I am thinking of building a 6.5 Grendel. I was wondering how reliable they feed. What are the pros and cons of it.
Thanks
Thanks
- Thread starter SouthernGunner
- Start date
Re: 6.5 Grendel build
I've never built one, but I have a JP upper and it runs like a champ. Cut/paste from my review on tgr.
My review of the JP 6.5 Grendel
I didn’t know exactly what to expect with this cartridge, but hoped it would be a great alternative to the larger and heavier AR-10 platform; yet provide a more economical round with less recoil yet still formidable at long range.
As the range reports were so favorable from others testing the waters with this promising round, I decided it was best to contact JP rifles, who sent me a CTR-02™ upper with their cool howitzer themed JP Recoil Eliminator.
I am previously a JP customer due to their incredible workmanship and accuracy, not too mention I love their adjustable gas blocks and triggers and they have a reputation for unsurpased customer service and fast shipping.
So with the upper mounted on a completed lower assembly liberated from a match .223 upper with a JP trigger, and some purchased Hornady 123grn A-MAX rounds, I topped it off with a a spare scope (MIllet LRS-1) and headed out to Best of The West shooting sports in Liberty Hill, TX for a test drive.
I adjusted the gas system while zeroing it in just a few rounds and then the fun started. It was instantly obvious that the gun was accurate and flat shooting as head shots on the LaRue auto-reset targets at 250 yards were so close together that the paint splatter made it hard to see where the next round was going, so after 3 rounds I decided to move out to 500. Using the ballistics data I found online, I put 10MOA on the elevation knob, held center mass, and put one right on the LaRue’s forehead. A SWAG correction to 8.5MOA elevation put it dead center mass and then 3-4 follow up shots were in a small sub 3″ group. On a good day I’m a .5MOA shooter on paper at 100 yards and I always giggle when I get lucky and pull something like this off.
What’s even more interesting is that it really smacks the crud out of the steel at 500 yards, I mean you FEEL it impact.. hard to believe from such a small cartridge. And just to give you an idea what I am talking about here, compared to the 175grn SMK’s I shoot in my custom .308 it’s going 200fps faster at 500 yards with 90% of the energy, yet 10-15% less wind drift and bullet drop.. but the best part is that its cheaper to shoot than the .308 and has nearly HALF the felt recoil. Oh, and it’s a higher BC bullet so it even becomes more interesting at longer ranges.
The next berm at BOTW is 750 yards. They have a hanging gong, 2 more LaRue reactive targets and a large steel plate that looks to be about the size of a bedroom door. Pardon this pic but it’s through the scope of my Mk4 LR/T using my BlackBerry. I put in 24 minutes and hit the berm on top of the target, windage was dead on. I put in 22 and still went high, so I put in 19.5moa and hit one of the LaRue’s smack dead center.
(Pause for more giggles.)
So before I swung the muzzle over to the 1000 yard berm I decided to play with the gas system a bit to see if I could squeeze any more FPS out of the JP upper so I loaded 1 round at a time into the mag and bled it off until it would just barely lock back on the empty mag and the brass was in a nice little pile just over my right shoulder.
The environmental conditions were perfect for shooting as it was 67 degrees with a winds gusting from 5-7 my from my 4 o-clock position.
Best of the West is a great place to practice 1000 yard shooting in the wind, becuase the berms are dry and there seems to be a near constant vortex and mirage is exaggerated there compared to other long-range targets I am used to. I was able to get dialed in with just around 33MOA elevation and engaged steel – a dream come true to me as I’ve always wanted a standard mag length cartridge that could do that from an existing stoner rifle… and now I’ve got it.
I will upgrade optics and swap out for a lighter trigger and test my skills again at 1000 yards with it and take some more pics and video of it next weekend hopefully.
Link to rifle manufacturer:
http://www.jprifles.com/1.2.1_CTR02.php
http://tacticalgunreview.com/2011/11/05/jp-ctr-02-5-grendel-review/
I've never built one, but I have a JP upper and it runs like a champ. Cut/paste from my review on tgr.
My review of the JP 6.5 Grendel
I didn’t know exactly what to expect with this cartridge, but hoped it would be a great alternative to the larger and heavier AR-10 platform; yet provide a more economical round with less recoil yet still formidable at long range.
As the range reports were so favorable from others testing the waters with this promising round, I decided it was best to contact JP rifles, who sent me a CTR-02™ upper with their cool howitzer themed JP Recoil Eliminator.
I am previously a JP customer due to their incredible workmanship and accuracy, not too mention I love their adjustable gas blocks and triggers and they have a reputation for unsurpased customer service and fast shipping.
So with the upper mounted on a completed lower assembly liberated from a match .223 upper with a JP trigger, and some purchased Hornady 123grn A-MAX rounds, I topped it off with a a spare scope (MIllet LRS-1) and headed out to Best of The West shooting sports in Liberty Hill, TX for a test drive.
I adjusted the gas system while zeroing it in just a few rounds and then the fun started. It was instantly obvious that the gun was accurate and flat shooting as head shots on the LaRue auto-reset targets at 250 yards were so close together that the paint splatter made it hard to see where the next round was going, so after 3 rounds I decided to move out to 500. Using the ballistics data I found online, I put 10MOA on the elevation knob, held center mass, and put one right on the LaRue’s forehead. A SWAG correction to 8.5MOA elevation put it dead center mass and then 3-4 follow up shots were in a small sub 3″ group. On a good day I’m a .5MOA shooter on paper at 100 yards and I always giggle when I get lucky and pull something like this off.
What’s even more interesting is that it really smacks the crud out of the steel at 500 yards, I mean you FEEL it impact.. hard to believe from such a small cartridge. And just to give you an idea what I am talking about here, compared to the 175grn SMK’s I shoot in my custom .308 it’s going 200fps faster at 500 yards with 90% of the energy, yet 10-15% less wind drift and bullet drop.. but the best part is that its cheaper to shoot than the .308 and has nearly HALF the felt recoil. Oh, and it’s a higher BC bullet so it even becomes more interesting at longer ranges.
The next berm at BOTW is 750 yards. They have a hanging gong, 2 more LaRue reactive targets and a large steel plate that looks to be about the size of a bedroom door. Pardon this pic but it’s through the scope of my Mk4 LR/T using my BlackBerry. I put in 24 minutes and hit the berm on top of the target, windage was dead on. I put in 22 and still went high, so I put in 19.5moa and hit one of the LaRue’s smack dead center.
(Pause for more giggles.)
So before I swung the muzzle over to the 1000 yard berm I decided to play with the gas system a bit to see if I could squeeze any more FPS out of the JP upper so I loaded 1 round at a time into the mag and bled it off until it would just barely lock back on the empty mag and the brass was in a nice little pile just over my right shoulder.
The environmental conditions were perfect for shooting as it was 67 degrees with a winds gusting from 5-7 my from my 4 o-clock position.
Best of the West is a great place to practice 1000 yard shooting in the wind, becuase the berms are dry and there seems to be a near constant vortex and mirage is exaggerated there compared to other long-range targets I am used to. I was able to get dialed in with just around 33MOA elevation and engaged steel – a dream come true to me as I’ve always wanted a standard mag length cartridge that could do that from an existing stoner rifle… and now I’ve got it.
I will upgrade optics and swap out for a lighter trigger and test my skills again at 1000 yards with it and take some more pics and video of it next weekend hopefully.
Link to rifle manufacturer:
http://www.jprifles.com/1.2.1_CTR02.php
http://tacticalgunreview.com/2011/11/05/jp-ctr-02-5-grendel-review/
Re: 6.5 Grendel build
This has me excited as I have an Alexander Arms 19.5" Grendel upper sitting on an LMT Defender lower in the safe just waiting for glass and a trigger. What length barrel did you get on yours?
Vinson
This has me excited as I have an Alexander Arms 19.5" Grendel upper sitting on an LMT Defender lower in the safe just waiting for glass and a trigger. What length barrel did you get on yours?
Vinson
Re: 6.5 Grendel build
Savage, never had a problem with my home build, had built a few 223's over the years, couple years ago took the Grendel/264lbc leap. Have had no problems, feeds well, functions well, shoots better.
Savage, never had a problem with my home build, had built a few 223's over the years, couple years ago took the Grendel/264lbc leap. Have had no problems, feeds well, functions well, shoots better.
Re: 6.5 Grendel build
I just finished up my build and thus far am very pleased. Only Hornady's have been put down the tube and am currently waiting on some different loads to come in to test with. Just ordered a Geissele to replace the Timney to make things a little easier on my finger.
http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthre...464#Post2987464
I just finished up my build and thus far am very pleased. Only Hornady's have been put down the tube and am currently waiting on some different loads to come in to test with. Just ordered a Geissele to replace the Timney to make things a little easier on my finger.
http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthre...464#Post2987464
Re: 6.5 Grendel build
I built mine, it runs & shoots fine! Just try it!
I built mine, it runs & shoots fine! Just try it!
Re: 6.5 Grendel build
Thanks guys. I have 223 AR but was kinda worried because I've read some stuff about feeding problems. Now I'm for sure building one.
Thanks
Thanks guys. I have 223 AR but was kinda worried because I've read some stuff about feeding problems. Now I'm for sure building one.
Thanks
Re: 6.5 Grendel build
A pic of my Grendel using 95gr v-max!
A pic of my Grendel using 95gr v-max!
Re: 6.5 Grendel build
I love mine, don't regret building it. If you don't reload, ammo availability kind of sucks (not widely carried in most gun shops). I only know of one place here in Tucson that carries 6.5 G ammo.
I love mine, don't regret building it. If you don't reload, ammo availability kind of sucks (not widely carried in most gun shops). I only know of one place here in Tucson that carries 6.5 G ammo.
Re: 6.5 Grendel build
I reload so I'm not worried about ammo availabilty.
I reload so I'm not worried about ammo availabilty.
Re: 6.5 Grendel build
I have two of them. One that I put togther myself and one that GAP did. They both are HAMMERS. I shoot handloads through mine, but I recently started shooting the Hornady ammo.
I have two of them. One that I put togther myself and one that GAP did. They both are HAMMERS. I shoot handloads through mine, but I recently started shooting the Hornady ammo.
Re: 6.5 Grendel build
Lots of places will ship ammo to Tuscon and other cities across the US too =). With the current prices for brass I plan to shoot Hornady 123gr A-max Match ammo until I build up a suitable brass stockpile.
Lots of places will ship ammo to Tuscon and other cities across the US too =). With the current prices for brass I plan to shoot Hornady 123gr A-max Match ammo until I build up a suitable brass stockpile.
Re: 6.5 Grendel build
Had some C-Products mags from early on that were problematic but were exchanged easily----good customer service! No feeding problems since. Have not found a 6.8 mag that doesn't feed in my Grendels either---PRI being my current favourite mag
Had some C-Products mags from early on that were problematic but were exchanged easily----good customer service! No feeding problems since. Have not found a 6.8 mag that doesn't feed in my Grendels either---PRI being my current favourite mag
Re: 6.5 Grendel build
Great timing! Just started an 6.5 build. So far a JP lower with his trigger installed....
Great timing! Just started an 6.5 build. So far a JP lower with his trigger installed....
Re: 6.5 Grendel build
What barrel length do you recommend. I'm stuck between 18 and 20 inch. It will be used for hunting and long range targets.
What barrel length do you recommend. I'm stuck between 18 and 20 inch. It will be used for hunting and long range targets.
Re: 6.5 Grendel build
I'm running an 18 inch Satern barrel and I love it.
I'm running an 18 inch Satern barrel and I love it.
Re: 6.5 Grendel build
I have a 18". Im using mine for target & hunting.
I have a 18". Im using mine for target & hunting.
Re: 6.5 Grendel build
I used a 20 inch satern barrel on mine, its a tack driver. I dont want to shoot my JP .223 anymore after using the grendal.
my grendel has the black WCI brake on the end the JP has the ben coolie comp on the end
I used a 20 inch satern barrel on mine, its a tack driver. I dont want to shoot my JP .223 anymore after using the grendal.
my grendel has the black WCI brake on the end the JP has the ben coolie comp on the end
Re: 6.5 Grendel build
I would do the 20" if I could live with the weight.
I have three 18" Grendels with Saturn barrels. They Chrono' about 2,500 fps. Bill Alexander told me that 24" gets you all you can get out of Grendel. So the 18 are leaving a little on the table. Seem this is always a balance between weight and Muzzle Velocity.
I would do the 20" if I could live with the weight.
I have three 18" Grendels with Saturn barrels. They Chrono' about 2,500 fps. Bill Alexander told me that 24" gets you all you can get out of Grendel. So the 18 are leaving a little on the table. Seem this is always a balance between weight and Muzzle Velocity.
