16" Vs 18" barrel, can't decide...

[dtdraffen]

New to Grendel here and can't decide I should go with 16 or 18...
Is there a big benefit 18 over 16? What you guys find out when you built your 16 or 18" Grendel build?
Also, what's your thoughts on Ballistic Advantage barrel vs Faxon barrel?
LOL! Like I said, I'm new to this caliber and what some your input.
Thanks!

[Sticks]

What is your intended use?

Hunting rig - 16"

Shooting dirt clods - 16"

Hunting paper and steel to extended ranges (1k) 18" - 20"

Intended use also will dictate MFG.

[just_john]

dtdraffen, the barrel length is all a matter of ( again, as per Sticks ) what you are intending to do with it. For carrying in the woods, the shorter the better, for punching paper or ringing steel at 1000 yds, the longer the better. Or, you can give in to the inevitable and do one of each. My 16" is set up with night vision, shorter is better as you don't always see the little things that can snag on barrels as you walk thru the woods. My 18" is my common carry for day hunting ( or the 12.5" or .... ). Did any one tell you that Grendels are a prolific lot. They seem to propogate like amoebas. Just put one of them in a dark place for a few weeks undisturbed and there will be two of 'em. Leave those two alone for a while and there may be a population explosion.

[keystone183]

I like the rule of 4.... 12", 16", 20", 24". You can look up the approx ballistics for a given length, but as i recall, 2" doesn't gain you anything terribly meaningful in velocity. So, i prefer shorter where possible.

[LRRPF52]

I've had 2 different 16" Grendels, currently have one, and I'm losing track of the 18" guns replicating with barrels from various sources.

My first Grendel I built using one of the older ER Shaw Alexander Arms barrels ordered from Midway in 2009, when you had to be on an email notification just to have a chance.

Anyway, I've chrono'd a lot of different Grendels since then.

What I've seen is that the 16" and 18" numbers often overlap, or are within 18-40fps of each other thereabouts.

Here are some examples:

17.6" Lilja 318 barrel:
123gr Hornady SST factory 30JUN2015
2441
2467
2477
2489
2481

120gr Scenar-L Precision Firearms Load
2505
2504
2532
2518
2498

123gr AMAX, 31.2gr CFE 64˚ F, 17MAY2016
2507
2492
2477
2496
2477
AVG: 2490fps

17.6" Lilja 318
120gr Federal OTM 11MAR2017
2485 (5 shot average)
2454 (5 shot avg)
2487 (5 shot avg)
2510 (5 shot avg)
2484 (20 shot avg)

18.5" Lilja barrel:
123gr Hornady SST factory 30JUN2015
2468
2441
2421
2495
2453

16" AA/Shaw barrel:
123gr Lapua Scenar (Moly) Precision Firearms factory 03APR2012
2447
2451
2454
2450

123gr Lapua Scenar (Moly) PF load, hot day
2522
2484
2582
2518
2503
AVG: 2522fps


123gr Hornady A-MAX factory 25MAY2013
2365
2470
2422
2470
2460

These were all shot over the same Beta Chrony 15ft from the muzzle. A common thing I've noticed is that everybody that ends up building an 11.5-12.5" Grendel that also owns 16" and 18" Grendels shoots the short barrels more often.

I think I might be leaning in the direction of having the 12" for a utilitarian blaster/HD/plinker/800yd LR, 18" for hunting in the mountains, and 22" for most of what I used to use .260 Rem for.

12" will be set up as a 21st Century PDW/LR blaster, suppressed.

[dtdraffen]

Great info guys...
I think I would like 16" because I won't be shooting 1000 yds around here, maybe 500 yd most and hunting in mid Missouri would only be 100-200 yrds at most???
Monmouth USA has 16" Ballistic Advantage Hanson barrel on sale for $196, but Faxon 18" group buy sounds real good I think I like the spec. on Faxon barrel and sounds like better buy, same time BA makes great barrel (I have 2) and 2" shorter....
What to do, what to do....If I had money, I would buy both LOL!

[LRRPF52]

16" lightweight barrel from a reputable company will handle your needs.

[grening]

16, save that 2" for the comp/hider.. Anderson 16's are only $100 or so...

[dtdraffen]

16, save that 2" for the comp/hider.. Anderson 16's are only $100 or so...

I will be using AAC 7.62 SD so I don't know if I can trust budget barrel like Anderson or BCA. I'm sure budget barrel thread won't be a concentric to bore like BA and Faxon.
So, question is how much more distance and energy I would gain by going to 18"? I bit answer is not much to worry about
Thank you everyone for your input.