let's make a list of Grendel wildcats & variants

[Msalm]

I punched a factory Howa Mini 7.62x39 barrel out with a Grendel reamer far enough to clean up the shoulder. A .311 Grendel Max as the shoulder in pushed forward a bit. Hoping for 2600+ with the 125's.

[Friendly]

.311?

[bj139]

A staff expert on the Brownells website says these are .310".

[Msalm]

Well I guess the rep’s at Howa are wrong then as they say the Howa Mini 7.62 has a .311 bore. I’ve read several places that they are .311. I’ve seen errors in Brownell’s Tech advice more than once.

https://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/show...?t=1269689

https://www.americanrifleman.org/article...-mm-rifle/

“The bore diameter of the target crowned barrel is .311" with a 1:9.45” right-handed twist and four-groove rifling.”

[bj139]

Well I guess the rep’s at Howa are wrong then as they say the Howa Mini 7.62 has a .311 bore. I’ve read several places that they are .311. I’ve seen errors in Brownell’s Tech advice more than once.

https://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/show...?t=1269689

https://www.americanrifleman.org/article...-mm-rifle/

“The bore diameter of the target crowned barrel is .311" with a 1:9.45” right-handed twist and four-groove rifling.”

Yes. You are right about Brownells frequently having the wrong information.

[454bore]

There is a 35 caliber variant called the 9x39 based off the 7.62x39.
Used by the Russians for the suppressed VSS-94 rifle.

[JASmith]

There is a 35 caliber variant called the 9x39 based off the 7.62x39.
Used by the Russians for the suppressed VSS-94 rifle.

The .348 - .358 caliber resonates in my mind!

I checked similar volume cartridges in this diameter range and found that a Grendel variant could make an interesting medium game cartridge.

[454bore]

It would be like a 35rem in an AR15.
35rem Marlins put game down fast with heavy blood trails.
Mine gets used in thick timber and works very well.
Small Arms Defense has a interesting article about the VSS-94 rifle design.
It is rated as a good silenced sniper rifle out to 400 meters.
It is 1 to 2 MOA accurate at 150 meters.

[1075 tech]

357 gunner or 35 AR Gunner. Just saw one this morning. He's using AA 6.5 Grendel brass necked up to 35 caliber. Shooting a 225gr Hornady FTX. His particular setup is headspaced for a .125 bolt.

[JASmith]

What did he say the Gunner gives for velocity?

I would guess he gets about 1800 fps from an 18” barrel.

[1075 tech]

https://68forums.com/forums/showthread.p...post673141

Post #103 as a ballistics chart

[JASmith]

Thanks -- but a 200gr 35 cal bullet going 2385 fps from a 16" barrel seems like claiming 2700 fps for a 123 gr bullet from a 18" Grendel.

In other words, his pressure is likely well in excess of the 52 ksi SAAMI max for the Grendel.

Having said that, even 1900 - 2000 fps from that carbine would make it a fine game harvester.

[1075 tech]

I'm waiting for him to come back from a short vacation and hope to talk to him more. The gentleman I spoke with is not the one who posted that info. I'm hoping to get pics of the round he had.

[1075 tech]

35AR made from AA 6.5 Grendel brass. 200gr Hornady FTX.

[bj139]

Thanks -- but a 200gr 35 cal bullet going 2385 fps from a 16" barrel seems like claiming 2700 fps for a 123 gr bullet from a 18" Grendel.

In other words, his pressure is likely well in excess of the 52 ksi SAAMI max for the Grendel.

Having said that, even 1900 - 2000 fps from that carbine would make it a fine game harvester.

I remember the 35 Remington would launch a 200gr round nose bullet at 2000fps and it was a fine deer cartridge.

[Friendly]

what is the Grendel necked back to 7.62 called? being it's blown out and no cartridge taper, it will hold a bit more powder, making it a lil bit better.

and is there a Grendel variant necked up to 7mm?

[bj139]

what is the Grendel necked back to 7.62 called? being it's blown out and no cartridge taper, it will hold a bit more powder, making it a lil bit better.

and is there a Grendel variant necked up to 7mm?

Here is one answer. I don't know about 7mm.
http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/2013...hot-group/

[BluntForceTrauma]

bj139, those necks on the Six5 or 6.5 SPC look pretty short. What is the length?

[ricsmall]

what is the Grendel necked back to 7.62 called? being it's blown out and no cartridge taper, it will hold a bit more powder, making it a lil bit better.

and is there a Grendel variant necked up to 7mm?

.308 arrow. Not sure about a 7mm version tho. I’ll try and link the arrow

http://www.arrowarms.net/aarms/index.php/the-308-arrow/

[JASmith]

The Arrow data is suspect. While no barrel length seems to be linked to the velocity data, it seems closer to velocities one might see from cartridges like the 30 BR running at nigher pressures.

We could realistically expect 50-150 fps more than the Grendel when run at the same pressures and barrel length.

Having said that, even the lower velocities would make this cartridge an excellent direct competitor to the 30-30 Winchester.