Building a 6.5 AR upper

[wrhunter]

I'm getting ready to order a 18" 6.5 LBC / Grendel barrel. The manufacturer offers it in both mid length and rifle length gas system. I'm thinking rifle length.

Any reason to go mid length other then the option of a shorter hand guard?

This will be used for mid range target shooting and deer / coyote hunting.

Thanks

 

[mjh30]

Re: Building a 6.5 AR upper

Rifle length will be smoother and will work with less pressure, what you really just need in the AR platform is the longest gas system that will cycle your gun without a abnormally large gas port, and I suppose thats the rifle lenght system in an 18 inch barrel. I personally went with a mid-lenght system but use a rifle lenght rail on my 264lbc ( more stable shooting platform). With the mid-lenght system my rifle cycles perfectly, I have no problems using factory ammo or with my handloads using a standard gas block, carbine spring and buffer. Which barrel are you thinking of going with.

 

[Scottmilk9]

Re: Building a 6.5 AR upper

on an 18" barrel i would stay with a mid-length gas system as well, if you choose rifle length, you might have to open the gas port up some. Just my .02 cents.

 

[ranger1183]

Re: Building a 6.5 AR upper

I'd go with rifle length gas system. I once had a custom DPMS 260 built and found out how much over-gassing can reek havoc on an AR. I think the rifle length will give you more of a fudge factor to deal with.

 

[wrhunter]

Re: Building a 6.5 AR upper

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: mjh</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Rifle length will be smoother and will work with less pressure, what you really just need in the AR platform is the longest gas system that will cycle your gun without a abnormally large gas port, and I suppose thats the rifle lenght system in an 18 inch barrel. I personally went with a mid-lenght system but use a rifle lenght rail on my 264lbc ( more stable shooting platform). With the mid-lenght system my rifle cycles perfectly, I have no problems using factory ammo or with my handloads using a standard gas block, carbine spring and buffer. Which barrel are you thinking of going with.
</div></div>

I'm considering a barrel from Black Hole Weaponry. Its a 3 groove polygonal (.290 neck LBC). Price is a lot less then most of the Grendels I have seen.

 

[mjh30]

Re: Building a 6.5 AR upper

Its what I got, great barrle.

 

[wrhunter]

Re: Building a 6.5 AR upper

Local too. What barrel did you go with? Any negatives?

 

[mjh30]

Re: Building a 6.5 AR upper

18 mid-lenght, 1:8 twist, absolutely nothing negative to say about them.

 

[ST42]

Re: Building a 6.5 AR upper

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: mjh</div><div class="ubbcode-body">18 mid-lenght, 1:8 twist, absolutely nothing negative to say about them. </div></div>

+1! I just ran some 123 Scenars through mine today. I shot three, five round groups at 100, that were under .5 moa. The kicker....I'm running a piston on mine! DI would most definitely be much tighter. The load is,

AA2520 @ 30.0 grains.
123 scenars
Seated to 2.270" which run fine in all of my mags.
CCI #450
New AA 6.5 Grendel Brass.
These groups were produced by measuring / sorting the bearing surface of each bullet, which was .553".

 

[mjh30]

Re: Building a 6.5 AR upper

Shawn between this rifle and your 243, you have some very accurate rifles.

 

[wrhunter]

Re: Building a 6.5 AR upper

Thanks for the info guys. Looks like I will go with BHW.

 

[mkollman74]

Re: Building a 6.5 AR upper

I hope I have the same luck with my Satern that you've had with your BHW.

 

[BERTMAN77MK2]

Re: Building a 6.5 AR upper

Satern will re-cut tight Lapua chamber for free to make use of Hornady ammo/brass

 

[mkollman74]

Re: Building a 6.5 AR upper

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: BERTMAN77MK2</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Satern will re-cut tight Lapua chamber for free to make use of Hornady ammo/brass </div></div>

Good to know. I assume this means there are known issues then... I had not heard that before.

 

[BERTMAN77MK2]

Re: Building a 6.5 AR upper

yes, cut-rifled Satern barrels are made for the minimum dimension
Lapua brass--Hornady brass is on the max side so will not chamber
reliably in the min. dimension match chamber--but Steve will scrape the chamber of his barrels no charge---Lapua used to be the only game in town---I used to have such a hard time getting any brass
at all that I purchased Les Baer's 1X brass from his testfiring---
glad the Grendel is finally going mainstream so components are more affordable