Grendel upper or rifle

[jimmyp]

I have a couple of 5.56 rifles I hunt with, and want to get something else. All of my shots on WT deer are under 200 yards, but I walk quite a bit. I hunt now with a LW 5.56 with a 16 inch barrel that weights about 7.5 pounds with scope and mount. So the rifle is just at 6 pounds. I can get a Noveske 6.8 upper that weights 4 pounds in their Rogue Hunter upper, but really have not seen anything like this in the Grendel. The 6.8 seems to be more popular, but I reload and a 120 grain bullet in 6.5 has more sectional density and a better BC. So for a light weight grendel where does one look? Is a 16 inch barrel worth fooling with or is a minimal length 18 inches. I am also looking at the 300 Blackout but again, low SD bullets and not so hot BC.

[leopard6.5]

Hi jimmyp: AA does offer barrel bolt kits in a fully fluted 16" & 18".

I had an upper that I sold here on the forum with the 16" Satern Spartan barrel and it was the lightest upper I have ever felt.

From my understanding, Satern isn't making Grendel barrels anymore but AA still has a Spartan barrel listed on their website in the 16" & 18" lengths.
When I talked to Bill A. last he said they had another barrel maker for these barrels.

The 16" Spartan barrel only weighs 1.1 lbs. and the 18" Spartan barrel weighs 2.02 lbs.

The 16" barrel has an integral flashhider to make the 16" length so the actual barrel is approx. 14.5" long plus the built-in flashhider.

Both these barrels make for very lightweight uppers.

You may want to look in the hunting section and read about the people who have hunted with both the 16" & 18" barrels as it seems that they both work fine especially at 200 yards and under.

Good luck and hopefully this helps.

Lee

[Whelenon]

Welcome to the board. I drank the Grendel kool-aid and it is good. Hands down the Grendel is the choice just for the reasons you've already found out, better SD & BC. I built my Grendel for deer hunting and keeping the weight down was a high priority.

http://www.65grendel.com/forum/showthrea...1-2-pounds.

[Drifter]

All of my shots on WT deer are under 200 yards...

The 6.8 seems to be more popular, but I reload and a 120 grain bullet in 6.5 has more sectional density and a better BC.

For deer hunting at 200 yards or less, the difference between 6.8 and 6.5 is insignificant as far as perceivable terminal performance using comparable bullets.

[jwilson1985]

loki has done a 18" barrel,and a brake, carbon fiber free float .at 5.2 lbs complete rifle. you can get them light.

[patdaly]

Hate to say it, but for under 200 yards, I would put my .458 Socom upper on. 300 plus grains of .458 goodness trumps either at close range.

[Whelenon]

Hate to say it, but for under 200 yards, I would put my .458 Socom upper on. 300 plus grains of .458 goodness trumps either at close range.

I don't disagree with you on the 458 but I'ld think there might be a wee difference in recoil, just guessing.

[jimmyp]

thank you for your replies, I am still thinking about how to do this.

[stokesrj]

My personal hunting gun is the AA Ultralight. I mounted a Nightforce 2.5-10 NXS in Larue LT104 rings on it. The lower is a RRA that I built myself using a Giessele SSA-E trigger and a Magpull CRT stock. Fast, accurate, light, and handy is the way I would describe it. It will shoot under 1" groups at 200 yards and is a pleasure to shoot. I guess they don't make it any more but the barrel is a Satern and is still offered http://www.alexanderarms.com/index.php/products.html The hand guard is the carbon fiber and is not cold or hot to touch and is light, I like it as well.
Bob

[BjornF16]

Bob, how much does your rig weigh?

[stokesrj]

Bob, how much does your rig weigh?

5.5 lbs without the scope or mount.