6.5 Grendel 24" vs .260 Remington 16"

[LAKsupply]

I've been working on details for a build that will suit both hunting (mainly white tail to 4-500 yards) and LR shooting. I want a gas gun that's capable of mid range hunting shots and will still get out to 1k at supersonic velocities AND is light enough to haul around in the field. I want to be able to shoot the same load/weapon for both... familiarity and practice is important to me and having two different guns doesn't work with the time I have to shoot these days.

The only weapon I've been able to find that comes close to meeting these criteria is an AR chambered in the 6.5 with a longish barrel.

I've been also looking around at the DPMS .260 rifles... they have one that runs about 8lb but it's a 16" barrel. Their 20" version is about 11lb, but I can build a complete 22-24" AR chambered for the Grendel with optics and stay under the 11lb mark.

Will the .260 out of a 16" barrel be worth it, or am I on the right track with a Grendel with 8" more pipe?

 

[jdel]

Re: 6.5 Grendel 24" vs .260 Remington 16"

On the Grendal forum They had a loading section that shows the difference in velocity between 16 to 22" barrel lengths. I remember the difference from 18 to 22 wasn't much at all. I would think a 16" barrel is a little short for the ranges you mentioned. Why not just build an upper for your rifle. You can get any barrel length you want with any hand guard you want.

 

[Mike]

Re: 6.5 Grendel 24" vs .260 Remington 16"

Go into your local store that sells ammo and ask if they have 260 or 6.5 Grendel.

 

[Goldbeachman]

Re: 6.5 Grendel 24" vs .260 Remington 16"

My local store actually does sell 260, but I'd be surprised if they even know what 6.5 Grendel is. I carried an AA 24" GDMR 6.5 for 1/2 a day deer hunting. While a little heavy, I determined to not complain. The sling was the thing that made it unpleasant compared to a typical padded hunting rifle sling. Next year I'll do it again with a suppressor on the end of it and a padded sling. Pretty tough, maybe impossible, to find a rifle that does everything well.

 

[Libertas]

Re: 6.5 Grendel 24" vs .260 Remington 16"

I've heard that the Grendel will become more widely available as some special interest is being paid to it. I have a Baer 20" and a JP Enterprises CTR-02 24" and they are the titties. Real small groups and I have read nothing but great reviews about this round.

 

[Mike]

Re: 6.5 Grendel 24" vs .260 Remington 16"

rumors abound on the next "sliced bread". Personally I like proven performers with a well known history.

 

[match308]

Re: 6.5 Grendel 24" vs .260 Remington 16"

Grendel is a great caliber, but seldom does one find a single caliber that is the best at everything. 6.5 Grendel gets the closest that I've seen to the do-all caliber, though. Hornady is now making ammo for the caliber and hopefully we'll see more of it on the shelf. I chose to give it a try and I'm glad I did.

 

[LAKsupply]

Re: 6.5 Grendel 24" vs .260 Remington 16"

Yeah... I know there's nothing that's ideal. I would simply like to be as proficient as possible with one rifle, and I figure something that's adequate and gets practiced with will win out over something that's more than adequate and doesn't get used.

Thanks for the input guys...

 

[LAKsupply]

Re: 6.5 Grendel 24" vs .260 Remington 16"

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Mike</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Go into your local store that sells ammo and ask if they have 260 or 6.5 Grendel.</div></div>

Not worried about ammo... I'll make my own. Brass is available for the Grendel, and I can make .260 brass out of 7-08, 308, 243, etc. If I had to depend on my local store that sells ammo I'd be broke and have 1/10th of the ammo I do.

 

[toddk]

Re: 6.5 Grendel 24" vs .260 Remington 16"

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: LAKsupply</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I want to be able to shoot the same load/weapon for both... </div></div>

I'm not sure I would feel comfortable shooting game at 500 with a 6.5G or a 16" .260 and target bullets. Maybe with hunting bullets of a lower minimum velocity operating range.

Do you need a semi? I would feel better with a 22-24" lighter tactical bolt in .260 for your application.

 

[LAKsupply]

Re: 6.5 Grendel 24" vs .260 Remington 16"

I'm actually kind of steering towards a 260 Remington with a 20" barrel. I've been looking over DPMS's LR260H that comes in at about 10.5lb, and I think I can build something similar while shaving about a pound off the empty weight. That would keep me in my desired 11lb range with the Mark 4 included. I have an email into Shilen to see what they can do for me on a 260 barrel/bolt...

I do want a gas gun... more versatile for what I'll be doing with it. It's nice to change an upper and have a different caliber as well.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: TMK</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: LAKsupply</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I want to be able to shoot the same load/weapon for both... </div></div>

I'm not sure I would feel comfortable shooting game at 500 with a 6.5G or a 16" .260 and target bullets. Maybe with hunting bullets of a lower minimum velocity operating range.

Do you need a semi? I would feel better with a 22-24" lighter tactical bolt in .260 for your application. </div></div>

 

[Tactical30]

Re: 6.5 Grendel 24" vs .260 Remington 16"

I built my first 6.5 Grendel on a AR-Platform not to long ago and couldnt be happier with it. The load that it seem to like best is 120gr. Nosler BT's: 31.7grs BL-C(2): Lapua Brass: CCI#450 Primer: OAL 2.255". Im surprised its this accurate with this load cuz its more of a hunting round than a paper punching round. Sub-MOA
I love it. Very, very accurate rifle for an AR-Platform.

 

[Spud47]

Re: 6.5 Grendel 24" vs .260 Remington 16"

Olin Posted:
My local store actually does sell 260, but I'd be surprised if they even know what 6.5 Grendel is. I carried an AA 24" GDMR 6.5 for 1/2 a day deer hunting. While a little heavy, I determined to not complain. The sling was the thing that made it unpleasant compared to a typical padded hunting rifle sling. <span style="font-weight: bold">Next year I'll do it again with a suppressor on the end </span>of it and a padded sling. Pretty tough, maybe impossible, to find a rifle that does everything well.

Can you hunt with a suppressor in Oregon?

Spud47

 

[toddk]

Re: 6.5 Grendel 24" vs .260 Remington 16"

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Spud47</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Can you hunt with a suppressor in Oregon?</div></div>
YES


I think you can make weight with a lighter contour custom barrel or re contour on the LR260, the DPMS bull barrel is very heavy.

 

[NordicG3K]

Re: 6.5 Grendel 24" vs .260 Remington 16"

Another +1 for the Grendel. It's certainly not a 'do everything' caliber, but it does everything I want it too. My next one will be a 12.5" SBR.

 

[mjb2]

Re: 6.5 Grendel 24" vs .260 Remington 16"

NordicG3K - whose forearm is that ? Build details ? Thanks.

 

[nhm16]

Re: 6.5 Grendel 24" vs .260 Remington 16"

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: mjb2</div><div class="ubbcode-body">NordicG3K - whose forearm is that ? Build details ? Thanks. </div></div>

Looks like a Vltor CASV. I think it's a drop-in free float that mounts on the top rail of the upper versus the delta-ring like the Daniel Defense Omega, etc.

 

[NordicG3K]

Re: 6.5 Grendel 24" vs .260 Remington 16"

Templar 18" stainless barrel
PWS flash suppressor
Larue gas block
Vltor MUR upper
Vltor CASV handguard/rail system
Noveske N4 lower
DPMS lower parts kit
Y/M National Match carrier w/ Templar bolt
JP 3.5lb trigger
DPMS charging handle w/ Badger tactical latch
KNS pin set
Magpul MIAD grip
Magpul PRS stock
Larue bipod adapter
Harris bipod
ADM Recon 35mm QD scope mount
IOR 2-12x32 scope
Vltor CASV-FS flip-up front sight
Matech 600m flip-up rear sight
Specter 3-point sling

 

[Dirknar]

Re: 6.5 Grendel 24" vs .260 Remington 16"

NordicG3K very nice grendel, how do you like that PWS flash suppressor?

Im thinking about one for the 6.5css I just finished.

 

[eleaf]

Re: 6.5 Grendel 24" vs .260 Remington 16"

Perhaps specific things happen with the 6.5 Grendel, but my 16" AR is no less accurate than any longer barrel AR I've used. The velocity is a bit slower, but not by leaps and bounds, but I still get it where it needs to be in a nice compact light(ish) rifle.

 

[ZbornacSVT]

Re: 6.5 Grendel 24" vs .260 Remington 16"

I went with a 28" Satern on my 6.5G build.

 

[MudBug]

Re: 6.5 Grendel 24" vs .260 Remington 16"

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Mike</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Go into your local store that sells ammo and ask if they have 260 or 6.5 Grendel. </div></div>


Why does that matter? I haven't hunted with a factory load since I started hunting again 8 years ago.

 

[NordicG3K]

Re: 6.5 Grendel 24" vs .260 Remington 16"

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: MudBug</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Mike</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Go into your local store that sells ammo and ask if they have 260 or 6.5 Grendel. </div></div>


Why does that matter? I haven't hunted with a factory load since I started hunting again 8 years ago. </div></div>

+1

Even if they did, I couldn't afford it. That's why I roll my own.

 

[Explorer]

Re: 6.5 Grendel 24" vs .260 Remington 16"

I would probably go with the 260 given the hunting, to handle the slightly heavier bullets.
I have a 260 bolt gun which shoots great, my Grendel AR is still the the build stage.
Did you consider a 6.5 Creedmore? Another versital round.
Doubt you will go very wrong with any of them if you stay within their limits.

 

[mavrick10_2000]

Re: 6.5 Grendel 24" vs .260 Remington 16"

Don't even try to compare a Grendel to a .260. The only similarity is in the projectile, they are different animals.

The Grendel is based off of a .220 Russian/PPC Case which has a lot less volume than a .260, 6.5 Creedmor, 6.5x47 Lapua. What this means is once you start getting into projo's heavier than 123gr mv starts to drop significantly as does K.E. on game at a much shorter distance than .260 family cartridges. Even with a gas gun a .260 is going to handle 139-142gr hunting bullets with much more authority, speed and energy on target.

Don't get me wrong I love my Grendel. IMO for long range plinking out to 1k with the Grendel 100-108gr is hard to beat. I wish Hornady offered the AMAX in 100-108gr, the 123's are a little heavy for this caliber if beyond 800yds is your goal. For hunting out to 500yds the 129gr SST or 130 Scirroco would be a good bet, but with a bit more drop and loss of MV. Within 200 yds you could load up even heavier bullets approaching 140 gr.

Ultimately it depends upon your philosophy of what you want the bullet to do when it reaches the vitals in an animal. Are you in the two hole camp, or do you want the majority of the energy deposited inside the animal with the projectile stopping in the offside muscle/bone?