6.5 build for my 9 year old son

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6.5 build for my 9 year old son - Bordercop - 07-15-2019

I will be building my first 6.5 Grendel for my son. I am asking for some advise for barrel length and barrel company. I have my eye on Bear Creek Arsenal on the low end and Dead shot Barrels on the high-end. So is there anything in between and what would be a good barrel length for my 9 year old? I thank you in advance for your input.

6.5 build for my 9 year old son - grayfox - 07-15-2019

Definitely move your eyes away from bear creek, it is way too hit/miss on quality for you to throw money on it. Good midrange barrels if you want are Ballistic advantage (I like their fluted ones), Odin, Faxon gunner profile. Pair it with a decent upper and lower, BCM (they are a tight fit, may need to heat the upper to get the barrel to fit inside but that's ok), even regular u/l like stag or ballistic (again)... several flavors of mfrs to choose from.

Put the money and quality into the barrel, trigger and scope/mount, those are the keys to an accurate rifle.
Length depends a lot on what the purpose will be, plus what can he handle as far as weight and kick (Grendel is mild but still it's a 9yo we're talking). I'd say a good general purpose barrel length for a 9 yr old (and even older) would be 16 or 18". Easily good for anything medium game out to say 200 yds even for 9yo.
Joebob has some deals on free float HG's and also lpk's, and even triggers like CMC or Velocity (timney-like). Magpul CTR carbine stock.

6.5 build for my 9 year old son - grayfox - 07-15-2019

Welcome to the horde by the way. If your screen name is attached to your occupation, we appreciate your service and work you do.

6.5 build for my 9 year old son - Bordercop - 07-15-2019

Thank you sir, I do appreciate you help. Yes my screen name matches my occupation. 8 years to retirement. Looking to build a good hunting rifle for my son and enjoy great memories with him.

6.5 build for my 9 year old son - VASCAR2 - 07-15-2019

I agree with the other members on their suggestions. The cheapest barrel I would buy is a Group Buy Green Mountain barrel. As fast as kids grow up I would consider a 16” or 18” 6.5 Grendel AR-15 or a Howa Mini Action sold by Brownell’s. There are several stock options for the Howa actions sold by Brownell’s. I seriously looked at the 20” threaded Howa Mini Action but got a great deal on a CZ 527 in 6.5 Grendel.

I had 35+ years in LE and I hate to say it but the best part of my LE career is the retirement/pension. I enjoyed my time in LE but retirement is a whole lot less stressful.

6.5 build for my 9 year old son - Bordercop - 07-15-2019

Thank you sir for your advice. I look forward to retirement. 22 years in and 8 to go.

6.5 build for my 9 year old son - Bigs28 - 07-15-2019

You can't really go wrong with any barrel length to be honest. I would look at weight. Yes he will grow up but at 9 i would consider the 16" or even the 14.5" lilja group buy and pin a muzzle device on it. I like running my 12" and have completely stopped using my 16".

6.5 build for my 9 year old son - BCHunter - 07-15-2019

Some states don't allow minors to hunt with pistols, so double check your regulations. As far as saving weight, barrel profile will effect weight more than length. The second biggest factor for weight is optics.

So I would look at 16" barrels, as far as manufacture. spend at least 200.00 on the barrel, ba, faxon, Odin, criterion, lija, jp, aa. Will all serve you well. Barrel is the last place to skimp on cost.

6.5 build for my 9 year old son - grayfox - 07-15-2019

I'm running 2 fluted BA barrels now, short-barrel weight with fat barrel stiffness. double win. 16 and 20 inchers.

6.5 build for my 9 year old son - Bordercop - 07-15-2019

Is it necessary to purchase a 6.5 Grendel BCG? I have a new in the box Aero Precision 5.56 BCG. Since the cartridges are the same wouldnt the Aero Precision work?

6.5 build for my 9 year old son - A5BLASTER - 07-15-2019

Bordercop Wrote:Is it necessary to purchase a 6.5 Grendel BCG? I have a new in the box Aero Precision 5.56 BCG. Since the cartridges are the same wouldnt the Aero Precision work?

The bcg well work fine. You will just need to replace the 556 bolt with a grendel bolt that has the correct face depth for the barrel you will use.

6.5 build for my 9 year old son - Bordercop - 07-15-2019

Thank you sir

6.5 build for my 9 year old son - grayfox - 07-16-2019

Bolts are a good news/bad news item.
Good news is a bolt with 0.136 face depth and uses a standard 556 firing pin. Bad news is other combo's, which unfortunately exist...

1. First Make sure the barrel is chambered for a bolt with a 0.136 face depth (this is deeper than a 556 boltface btw). I do not buy barrels chambered for the alternative (0.125) face depth. The barrel mfrs mentioned in the thread are all 0.136 style chambers I do believe.

2. Next, Don't get a toolcraft or BCA bolt....... they have made some non-std grendel bolts and firing pins in the past. Much better to get a name brand bolt with the 0.136 face depth, one that also uses a standard length 556/223 firing pin. Yeah the 0.136 non-std ones can work but later they wind up being a pain for you... better to avoid said pain.

if you stick to these comments then the only thing you need to swap out is the bolt (body/extr/ejector/rings) like A5 says.

6.5 build for my 9 year old son - Bordercop - 07-16-2019

Got it!

6.5 build for my 9 year old son - Bordercop - 07-16-2019

Grayfox,
I found the barrel and bolt at Faxon. Since I have a new BCG from Aero Ill just swap the Grendel bolt from Faxon. Brownells has a good price on the barrel

6.5 build for my 9 year old son - grayfox - 07-16-2019

2 thumbs up. keep the other as a spare bolt for your 556.

6.5 build for my 9 year old son - FLshooter - 07-16-2019

He’s 9.Start him out with a BCA 6.5 Grendel SS barrel upper.20” might work.For $200 delivered,you won’t go wrong.BCA barrels shoot around moa.
Then when he learns how to shoot,replace the barrel and get a JP bolt.You May need a larger gas block depending on the barrel contour.
I buy BCA uppers.Sell the barrel,get a match barrel and JP bolt.You can’t buy an upper reciever a 15” mlok handguard and a bolt carrier for $200 which is the price of their whole upper, and it’s all USA parts .

6.5 build for my 9 year old son - A5BLASTER - 07-16-2019

FLshooter Wrote:He’s 9.Start him out with a BCA 6.5 Grendel SS barrel upper.20” might work.For $200 delivered,you won’t go wrong.BCA barrels shoot around moa.
Then when he learns how to shoot,replace the barrel and get a JP bolt.You May need a larger gas block depending on the barrel contour.
I buy BCA uppers.Sell the barrel,get a match barrel and JP bolt.You can’t buy an upper reciever a 15” mlok handguard and a bolt carrier for $200 which is the price of their whole upper, and it’s all USA parts .

I'm not trying to be rude but that is some of the worse advice I have ever seen for starting a child off on his shooting life.

Buy him junk and when he is older buy him better, seems kid of backwards too me.

OP get him a midrange to top tier setup with a 16 inch barrel and that will cover all his needs for many, many, many years.

Avoid the BCA products like they have the plague.

6.5 build for my 9 year old son - FLshooter - 07-17-2019

A5BLASTER Wrote:I'm not trying to be rude but that is some of the worse advice I have ever seen for starting a child off on his shooting life.

Buy him junk and when he is older buy him better, seems kid of backwards too me.

OP get him a midrange to top tier setup with a 16 inch barrel and that will cover all his needs for many, many, many years.

Avoid the BCA products like they have the plague.

And I’m not trying to be rude but I don’t agree with your opinion .
You know what opinions are like and that’s what I think of yours

6.5 build for my 9 year old son - Kswhitetails - 07-17-2019

I'm with A5 here, FL. I get where you are coming from, but OP is obviously going to invest some time and love into this project. My first question is why hamstring it with some mediocre parts? Sure, you'd come in a couple hundred cheaper, but as the old time honored adage goes - you get what you pay for. My advice is similar to Gray's. He's been on Grendel a while, and is more knowledgeable than he lets on. Sound words. You can't go wrong with a good barrel in 16". Good weight, balance, and portability. A good LPVO or red dot will do deer and hogs out to 250 no problem. The red dot if his eyes are decent.

One other thought - have you considered a Howa Mini in Grendel? Last I knew Brownells was having a sale on those actions, a good boyd's stock and you're in business.

Here's what my son's been using along those lines:

Son’s first bolt. by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/158296808@N03/][/url], on Flickr

He was 11 when I put it together for him, but he's been shooting my Grendel for a few years. He put a 5 round group together after we got it sighted in with 5 touching in a 3/4" horizontal group shooting factory Black. The next weekend we were out at a class and he shot the 250 8" plate on command with just a bit of hold over.

Good luck! Like others have said, welcome to the forum, and keep us informed.

Thank you for your service, I pray some solution comes to the challenges you guys are facing so honorably. Really, thank you.