I'm another user - a lovely little cartridge. Covid lockdowns have restricted my use and load development opportunities, but I got it down to half-MOA at 100 with one favoured bullet to date in a Howa Mini Oryx. I'm sure it'll do a little better still even in the fairly light 20-inch factory barrel, but with a good quality and much heavier match tube on .................. ?? Fun (and cheap) to shoot at 300 yards a la F-Class, but competitive? - definitely not against custom built rifles and more muscular cartridges.
How many 6.5Grendel AR shooters are on this forum?
- Thread starter Mark611
- Start date
DLT, I kinda had the same issues when I started with mine as well, I don't know how your rifle is set up, but I like to mainly target shoot, I usually run a 2 stage target trigger and heavy barrels, I also reload all my ammo, I have tried several different powders and I have ran the 123gn ELDM 120 ELDM and 120 SMK's, last week end I finally found the best combo for my 18'' 1&8 barrel, the 120gn SMK's with 27.1gn and 27.4gn of AR Comp, 27.1 gave me an ave of 2495, 27.4 gave me an ave 2505, I was able to shoot 1.25'' group @208yds in a gusting 20mph wind, this combo has givin me my best accuracy and velocity I have been looking for, now I need to work on my 24'' gun,
When I was looking at the 6.5mm cartridges some years ago I wanted something that would shoot small groups, being a southpaw shooter, I didn't have many options, other than building a custom-built rifle, AR's, offered a cheaper way out, they're not target guns, but I get very acceptable accuracy for this style of rifle, my biggest setback is my scope, it has a dot for the main aiming point, the 2moa dots I shoot at are covered by the dot in the scope @200yds, so this hinders my precision aiming at these distances, Combat/Tactical optics are not the best for target shooting!
M611-You might try using a 6 o’clock hold on your dots, or as I had a somewhat similar issue, switched to shooting at an open center 1.3” high diamond with a 6 o’clock hold, which made it easier to see a precise aim point. Not shooting groups at 850yds with a 20” Proof Grendel with Primary 1-8 PLXC with Griffin reticle, but am making consistent hits on plates at distance on 8x.
majohnson
Gold $$ Contributor
Back in 2016 I built AR with 20" Lija barrel, with a big Stiener scope. The 1st day out I could not believe how well it shot. It shot great groups at 600 so the last mag we all back up to the 1000yd benches. While brass was available, I don't remember factory ammo being available. It was the same when I started shooting the 6.5CM
The 6.5 Grendal seems like a better cartridge then the 6.8SPC.
The 6.5 Grendal seems like a better cartridge then the 6.8SPC.
Built an 11" AR pistol for my 9 year old son to get him into deer hunting with something small enough for our blinds and that he could handle. He's 11 now, and I have a 16.25" barrel on order to make it legal under the stupid new AFT "rule". Even at 11" it was a shooter, just VERY loud. I did that on purpose to shoot with a suppressor, which I just got in December. Would have been great, now it'll be LOOONG for the kid...probably hunt without the suppressor.
My favorite caliber.
Two here. One AR that I built years back for Wyoming antelope and a second bolt gun I built on a Howa mini action.
Two here. One AR that I built years back for Wyoming antelope and a second bolt gun I built on a Howa mini action.
The first one I built was a 20” 8twist. I found out later that Bill Alexander found that combo to be pretty finicky with 123s. My luck with mine made him seem like a phrophet. The 3 20” 1 in 9 twist Grendel’s have been accurate. Very accurate with 123s and consistently under 1/2 moa at 600 yards whitch works for what those rifles need to do. 18 inch barrels do fine with the tighter twist but if you like light bullets stick with the mid or intermediate length gas. I prefer AA barrels, gas blocks and Bolts. i have Geissele NM two stage match triggers on all of mine and a few Larue Triggers for folks I’ve bult for that wouldn’t go for the NM, Ive used Aero, Anderson and Del-ton upper and lowers and prefer aero enhanced buffer tubes.
Stay loosely within these parameters and you should have a rifle that will make you proud with a little load development. There are certainly other good barrels out there. But I like 20” barrels. There aren’t many that can be had in 1 in 9. Not that the 1 in 8 won’t shoot. It just may take more effort. My first Rifle in 1 in 8 liked 129 class bullets. I had to take a little speed off to get it to shoot 123s. I hope some of this helps. AR comp was by far the most accurate powder for me.
Good to know, Turp, just from my experience I have tried to run the 123 and 120gn ELDM's from my 1&8 barrels because of the BC's of these bullets, accuracy has not been horrible, I think my previous loadings due to the powder choices I started off with have caused me to struggle a little, now the powder I'm starting to use is giving me the velocities I was looking for and the accuracy is starting to come in with the 120gn SMK's, I sorted the these bullets and I tipped them, like I do all of the open tip match bullets I load for my blot guns, when I get a chance I will try the 120gn and 123gn ELDM's again and see how accurate they shoot with AR Comp,
I harvested a Grendel from a take off 6.5x47 bolt gun barrel. Here is the target from 1st outing. Have not shot it since then.
You can decipher from the target shot at 200 yards. 1st round through the barrel was after boresighting. Groups at 3 and 9 were shot with the #8s for POA.
You can decipher from the target shot at 200 yards. 1st round through the barrel was after boresighting. Groups at 3 and 9 were shot with the #8s for POA.
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My
Interestingly these AR comp loads have shot very well with almost any Grendel I tried them in with tight stats. I’ve built several.
imr 8208. 27.5-28.1 with 123 seated 2.55 or so is another good one in a friends 18” barrel I built.
28.5 Power Pro Varmint with eldm 123 seated 2.558 Is a one holer but spikes a bit over 95 degree temps.
The factory SSTs 123 shot one inch groups all day in an 18” AA I just built but Blue Box recent Privi Partisan 120 HPBT will put 3 into .375 at 100 consistently.
27.5 H 4895 is very good with great groups. Just a bit slow.
My recent 20” AA was not crazy about Leverevolution As speed grew, groups grew. I will admit though that in my area for my purposes I mainly stick to stick powder. It’s just been more consistent with no surprises though if you push imr 8208 near max 28.5 it’s kinda like poking a bear. I don’t go over 28.2 in hornady or starline brass and stay mostly 27,8-27.9.
This is just some general info I’ve seen working with several Grendels. I’m pretty conservative and don’t chase speed.
My finicky Grendel responded heavily to powder choice, feast to famine you might say 26.7 AR comp for the 129 LRAB. 27.7-28 with 27.8 probably being best with 123s and close attention to seating depth with 123 eldms. They settle down some after 100 so don’t be afraid to try 2-300 yards to see how they settle in. It may surprise you. They also thump deer and hogs hard.
Interestingly these AR comp loads have shot very well with almost any Grendel I tried them in with tight stats. I’ve built several.
imr 8208. 27.5-28.1 with 123 seated 2.55 or so is another good one in a friends 18” barrel I built.
28.5 Power Pro Varmint with eldm 123 seated 2.558 Is a one holer but spikes a bit over 95 degree temps.
The factory SSTs 123 shot one inch groups all day in an 18” AA I just built but Blue Box recent Privi Partisan 120 HPBT will put 3 into .375 at 100 consistently.
27.5 H 4895 is very good with great groups. Just a bit slow.
My recent 20” AA was not crazy about Leverevolution As speed grew, groups grew. I will admit though that in my area for my purposes I mainly stick to stick powder. It’s just been more consistent with no surprises though if you push imr 8208 near max 28.5 it’s kinda like poking a bear. I don’t go over 28.2 in hornady or starline brass and stay mostly 27,8-27.9.
This is just some general info I’ve seen working with several Grendels. I’m pretty conservative and don’t chase speed.
Glad forum is back up and running, and have been quite encouraged to see feedback and experience from this forum, as well, as I don’t think Grendel gets as much press or appreciation for its capabilities, being overshadowed by better more aggressive marketing for the latest/greatest ie. 6ARC. Keep it coming, guys/girls.
I for 1 am a happy camper with what I have been able to accomplish with my AR Grendel, I purchased about 7 or 8 different powders just to find what works best in my gun, to date I have tried Shooters World Match rifle, A2520 A2495, AR Comp, H4895, H322, I have yet to try H335 TAC, A2460, RL15, which I have them all, But I probably won't waste my time, AR Comp has outperformed all the powders I have tried! The good thing is all the powders I purchased that won't be used in the Grendel's I have will work in my 308's and 5.56 rifles! none of the powders I have tried would reach 2450fps, from my 18'' barrel, SWMR did but it had pressure, ejector marks in the brass at 29.1 and 29.4gns, I backed it off to 29gns no pressure signs but it only shot in the 2380 range, A2520 showed ejector marks at the same charge weights and didn't break 2400fps, all bullets weights were the same in my testing 120 and 123gn ELDM's and some 120gn SMK's, and same primers and all new Hornady or Starline brass, with CCI#41's, AR Comp so far is hands down winner from my 18'' barrel!
Yep, got a couple or 3 grendels
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