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Best bang for the buck 12.5" nitride barrel? - Printable Version

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Best bang for the buck 12.5" nitride barrel? - MichiganMitten - 02-27-2020

I'm looking to do my first build with a fellow vet, who will help me out. He is trying to convince me to go 10.5" blackout (he runs subsonic & suppressed). But everything I've read points to the 6.5 Grendel being a superior platform for supersonic performance.

With that being said, I don't know where I can get a quality and accurate barrel at a good price. I called Mark @ Precision Firearms, and he said that a completed 12.5" upper would be ~$500. With an additional $50 and 8 weeks for nitride treatment.

Any alternatives out there?

Thanks for any additional advice for a newbie.

Best bang for the buck 12.5" nitride barrel? - A5BLASTER - 02-27-2020

You can get just the barrel and bolt from Mark for less.

That's what I did.

Faxon
Odion
BA

All make a short grendel barrel. Not sure if you can find them instock right now.

Honestly you would have to spend a couple thousand in ammo to see the barrel life difference between SS and nitrated grendel barrels.

Best bang for the buck 12.5" nitride barrel? - LRRPF52 - 02-27-2020

Since Grendel doesn't operate at high chamber pressure and isn't over-bored looking at bore-to--case diameter, throat and barrel life exceed that of the .308 Winchester, which is the gold standard in barrel life among people that track barrel life closely.

I used 2 different Faxon Group Buy nitrided barrels from the forum, and recently got a 10.5" Criterion from Precision Firearms for another short build.

[Image: 20190301_184113_zpsfgcbtjq1.jpg]


I've used 2A Balios Lite and standard forged receivers for these (AA upper with PF lower on mine), and would also consider a LaRue Stealth 2.0 receiver set for the next one.

My LaRue Stealth 2.0 18" is the most solid-feeling, one-piece-like AR15 I own if you're into that. You get billet plus good value retention with the LaRue option.

Best bang for the buck 12.5" nitride barrel? - Bigs28 - 02-27-2020

Sorry to sidetrack but are you going to risk the tbacs on the 10.5"? Their site says 11.5" minimum on grendel.

Best bang for the buck 12.5" nitride barrel? - BCHunter - 02-28-2020

A little more specific with parameters would help us direct you to options, $200-300? Range with or without bolt? Does it have to be nitrated? Limits options. What level of accuracy. For hunting assume 1 moa?

BFT group but monster barrel proably meets all your criteria if what i stated as assumptions is correct.
Or wait for the next lija group buy but won't be nitrided and above that price point.
A couple members have had good results with wilson combat, not sure they make a 12.5"

Best bang for the buck 12.5" nitride barrel? - MichiganMitten - 02-28-2020

BCHunter Wrote:A little more specific with parameters would help us direct you to options, $200-300? Range with or without bolt? Does it have to be nitrated? Limits options. What level of accuracy. For hunting assume 1 moa?

BFT group but monster barrel proably meets all your criteria if what i stated as assumptions is correct.
Or wait for the next lija group buy but won't be nitrided and above that price point.
A couple members have had good results with wilson combat, not sure they make a 12.5"

I didn't realize that barrel longevity is better in 6.5 Grendel than other calibers. With that in mind, I am no longer restricting myself to only nitrided barrels.

I am looking for $400 or less just for the barrel. Right around 12-13 inches in length. MOA or sub-MOA accuracy would be ideal. I was perusing a couple of threads on barrels, and this guy said he went through 4 before ending up on the Lilja 12.8 barrel. https://forum.snipershide.com/threads/6-5-grendel-w-new-lilja.6686433/

So, I just called Lilja and they are out of the SBR business for a while. He pointed me towards sixsigmaarms.com and said that Curt had bought a lot of Lilja 6.5 blanks. I tried giving them a call, but it went straight to a generic voicemail.

I'd love to get in on a Lilja groupbuy!

Best bang for the buck 12.5" nitride barrel? - Bigs28 - 02-28-2020

Call mark at precision firearms and see what he has in stock.

http://www.65grendel.com/forum/showthread.php?20600-In-Stock-7-5-to-10-5-Inch-Barrel-in-stock-and-on-sale

Best bang for the buck 12.5" nitride barrel? - A5BLASTER - 02-28-2020

MichiganMitten Wrote:I didn't realize that barrel longevity is better in 6.5 Grendel than other calibers. With that in mind, I am no longer restricting myself to only nitrided barrels.

I am looking for $400 or less just for the barrel. Right around 12-13 inches in length. MOA or sub-MOA accuracy would be ideal. I was perusing a couple of threads on barrels, and this guy said he went through 4 before ending up on the Lilja 12.8 barrel. https://forum.snipershide.com/threads/6-5-grendel-w-new-lilja.6686433/

So, I just called Lilja and they are out of the SBR business for a while. He pointed me towards sixsigmaarms.com and said that Curt had bought a lot of Lilja 6.5 blanks. I tried giving them a call, but it went straight to a generic voicemail.

I'd love to get in on a Lilja groupbuy!

Mark at PF can do you up a criterion grendel barrel for around 350. Mine is 12.5 inch's and it is sub moa with everything but wolf fmj ammo.

Had a gen2 pst 1-6 on it at first and rang steel out too 600 with 123 eld-m and 123 American gunner factory ammo, then dropped in my 120 gold dot handload and hit steel all the way out too 600 again.

Have a 2moa red dot and 3x magnifier on it now and the steel gongs at 200 and 300 are boring to shoot because I can't miss.

Probably going back to the 1-6 so I can have more fun shooting at the 6 inch gongs at 500 and 600 yards.