6.5 Grendel?

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pyscodog

Active member
All the talk about the Grendel has me curious. How's the accuracy? Is it an accurate round in a bolt action firearm? I know very little about it but it sounds kinda interesting. Show me some rifles and groups if you feel like it.
 
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They can most certainly shoot lights out. I've seen some great work done with AR's and Hornady Black. Mine shoots better than tolerable in an AR. In a bolt gun they have been hampered by the case head but with CZ playing now that has started looking up. I prefer to massage the case down to 6MM for my bolt gun. I might have a 6.5 Savage barrel tucked away. I guess I'll have to look.

Greg
 
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I have the Howa mini Grendel and it’s amazing. It’s the 20 inch lightweight version and it shoots the American Gunner 123 BTHP loads into 1/2 inch groups easily. I also have it in an AR platform and it’s great there too. Good all arounder if you ask me.
 
I don't think you will be disappointed. I shot benchrest for many years and when I started playing with black rifles, it was a no brainer for me to build a 6.5 grendel after years of shooting 6ppc. Personally, I think the 6.5G is the benchmark in the 6.5's.
 
Originally Posted By: pyscodogAll the talk about the Grendel has me curious. How's the accuracy? Is it an accurate round in a bolt action firearm? I know very little about it but it sounds kinda interesting. Show me some rifles and groups if you feel like it.

You won't be disappointed by a well built 6.5G. Lots of fun and you can stretch out. Really bucks the wind. Good on coyotes, deer, even elk.

10367565_1470301746542641_2260106446172545546_n by Jason Mosler, on Flickr

19756732_1814915648747914_8381668159719500221_n by Jason Mosler, on Flickr
 
I always thought of the Grendel as a cartridge built around the AR platform, sort of like the .300 Blk. Not knocking either cartridge, just seems like there might better options out there for a bolt gun. Are there any factory offerings in a 6.5 Grendel in a bolt action?
 
PTG makes a bolt head(grendel, 224 Valkyrie, 6.5 size) for the 783, and the 783 is machined more true than a lot of custom bolt actions at $1200 or more. Change out the trigger spring on the 783 for a great trigger in the oz., but the stock trigger can be adjusted to 2.5 lbs.
 
Here is a picture I shot with my 20” 6.5 Grendel while hunting in Wyoming. The silhouette target was at 880 yards. I was shooting off an MTM plastic shooting bench, Harris bipod and rear sand bag. My shooting buddy gave me the dope from his Sierra Infinitive program. I put the dope on my scope and went five for five hits on steel. I was shooting a hand load using Lapua brass CCI 450 primers, 31.0 Grains CFE223 with 123 grain Nosler Custom Competition.

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Here is a picture of my 20” Shilen 6.5 Grendel with Vortex Viper in an Aadmount 20 MOA mount. The SS Shilen is standing next to my 18 Faxon 18” 6.5 Grendel.


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I’ve really gotten addicted to the 6.5 Grendel cartridge, very accurate cartridge, pleasant to shoot. I just picked up a Cz 527 6.5 Grendel a few weeks ago.

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VASCAR2,What do you think about the shilen and faxon barrels?I guess what I'm asking is which do you prefer thinking of building another upper and trying to decide what barrel to go with.I wanted to go with the shilen on my last one but couldn't find one everybody was out of stock but noticed they are available now lol...
 
I got tired of runners after being hit with my .223 so I built a nice AR with a 18" Lilja barrel and a Eltman trigger. 16 dead so far and not a single runner. Some times they spin a time or two before they drop but most are DRT. It is amazingly accurate as well with groups under 1/2" shooting NightOps ammo with 100 Nosler BT. Hornady Black shoots really good too but the NightOps stuff is as close to handloading as you can get IMO.
 
I've got one for sale right now, never shot, Howa mini action with DBM set up, multicam stock, looks slick. NOT mine, had a guy back out on an order.
 
Originally Posted By: sqrlgtrVASCAR2,What do you think about the shilen and faxon barrels?I guess what I'm asking is which do you prefer thinking of building another upper and trying to decide what barrel to go with.I wanted to go with the shilen on my last one but couldn't find one everybody was out of stock but noticed they are available now lol...


I really like both barrels and I think I bought the Shilen in 2012 when there weren’t many choices. The Shilen has proven accurate and reliable but a little on the heavy side. For how I use my Shilen it is great, low recoil, excellent accuracy and just fun to shoot. The only downside to my Shilen might be the 1:9 twist. The heaviest bullets I’ve shot are 123 grains which are gtg in 1:9 twist. Most new 6.5 Grendel barrels are 1:8 or 1:7.5 which might be better with longer or heavier bullets. Some users might be turned off because my Shilen is not threaded. I don’t like muzzle breaks and I didn’t need a flash hider so the plain muzzle was a non issue for me.

I have two Faxon 6.5 Grendel barrels, one 16” and one 18” and I really like them both. Both barrels are lighter profile Nitride 1:8 5R but plenty accurate for my use. I put 20 MOA scope mounts on my 6.5 Grendel since the cartridge is capable of staying super sonic past 1000 yards depending on elevation. The mounts are roughly the same cost so I just buy canted mounts for the 6.5 Grendel. A Friend has farm ground where we can shoot 1000+ yards if the corn is not to high.

I’m not the best shooter as age is catching up to me but any of my 6.5 Grendel AR-15’s will stay close to MOA or better depending on ammo. I feel confident trying to shoot steel targets with my 6.5 Grendels to at least 800 yards at 450’ ASL. My biggest issue shooting at 1000 yards it is hard to spot our misses with all the foliage.

The only downside to the Faxon is 5R rifling generally is not very accurate with Wolf Steel case bimetal FMJ ammo. I rarely shoot Wolf steel cased ammo so this is a non issue for me. For target accuracy the Shilen is my bench gun but for quick handling the Faxon are great. The 18” Faxon has a lot of versatility whether hunting, target shooting or defense.
 
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