6.5 Grendel ? How would you go about getting that done with the new A2?
I am a newbie, been lurking here for a long time, don't own a rifle and haven't even shot one for the past 15 years. I was thinking about buying 2 or 3 different bolt action rifles over the next few years but would rather just invest in the SRS platform right out of the gate. When I think about what kind of range time/place I am going to really end up with, even 6.5 creedmoor seems like a little too much for me while the 6.5 Grendel seems just about perfect. I would even go 223 before I would go with the larger calibers because all the other options are just overkill for me. It seems like getting just the chassis/action and then getting a custom barrel made would be no big deal, but how would I get the right bolt and magazines without spending a fortune? Any ideas or other options for a weekend warrior that just wants to punch paper and steel at 100 to 1,000 yards (200-300 90% of the time) with reasonable cost factory ammo and zero shoulder pain after a half day on the range going through a few boxes of ammo?
The 6.5 Grendel is an oddball in this platform. Go with something more common, which means cheaper components and more common items for sale, and better resale if you decide to change calibers.
Only 4 parts make the complete rifle; chassis, barrel, bolt, magazine. You need to decide on caliber first. Then look in the used section for a ccomplete rifle, or post up a Want To Buy ad. You can also jump on the SRS-A1 closeouts that Eurooptic is running right now. $2200 for the chassis. That wont last long.
There are 3 bolts, all the exact same except for the bolt face. $325 for the bolt. Pick your caliber and buy 1 of the 3 available bolts. You will end up with most of the bolts eventually.
There are 4 different magazines, figure $80 - $120 per magazine. Chose one, but you will end up with most of them eventually.
308-based short action 6 round, 308-based short action 10 round, 300WM/338LM 5 round, 300WM/338LM 8 round.
Barrels are all over the place. Buy OEM from Desert Tech direct, Eurooptic, or go custom with ES Tactical, DMR, TS Customs, SPR, SAC, or look in the Accessories for sale for barrels. Buy a barrel with a Gen 2 extension, which the vast majority are. Figure $900 - $1800 for the new custom barrel depending on where you go, barrel length, carbon fiber, or other options you select. There could be sales/closeouts that offer cheaper barrels too.
So for $3500 complete you could be shooting a common caliber, like a 6.5 Creed or 308. If you want to shoot 6.5 SAUM, 300 PRC, 300 WM, 338 LM, 300 Norma, 33XC, 7 WSM, 264 WM, 28 Nosler, 223, 224 V, (you catch the drift) down the road, you just need another bolt, magazine, and barrel. Or if you decide you need a 6xc, 6 Creed, 243, 338 Federal, 450 Bushmaster, etc, you just buy a new barrel since you already have the bolt & magazine.
I will tell you that I wont sell my SRS-A1 for $3500, and most here wouldn't. This is unfamiliar territory we are in with the discounting of the existing SRS-A1 going on to move more SRS-A2's.
