newbie question

[encorematt]

I'm am considering a new barrel for my Encore, in a pistol version. 6.5 grendel is actuallly one of the choices I have been seriously considering. I wrote Les Baer custom, inquiring about the 264 LBC version of this cartridge and was given an answer from Les himself stating that he didn't think this would be a good choice for a single shot pistol cartridge. No reason was given why. I thought I would pose this question to the forum as well. I was considering a 12-15" custom EABCO barrel and wanted a comfortable shooter. deer/antelope capable out to 200yds, and something that I could compete with at a silhoette match as well. I would like to hear some of the forums experiences or thoughts on this, I really can't imagine a 15" barrel being much different than a 16" AR barrel with this cartridge..

Thanks:
Matt . . . MSgt, USAF (Ret.)

[Deezil]

I dont see a problem with it, my 16" shoots fine.

[Whelenon]

First off, Welcome to the board.
The following is a link to a thread about a Grendel in a Contender.

http://www.65grendel.com/forum/showthread.php?1578-6.5-Grendel-TC-Contender&highlight=contender

SSK is also offering the Grendel for a Encore or Contender

http://sskindustries.com/6-5-grendel

I think the Grendel would be a great round for your Encore but if you're going with EABCO you might want to look at there 6.5 BMR, I think it's parent case is the 30-30. For the Encore or Contender it offers very good ballistics a little better than the Grendel(I apologize to all my fellow Grendelites for my blasphemy). That said I'm considering a Grendel barrel for my Contender, because I'm already set-up for reloading the Grendel.
Hope this helps.

p.s. just came from the EABCO website, are they offering the Grendel in an Encore or Contender barrel? If they are I didn't see it.

[LRRPF52]

Yeah, fanofflyn posted some epic pictures of exotic game taken with his 6.5 Encore. He told about them first, which sounded too good to be true, so then posted the pics in the above link. Seems like Encore and Grendel are very well suited to each other.

[LightningII]

I don't see why a 16" grendel carbine is good, but a 15" Encore is not.
Go for it.
I'm surprised Les Baer wasn't more thorough with his answer. Is there a more appropriate round available?
If you already have a Grendel rifle, the Encore sounds even better.

[stokesrj]

Another option is Bullberry, all of them I've seen were better shooters than Ebaco anyway. http://www.bullberry.com/encore.html
Yet another is Match Grade Machine

http://www.matchgrademachine.com/chamberings_public.php

Bob

[Ullr]

One reason that the Grendel may not be the best choice for an Encore, and probably the reason that Baer was referring to, is that it is a rimless cartridge. The Encore design works best with rimmed cartridges. Easier to headspace correctly and extract reliably. Certainly can be done with a rimless round, but easier with rimmed.

[dpw4x4]

I have a encore with a MGM barrels one 15in and one 24 in. In 6.5 grendel and i can say at 100yrd you cant tell the diff. between them but at 250 to 300 the 24 is a tighter group i like both set ups but i really like the handgun set up better for all day carry plus its great fun

[parallax]

One reason that the Grendel may not be the best choice for an Encore, and probably the reason that Baer was referring to, is that it is a rimless cartridge. The Encore design works best with rimmed cartridges. Easier to headspace correctly and extract reliably. Certainly can be done with a rimless round, but easier with rimmed.

That may have been what Baer was referring to but it has no merit as the Encore was designed to reliably chamber any cartridge you can by for it and it does it very well. It is equally reliable on extraction of rimmed, semi- rimmed or rimless cartridges and it's parent, Contender is the same but for less powerful cartridges.