Is 6.5 Grendel holding its own?

[kg4kpg]

Since I made the decision to build a 6.5 I've been doing the expected web searches for parts, reviews, etc., and it has me wondering about the future of 6.5. There just aren't that many places to get barrels and in some cases it seems to require a group buy or long wait. That seems to me to be the reason for the higher prices as well. I am seeing ammo on the shelf, and not horrible prices, $23-$35 for a box of 20. Seems comparable to the other high-powered rounds.
So, I'm not discouraged by no means, just a little surprised, since I hadn't really spent much time yet reading up on 6.5. I just don't want another 5.56 or .300 and I already have the upper and lower receiver so .308 isn't an option for me either. Unless a great deal on a barrel and bolt just fall into my lap, it may take me a while. Trying to recover from furlough as well (damn gub'ment). I guess I can start building the lower first and see where I'm at when that is done. I know it will be a fixed stock and I want to go with a 22"-24" barrel out front.

C'ya,

Chris

[waveslayer]

http://www.gunbroker.com

[kg4kpg]

Oh yea, gunbroker. Almost forgot about them. Thanks

[Blazin]

It seems to me that more shops have recently tooled up to make bolts. And barrels can be had quickly from a few locations, BHW and Precision Firearms instantly come to mind. And right now Hornady die sets are $34 from multiple vendors, with a rebate for 100 bullets. Seems like a great time to get Grendel juice all over yourself.

[WildBill3/75]

2-4" shorter than you want but backorderable through midway http://www.midwayusa.com/product/833900/...less-steel

[LRRPF52]

6.5 Grendel has been steadily growing, gaining traction progressively along the way since 2003, especially as more people realize there is industry support for a hunting cartridge in the AR15.

Lapua, Hornady, PPU, and Nosler didn't decide to make brass and ammo for it because they thought is was fun. The market has to be there for major ammunition manufacturers to get on board, and Grendel ammo sells out fast.

[hm2 clark]

The future of the Grendel is brighter than ever. The trademark in no longer restricted. Real bolts (not x39 ones) are sometimes available. We dont have to make do with 5.56 magazines anymore. And wolf says that cheap ammo is coming. It Just Takes A While. Patience has been the Grendels middle name.

[XcountryRider]

Satern is finishing up thousands of Liberty barrels to hit the market in the next few months under the AR Stoner label and others.

[bwaites]

Satern is finishing up thousands of Liberty barrels to hit the market in the next few months under the AR Stoner label and others.

That's an interesting promise. How many are Grendel, vs. 5.56, vs. Blackout, vs ? And why would a business release thousands at one time, when releasing them as they are finished in a steady stream makes far more business sense?

[rasp65]

KG When I built mine in 2009 it took about 8 months to assemble all the parts and the barrel was the last part I had to buy. Brass was hard to come by I had to use fireformed 762x39 cases until I could get brass. At that time the only barrels that were available were AA, Satern and CSS. There were other manufacturers but you needed to buy complete rifles. So today were have a lot more companies making barrels and they can't keep up either. That alone tells me that there is more popularity with the Grendel than ever. You just need to be patient. The wait will be worth it.

[LRRPF52]

I think one of the biggest issues manufacturers have to deal with is diversification in the market. With AR15's, the primary demand is of course .224" barrels, so brand name companies who assemble and market parts guns with their names roll-marked on the lowers are dealing in volume. The big names like Bushmaster, DPMS, RRA, and Stag deal directly with distributors, namely Ellett Brothers, Accusport, and RSR Group.

Those distributors will order in volume based on demand or minimum order requirements they push onto retail FFL's, where Joe Blow and Jane Crow shop. The old model of manufacturer-distributor-retailer-customer has been given a vigorous upset in the e-commerce age, where online distributors (usually click & mortar FFL's) have realized that they can do four online sales for every physical walk-in customer.

The modularity of the AR15 even adds more upset to the traditional firearms retail market scheme, since there are minimal "barriers to entry" for the end consumer, who can simply part a gun together at his/her own pace, rather than being stuck with a large price tag for one purchase.

With the Grendel, you can't just throw parts together and expect the gun to function reliably right off the bat, because it is at the threshold of what is capable of being harnessed in the AR15 receiver set and barrel extension, so tolerances, materials strength, sourcing, testing, and a rigid QC is very important, much more so than the cobbled .223 plinker without a single Mil-Standard part in it, which is intended for the consumer who wants minimal price, but something that looks like an AR15 to maybe shoot a couple of times a year in a very low volume shooting schedule.

To manufacture critical Grendel parts (barrels, bolts, and magazines), one has to be competent and dedicated to very high standards of QC, which pretty much everybody in the market claims, yet very few practice. Take Hesse/Vulcan Arms as an example.

[montana]

To manufacture critical Grendel parts (barrels, bolts, and magazines), one has to be competent and dedicated to very high standards of QC, which pretty much everybody in the market claims, yet very few practice. Take Hesse/Vulcan Arms as an example.[/QUOTE]

LOL , I forgot about those guys. I believe they are still in business only under a different name. Building a Grendel on one of those receivers would not only be unreliable but dangerous. Buyer be very aware.

[middle man]

I think one of the biggest issues manufacturers have to deal with is diversification in the market. With AR15's, the primary demand is of course .224" barrels, so brand name companies who assemble and market parts guns with their names roll-marked on the lowers are dealing in volume. The big names like Bushmaster, DPMS, RRA, and Stag deal directly with distributors, namely Ellett Brothers, Accusport, and RSR Group.

Those distributors will order in volume based on demand or minimum order requirements they push onto retail FFL's, where Joe Blow and Jane Crow shop. The old model of manufacturer-distributor-retailer-customer has been given a vigorous upset in the e-commerce age, where online distributors (usually click & mortar FFL's) have realized that they can do four online sales for every physical walk-in customer.

The modularity of the AR15 even adds more upset to the traditional firearms retail market scheme, since there are minimal "barriers to entry" for the end consumer, who can simply part a gun together at his/her own pace, rather than being stuck with a large price tag for one purchase.

With the Grendel, you can't just throw parts together and expect the gun to function reliably right off the bat, because it is at the threshold of what is capable of being harnessed in the AR15 receiver set and barrel extension, so tolerances, materials strength, sourcing, testing, and a rigid QC is very important, much more so than the cobbled .223 plinker without a single Mil-Standard part in it, which is intended for the consumer who wants minimal price, but something that looks like an AR15 to maybe shoot a couple of times a year in a very low volume shooting schedule.

To manufacture critical Grendel parts (barrels, bolts, and magazines), one has to be competent and dedicated to very high standards of QC, which pretty much everybody in the market claims, yet very few practice. Take Hesse/Vulcan Arms as an example.

I'm the "MSR product specialist" for a national firearms distributor...Grendel is growing, yet remains very niche. Hornady only started producing the factory loaded ammo in late 2012, then the hyper market hit and derailed everyone's carefully laid merchandising plans for 2013. Visiting a dealer recently, I found Lapua Grendel brass in stock. The market is very much normalizing and manufacturers are thinking about niche products again.

What major manufacturer would you like to see a 6.5 Grendel from?

[cory]

...What major manufacturer would you like to see a 6.5 Grendel from?

All of them! Particularly Lake City.

[middle man]

Let me rephrase, what rifle manufacturer would you like to see a 6.5 Grendel from? Hornady is likely to be the only large player in commercially loaded ammo.

[bwaites]

I'm the "MSR product specialist" for a national firearms distributor...Grendel is growing, yet remains very niche. Hornady only started producing the factory loaded ammo in late 2012, then the hyper market hit and derailed everyone's carefully laid merchandising plans for 2013. Visiting a dealer recently, I found Lapua Grendel brass in stock. The market is very much normalizing and manufacturers are thinking about niche products again.

What major manufacturer would you like to see a 6.5 Grendel from?

Middle man, you are off by a couple years on when Hornady factory ammo first appeared. I bought my first factory ammo in early 2010 if I remember right. Theres a review on Youtube from Oct 2009. The newest 123 load using the SST appeared in late 2012, but the Amax load has been in the market approaching 4 years.

[bwaites]

Let me rephrase, what rifle manufacturer would you like to see a 6.5 Grendel from? Hornady is likely to be the only large player in commercially loaded ammo.

That's easy, Mossberg MVP!

[LRRPF52]

I'm the "MSR product specialist" for a national firearms distributor...Grendel is growing, yet remains very niche. Hornady only started producing the factory loaded ammo in late 2012, then the hyper market hit and derailed everyone's carefully laid merchandising plans for 2013. Visiting a dealer recently, I found Lapua Grendel brass in stock. The market is very much normalizing and manufacturers are thinking about niche products again.

What major manufacturer would you like to see a 6.5 Grendel from?

Hornady announced the factory 123gr A-MAX in November of 2009, and we started seeing it shipping in Q1 of 2010. I know I started buying it as early as early 2011, if not sooner. The 123gr SST was a Q4 2012-Q1 2013 introduction, with a group buy through this forum numbering tens of thousands of projos.

I would actually like for Federal to get on board with Federal Fusion, as well as an economy multi-purpose bullet.

[middle man]

Hornady announced the factory 123gr A-MAX in November of 2009, and we started seeing it shipping in Q1 of 2010. I know I started buying it as early as early 2011, if not sooner. The 123gr SST was a Q4 2012-Q1 2013 introduction, with a group buy through this forum numbering tens of thousands of projos.

I would actually like for Federal to get on board with Federal Fusion, as well as an economy multi-purpose bullet.

2010...I guess time flies when you're having fun. Checked in the history files and right there in August 2010 was 12 cases of 123 AMAX...I stand corrected. I'll blame having kids (twins) in 2010 for my failing memory.

Hard to guess what ATK would do. I could see FGI putting a 6.5 Grendel in the Barnes ammo line first. With Hornady and Lapua as the two sources for brass, I wouldn't bank on any of the larger ammo manufacturers adding it. Smaller boutique makers (ASYM, HPR, Nosler Custom) on the other hand would be a good bet.

[bwaites]

Nosler has already announced.