Dumb Question but Relevent

[crusader18]

Every time I look for a 6.5Gr specific part, or a particular factory ammo, it's out of stock or sold out: Barrels, BCGs, Fusion 120gr...etc. Is it demand, or lack thereof that I'm seeing. Is it that every time a manufacturer makes a lot of barrels or ammo, they sell out in a day, or is it that since no one is buying/shooting 6.5Gr, no one is producing parts?

[grayfox]

If none of them sold, there would not even be a web page entry. Companies won't spend webpage space on non-saleable components. Parts are lots of times batch run, particularly the better quality ones. Mfrs have other barrels to do etc, same with ammo. Reloading components as well.
As the seasons go along stuff comes into stock. Also, with some states and their craziness (like Va), runs on parts do happen.
Quick search on ammoseek showed 423 entries for factory ammo.

[FLshooter]

6.5 Grendel is very popular right now. Shooters are starting to realize you can shoot long-distance and you can hunt just about any game with the Grendel .Download yourself the Ammo Seek app. That will help you locate Grendel stuff.

[Usmc1974]

Other than a barrel and a bolt carrier group any AR Parts work

[brian y]

Other than a barrel and a bolt carrier group any AR Parts work

I was just thinking the same thing, I shop around watch for sales and buy my AR parts when they are on sale, Now if you want one of the better 6.5 barrels from an excellent builder you usually have to wait but sometimes you will find them on sale and if you do find one on sale jump on it fast.

[Rosecrans1]

IMHO......it's a little of both. Of course the 6.5 Grendel isn't a mainstream cartridge like the 270 Win or now the 6.5 CM. But it is gaining some popularity. (A "niche" if you will). The ammunition now available for it is staggering compared to just 5 years ago. There are more manufacturers producing parts such as barrels and BCG's and many are making complete uppers and whole purpose built guns. But these manufacturers don't want items in their inventory long so they don't make many. Most will build guns or parts off orders so they don't have to eat profits if an item doesn't sell.
Ammo is made in large batch lots so manufacturers produce a batch and wait for stocks to dwindle before producing more so you see a sine-wave graph of plentiful to bare on a lot of ammunition that isn't mainstream. I have bought 6.5 Grendel Hornaday Black and some Federal Premium Berger 130 Hybrids from different online and local stores over a year apart and most had the same lot numbers on them so you know they produce large lots to satisfy the demand but not too much that they have to eat profits to lose inventory. And reloading supplies for the Grendel are mostly available due to many Grendel users reloading their own ammo for the platform. This includes virgin brass which was not plentiful years ago.

[crusader18]

I think what it is is I'm looking for stuff that is top of the list/best in class, so is everyone else and by the time i get there it's gone. I guess when something says "Available for pre-order" I should be ordering it. I just have an aversion to spending money on stuff that isn't already on the shelf, unless of course I'm paying to have it made, like a PF barrel.

[OneHitWonder]

I have been asking about Grendel popularity, parts, guns and ammo all over the western states. Arizona, California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Utah and Nevada so far. The same answer is they don’t bother to stock the guns and only carry 1 or 2 types of ammo sometimes. Powder like 8208 not carried. Sales people say they only know 1 or 2 people that even shoot Grendel.

In Washington I at least saw a Monster Logo sticker on a vehicle near the Air Force base.

[VASCAR2]

The internet has changed the firearms community. Used to be Shotgun News and monthly gun magazines (& NRA magazine) were the major source for gun related information. In the past it was not as common for an individual to order firearms parts or ammunition online. I believe the majority of 6.5 Grendel sales are through internet sources and less from large vendors or local gun shops. There is one gun shop near me that carries 6.5 Grendel ammo and will order or assemble whatever a customer wants. A couple other shops in the area stock ammo for the 6.5 Grendel. Whitaker’s in Kentucky and another shop in Southern Indiana have stocked Howa and Ruger 6.5 Grendel bolt actions but I’ve never seen a 6.5 Grendel AR-15. I suspect any 6.5 Grendel on the shelf in my area was a trade in or consignment sale.

[BCHunter]

I would say it is pretty regional, my local gunshop only has hornady 123 grain Amax on the shelf for ammo,...they havent made that round in years, said i was the first person to ask about 6.5 grendel, while the local farm and barn the next town over has 6.5 black 123 gr eldm if you dont get there the day they stock it, it will gone for another month.
Ive converted 4 people ive met at the public range to 6.5 grendel by letting them shoot my rifle. So it can really vary in a small area.

[LRRPF52]

The internet has changed the firearms community. Used to be Shotgun News and monthly gun magazines (& NRA magazine) were the major source for gun related information. In the past it was not as common for an individual to order firearms parts or ammunition online. I believe the majority of 6.5 Grendel sales are through internet sources and less from large vendors or local gun shops. There is one gun shop near me that carries 6.5 Grendel ammo and will order or assemble whatever a customer wants. A couple other shops in the area stock ammo for the 6.5 Grendel. Whitaker’s in Kentucky and another shop in Southern Indiana have stocked Howa and Ruger 6.5 Grendel bolt actions but I’ve never seen a 6.5 Grendel AR-15. I suspect any 6.5 Grendel on the shelf in my area was a trade in or consignment sale.

This right here ^^^^.

In my area, even dating back to Sandy Hook, there have been 6.5 Grendels on the shelves. A local gun store/NFA indoor range had Alexander Arms AR15s back in 2013.

Another local gun store close to me has been carrying Grendel barrel/bolt combos and complete uppers for years now. The owner just sold that business to a Bentley/Ferrari dealership though. If he had waited just another month, he would have cleared out his inventory in a few days I think with all the panic-buying.

[RobertFL]

I waited till the 12" monster GB barrels arrived 2 weeks ago to buy my build parts, no problems with the upper parts but I did have to order from 4 vendors to get everything.. Then the panic started , I had months to buy the parts but I didn't so that's on me..Only problem I am having now is the local made complete lower with SBA-3 pistol brace. I ordered it online for pick up, they did not have it as back ordered so I thought I could just pick it up next day..nope, since they sell complete guns to stores like Rural King and several online stores they have a back log..no time for my lower and brace..going by today and see if I can get it.. PSA now has their pistol lowers in stock but they too are backed up big time. I do have a complete Grendel rifle but I'm really wanting to shoot the new upper-- legally as a pistol.

[Mesa1978]

it's not a good time for expectations of instant gratification.

[RobertFL]

That's true. I was under the impression they had a box full of complete lowers ready to go since they were on sale for $130 and the SB3 pistol braces also on sale about $20 off normal price. They had 30 plus complete rifles on the racks Saturday morning in the retail gun store. I just want to shoot my new built 12 inch upper legally with the pistol lower. New city raised neighbors call the Sheriffs when they hear shots from our farm..Turkey hunting season has my other 3000 acre range shut down so I just have the public gun range in the national forest, not a place to shoot a pistol upper on a rifle lower.

[RobertFL]

New upper and brace in hand, paper work done...hope I can get to public range today. Edit, no range today, I'm gonna wait until the CMC trigger and Hogue grip to arrive.

I ordered my first Grendel upper Feb of 2018, at that time I did have to wait 3 weeks for the Faxon Barrel to arrive. There was no 6.5 Grendel ammo in my town and 450 BM was even harder to find locally..so I had to buy from online vendors. Since then I have seen Hornady 123 SST and some Federal ammo at Gander Outdoors But none at Rural King. I know 5 or 6 guys with 300 blackout and a few with 5.56 rifles but I seem to be the only one in my group with a AR based Grendel or 450 Bushmaster Hunting rifles.