New to 6.5 but ready to build upper with questions.

[JuanC]

New to the 6.5 Grendel cartridge and plan on building a upper for hunting. Currently have a Mega arms matching receiver set with ba 223 wylde barrel. From what I've been reading the only parts needed to convert is the barrel and a bolt. I'm going to build a dedicated upper using a Mega Billet upper but I'm needing suggestions for barrel. Plan on hunting deer and hogs out to maybe 350 yards top. What length barrel and manufacturer would you recommend? Im wanting light so was thinking 16" barrel but want to make sure bullet expansion wassn't a probem. Thanks in advance.

[Texas]

Out to 350, 16 in will work fine. It depends on how accurate you need the rifle to be for you to have confidence in the rifle. Most barrels will shoot as accurate as most production rifles, some will shoot signicantly better than most production rifles. It is an acceptable price/performance question. I have not heard of any AR15 barrels that have been terrible.

[1911man]

New to the 6.5 Grendel cartridge and plan on building a upper for hunting. Currently have a Mega arms matching receiver set with ba 223 wylde barrel. From what I've been reading the only parts needed to convert is the barrel and a bolt. I'm going to build a dedicated upper using a Mega Billet upper but I'm needing suggestions for barrel. Plan on hunting deer and hogs out to maybe 350 yards top. What length barrel and manufacturer would you recommend? Im wanting light so was thinking 16" barrel but want to make sure bullet expansion wassn't a probem. Thanks in advance.

There are several good manufacturers out there. For a first build with the Criteria you described I would go with the Alexander Arms 16" lite barrel. It has a SAAMI chamber and you can use their bolt with it. That will have plenty of punch out to the distance you describe and further and will also be light weight to carry around. The only negative is that you will have to join the waiting list to get it. If you have to have something right away or at least in the next few weeks the list becomes much shorter.

[JuanC]

With using a 16" barrel there wouldn't be any problems with bullet expansion out to 350yards? The AA 16"lite barrel looks like a good fit. What kind of longevity should I expect out of it? Also can you recommend a good bang for the buck scope. Thanks

[VASCAR2]

With the 6.5 Grendel having lower pressures and velocity I think at least 6000 rounds will be possible with a Stainless Steel 16" AA barrel. I've got a Leupold Mark AR 3-9X40 and am considering a 4-16 Mark AR or a Vortex Diamonback. I have a Vortex Viper which I really like and they run about $450.

[howl]

Sierra makes a 120gr 6.5mm bullet for smaller capacity cartridges like the Grendel. I would call and ask if it's supposed to. Hornady does a Grendel bullet, too. I've not done or have any interest in pushing one that far.

[wvmagnum]

With the 6.5 Grendel having lower pressures and velocity I think at least 6000 rounds will be possible with a Stainless Steel 16" AA barrel. I've got a Leupold Mark AR 3-9X40 and am considering a 4-16 Mark AR or a Vortex Diamonback. I have a Vortex Viper which I really like and they run about $450.

I just put the 6-18 Mark AR on a 308 bolt gun. Can't say I've shot it much yet, but it's a pretty impressive scope. My understanding is that the Mark AR's are pretty comparable to VX-2's. Leupold has pretty impressive customer service, too.

[jim_bob]

I think a 16" tube from AA or even one of the Faxon group buy barrels would fit the use case you describe. SWFA makes a good scope for the price!

[LRRPF52]

With using a 16" barrel there wouldn't be any problems with bullet expansion out to 350yards? The AA 16"lite barrel looks like a good fit. What kind of longevity should I expect out of it? Also can you recommend a good bang for the buck scope. Thanks

16" with 123gr SST (1800fps expansion) - 375-400yds depending on mv BC .462
123gr AMAX (expansion as low as 1600fps), well past 400yds BC .468
123gr ELD-M same as AMAX BC .506

Barrel length and expansion ranges are covered in Volume II of the 6.5 Grendel Reloading Handbooks on page 13, as well as the Terminal Ballistics chapter showing many different bullets and impact speeds, how much they expand, penetrate, and weight retained.

I would look at Vortex for an economical but reliable option for a lightweight 16" blaster.
Don't skimp on the mount.

[JuanC]

Plan on ordering the AA 16" lite barrel tomorrow. What parts would you guys recommend as far as gas tube, gas block, bolt, and magazines? I don't mind spending extra for the quality. Thanks

[LRRPF52]

Get the bolt, barrel, mags, and gas tube from AA.

I like Sadlak gas blocks from Brownell's.

Honestly, you'll have a hard time beating their price on a complete upper trying to do it yourself.

[JuanC]

Get the bolt, barrel, mags, and gas tube from AA.

I like Sadlak gas blocks from Brownell's.

Honestly, you'll have a hard time beating their price on a complete upper trying to do it yourself.

I figured so but I have a brand new mega billet upper sitting next to me not being used. Just ordered the 6.5 grendel books so I'm stoked about learning more about this cartridge.

[JuanC]

Just ordered the AA 16" lite barrel, elander mags, gas tube, and bolt from Alexander Arms. Also ordered the 15.5" Odin Works o2 Lite handguard from optics planet. The barrel, bolt, and mags are backordered till mid february. This just gives me time to research some scopes. What magnification would you say would work with out to 400 yards? Also, what muzzle device would you guys recommend? Thanks in advance.

[VASCAR2]

I like A-2 Flash Hiders, if your getting your barrel from AA I'd get an A-2 FH from them. I like 3-9 or 2.5-10 power scopes on 16" 6.5 Grendel. I bought a 1-6 (on a 16" 5.56) but I normally shoot paper or steel targets with 6.5 G and like more magnification. I'm considering a 4-16 Vortex for my 16" Faxon build.

[jcjarmon]

For the Gas tube, Id go to Primary Arms. I use JP adjustable gas blocks in all my ARs. For the bolt, buy it from the same place as the barrel, and have them check head-space before it leaves there hands. The mags you can get from eBay for 15 bucks apiece. They work fine. The gas block will make a lot of difference. Grendel barrels run an over-size gas port(.125) to accommodate lower chamber pressures of the 6.5 round. End result is considerable over gas. Like the bolt carrier slams into the back of the upper kind of over-gas.

[LRRPF52]

For the Gas tube, Id go to Primary Arms. I use JP adjustable gas blocks in all my ARs. For the bolt, buy it from the same place as the barrel, and have them check head-space before it leaves there hands. The mags you can get from eBay for 15 bucks apiece. They work fine. The gas block will make a lot of difference. Grendel barrels run an over-size gas port(.125) to accommodate lower chamber pressures of the 6.5 round. End result is considerable over gas. Like the bolt carrier slams into the back of the upper kind of over-gas.

Addressed in the other thread as well.

This is incorrect. I don't know why anybody would intentionally cut a .125" gas port in 6.5 Grendel.

Chamber pressure is much lower than 5.56 NATO, but case capacity is much higher, and projectile weights are much higher as well, so you have very similar port pressures, and hence, port diameters.

[VASCAR2]

+1 on Primary Arms or Joeboboutfitters!

[JuanC]

Are the Elander 17 round mags too large for the bench or sled for zeroing in the rifle? I ordered 2-17 round mags and 1-10 round mag but since they are the same price im thinking of just ordering 3-17 round mags instead. Also, would a muzzle device be optimal for hunting? Should I just throw a thread sleeve on it?

[LRRPF52]