I havn't tried them yet - but it is on my list of things to do this summer. The 100 gr. NBT I get excellent precision out of - if I do my part, and don't drink too much coffee. The 95 gr. Hornady V-max is more tempermental in my rifle, but I have found a couple sub-moa loads. I also really like the 120 NBT and the 120 SMK. If I think of anything else, I'll PM you. Have fun.
 
Bullmastiff,

Do you prefer the 6.5 brass over using 7.62x39? I was just looking at Midways wish book and I see that you can buy Lupua 7.62 brass for $56.99 and the 6.5 is $104.99! I have seen a vid on youtube about hydro forming the 7.62 seems pretty messy but it would save some supplies as compared to fire forming. Also which set of dies would be the best for the 6.5? I can tell that you really suggest using the LEE set
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but are the RCBS,Forster dies as good as the Redding? I see Hornady now has a set out also any word on if these are good?

Anyone else got some pics of their 6.5 grendels?
 
In my opinion the Forster dies are on par with Reddings, RCBS in between them and the Lee dies. I have no experience with Hornady dies. I do have pictures of my Grendel, but try as I might, I have never succeeded in posting pictures of anything. I don't have a clue what I am doing wrong. I use both Lapua and Hornady brass.

PaPa 260
 
Papa, can you give me some more info on your new Percesion Grendel upper, very nice. Thanks and happy pig hunting.
 
Originally Posted By: dmpowderBullmastiff,

Do you prefer the 6.5 brass over using 7.62x39? I was just looking at Midways wish book and I see that you can buy Lupua 7.62 brass for $56.99 and the 6.5 is $104.99! I have seen a vid on youtube about hydro forming the 7.62 seems pretty messy but it would save some supplies as compared to fire forming. Also which set of dies would be the best for the 6.5? I can tell that you really suggest using the LEE set
tt2.gif
but are the RCBS,Forster dies as good as the Redding? I see Hornady now has a set out also any word on if these are good?

Anyone else got some pics of their 6.5 grendels?

Yes, I do prefer the Grendel brass over 7.62x39, but...for hunting purposes, the x39 brass works just fine. And you don't worry so much when you can't find a piece. The precision is a little better, I think, with the small rifle primered Grendel brass, but it could all be a mental thing. I havn't tried the Hornady brass yet, but I hear it is pretty good - but not as good as the Lapua. I have Redding dies, but I hear people like their Forster's as well. And I don't get my brass at Midway....they like to charge too much. If you order it straight from Alexander Arms, it will have an AA stamp, but it is made by Lapua for AA. AA sells their brass much cheaper, but you got to jump on it when it comes in, because it doesn't last long. Their last shipment mainly went to fill back orders. That is why people are glad to see Hornady step up.
 
You may want to consider an upper from specialized dynamics. I bought one off of him and it is a shooter!!! He is listed under the sponsors here on the pm. The upper I got off of him is shooting way under moa.
 
Yup bob9, you got confused.
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I'm off for TX in the morning.

6.5 and 450 are packed and ready.

On paper, the 6.5 Precision has been nothing short of FANTASTIC!

I'll post when I get back. Wow, the pressure sure is on now!
 


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