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Grendel Magazine Design
#1
Does anyone have intel on the whys/hows of the mods that went into our Grendel magazines? In addition to a new follower, it looks to me like they just flattened out the two smaller grooves on the side of the AR15 (5.56x45mm) mag in order to make room for the Grendel's fatter cases.

But why did they stop there? Is there a reason the larger groove was not moved rearward about 6mm to line up with the shoulder of the shorter (39mm) Grendel case? Flattening the smaller grooves weakens the wall somewhat (allowing a loaded mag to bulge) and it occurred to me that moving the large groove rearward would reintroduce some of that lost stiffness.

Am I off-base on this?
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#2
I don't have any intel, but I can offer my observations. The first company to produce a dedicated 6.5 mag available for widespread sale, C Products, also used the same mag body for their 6.8 mag. I have C Prod 6.8 and 6.5 mags, and other than the follower color and caliber marking, I can tell no difference in either mag. Mag ribs are the same depth and stamped into the same locations. Feed lips are the same size and angle. I assume the reason they used the same mag body was for economy of scale. If each caliber feeds sufficiently well from the same mag body, I can see why they'd prefer to use one stamping die rather than the expense of two for slightly different mag bodies. My only real complaint about the C Prod mags is that I wish they had used just a slightly thicker gauge of stainless. I'd put up with the slight increase in weight to make the mags feel a little sturdier and increase the stiffness of the feed lips.

Bill Alexander wrote fairly recently that another mag manufacturer is working on a 6.5 mag, so perhaps that mag will be tailored specifically to the 6.5 and not a 6.5/6.8 compromise.
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#3
Bill A. would be the one to cover down on this subject.
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#4
Maybe we can entice Magpul to look at this ...
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#5
Schwag173 Wrote:Maybe we can entice Magpul to look at this ...

Magpul has. Their expertise in polymers led them to the point that a Grendel mag wasn't feasible with current technology. The polymer walls have to be too thick, evidently.

I suspect that ss355 is right regarding the design, CProducts appears to have killed 2 birds with one stone. ASC, who took over manufacture from CProducts, seems to be building a good product, but I do know that Bill Alexander has had contact with another company who wants to build a Grendel mag. I don't know how far along that is.
”You seek escape from pain. We seek the achievement of happiness. You exist for the sake of avoiding punishment. We exist for the sake of earning rewards. Threats will not make us function; fear is not our incentive. It is not death that we wish to avoid, but life that we wish to live.” - John Galt
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#6
If they make it, ... I will buy it.
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#7
It was D.& H. They already make the 6.8 mags. It takes a while to get ready, before starting production. Time will tell, as to what's up.
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#8
bwaites Wrote:Magpul has. Their expertise in polymers led them to the point that a Grendel mag wasn't feasible with current technology. The polymer walls have to be too thick, evidently.
Yup. Magpul is currently developing a 30-rd P-Mag for 6.8 SPC, but with a wider body that requires a lower receiver with enlarged mag well.

[Image: photo2zrp.jpg]

[Image: photo31y.jpg]
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#9
I kinda would like to see an intermediate receiver set made for the Grendel and some of the other hunting cartridges that have emerged lately, like the .30 RAR, with a wider and longer mag well for appropriate cartridge stack in a polymer mag, as well as longer COAL.

It would cover a smaller market opportunity, but offer dedicated enthusiasts as well as hunters and target-shooters to maximize the potential of a lot of new cartridge designs without being limited to the COAL restrictions of the .222 Remington, which the AR15/magazine was originally designed around in 1957.

I'll bet Grendel rounds would feed quite nicely from that Magpul mag as well.
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#10
LRRPF52 Wrote:I kinda would like to see an intermediate receiver set made for the Grendel and some of the other hunting cartridges that have emerged lately, like the .30 RAR, with a wider and longer mag well for appropriate cartridge stack in a polymer mag, as well as longer COAL.

I'll bet Grendel rounds would feed quite nicely from that Magpul mag as well.
Just what I was thinking.

That prototype P-Mag will allow a 2.30" COAL. The lower receivers for which it's being developed will reportedly be available in the not too distant future.
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#11
Hopefully they won't make them out of Unobtainium like the last receivers they designed were.
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#12
??? The receivers are typical aircraft grade, aluminium alloy.

[video=youtube;bY8njXxcUEU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bY8njXxcUEU[/video]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bY8njXxcUEU
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#13
I think several different machine shops would be interested in making an intermediate AR15 receiver set if enough customers demanded them, or if one struck out and introduced one to the market, with good response. The hunting and competitve shooting community would be responsive, I feel. Calibers supported could include:

6.5 Grendel extended COAL
6.8 SPC III.0 (he he)
7mm UIAC
.30 RAR & Wildcats like 7mm RAR, 6.5 RAR, .358 RAR
.30 BR and wildcats
.22-250
6.5x47 Lapua
.223 Long-Range, with bullets mag-feedable like the 75gr AMAX, Berger VLD's, etc.
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#14
I was just thinking, if the Grendel mags use the same body as 6.8 SPC, could one swap the follower in a PRI mag and have a reliable magazine? I used the PRI mags back when I had a 6.8 but unfortunately I let them all go with the rifle. They were the best metal mags I've ever seen and really I liked them about as much as the Pmag. They are a single stamped piece that is bent and TIG welded which allows a hair longer COAL to fit due to the fact that you don't have two layers of metal in the front. The only downside is they are EXPENSIVE at $43 a piece for 25 rounders.

I may order one and try it once I get my new Grendel finished.

http://www.precisionreflex.com/Detail.as...7&CAT=4212
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#15
MrSurgicalPrecision Wrote:I was just thinking, if the Grendel mags use the same body as 6.8 SPC, could one swap the follower in a PRI mag and have a reliable magazine? I used the PRI mags back when I had a 6.8 but unfortunately I let them all go with the rifle. They were the best metal mags I've ever seen and really I liked them about as much as the Pmag. They are a single stamped piece that is bent and TIG welded which allows a hair longer COAL to fit due to the fact that you don't have two layers of metal in the front. The only downside is they are EXPENSIVE at $43 a piece for 25 rounders.

I may order one and try it once I get my new Grendel finished.

http://www.precisionreflex.com/Detail.as...7&CAT=4212


I've tried that and it didn't work, unfortunately. It was with their 20 round waffle mag, maybe you'll have better luck with the 25 rounder.

RR
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#16
The unobtainium ref was to magpuls last recievers which were basically unavailable to the public. Though I see that this LWRC. Is Magpul designing a larger mag for LWRC to fit their new reciever?
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#17
Rust Wrote:The unobtainium ref was to magpuls last recievers which were basically unavailable to the public. Though I see that this LWRC. Is Magpul designing a larger mag for LWRC to fit their new reciever?
Yes. It was reported on the LWRC forum about two weeks ago.
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#18
stanc Wrote:??? The receivers are typical aircraft grade, aluminium alloy.

[video=youtube;bY8njXxcUEU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bY8njXxcUEU[/video]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bY8njXxcUEU
Ditch the piston and make it a Grendel.Smile I'd want one of them really bad!

I can't afford to be the first up guinea pig these days, but if it turned out that their new lower and mag feeds grendel ammo... I might dump something to fund a build.
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#19
Where do we get the Grendel followers?
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#20
That receiver set looks great. A 2.300" COAL is an improvement for case volume with the longer pills, but I think 2.400" would be ideal. Anything over that would be too much for most bullets.
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