Monster/Faxon 12" Pistol build complete

[Croak]

I have a PSA 8.5" 300BLK pistol I hardly use anymore, supersonic ammo was getting both scarce and pricey, think it's nearly worthless (in terms of power) shooting subs and I'm not a ninja. Plus I'm not stacked in .300 ammo at all, less than 100 rounds of V-Max supers left. Just didn't like it that much, was a bandwagon purchase a couple years ago, and I sold the can that I bought for it a year ago. So I decided to convert it to a 6.5 Grendel Pistol. Keep most of the portability, have more ass at range, and could find and afford to stack deep in both steel and good brass ammo in this weird time.

Did some research, and decided my best bet was just to get a complete upper for a first go-around. So I ordered a 12" stainless barrel complete upper from PSA back in early June, and it (as usual for PSA uppers) took forever to ship. So while waiting, did some more research, felt more confident in being able to pick the right parts, and I scored a 12" 2017 Group Buy Faxon/Monster barrel from the classifieds here, and from parts I had on hand and smattering of new stuff a new build was born.

12" Faxon Monster Barrel (2017 Group Buy, never fired, thanks @PVBoom !)
Wojtek .750 AGB and carbine tube
STNGR VLKN 10.5" handguard
VG6 Gamma 6.5 brake
Brownells Anchor Harvey Upper
Brownells BCG and 6.5 bolt
Aero UPK
Generic Lower with CMMG LPK
Phase 5 EBRV3
Phase 5 OMR
SI dust cover, takedown pins
Law Tactical Gen-3 M folder
Aero Buffer tube and H1 buffer
SBA 3 in Stealth Gray
BCM 4B charging handle
BCM pistol grip in Wolf Gray
BCM trigger guard in Wolf Gray
BCM KAG
LaRue MBT 2S trigger
Slate Black Mlok covers
Upper, lower and handguard painted in Wolf Gray Alumahyde.
12x ELander/AA 24rd mags
4x Amend2 10rd mags

Lapped the upper, shimmed the barrel.

Currently have a Vortex Gen 2 Strike Eagle 1-8 on a Brownells/Warne mount (setup doesn't suck for the price), but it's being replaced with a Swampfox Arrowhead 1-10 and Aero SPR mount that are in transit.





And of course, before I had the DIY finished, the PSA upper came in, so I slapped it on the old PSA .300 lower and took it out last weekend and ran 100 123gr Hornady ELD-M and a full 500 of Wolf 100gr through it without a hitch, using a 3x Primary Arms ACSS prism scope out to 200yds. With my skills and the scope, no bags, no rest, just elbows on a table, was getting about 1 MOA with the ELD-M, and about 2 MOA with the Wolf. For a short range/HD/Florida hog gun, that's more than good enough.



Probably going to sell the PSA upper if the DIY shoots well (going out this weekend to test and zero it), simply don't need two 6.5G pistols.

But I think I do need a 16"-18" Grendel. Somebody talk me out of picking up a LaRue UU.

[am4966]

I'd love to get some feedback on the swampfox 1-10 your getting. Been looking at one of those for my sbr Grendel!

Lot of guys here like there LaRue upper, might find it difficult to get talked out of it ????. Or they might suggest a upper from Precision Firearms, if your wanting an extremely accurate 16"-20" Grendel.

[Croak]

Lot of guys here like there LaRue upper, might find it difficult to get talked out of it ????. Or they might suggest a upper from Precision Firearms, if your wanting an extremely accurate 16"-20" Grendel.

No ranges beyond 200yds down here that I have reasonable access to, most of what goes downrange will be Wolf, I don't reload (and don't want to) and I'm just not that dedicated of a target shooter to justify the expense of serious precision setup. But a well-built kit with a great trigger and good furniture for $800, that appeals to me.

[Rangerofthenorth]

I'd love to get some feedback on the swampfox 1-10 your getting. Been looking at one of those for my sbr Grendel!

Lot of guys here like there LaRue upper, might find it difficult to get talked out of it ????. Or they might suggest a upper from Precision Firearms, if your wanting an extremely accurate 16"-20" Grendel.

I have the Swampfox 1-10x24. Great glass, smooth zoom, true 1x, nearly daylight bright illumination, 10x a little picky but at that magnification you'll probably be supported anyway, very pleased with mine and my 1-8x24 ??

[VASCAR2]

Very nice builds thanks for posting. I bought one of the PSA 6.5 Grendel pistol kits when they were released and used a stripped PSA lower. I switched the EBT PSA trigger for a RRA NM trigger I already owned. I then bought a 12” Monster Group Buy barrel with 1:7.5 twist out of the last group buy. I haven’t shot it much but it’s a keeper. I still need to decide if I’m going to sell the PSA 12” Nitride upper or build another pistol lower. I’m using a 1-6 Strike Eagle on my PSA Nitride upper but the Swampfox 1-10 sounds interesting.

[KZero]

I really like the color on that, very nice!

[Rangerofthenorth]

Great looking build btw Croak, didn't mean to hijack the thread

[Croak]

Great looking build btw Croak, didn't mean to hijack the thread

No worries, just more confirmation that my decision to go with the Arrowhead was a good one.

[Croak]

I'd love to get some feedback on the swampfox 1-10 your getting. Been looking at one of those for my sbr Grendel!

So far, quite impressed with the Arrowhead. Noticeably better glass than the Strike Eagle, I like the BDC better, the illum controls are better, the illum is bright enough on max for Florida summer, the locking turrets are nice (though I'll only use them to zero since this is a BDC scope), eye relief is more forgiving at 10x than the SE was at 8x. It is heavier, and about an inch longer, neither one an issue for me, and switching to the very light Aero SPR mount made the entire package weigh the same as the SE and chunky Brownells/Warne mount.

There is no diopter adjustment though, so that could be an issue for some folks, but even with my presbyopic eyes, the reticle is clear. I did need to use the diopter on the SE to sharpen up the numbers on the reticle, but since the Arrowhead has no numbers, just lines, dots and chevrons, no big deal.

EDIT: There IS a diopter adjustment, it was just so stiff from the factory that I thought it was just decorative knurling. Once I broke it free with some serious elbow grease, it now spins fairly easily. YMMV.

[Kswhitetails]

But a well-built kit with a great trigger and good furniture for $800, that appeals to me.

Heh. You just answered your own question. With authority only honest reality will provide. Truth is, we can't talk you out of it, because Mark already talked you into it. With that same authority.

Remember, that's $800 bucks, and you just need a good lower. Hard to beat that with a $1k stick...

[BluntForceTrauma]

Croak, what's your opinion of the Primary Arms 3x ACSS prism scope? I see they now have a 2x prism out, as well.

[Croak]

Swapped out the Vortex for a Swampfox Arrowhead 1-10 and Aero SPR mount. Digging the Arrowhead/Aero combo a lot. Took three clicks right and one click up to zero at 50 yards. Getting solid sub 2 MOA with Wolf, close to 1 MOA with 123gr AG, and that's just using my elbows and magazine for support. It shoots better than I do.

Shoots great, tuned the gas for Wolf, cycles fine, and the Gamma comp and weight (she's chunky with that scope, light and Law folder) make it a pretty flat shooter, noticeably flatter than my lighter PSA 12" with Odin Works Atlas 6.5 comp.

Also mounted an OLIGHT Odin 2000 lumen light. Not so sure about that, it's hella bright and recharges easily, but it's bulky. Ordered an Arisaka cantilever mount, putting it on the 1 o'clock MLOK should pull it in tighter and maybe let me run it a bit further back from the comp, though other than the typical filming of the lens you'd expect, it doesn't seem to be suffering from being that close to the VG6 Gamma.

Finally, added some more Slate Black rail covers at 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, and 11, lots of heat seeping through the slots since my grip is right over the gas block, this fixed that.

I'm happy.

[Croak]

Croak, what's your opinion of the Primary Arms 3x ACSS prism scope? I see they now have a 2x prism out, as well.

I've been happy with it, running it on several rifles/pistols for over a year. The ACSS is still my favorite BDC reticle, and since I'm pretty much a BDC-only guy these days, that says something.

I use it like I would an ACOG at closer ranges, illuminated and both eyes open and I've shot out to 300 with it no problem, and it's got a few hogs under its belt. Glass is good for the money, the whole thing is rugged, and I'm still on the original battery. It's also fairly light at around 10oz in the PA mount, eye relief is much better than an ACOG 4x, and it'll work with any ACOG mount out there too. The 2X has been out for awhile, they just recently updated it, I think they're on the third gen now.

[Croak]

Probably going to sell the PSA upper if the DIY shoots well (going out this weekend to test and zero it), simply don't need two 6.5G pistols.

But I think I do need a 16"-18" Grendel. Somebody talk me out of picking up a LaRue UU.

I'm surely doing my part to stimulate the economy lately:

[Croak]

Buddy shooting it after I tuned the gas and zeroed it at 50yds.

[video=youtube;RL8VbvA0Hfs]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RL8VbvA0Hfs&feature=youtu.be[/video]

[KZero]

Looks like a winner!

[Croak]

Did some more tweaking.

Added Radian Raptor LT charging handle and Talon ambi safety, and Arisaka cantilever mount for the light. Inside, it's running the Law Tactical/JP Silent Captured Spring that I greatly enjoy. Charging and actual cycling while firing is greatly smoothed out, well worth the cost for me.

Got fancy with a black Wilson Combat/BCM pistol grip and my leftover Alumahyde (I run WC "sunburst" grips on my carry Sigs, so that's style coordination points nobody will ever notice).

Also did some paint infill on the handguard, anodized adhesive plate for the brass deflector, got the KAG better situated and cut down on some of the superfluous rail covers.

And ran another 300 rounds of Wolf through it (scored another 3.5K rounds in the last week via Brownells and Sportsman's Guide). Still staying about 2MOA with Wolf, which is fine by me.

[Rkangel]

Did some more tweaking.

Added Radian Raptor LT charging handle and Talon ambi safety, and Arisaka cantilever mount for the light. Inside, it's running the Law Tactical/JP Silent Captured Spring that I greatly enjoy. Charging and actual cycling while firing is greatly smoothed out, well worth the cost for me.

Got fancy with a black Wilson Combat/BCM pistol grip and my leftover Alumahyde (I run WC "sunburst" grips on my carry Sigs, so that's style coordination points nobody will ever notice).

Also did some paint infill on the handguard, anodized adhesive plate for the brass deflector, got the KAG better situated and cut down on some of the superfluous rail covers.

And ran another 300 rounds of Wolf through it (scored another 3.5K rounds in the last week via Brownells and Sportsman's Guide). Still staying about 2MOA with Wolf, which is fine by me.

Looking good! Working on a grey/black two-tone Grendel build myself.

[am4966]

Did some more tweaking.

Added Radian Raptor LT charging handle and Talon ambi safety, and Arisaka cantilever mount for the light. Inside, it's running the Law Tactical/JP Silent Captured Spring that I greatly enjoy. Charging and actual cycling while firing is greatly smoothed out, well worth the cost for me.

Got fancy with a black Wilson Combat/BCM pistol grip and my leftover Alumahyde (I run WC "sunburst" grips on my carry Sigs, so that's style coordination points nobody will ever notice).

Also did some paint infill on the handguard, anodized adhesive plate for the brass deflector, got the KAG better situated and cut down on some of the superfluous rail covers.

And ran another 300 rounds of Wolf through it (scored another 3.5K rounds in the last week via Brownells and Sportsman's Guide). Still staying about 2MOA with Wolf, which is fine by me.

Is that a tourniquet on a your stock? Great looking pistol build!

[Croak]

Is that a tourniquet on a your stock? Great looking pistol build!

Nope, not a TQ, just a V-Tac padded sling with the slack folded over itself and tucked under the rubber bands, keeps it from getting in the way for easier storage and transport, and just a tug to deploy the sling if I need it.