Ready to buy 6.5 upper....

[kw4570gov]

I am ready to buy a 6.5 AR upper and would like to spend $600-$700 for one. Looking for 24" SS HB with smooth FF tube. What does everyone recommend???

Thanks
Kent

[warped]

I would either ask Templar for their new rail on an A3 upper and see how much it will cost you for a match grade cut rifle bbl.

For a few bucks more you could get it Melonited/Nitro-Carbuerized

[SCAMP62]

http://www.model1sales.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=category.display&category_id=653

[Hoot]

I'm surprised nobody posted this already, I got an email from Midway yesterday, saying their AR Stoner (= E.R. Shaw) Grendel barrels are $100.00 off. Upon further investigation, it appears only the 16" and 18" are on sale. The 24", which I have is not. If you're on a budget, You can switch-barrel out an upper you are not using to make a Grendel. That's what I did. The E.R. Shaw barrel I got, though a little roughly finished on the outside was unbelievable on the inside. I have four AR caliber uppers and none arrived with such a well finished bore. Out of the box, I ran a dry patch down the bore to feel it out and the patch went through like butter, coming out clean. Further inspection showed a bore that looked like what I would expect one that I had made at a custom house, to look like. No surprise that it shoots 1/2" groups, with known-good performing loads, when I do my part. I can't bring myself to spend a a mortgage payment for an upper that is more appropriate for a Tournament shooter, nor am I a member of the Macintosh Gun Club. My pockets simply are not that deep after I satisfy my obligations each month. The caliber is by far, the most inherently accurate one, in an AR15 platform, that I have ever shot, Bar None. The AR Stoner (= E.R. Shaw) kit, which includes an AA bolt, makes owning one within reach of most shooting enthusiasts. The 24" version cost a little more than the 16 and 18 inch ones, back when I bought it, but I like rifles with rifle length barrels, so the additional $30 was not a big deal. Even when they are not on sale, that entire product line is an excellent value. On sale, they're irresistible.

Hoot

[pinzgauer]

I really don’t know why but some people dislike Model 1 Sales

Because they post misleading prices without bolts / BCG, etc.

Ex:

$395 M1 Sales 6.5 Sporter 16" "Upper Half"

Pretty cheap, but..... No bolt/bolt carrier group, Non chrome barrel, generic parts, generic (not Grendel) barrel

The AA 16" upper is $640. But it's complete, chrome lined, with an AA Mag.

So to get the M1 even close you have to add:
$140 Bolt carrier group & charger handle
$50 Chrome barrel upgrade
$19 Magazine

These are M1 Sales prices, not mine! They do not list chrome bore as an option anymore on the web site, so the $50 upgrade was from my last comparison I did in their Shotgun News ad.

So to get it shootable & comparable, the M1 Sales ends up being $604 vs $640 from AA. And you still have a generic, clone of clones with the M1, from a mfg who has only a passing loyalty to the caliber and a history of bolt problems. Not quite the deal it initially appeared, and with substantially lower resale value.

No doubt your Shaw SS Bull barrel shoots good. I had similar in a JT upper, and it shot great. But with JT, they were more open about where parts were sourced, used a licensed chamber, etc. And were cheaper once you factored in the stuff M1 leaves out of their ad's.

I'm not slamming your rifle, it sounds like you got a good one. Just pointing out that M1 usually does not turn out to be the deal people think once you add back all the stuff they leave out of their ad. For $35 difference I'd take the AA any day of the week. Or get a JT (with a real grendel chamber) for less than the M1 Sales.

[SCAMP62]

[pinzgauer]

pinzgauer would you want to pay to have a stainless steel chrome lined barrel ??

You missed the point.... M1 Sales has misleadingly low prices by leaving out features comparable models offer. The comparison I showed was on their basic, chromolly 16". You can buy what you want, but when the imitation is just a few dollars cheaper than the real thing, I think it's false economy.

You asked why no love for M1 Sales as they were good value. My point is they are not that good of a value once you add back in what you need to get a shootable rifle.

This does not mean that the M1 Sales SS Bull Shaw barrel may not shoot well. At $600 it's in the same range as the JT SS Bull with a Wilson Air gauged barrel. Neither are high end barrels. I'd probably lean toward the Wilson but my stainless shaw is also shooting well. I think much of it's just due to the inherent accuracy of the cartridge and bullet combination. And the JT is a real, license Grendel. Not a 6.5 xxx.

And I’m just asking what are the actual (measured) difference’s between AA, JT & Model 1’s Chamber sizes, for I really have no idea, but my rifle shoots 6.5 G, brass just fine !!

I'm glad your rifle works good. Several others in the pasts did not have as good of an experience with M1 Sales dues to bolt problems.

My read: They are a company which has only casual interest in Grendel, uses the cheapest components they can find, and are reluctant to describe who makes their various components. (Even including barrel mfg back when I was first shopping grendels and talked to them).