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mustangfreek
1 November 2017, 03:04
Ok...been something I’ve been thinking on and off for a while. I’ve played around with the 300 BO, but with no cans in house there are better rounds for what I’m after. Been MIA from the hunting scene but want to get back into it.. plus want something different then 556.

- I hand load so cost is down on ammo
- want something that can reach out better
- want a 308 ar or such but thinking a decent 16” Grendel upper for hunting, or whatever would fit the bill here.

Questions I kinda have..bolt...or just pick up a complete bcg?

- Mags? I see guys saying mags are fine if under 5 (perfect for hunting) but what others? E landers reliable?

fledge
1 November 2017, 07:33
I’ve done enough reading to go cross-eyed on which caliber. I have a Grendel for the range but settled on a 6.8 for what you describe. Four reasons: 1) 6.8 bolts are stronger because they have more material on the rim. 2) 6.8 brass cycles more reliably. 3) out to 400 yards, both bullets are similar for hunting uses. 4) Longer than 16” isn’t necessary to maximize cartridge (18” is the start for Grendel).

Then there’s ammo options for 6.8 as well as wildcats built off 6.8s like the newly released 224 Valkyrie. All around, I think 6.8 is THE intermediate cartridge/case for the AR15 system. I didn’t think so when I began researching because of the rising sex appeal of the Grendel and the 6.5mm craze. 6.8 has been overshadowed but not for lack of performance.

SINNER
1 November 2017, 08:38
Fledge pretty much nailed it. No love for that round here. Broke bolts multiple times and even trashed a barrel extension on one. Feeding is sketchy like a 7.62x39 AR. I like the 6.8 better myself but again it's pretty pointless. Not enough ft lbs for hunting at any distance on either of those rounds so you might as well shoot a 5.56 unless you are looking for a 6-800yd paper puncher with the 6.5 or maybe a supressed hog gun with the 6.8.

BoilerUp
1 November 2017, 09:54
I hunt in WA with a 16" ARP Scout barrel in 6.8 SPC (for those that don't know, .243 is minimum caliber to hunt deer and larger game with in WA). Since you handload I suggest looking into the 6.8 SPC. Sub-MOA barrels from ARP are around $200. Book values ("SPC I") on the 6.8 aren't that great thanks to Remington but you can push that round. At intermediate ranges the Grendel and SPC are probably a wash. My over-generalization is that if you want to stretch out to paper targets at several hundred yards than a Grendel with a long tube is probably the better choice but if you prefer a carbine for either HD or the field then the SPC is probably the better choice. Mags are probably the weak link for either cartridge. I use a PRI 10-rounder for hunting since there is no mag limit for hunting in WA and a 5 rounder is just a 10er with a block. I agree with Fledge that the 6.8 SCP II is about the perfect intermediate cartridge for the AR platform. It's really unfortunate that Remington dropped the ball.

Stone
1 November 2017, 09:54
If its for hunting purposes only what type of game and what distances are you wanting to shoot at?

BoilerUp
1 November 2017, 10:03
Oh, and as far as bolts go, you can get either a 6.8 or 6.5 complete BCG from Monmouth for $90 right now: http://www.monmouthreloading.com/product-category/ar-parts/?filter_manufacturer=toolcraft

BoilerUp
1 November 2017, 11:40
One other little tidbit that may be of interest is that Federal's new 224 Valkyrie is basically a 6.8 case necked down for 22 cal. The 6.8 crowd is hopeful this will lead to some spill over benefits for 6.8 shooters like more/better magazines and improved/continued support for brass.

mustangfreek
2 November 2017, 04:56
A lot to say but I’ll try to break it down

I hear ya I’ve read tons lately awhile back when I was thinking about it. I’m more or less spit balling as I have a AR15 lower sitting.

I thought the AA bolt uses a deeper face then the others for more strength?
What are we talking 6.8 is like.422 case head and Grendel is like .445 ish I think

Both are barrel and bolt swap, along with Mag selection, which does suck

Rough numbers 6.8 16” 120 gr 2475 FPS/1600 ft lbs

6.5 Grendel 16” 123 gr 2360/1350 ft lbs

So very close and stay about the same till 5-600


Ideally I’d like to do a 308 or 6.5 creed but no funds for a full ar10 build right now, , and a lower sitting here bored so piecing a upper for it seems the choice.

Wish I could just do a ar10 and sir this lower..problem solved right...[BD]

din
2 November 2017, 18:05
The Elander mags are fine. I have the 17, 20, and 24 round magazines and haven't had problems with any of them.

The problems with broken bolts were generally caused by people using 7.62X39 bolts which don't have the correct bolt-face depth. I don't know anyone who's actually broken a bolt anytime recently, but there are loads of people who know someone who knows someone who broke fifteen bolts because the 6.5 Grendel is the devil's caliber or something, and if you shoot a 6.8 Spcl then angels come down and give you handies while a heavenly choir sings.

I am really interested in the 224 Valkyrie, but near as I can tell that's the only noteworthy thing related to the 6.8.

BoilerUp
2 November 2017, 21:30
If you are after deer, then you'll appreciate the small frame AR in the field. Either 6.8 SPC or 6.5 Grendel will take deer just fine at typical hunting ranges. I wouldn't want to lug around an AR 308 in the field when a small frame will get the job done. I think elk opens next week, and I can see wanting a .308 for that.

mustangfreek
12 November 2017, 03:13
The Elander mags are fine. I have the 17, 20, and 24 round magazines and haven't had problems with any of them.

The problems with broken bolts were generally caused by people using 7.62X39 bolts which don't have the correct bolt-face depth. I don't know anyone who's actually broken a bolt anytime recently, but there are loads of people who know someone who knows someone who broke fifteen bolts because the 6.5 Grendel is the devil's caliber or something, and if you shoot a 6.8 Spcl then angels come down and give you handies while a heavenly choir sings.

I admit I lol’d a little when I read this..


I’m more or less bored with 556 at the moment and looking for something different..I enjoy the building/tinkering/smithing as much as shooting..

I’m overdue for a 308 build..but can’t swing a full build right now..we’ll could would take forever

KW900A
12 November 2017, 06:21
I admit I lol’d a little when I read this..


I’m more or less bored with 556 at the moment and looking for something different..I enjoy the building/tinkering/smithing as much as shooting..

I’m overdue for a 308 build..but can’t swing a full build right now..we’ll could would take forever

I’m about to start another build, and am looking at the grendel myself, although I haven’t committed fully to it just yet. But I’m after something I can take deer (legally) with. Here you can’t hunt deer with anything under .23 caliber.

I too, really enjoy the planning and building as much, if not more than the shooting.

Big_Tom
20 July 2018, 16:41
I'm wanting to do a 6.8 build now. Looking for a 18" barrel that is spec for OPS collar. Right now only one I've found is Bison.

Sent from my SM-N920P using Tapatalk

SINNER
20 July 2018, 20:41
https://www.precisionreflex.com/Detail.aspx?PROD=725097&CAT=4212

GOST
28 July 2018, 04:30
I second on what others have said about using 6.8 instead of 6.5 for deer.

https://www.ar15performance.com

FortTom
28 July 2018, 20:47
The Elander mags are fine. I have the 17, 20, and 24 round magazines and haven't had problems with any of them.

The problems with broken bolts were generally caused by people using 7.62X39 bolts which don't have the correct bolt-face depth. I don't know anyone who's actually broken a bolt anytime recently, but there are loads of people who know someone who knows someone who broke fifteen bolts because the 6.5 Grendel is the devil's caliber or something, and if you shoot a 6.8 Spcl then angels come down and give you handies while a heavenly choir sings.

I am really interested in the 224 Valkyrie, but near as I can tell that's the only noteworthy thing related to the 6.8.

I am currently putting together a 6.8 SPC, and am a total newb with that caliber. But the company, Black Stone Arms, who's building my upper, told me they source their bolts that are specifically machined and then head spaced for 6.8SPC.
Reason? Broken Bolts. I don't know anything else about devils and angles dancing around the range, but maybe there is some truth to it. (Broken Bolts)

FT[:D]

mustangfreek
13 March 2020, 01:31
Well...I’ve come full circle from yes to no , to this. My old mega lower/fortis in OD green Gunkote I did , years ago and is surprisingly really strong stuff.

This setup has been a 16” 556 to a tungsten coated 16” 300 BO to a 18” 556 to sandblasted and sprayed green 16” 556 and now a few years of just sitting around.it’s a 16” BA Hanson 6.5 Grendel..so..

Lapped the upper, shimmed barrel with a .002 stainless shim and bedded. Rail lined up prefect when i installed it. Did a few things to the mk136 bolt and polished up the chamber and lapped the lugs slightly. I’ve done a few of these things to other builds but went thru every aspect of this one.

Ran a few rds thru it to see how it ejected, cycled , lock the bolt. All good with cheap wolf and match Hornady stuff.

So now to either borrow the 1-4 off my other rifle for time being, but I’d like a little more magnification for this one.....

mustangfreek
28 March 2020, 23:53
So who else is shooting Grendel’s around here..

mustangfreek
11 April 2020, 18:31
No one...chicken fuckers...

Lol...bored and just watched super troopers..