High Volume Course Observations

[LRRPF52]

Did a private High Volume course for some families that were looking to increase their protection levels.

Several brought 6.5 Grendel AR15s, including 12.5” Ballistic Advantage suppressed, and 16” AA barrel builds.

They shot Wolf steel case using a lot of what appeared to be CProducts mags.

I ran a 25rd mag quickly through the 12.5” suppressed, followed by the owner putting another mag through it doing 1-5 drill at night.

The only malfunction I saw was when someone had accidentally loaded a .223 round in a stack of Grendel rounds. It wouldn’t chamber, unlike .223 in 7.62x39 (sometimes will chamber and fire) or 300 BLK in .223(will chamber and fire/grenade).

This was 2 days and 1 night of shooting high volume, lots of CQM drills, mag change standing and kneeling day/night, turns, dot drills, Weapon Light manipulation drills with displacement, then shooting in a shoot village with 18 different bays.

My normal reports about 6.5 Grendel in higher volume have been from DM courses, where we aren’t hosing away, but will still put 250-350 rounds through the rifles over 2-3 days.

This course saw cases of Wolf eaten rapidly.

Rapid shot string placement at 7yds was about twice the group size of .223, due to recoil, but still well within the A Zone on IPSC targets.

I need to do some more with a comparison of the different loads in 6.5 Grendel in CQM vs 5.56/.223 Rem.

Just thought I’d share some of the observations I noticed.

[Lemonaid]

A question about "Rapid shot string placement at 7yds was about twice that of .223, due to recoil, but still well within the A Zone on IPSC targets."
To clarify more time was used to stay on target or re-acquire the target due to more recoil in a Grendel? Would a muzzle brake that compensated for rise or muzzle displacement speed up Grendel times? Perhaps other recoil management options like different stocks?
Very interesting post, thanks!

[LRRPF52]

A question about "Rapid shot string placement at 7yds was about twice that of .223, due to recoil, but still well within the A Zone on IPSC targets."
To clarify more time was used to stay on target or re-acquire the target due to more recoil in a Grendel? Would a muzzle brake that compensated for rise or muzzle displacement speed up Grendel times? Perhaps other recoil management options like different stocks?
Very interesting post, thanks!

Sorry I wasn’t clear. I meant to say "group size" of rapid strings was twice that of .223 Rem at 7yds, and I edited for clarity. Time wasn’t that much different.

This should come as no surprise when shooting 100gr vs 55gr projectiles from the same rifle/carbine/pistol.

Yes, you could really tame the already mild recoil with a brake, but this also increases muzzle blast for those around you in close quarters.

A suppressor is preferred for that, which will still exhibit more of a push since it acts as a pressure accumulator at the muzzle.

I plan to test 90gr in a CQM setting next time I do a CQM course. In my experience, even from really lightweight barrel Grendels, 90gr TNT and 95gr Lehigh Defense CCs feel almost recoilless.

It’s still a lot better than a 7.62x39 AK shooting 123gr at lower chamber pressure, which is more of a testament to the AR15’s operating system and in-line design.

I’ll have to try it with my LaRue 18” Stealth 2.0 Grendel as well as my 12” Monster barrel build pistol suppressed.

The LaRue Tranquilo brake isn’t that obnoxious compared with a lot of other gilled brakes, and the barrel is pretty stout.

One of the guys did the 1-5 drill for his first time with the 12.5” BA barrel suppressed in under 4 seconds, which is a good run for that drill cold turkey. He even got all his counts correct.

You shoot 15 shots rapidly at 3 different sils, starting with 1 on the left target, 2 in the middle, 3 on the right, 4 back on the middle, and 5 on the first.

Most people never get the count right out of the gate. I can go for months or even over a year and not shoot that drill, and break under 3 seconds out of the gate with 5.56. I shoot it in my head and simulated every now and then. It’s good for getting your splits down between targets and keeping the gun on-target with escalating rapid string round count.