10-13-2023, 03:37 PM
It was actually the Ukrainian conflict, that has done more long term damage. When one could get Wolf Steel for $0.27/round - which was the same price as brass ball 5.56, the 6.5 Grendel became a very credible rifle choice, that one could realize all the many benefits of practical application with quality performance brass ammo; plus also cost-effectively use it with steel as a high-round count high-rate of fire gun, for things like practice sessions, three gun, range-fun, etc. It's the reason 6.5 Grendel won over all other rounds, IMHO. It was the reason I bought one. As soon as Russian imports stopped, that ended. I bought a decent amount of Steel to inventory recognizing that risk years before the dust-up; but as always, wish now I had bought even more!
Now that 6.5 Grendel is and likely will continue to be a $1.25/round gun - that changed things considerably. And for the last 3 years, (started by BLM, amplified by COVID, taken to 11 by Biden, and then just destroyed by Ukrainian war); Grendel ammo has been unobtainium for those who didn't inventory and don't reload. For many of us here, the impact was less so. For someone more casual or looking to enter - it was a round-killer.
My hope is that AAC is able to make cost-effective steel. But my fear is that their steel, will still be on the order of $0.80/shot, which isn't going to be good enough. Make it the same price as bulk brass 5.56, and we're back in the game. The reason Steel was acceptable in Grendel, is because the round was made to be steel from the get-go as well, and the 5.56 Steel cased problem issues, seem to not show up with Grendel so much. I've shot plenty of steel in Grendel, and am happy to do so; but I don't touch it in 5.56.
Now that 6.5 Grendel is and likely will continue to be a $1.25/round gun - that changed things considerably. And for the last 3 years, (started by BLM, amplified by COVID, taken to 11 by Biden, and then just destroyed by Ukrainian war); Grendel ammo has been unobtainium for those who didn't inventory and don't reload. For many of us here, the impact was less so. For someone more casual or looking to enter - it was a round-killer.
My hope is that AAC is able to make cost-effective steel. But my fear is that their steel, will still be on the order of $0.80/shot, which isn't going to be good enough. Make it the same price as bulk brass 5.56, and we're back in the game. The reason Steel was acceptable in Grendel, is because the round was made to be steel from the get-go as well, and the 5.56 Steel cased problem issues, seem to not show up with Grendel so much. I've shot plenty of steel in Grendel, and am happy to do so; but I don't touch it in 5.56.
4x P100