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6.8SPC vs 6.5 Grendal - help me decide my next build

JWSCottrell

Private
Full Member
Minuteman
Apr 7, 2013
9
0
somewhere behind the primer
In December I picked up two Mag Tactical stripped lowers that I had planned on building until the freakout. Now that some prices are starting to work their way down I am going to pick up the building again. I am in no real hurry and refuse to pay ridiculous prices for parts, but I am slowly rounding stuff up. I have managed to grab a LAR Grizzly ops4 side-charging upper and a young manufacturing BCG (traded 5 ar mags and a remington 597) and want to build a side-charged, fixed stock, free floated , 18 or 20 inch barrel rifle. I will mount either a 3-9x40 or 4-12x50 and use the rifle primarily for two purposes; 1-as a long (well long for me) range (300-650 yards) target rifle, and 2- as a deer hunting rifle. Hunting in my area (central Kentucky) is mostly woods and farmland, most deer shots I will take will be in the range of 50-250 yards. Also for shooting any coyotes I can set eyes on.

I like what I have heard and read about both the 6.5 grendal and the 6.8SPC, from my understanding, the two cartridges get produce similar results in relation to accuracy as well as terminal damage. The 6.5 seems to have the slight edge when it comes to accuracy and the 6.8 has the edge after it makes contact with a living target.

This is just my understanding of information I have read, as my hands on experience with both calibers is less than 10 rounds total.

My questions are, is my understanding correct? What really are the differences when it come to ballistics both in terms of accuracy and terminal damage? For example, if the 6.8 had considerably worse accuracy, but the stopping power/terminal damage differences where similar, I would choose the 6.5. Or if the 2 cartridges had similar accuracy numbers but the 6.8 was capable of producing better effects on game, I would choose the 6.8...

I am not limited to factory ammo, and I will be reloading both hunting and target rounds.

Basically, how do the 2 calibers match up in accuracy and terminal damage abilities, and is the difference between the two enough that it would swing my choice considering my intended uses?
Finally is there anything I should consider before jumping into either in an AR build? (things like cost and availability of bullets, brass, components, common problems etc)

Thanks in advance for the help.
 
Grendal based on the distance you will be target shooting, they have better ballistics based on what I researched before buying a 6.8. I went with a 6.8 for two reason's, I wanted a Noveske and that's what they offered. The other reason is it's my deer rifle because I was tired of carrying a 15 pound ar-10 since my longest distance I can shootin out of the stand is a whopping 270 yards.
 
you have the basics down. if i remember right the grendel gets the advantage after 300 yards. I have owned both, but i sold the 6.8 so i could build a grendel, since it seems like it has more bullet choices for reloading vs. the 6.8( has to use short bullets)
 
Both are great rounds! If you throw a rock anywhere on this forum you will find this debate. For deer hunting the 6.8 has alittle more energy at short distance. For longer ranges the 6.5 has better performance. I have a 18" grendel and couldn't be happier with it! I love the bullet selection of the 6.5 grendel and the range it has for reloading. I built mine with the grizzly side charger also and it works great!
 
I would go with the grendel for more reasons than one,but mainly because you are going to be shooting over 600 yards.
 
The 6.5/264 has more match bullet choices to reload with from 90-123gr but not as many factory loads. 123 Amax is a very good target bullet, the 123 SST a good hunting bullet.
The 6.8 has more hunting bullets in the usable range 85-120 and some 130gr, more factory ammo options. Both can be very accurate. If I was hunting I would choose the 6.8, if target shooting longer distances I would choose the 264/6.5.
 
Your statement "The 6.5 seems to have the slight edge when it comes to accuracy and the 6.8 has the edge after it makes contact with a living target." is not exactly accurate, but maybe I am splitting straws with your analysis.

The 6.8 and 6.5 are both very accurate calibers, both are as accurate as the shooter's capabilities, neither are inheritantly inaccurate. Comparing the 2 calibers, the 6.8 is deadly for shooting game animals at 50-300 yards and the 6.5 excels when shooting further than 300 yards, this is somewhat of a general statement. Obviously, the 6.8 can be used for distances further than 300 yards and the 6.5 can be used for distances less than 300 yards, but for the most part it appears to me that the shooting distance that the rifle is going to be used for is typically how a person decides on which caliber to purchase.

The main reason that people choose the 6.5 Grendel for long range shooting over the 6.8 SPC is because the 6.5 has a flatter trajectory compared to the 6.8 and the 6.5 retains greater terminal energy at extended ranges. The trajectory of 6.8 is close to the trajectory of the 5.56. For shooting at distances less than 300 yards, I can share a scope with a 5.56 rifle and a 6.8 rifle (with a nice LaRue scope mount) and notice only a very slight difference with the zero.

68forums dot com is a good resource for hunting and reloading information with the 6.8 SPC.
65grendel dot com is a good resource for hunting and reloading information with the 6.5 Grendel.
 
I became a huge fan of the Grendel shortly after it was released---obviously I have more than 1 build but became so enamored of its abilities that I made it my "truck gun"
in a 14.5 barrel. First of all it is an AR15, 2nd it is extremely accurate at shorter hunting distances and at longer varmint (read coyote) distances, and last but not least
there are a wide variety of great bullets and brass---even Wolf is making some plinking stuff. It does everything well and is a constant companion in the truck, 4 wheeler, and even on the bike on long trips. I don't have just one rifle but if I did.........................shucks, if I ever get my remission status and make some real $$ again I'm gonna
build an ultimate Grendel with Seekins, Satern, VLTOR and other top-notch parts-----by the way Bill Alexander (AA) is a great source of info as is Les Baer
 
For the ranges your talking about grendel hands down. Here is a picture of mine. Mind you it's a long range competition rig and if I was using it for hunting I would have an 18"

Seekins upper and lower
24" stoner barrel and matched bolt
Adams arms piston system and bolt carrier
Samson arms handguard
ALG trigger
BCM grip and charging handle
Ace stock
9lbs total weight with 2lb USO



And here she is in action

Rayners 2013 Sniper Match - Woods Run - Merritt - YouTube

Good luck,
Merritt
 
I have them both in several varriations. It is a pretty even match out to 300 yards, and then the 6.5 has the lead. I have killed pigs with both, and hit right they are DRT with either round. Bad hit and they run off with either round. I have LWRC 6.8's, and AA 6.5 DMR.

Ammo is about the same for both. Good rounds available for both-with one exception. Wolf makes 6.5 ammo for shooting paper and steel at a reasonable price. There is NO reasonable price 6.8 ammo available. There are outstanding hunting rounds available in both calibers. Keep in mind Wolf ammo is what I consider to be "dirty" ammo, but it is priced right. I shoot all factory ammo and do not reload.

I have one 6.5, and a number of 6.8's. Would have more 6.5, but cannot find a light weight one for carrying in the field, and cannot get an answer from Alexander arms. If LWRC or Noveske or Seekins built a light weight 6.5 I would have one in a flash.
 
Hard to go wrong with either one. For LR targets, I like the .264/6.5G. My deer rifle will always be a 6.8.
 
For closer ranges the 6.5 is equal to or better than the 6.8, while beating the piss out of it at longer ranges, it's no contest