05-06-2012, 01:54 AM
Drifter Wrote:I think the 6.5 Grendel trademark has been released, the cartridge is now SAAMI approved, and any manufacturer can pursue production.
Previously, it was probably protected to prevent chamber and cartridge dimensions from getting distorted and changed, which might have been detrimental to the long-term success and survival of the cartridge. The "variants" were a way around the protection, but not sure that any of the variants have been tested to the degree that the Grendel has. Safest bet is the real 6.5 Grendel, but that's not to say that the others don't work.
This! If you research the development of the two cartridges between the Grendel and the 6.8 SPC, you find that the 6.8 SPC chamber dimensions that were sent to SAAMI had a major error in them: an 80 degree shoulder into the rifling. While a lot of lies and disinformation were spread about the Grendel only being allowed with royalties, the other popular cartridge got SAAMI approval with a screwed-up, unsafe chamber, and manufacturers started cranking out guns with that chamber. A lot of effort had to be undertaken by the 6.8 manufacturers to alert everyone and ensure that a non-SAAMI chamber that actually is safe to shoot is produced.
Meanwhile, Alexander Arms patiently waited for Hornady to push SAAMI approval, which finally happened. This is just one of the reasons to protect your idea, primarily so that customers get a safe product. While the wait was going on, people throughout the industry disseminated lie upon lie about Bill Alexander's greed requiring royalties, trying to "protect" the cartridge from being made by anyone else, and other non-sensical claims that all turned out to be fabrications for whatever reasoning.
I actually believed most of the BS I had heard about the Grendel, until I researched it myself. What I learned at SHOT this year is that people are still operating under the impression that the lies about the Grendel are common industry knowledge, and this is among people who are in significant decision-making positions with the Freedom Group, various manufacturers, and so forth.
I don't know what motive there is to trash the Grendel, but they did a great job of spreading BS that people actually believe and hold true to this day. Never underestimate the power of repetitive propaganda.