Interesting post from PA

[se3388]

6.5 Grendel, no doubt.

Steve..........

[LRRPF52]

A lot of the bigger companies have seen the success of the 6.5 Grendel, which is based on performance.

In order to stay relevant with something new, they have tried other cartridges with the full support of conglomerate corporate backing, hand-selected rifles sent out to the main gun writers and reviewers, full ammunition lines supporting the cartridge, with lots of glossy videos and ads all over.

I think all the different cartridges have some merits, some of which are actually useful, and others that are more hype than what is already practical when looking at some of the existing cartridges (22 Nosler vs 5.56 NATO, for example).

I initially was a bit underwhelmed by 6.5 Grendel because my first shots were hand loads, being very careful not to go crazy out of the gate, and looking at the mv. I was initially only getting 2200-2300fps from a 16" Grendel with 123gr Scenars. I searched the forum back then through all the data that was here, and found better recommendations for powder, and then Hornady came out with factory ammo with the 123gr AMAX.

At the time, Alexander Arms, Black Hills, Precision Firearms, and Wolf were the only ones supporting it with factory ammo, so Hornady was a big deal.

Here on the forum, we supported the development and launch of the 123gr SST in parallel with Hornady, by kicking off with a huge group buy. I've still got hundreds of those original 123gr SST bullets from that effort. Then came the 123gr SST factory load, which was a big deal for expanding the public awareness and utility of 6.5 Grendel as a legitimate and very lethal hunting cartridge on medium game. Alexander Arms and later Precision Firearms had already shown that with their hunting loads, but for a big name US outfit like Hornady to embrace the Grendel was a major step in the marketing success of a cartridge that sells its own performance.

Among all the new AR15 variant chamberings, only two have everything from Wolf Steel case to Hornady ELD-M, SST, Federal TNT, Fusion, and Gold Medal Match, with both SAAMI and CIP approval. Of all the cartridges ever made, the Grendel is among a few that can say that, even for those outside of the AR15 world. Having both steel case and FGMM options really narrows down the playing field to the .223 Rem, .308 Win., and .30-06 Springfield.

There are no 6.8 SPC, 6.5CM, .260 Rem., or other recently-introduced cartridges with Wolf steel case, and 6.8 doesn't have Federal Gold Medal Match. There will likely never be .224 Valkyrie steel case.

So the interesting place that Grendel finds itself for new shooters/customers as a first-time AR15 is one that is potentially appealing to:

* Hunters trying to decide which cartridge to go with in the AR15
* Plinkers/General Purpose with the steel case option
* Recreational target and AR15 gas gun competition shooters looking to put a lot of energy on steel
* Home defense/Utilitarian protection for the farm, ranch, truck, hiking, outdoors types

No other cartridge provides all of those options.

[Dope6.5]