08-15-2012, 07:48 AM
There's a guy on ARFcom, who I think runs guided hog hunts on his ranch (hi-tech-rancher), and has made at least one kill with 6.8 SPC II at 300yds with a short-barreled carbine, I think 12.5". I think he likes the Barnes 95gr TTSX bullets the most IIRC. I'm not sure if those are handloads or SSA "combat" loads, but the 6.8 guys worked with Barnes to get pills made specifically for the 6.8 so the expansion theshold could be reduced as far as impact velocity goes.
http://www.ar15.com/archive/topic.html?b...9&t=652018
They also have a 120gr SST made for the 6.8 that has a BC of .400, which is about as close to the Grendel in BC and MV that they will get. The thing with 6.8 is that it offered the first real industry-supported higher performance intermediate cartridge that would fit in the AR15 receiver set, and a lot of people had been wanting something like that for a long time.
As the Grendel emerged at the same time, but without names like "SOCOM" and "Special Forces" attached to it for advertising purposes, the Grendel was looked at as a threat since everyone knows the BC's of 6.5mm pills are what they are. From that point, a comprehensive and effective smear campaign was leveled at the Grendel, Bill A., and Alexander Arms, with most of the propaganda still believed by important industry people.
I watched this all develop from the early days of behind-the-scenes work on the 6.8, to the present, and even believed alot of the smear campaign until I researched each claim on my own, met Bill A., and found every accusaion to be opposite of what reality is.
It's good that Remington didn't get a hold of the Grendel like it did 6.8, because the SAAMI chamber specs that were submitted are dangerous, they use large rifle primer brass, and handicapped an otherwise great little cartidge. Individuals in the private sector really pulled the 6.8 out of the quicksand, sounded the alarm bells about the SAAMI chamber, and started making logical-dimensioned chambers that are closer to the original to handle higher pressures. Companies like AR Performance and Bison Armory come to mind, along with Silver State Armory for a wide range of factory loads.
All that said, the Grendel still has the BC adavantage, and a much wider selection of both hunting and target projectiles for the hand loader and industry, and more and more factory loads are being produced as we move forward. Both cartidges offer increased energy retention within common hunting distances for the AR15 owner, while the Grendel doubles as a mid-range target gun, that can be pushed out further with suitable wind conditions. The short story is the Grendel will do what the 6.8 will, plus reach out. In all fairness, the 6.8 was intended to match or exceed 7.62x39 energy, with a flatter trajectory, while fitting in the AR15 platform, and it accomplished that. The Grendel was never built with those constraints in mind, aside from fitting in the AR15 receiver set.
http://www.ar15.com/archive/topic.html?b...9&t=652018
They also have a 120gr SST made for the 6.8 that has a BC of .400, which is about as close to the Grendel in BC and MV that they will get. The thing with 6.8 is that it offered the first real industry-supported higher performance intermediate cartridge that would fit in the AR15 receiver set, and a lot of people had been wanting something like that for a long time.
As the Grendel emerged at the same time, but without names like "SOCOM" and "Special Forces" attached to it for advertising purposes, the Grendel was looked at as a threat since everyone knows the BC's of 6.5mm pills are what they are. From that point, a comprehensive and effective smear campaign was leveled at the Grendel, Bill A., and Alexander Arms, with most of the propaganda still believed by important industry people.
I watched this all develop from the early days of behind-the-scenes work on the 6.8, to the present, and even believed alot of the smear campaign until I researched each claim on my own, met Bill A., and found every accusaion to be opposite of what reality is.
It's good that Remington didn't get a hold of the Grendel like it did 6.8, because the SAAMI chamber specs that were submitted are dangerous, they use large rifle primer brass, and handicapped an otherwise great little cartidge. Individuals in the private sector really pulled the 6.8 out of the quicksand, sounded the alarm bells about the SAAMI chamber, and started making logical-dimensioned chambers that are closer to the original to handle higher pressures. Companies like AR Performance and Bison Armory come to mind, along with Silver State Armory for a wide range of factory loads.
All that said, the Grendel still has the BC adavantage, and a much wider selection of both hunting and target projectiles for the hand loader and industry, and more and more factory loads are being produced as we move forward. Both cartidges offer increased energy retention within common hunting distances for the AR15 owner, while the Grendel doubles as a mid-range target gun, that can be pushed out further with suitable wind conditions. The short story is the Grendel will do what the 6.8 will, plus reach out. In all fairness, the 6.8 was intended to match or exceed 7.62x39 energy, with a flatter trajectory, while fitting in the AR15 platform, and it accomplished that. The Grendel was never built with those constraints in mind, aside from fitting in the AR15 receiver set.