6.5 Grendel bolt actions. Howa or maybe custom build.

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boomer81

Guest
#1
What is the take on a bolt action 6.5 Grendel. Shorter barrel. Light setup. Thinking about trying out the Howa mini action putting a good scope on it or maybe building a custom gun. I need a good medium range cartridge with low recoil and good barrel life. Coyotes out to 600 and ringing steel out to 1000 yards. All my long range stuff is heavier setups all my low recoil stuff does not have the range.

I've ran fast twist.243 and 243ai and and fast 22-250s in for this in the past. But they are barrel burners. I've thought about a 6.5 creedmoor in the savage 11 lightweight hunter. but the creedmoors I've shot in lighter setups had a bit of recoil. I wanna be able to shoot and watch impact. Something my kids could hunt with as well.
 
#2
Every day I go into my local gunshop, the Cz527 in 7.62x39 stares me down and says "take me with you"... Because it needs to be dropped in an EH1 with a short little #3b 6.5 Grendel barrel...

Also thinking about .243lbc or 6mm AR tubo with 110smks.
 
#3
Pretty much for $600 I think I try the howa. If I love it I do a custom build. It's basically a low recoil .308 trajectory wise from what little research I've done as far as how they work in a bolt action. give or take a little. I've never shot one recoil wise I would assume it's about like a .243 would that be a accurate assumption. Thanks to all
 
#5
I saw that. Unfortunately all I saw being released was the "American" version, which is more of a sporter profile barrel. I don't know if there's enough meat for muzzle threads on those or not. I'm also irrationally leery (spoiled, truth be told) of all factory barrels in the accuracy department. At any rate, it would be a good starting point to at least see how the factory pipe performs instead of just buying a $675 action. That little 7.62x39 carbine locally, though, has an really great cam geometry/primary extraction and feel running the bolt for a factory rifle. I think I'll break down and buy it in a couple weeks if it's still there. I have a few cans full of 7.62 ammo for dicking around in the mean time while I gather parts.
 
#6
This got me to looking. The barreled actions that Brownells sells are labeled as heavy barrel. They are .730 at the muzzle of the 20" barrel. I'm fairly ignorant to barrel taper but that doesn't sound too heavy. (In the contour sense not weight wise)
 
#7
Someone else was asking me about this recently. I guess my only questions is why you wouldn't just do a SA 6.5 with a little more velocity like the 260/6.5 creed/x47 lapua, etc. I could see it in an AR because you can use the small frame lower, but for a bolt gun you have to buy the action or donor platform anyways.
 
#8
My attraction is mostly with the Cz527 action. I'm a Mauser nut, and like I said the one locally runs really nice, better than any trued up 700 I've ever felt. It's for fun, lightweight, handy little rifle with no recoil. I've thought to do it in .223, also but the 6.5 grendel or 6mm Turbo has a bit more balls. For serious stuff I have a Mausingfield with 6.5 SAUM and .260 barrels.
 
#9
Iamero said:
Someone else was asking me about this recently. I guess my only questions is why you wouldn't just do a SA 6.5 with a little more velocity like the 260/6.5 creed/x47 lapua, etc. I could see it in an AR because you can use the small frame lower, but for a bolt gun you have to buy the action or donor platform anyways.
Click to expand...

My thoughts exactly. If barrel life is the concern just water the loads down and/or use a slower powder. It will get the same result but with the option of more gas if desired. x47L works great without having a long barrel and seems to get good barrel life.
 
#10
Led Zep,
Looks like you're located near or in RC, SD.
Talk to Mark at First Stop. I ordered one through him and haven't heard of delivery yet.
He should have a few on order or possibly in stock.
I need to call him and see about it anyway
 
#11
Well I goofed up and checked my bank account inside first stop and got the 7.62x39 carbine today. Going to be a slower build. Probably order a barrel here in a month or two, and maybe a new stock if/when I feel like it. The factory Walnut feels good. Already have a Vortex 2.5-10x32 sitting around, just need some rings.

Big decision point is 6.5G vs. 6mm AR turbo. I'm going to buy Lapua brass and reload either way... Also considering another Proof cf barrel but a 3b bartlein sounds more likely. I need to measure the receiver ring and see if it will work with a 1.200" shank.
 
#12
redneckbmxer24 said:
My thoughts exactly. If barrel life is the concern just water the loads down and/or use a slower powder. It will get the same result but with the option of more gas if desired. x47L works great without having a long barrel and seems to get good barrel life.
Click to expand...

+1

I like Grendel, building an AR in it now. But it is really designed (compromised) for AR. I don't quite see why one'd build a bolt action with it.
 
#13
OP stated it ... lighter, more compact rifle that his kids could easily shoot. I've thought the same but for my gf. Hell with the same ballistics as 308, it's even more appealing. 308 is fucking gay. 308 isn't like a classic car unless you think Corvairs are classic. I look at it this way ... I could dump off my stupid EMC, dump off my gAy-I barrel and every 308 loading component, have a compact custom my gf could shoot though she will probably still only achieve 3.5MOA vs 4MOA with my GAP x47. Pick up an AR15 upper to appease my semi auto niche and never shoot it. Dedicate all my Vargay and RL15 to 6.5x47 but I never shoot anymore anyways and just pick up a jug of CFE223.

In the end it's an excuse to build a new rifle I'll never shoot. phxfa will call me a belly shooting queer. nexusfire will call me a homo collector. foweis will tell me I'm cool. Hell I convinced myself I need one.

527 over Howa?
 
Last edited:
#15
Ledzep said:
Well I goofed up and checked my bank account inside first stop and got the 7.62x39 carbine today. Going to be a slower build. Probably order a barrel here in a month or two, and maybe a new stock if/when I feel like it. The factory Walnut feels good. Already have a Vortex 2.5-10x32 sitting around, just need some rings.

Big decision point is 6.5G vs. 6mm AR turbo. I'm going to buy Lapua brass and reload either way... Also considering another Proof cf barrel but a 3b bartlein sounds more likely. I need to measure the receiver ring and see if it will work with a 1.200" shank.
Click to expand...

I can get you a Hardy CF made to order for whatever shank you need.

I was at the range recently and a guy there had a 6.5g on a stiller with an ultra-7. It was really nice! Only problem with that round is that it becomes anemic pretty quickly as your barrel gets under 24".
 
#16
6mmTurbo in a bolt rifle would be about even with 6mm BR. The Turbo is capable of more than one would think. In my 22" AR in 6mmFat Rat the 95 SMK is going 2870 fps. In my old 26" 6mmTurbo I'd get 2875 fps with 105amax but that was a hot load. 2900 fps in a 24" should be a nice medium load with 95's in either cartridge case. After shooting the 105's for years and then trying the 95's, I prefer the 95's for a case this size. 100 fps faster than the 105's, there's less recoil and windage is the same. 2900 fps with a .5BC in a little 527 would be cool!
 
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