Grendel Barrels in stock at Brownells

[PigOPs]

Just for clarification: A go or no-go gauge, while useful, will NOT tell you if you have a throat issue as they only check the chamber. go/no-go gauges worked in my stoner barrel but it's throat is noticeably short.

[Tedward]

Just for clarification: A go or no-go gauge, while useful, will NOT tell you if you have a throat issue as they only check the chamber. go/no-go gauges worked in my stoner barrel but it's throat is noticeably short.

That is true. I wish there was a throat gauge, like a machined bullet to check both the chamber and throat.

[JASmith]

That is true. I wish there was a throat gauge, like a machined bullet to check both the chamber and throat.

Best to make the case part the SAAMI max case and the throat the SAAMI min throat with appropriate tolerance. Clearance for the throat might be SAAMI minus .001" with the tolerance being -0.002 to +0.000.

The only tricky part would be cutting the body taper, shoulder, and throat taper. That said, a decent machinist could probably cut his first one from 1/2" aluminum or brass stock in about an hour on a traditional lathe. After that, the time needed might drop.

A guy or gal with a CNC could do the set-up in probably the same time, and then it's off to the races if modest production is the goal.

Someone on a different thread mentioned the 3-D printers storming the market recently. They might even be less expensive to produce for modest production runs. This might be a perfect marketing toe in the water for this kind of limited use end-user gauging. If it doesn't pass the plastic gauge test, it's off to the gunsmith for checking with a proper gauge!

[Tedward]

Yes that would be great. Just need to find someone who would do it like Manson. But is there a market? If the barrel is machined correctly then even a go-gauge would really only be needed by the barrel maker. But what I have now seen is they depend on suppliers of bolts to sent them the correct product. That is why now there are two possible issues going on with the Liberty barrels. I have personally idetified the bolts as being incorrect and measurements not in range to work with a Go-Gauge. If they don't work, then the throat is not relevant. All of my barrels let the bullet chamber without getting stuck when using a .135 HS bolt. So I am satisfied with the reamer. Apparently something else is going on when certain ones were made.

[JASmith]

Concur on the market potential -- especially over the long term.

On the other hand, a chamber gauge (I think that is what the item is called) is an item a prudent barrel maker and the commercial rifle / upper assembler might want to have on hand. The gauge can easily be made by the reamer maker, and one can very easily verify dimensions since they will be on the outside of the gauge!

Cheers!

PS The gauge might look an awful lot like a go-gauge but with details for neck, throat and freebore.

[poli]

Called Brownells again and this time talked with a gunsmith/technician. The barrel it's a button manufactured by Satern and it comes without a bolt.

[jurassic]

Are you sure about that? Mine came with a bolt.

Called Brownells again and this time talked with a gunsmith/technician. The barrel it's a button manufactured by Satern and it comes without a bolt.

[poli]

Are you sure about that? Mine came with a bolt.

That's what the Brownells technician told me. I then asked how much a bolt is (I'm new to building AR's so don't have a clear image of prices) and he told me about one which is $100. The price for the barrel is close to the one at Midway and considering that both are manufactured by Satern I was a bit surprised when he said that it doesn't come with a bold. On the other hand Trock03 mentioned in post #27 about quality difference in finish between this one the the AR Stoner, so maybe this being a higher quality in finish makes it more expensive...

[Tedward]

Brownells barrels come with a bolt, I got one.

[poli]

Brownells barrels come with a bolt, I got one.

Then he didn't know...

[Tedward]

Then he didn't know...

Hate to say it but he probably didn't know much of anything.
Looking at the similarity of the rifling, bolts, barrel extension and engraving, I think they are Liberty. Satern is not allowed to disclose that information so I didn't ask more than one time, but I feel they are both made by them. Also Brownells says in the description, "AR15/M16/308AR Barrels in various calibers machined and finished to Brownell’s specifications right here in Iowa" the same state as Satern.

[Trock03]

Poli - Was the Brownells tech you spoke to implying that they have bolts for sale?

When I first bought the Stoner barrel from Midway I spoke to them about buying a spare bolt. Their response was that they didn't plan on offering bolts separately. Seems like offering legitimate Grendel bolts would be a money-making opportunity....especially when the rest of the shooting community catches on.

[poli]

Poli - Was the Brownells tech you spoke to implying that they have bolts for sale?

Honestly I only asked him how much a bold would be; he said something about $100 so I assumed that they had bolts for sale but didn't mention if they had it in stock. Since I was interested in a barrel with bolt, I didn't continue the conversation.