6ARC or 6.5 Grendel?

[TxBowHunter409]

Been thinking about building me just a plinker rifle, but something other than a 223. It's a toss up between a 6ARC or a 6.5 Grendel. Just planning on buying a Howa barreled action and piece mill it together. Was leaning way towards the 6ARC, but then a buddy called me today who's getting out of reloading, and made a deal with him for 4,000 CCI small rifle primers and a Forster FL sizing die with the ultra micrometer seating die and crimp in 6.5 Grendel for $300. Seemed like a good deal so I jumped on it.

Now my dilemma is, still go the route of 6ARC or just do the 6.5 Grendel? Reloading equipment aside, what's y'all's opinion on the two calibers? Maybe this is a sign from God and I'm just not listening or something.

 

[DukeDuke]

for a bolt gun I'd pick the 6 arc
you can push the 105-110 gr bullets pretty fast

 

[SD guy]

I would consider selling the forester die & jump on the 6mm ARC. Truth is either may work well for you. I have had both in i CZ 527 platform. As a reloader I find the performance & lower recoil of the 6mm ARC more desirable.

Though most gun loony folks would share better advice I may expect. Do both & decide which you prefer. Odds are you may really like both.

Best argument I may find for the Grendel only applies if you are not a reloader. As a much wider variety of factory ammo is available for the 6.5 Grendel at this time.

 

[KMW 1954]

I put together a 6ARC to compete against folks shooting 6BR's and Dashers in an informal local league. That was a few years ago when nothing was available anywhere. It has performed admirably and has proven to keep up. I am more than pleased that I went this way instead of struggling at that time to assemble a 6BR.

 

[Oso]

My brothers and I have both cartridges in Howa Mini’s and AR15’s. These cartridges are very similar. I like the Grendel (123gr SST) for hunting pigs and deer. For me the 6ARC is more of range toy. Both are more than capable and punch over their weight.

The Howa Mini’s benefit from being bedded. If you decide to upgrade the factory plastic bottom metal and plastic mags to a new “metal” bottom metal then the popular choices are either Oregunsmith’s hinged floor plate internal magazine or Jefferson Outdoors’ upgrade that utilizes CZ527 metal mags. Both of these items are great and well constructed. You definitely will want to bed the action and back-fill the extra space around either of these two components.

My one comment on the Howa Mini as a range toy is that it is a very compact platform. Depending upon your build it may feel a bit tiny while hunkered down behind it. These are 5-6 lbs rifles with a footprint not much larger than a 22lr rifle. The factory stock and even B&C stock is perfect for handy field rifle but on the small/petite side for adults doing range precision shooting. Stocky’s carbon fiber stock weighs nothing, and makes it a great field gun. The buttstock needs some filler (spray foam) to reduce amount of sound that reverberates through its hollow body. I have one set in a Boyd’s Varmint Stock, which is a full size stock that is considerably larger and heavier than the factory size Howa Mini stocks. This works great for shooting off bags, rests or prone. Another option is a chassis for the Howa Mini.

 

[AWS]

I have both and am really liking the 6 ARC, great selection of light bullets, I use mine from coyotes on down and the Grendel from coyotes on up.

 

[TxBowHunter409]

I put together a 6ARC to compete against folks shooting 6BR's and Dashers in an informal local league. That was a few years ago when nothing was available anywhere. It has performed admirably and has proven to keep up. I am more than pleased that I went this way instead of struggling at that time to assemble a 6BR.

How does it stack up against the BR and Dasher on paper?

 

[TxBowHunter409]

My brothers and I have both cartridges in Howa Mini’s and AR15’s. These cartridges are very similar. I like the Grendel (123gr SST) for hunting pigs and deer. For me the 6ARC is more of range toy. Both are more than capable and punch over their weight.

The Howa Mini’s benefit from being bedded. If you decide to upgrade the factory plastic bottom metal and plastic mags to a new “metal” bottom metal then the popular choices are either Oregunsmith’s hinged floor plate internal magazine or Jefferson Outdoors’ upgrade that utilizes CZ527 metal mags. Both of these items are great and well constructed. You definitely will want to bed the action and back-fill the extra space around either of these two components.

My one comment on the Howa Mini as a range toy is that it is a very compact platform. Depending upon your build it may feel a bit tiny while hunkered down behind it. These are 5-6 lbs rifles with a footprint not much larger than a 22lr rifle. The factory stock and even B&C stock is perfect for handy field rifle but on the small/petite side for adults doing range precision shooting. Sticky’s carbon fiber stock weighs nothing, and makes it a great field gun. The buttstock needs some filler (spray foam) to reduce amount of sound that reverberates through its hollow body. I have one set in a Boyd’s Varmint Stock, which is a full size stock that is considerably larger and heavier than the factory size Howa Mini stocks. This works great for shooting off bags, rests or prone. Another option is a chassis for the Howa Mini.

Actually since I'm just buying the barreled action only, there's a 99% chance it will end up in a chassis. I've already called MDT just to see what chassis they have available for the mini action Howa. And really, I'm just kinda wanting a range plinker to kill some paper with. I like to just go out shooting, so I was wanting something cheaper to reload reload regularly for, less recoil, and just something fun to shoot.

 

[TxBowHunter409]

I would consider selling the forester die & jump on the 6mm ARC. Truth is either may work well for you. I have had both in i CZ 527 platform. As a reloader I find the performance & lower recoil of the 6mm ARC more desirable.

Though most gun loony folks would share better advice I may expect. Do both & decide which you prefer. Odds are you may really like both.

Best argument I may find for the Grendel only applies if you are not a reloader. As a much wider variety of factory ammo is available for the 6.5 Grendel at this time.

Really, for what I'm paying for the 4,000 small rifle CCI primers, I'm saving money on them considering what they're selling for today. I'd need the primers regardless of which way I went. So it's almost like I'm getting the dies for free. I'll likely stick them up on the shelf for the future even if I decide to go with the 6 ARC, because you just never know.

 

[TxBowHunter409]

My brothers and I have both cartridges in Howa Mini’s and AR15’s. These cartridges are very similar. I like the Grendel (123gr SST) for hunting pigs and deer. For me the 6ARC is more of range toy. Both are more than capable and punch over their weight.

The Howa Mini’s benefit from being bedded. If you decide to upgrade the factory plastic bottom metal and plastic mags to a new “metal” bottom metal then the popular choices are either Oregunsmith’s hinged floor plate internal magazine or Jefferson Outdoors’ upgrade that utilizes CZ527 metal mags. Both of these items are great and well constructed. You definitely will want to bed the action and back-fill the extra space around either of these two components.

My one comment on the Howa Mini as a range toy is that it is a very compact platform. Depending upon your build it may feel a bit tiny while hunkered down behind it. These are 5-6 lbs rifles with a footprint not much larger than a 22lr rifle. The factory stock and even B&C stock is perfect for handy field rifle but on the small/petite side for adults doing range precision shooting. Sticky’s carbon fiber stock weighs nothing, and makes it a great field gun. The buttstock needs some filler (spray foam) to reduce amount of sound that reverberates through its hollow body. I have one set in a Boyd’s Varmint Stock, which is a full size stock that is considerably larger and heavier than the factory size Howa Mini stocks. This works great for shooting off bags, rests or prone. Another option is a chassis for the Howa Mini.

Meant to say too, that I was afraid the mini action on the factory stock was going to be difficult for me to fit behind. That's why I decided to just go with a barreled action and drop it into something I could actually fit behind. Plus I don't have to worry about the quality polymer bottom "metal".

 

[SD guy]

Consideration for a carbon fiber factory 2nd verticle grip stock below.

Stocky's NextGen Ultra Carbon™ Mini VG (Vertical Grip) Composite Accublock® Stocks - Howa 1500 Mini *Factory Seconds*

Stocky's Stocks Aftermarket Rifle Stock Supplier

stockysstocks.com

 

[DHD]

Yeah, keep the dies no matter what you decide.

4000 CCI SR primers? 400 or 450? If 400's, they will be problematic for either Grendel or ARC IMHO. You really need that thicker cup for either of the mentioned calibers especially with the pressure you can run those cases in a boltgun.

If it is just a range toy, the 6ARC would be a very good choice. I have been playing with at least one Grendel, sometimes more, since 2010 and am a big fan. Until last year I said I see no reason to get a 6ARC because the Grendel met my needs. Well, that didn't work out too well as there are two AR's and one boltgun in 6ARC in my safes last time I looked.

Whether in an AR or boltgun, I really appreciate the 6ARC more. I don't hunt with either caliber so that wasn't part of the equation, and accuracy for me has been a wash. They both can be very accurate given good barrels. It is just that I prefer the whole number (6 instead of 6.5) I suppose. Flip a coin....

If you are set on a boltgun, you can up the pressure and turn either one into a mighty mouse. I hate to say this and would never tell anyone, but I bought a Ruger American in 6ARC and after a quick break in, it's first 5 shot group was in the .3's and the second was in the .4's. Now that was in a MDT XRS and not the factory stock, but it was a Ruger barrel. Don't rule them out as the aftermarket is getting caught up with that action. Like I said, I haven't told anybody about this....

 

[TxBowHunter409]

Consideration for a carbon fiber factory 2nd verticle grip stock below.

Stocky's NextGen Ultra Carbon™ Mini VG (Vertical Grip) Composite Accublock® Stocks - Howa 1500 Mini *Factory Seconds*

Stocky's Stocks Aftermarket Rifle Stock Supplier

stockysstocks.com

That might work since it looks like the check well sits up definitely higher than a factory stock.

 

[SteveOak]

The ONLY reason to chose either is to shoot it in an AR15. Both cartridges are limited by the constraints of the AR15 upper ---> barrel diameter, bolt strength, and mag length.

If you are shooting a bolt action rifle the choice is between PPC and BR.

For perspective, I recently had an AR15 rifle built in 6 ARC. It is for a match that is limited to AR/gas operated only.

 

[TxBowHunter409]

Yeah, keep the dies no matter what you decide.

4000 CCI SR primers? 400 or 450? If 400's, they will be problematic for either Grendel or ARC IMHO. You really need that thicker cup for either of the mentioned calibers especially with the pressure you can run those cases in a boltgun.

If it is just a range toy, the 6ARC would be a very good choice. I have been playing with at least one Grendel, sometimes more, since 2010 and am a big fan. Until last year I said I see no reason to get a 6ARC because the Grendel met my needs. Well, that didn't work out too well as there are two AR's and one boltgun in 6ARC in my safes last time I looked.

Whether in an AR or boltgun, I really appreciate the 6ARC more. I don't hunt with either caliber so that wasn't part of the equation, and accuracy for me has been a wash. They both can be very accurate given good barrels. It is just that I prefer the whole number (6 instead of 6.5) I suppose. Flip a coin....

If you are set on a boltgun, you can up the pressure and turn either one into a mighty mouse. I hate to say this and would never tell anyone, but I bought a Ruger American in 6ARC and after a quick break in, it's first 5 shot group was in the .3's and the second was in the .4's. Now that was in a MDT XRS and not the factory stock, but it was a Ruger barrel. Don't rule them out as the aftermarket is getting caught up with that action. Like I said, I haven't told anybody about this....

Yes the CCI printers were 400's. So do you recommend the 450's?

And I won't tell about the Ruger American if you don't tell that I own the same gun in 308 with the MDT XRS chassis as well. I had heard great things about the gun, and since my dealer cost was only like $480, I experimented and bought one. Mine on the other hand was definitely not a shooter though. I really think there's just something physically wrong with the gun, but I haven't been able to figure it out yet. I have way more in accessories for the gun than the gun actually cost me. So I hate to just scrap the whole project. I blame Backfire on YouTube for his original review on the gun in 223. Since then, I've figured out that it doesn't seem to like the larger calibers, or at least my particular one doesn't. Even Backfire has gone back and changed his opinion and review of the gun since then after trying a different caliber. So I was leary about experimenting with the rifle again. And I scoured the forums seeing if I could find someone who said they owned the gun in 6ARC, but come up empty. You're the first person that has admitted to actually owning one. I know I reluctantly sold a buddy of mine in 22ARC about a month ago and he loves the gun. Said it was shooting 0.5" out of the first box of factory ammo he fed it. Then to top it off, my sales guy sent me an email a couple of days ago saying he had one allocated if I wanted it. I reluctantly passed.

I've never owned a Howa, so I've decided I'm going to give it a whirl and see what happens. Only downside to the mini is the lack of chassis options out there. I can buy the Howa barreled action off of Brownells for $479, or buy the complete gun with factory stock for $465 from my dealer. So I'm thinking get the whole gun, get a couple of boxes of ammo, go to the range and see how it shoots. If it even remotely acts like it wants to group with that cheesy factory stock, then go ahead and order a chassis for it. If it doesn't, then I've only pissed away a little bit more money than I did on 4,000 SR primers that are going to give me trouble anyways.

 

[Oso]

I have now bought several Howa Minis in 6ARC and 6.5 Grendel. All started out as barreled actions. If you plan to use a suppressor then you want to buy the barreled action featuring a 20” barrel. The 20” barrel is maybe a No. 7 profile, which is a medium-heavy sporter profile (approx .7” diameter at muzzle) that comes threaded. By comparison the 22” version is a light weight barrel profile that is not threaded and too thin to have threaded later.

 

[DHD]

Yes the CCI printers were 400's. So do you recommend the 450's?

And I won't tell about the Ruger American if you don't tell that I own the same gun in 308 with the MDT XRS chassis as well. I had heard great things about the gun, and since my dealer cost was only like $480, I experimented and bought one. Mine on the other hand was definitely not a shooter though. I really think there's just something physically wrong with the gun, but I haven't been able to figure it out yet. I have way more in accessories for the gun than the gun actually cost me. So I hate to just scrap the whole project. I blame Backfire on YouTube for his original review on the gun in 223. Since then, I've figured out that it doesn't seem to like the larger calibers, or at least my particular one doesn't. Even Backfire has gone back and changed his opinion and review of the gun since then after trying a different caliber. So I was leary about experimenting with the rifle again. And I scoured the forums seeing if I could find someone who said they owned the gun in 6ARC, but come up empty. You're the first person that has admitted to actually owning one. I know I reluctantly sold a buddy of mine in 22ARC about a month ago and he loves the gun. Said it was shooting 0.5" out of the first box of factory ammo he fed it. Then to top it off, my sales guy sent me an email a couple of days ago saying he had one allocated if I wanted it. I reluctantly passed.

I've never owned a Howa, so I've decided I'm going to give it a whirl and see what happens. Only downside to the mini is the lack of chassis options out there. I can buy the Howa barreled action off of Brownells for $479, or buy the complete gun with factory stock for $465 from my dealer. So I'm thinking get the whole gun, get a couple of boxes of ammo, go to the range and see how it shoots. If it even remotely acts like it wants to group with that cheesy factory stock, then go ahead and order a chassis for it. If it doesn't, then I've only pissed away a little bit more money than I did on 4,000 SR primers that are going to give me trouble anyways.

Yes on the 450's, or 7 1/2, Fed 205M, Fed 205 M AR (I am not a fan of the 41's). A thicker cup is not a bad thing in this case, literally speaking.

There are some threads in this site about the Ruger AR in 6ARC.

Anyway, I would consider it a fun experiment regardless of what you choose. A 105 Whatever at 2700ish fps will go a long way accurately.

 

[Rob01]

I’d go ARC and I did. Have an AR and bolt gun in the caliber and it’s a lot of fun. I just got a barrel for my Zermatt TL3 action and the right bolt face. You don’t need a mini action for the caliber either.

1000 yards with the bolt or AR is easy with it. I shoot the 108 factory load and also load some 110s in it with CFE223.

 

[KMW 1954]

How does it stack up against the BR and Dasher on paper?

Our league shoots for 10 weeks, each week a different target at a different length range. This groups top 5 shooters have been shooting and competing much longer than I have and are much more accomplished. Yet I was able to out score each of them at least once over the course of the last season.

Two of these shooters have won this league each of the 5 years I have been shooting it. One has won it 3 consecutive years. One is shooting a Dasher and the other is shooting a BRA. Both also have more money invested in their optics than I have in this whole gun.

https://forum.accurateshooter.com/threads/shooting-a-local-league.4143606/ here is a link to some of the targets I completed last season with the 6ARC.

 

[SD guy]

The ONLY reason to chose either is to shoot it in an AR15. Both cartridges are limited by the constraints of the AR15 upper ---> barrel diameter, bolt strength, and mag length.

If you are shooting a bolt action rifle the choice is between PPC and BR.

For perspective, I recently had an AR15 rifle built in 6 ARC. It is for a match that is limited to AR/gas operated only.

Have you looked at 6mm ARC Gas & Bolt gun load data?