10-29-2014, 04:04 PM
bwaites Wrote:One issue is that we really haven't defined what the Grendel is.
Is it the cartridge? If it is, then all the rifles that fire that cartridge are Grendels. In its most basic form, I think this is the case.
Is it the chamber? If so, then the SAAMI chamber and only the SAAMI chamber is a Grendel. Anything else is a variant.
Is it the entire system, a SAAMI cartridge fed into a SAAMI chamber? In that case, only SAAMI chambers fed by SAAMI compliant ammo is a Grendel. Everything else is a variant.
From a practical perspective, independent of throat/neck nuances, if a rifle is designed for and can safely shoot known good SAAMI spec ammo, then I'd call it a Grendel.
If it requires special loadings, dies, or treatments different from SAAMI ammo, then it is not.
This is the historical approach with other calibers. Remember .280 Remington vs 7mm Express vs 7mm/06. The name is immaterial.
Likewise, there are probably more throat & neck variations in bolt guns mfgs in common calibers than the nuances we are talking about. Even headspace differences.
A long throated military 8x57 optimized for 220g bullets is still a 7.92 Mauser, just as a modern Ruger/Browning/Win/Rem mfg one would be with a far shorter throat and tighter neck for modern bullets.
Even in .308 bolt guns there is variation.
I'm not keen on the way some of the grendel variants came about, but if they can safely and accurately shoot factory SAAMI (Hornady Grendel, AA brass, AA Steel, etc) I'd call it a grendel.
If someone starts making Grendel II loadings which only work in sloppy throated rifles or custom chambers, then I'd call it a wildcat variant. Just like .280 AI, 8mm/06, etc.
Just my view. I think we may be a bit too sensitive on this since it's entangled with the old mfg issues and the recent Liberty mis-manufacture of short throats.