# 6.5 Grendel Build



## Rebel_Ray (Jan 31, 2015)

Hello 2Cool, I recently decided to build an ar in 6.5 Grendel. But as I am about to start I am very confused on which barrel to buy. I'm currently looking at buying a Saturn barrel, but have no idea what I'm getting into. The differences between Grendel 1 and 2 chambers and other details are driving me crazy. I really want a high degree of accuracy. Please help me with any advice you have. And please explain carefully as I am only a 18 year old high school student. Thanks!


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## Sgrem (Oct 5, 2005)

check out 6.5 grendel.com and Alexander Arms for much better info. Could even check out gunbroker.com for what others have built and what it costs.

I love my 6.5Grendel!!

Good luck. Keep us informed.


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## Rebel_Ray (Jan 31, 2015)

Yeah I've looked I've 6.5 Grendel.com but I've heard it is biased towards bill Alexander and AA and that they are biased against Saturn barrels. I wanted another opinions besides theirs. 


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## Too Tall (May 21, 2004)

What is your budget? You can easily out spend a completed upper by piecing one together. Nothing wrong with that and you'll certainly build a fine rifle that way. You can also get a completed upper that will shoot for accuracy. Radical Firearms has a couple for <$500. 
Check 65Grendel forum and Alexander Arms for info on the caliber and differences between the 1 and 2. That caliber is also marketed and 264lbc and a few other names due to trademarks. As I understand it those have lapsed so there should be an influx of barrels from different manufacturers on the way.

Bill Alexander and AA first designed and marketed the 6.5 Grendel. I've seen no bias towards them in favor of other manufacturers. I have seen folks say they will take a Shilen, Lilja, Kreiger, BHW etc barrel over a Satern barrel but not to the point of bashing Satern.


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## Rebel_Ray (Jan 31, 2015)

That's what I have worked out so far budget wise. I'm looking to spend around $1000 not including the scope and mounts.

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## Rebel_Ray (Jan 31, 2015)

Oh, and another reason I want to build it is that I like to have things exactly how I like them. By building it I can get that without taking of parts I don't like and replacing them with what I do like.


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## Too Tall (May 21, 2004)

you haven't priced bcg, handguards, buttstock and a few other items. You'll be over a grand


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## Rebel_Ray (Jan 31, 2015)

Yeah I've got some left to do but I'm ok with be around $1000 I just don't want a $2000 rifle.


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## Navi (Jun 2, 2009)

Ive had my eye on this caliber for awhile, like you I enjoy building them my way even if it isnt the cheapest route. But, Im having a hard time passing up the $630 complete rifle at radical right now....


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## Too Tall (May 21, 2004)

Navi said:


> Ive had my eye on this caliber for awhile, like you I enjoy building them my way even if it isnt the cheapest route. But, Im having a hard time passing up the $630 complete rifle at radical right now....


I wish you hadn't posted that. I've been trying to avoid jumping in to a 6.5 yet.


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## Ernest (May 21, 2004)

I've been shooting the 6.5G since before Obama took office. Great round. 

The difference b/w the AA spec chamber and the others is exhaustively explained over on the 6.5G forum. Long story made short, the AA chamber was designed to shoot a wide variety of bullet weights well. The LBC chamber was specifically designed to shoot a narrower range of bullets well. I have a AA spec chamber. 

High degree of accuracy and lower cost don't really go together. Choose 1. Your budget does not include the aftermarket trigger which may well be required for a high degree of accuracy. 

What is so special about a Saturn barrel? Is it availability? Its a premium barrel, no doubt. But, if assembled with a dog trigger, a cheap scope, and non-premium ammo, its not going live up to its potential. Do you reload? If not, its a roll of dice if your weapon loves the factory ammo. May shoot it OK or even good, but may not deliver consistent 1/2 MOA at distance. 

To consistently shoot 1/2 MOA at 400 yards or even 300 yards, you are likely to spend another $1,000 on a scope and mounts. Then, assuming you are not a bench rest shooter now, you are going to have to spend a ton of trigger time. Think 1,000 to 1,500 slow deliberate practiced shots at distance to become just a decent shooter. Can you buy or build that amount of ammo on your budget? 

What are you trying to do here? A versatile hunting weapon that shoots better than 1 MOA out to 300 yards? Target shooting? What?


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## Jungle_Jim (Nov 16, 2007)

Ernest said:


> I've been shooting the 6.5G since before Obama took office. Great round.
> 
> The difference b/w the AA spec chamber and the others is exhaustively explained over on the 6.5G forum. Long story made short, the AA chamber was designed to shoot a wide variety of bullet weights well. The LBC chamber was specifically designed to shoot a narrower range of bullets well. I have a AA spec chamber.
> 
> ...


Ernest is correct. IMHO you should buy an upper already built because the market is flooded with ARs and parts. This flooded market has caused prices to drop like a rock. Any well built upper from a reputable company is going to shoot better than you can anyway. As Ernest said, get ready to spend at least another 1k on optics, mounts etc plus match grade ammo costs to achieve a very high level of accuracy that is only marginally better accuracy than an off the shelf gun.


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## Rebel_Ray (Jan 31, 2015)

The scope is not a problem, I already have a new Leopold vx-6 4.5-14x50. I want this rifle (like all my rifles) to shoot MOA (or better?) at 100yds like my deer rifle does. But now with me looking at radical arms , I may just buy one of theirs and I could always change barrels of I really wanted to. Any advice here? And ammo is not a problem either.


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## Rebel_Ray (Jan 31, 2015)

And as far as reloading goes I am currently trading manual labor for my neighbors reloading equipment. So 6.5 reloads will be a possibility for my in the next month or so. Thank you all for the advice, I really appreciate it.


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## Jungle_Jim (Nov 16, 2007)

Rebel_Ray said:


> The scope is not a problem, I already have a new Leopold vx-6 4.5-14x50. I want this rifle (like all my rifles) to shoot MOA (or better?) at 100yds like my deer rifle does. But now with me looking at radical arms , I may just buy one of theirs and I could always change barrels of I really wanted to. Any advice here? And ammo is not a problem either.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I don't know a thing about Radical Arms, I can tell you that a lot of members here are using Alexander stuff and they are tack drivers....


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## Too Tall (May 21, 2004)

Rebel_Ray said:


> The scope is not a problem, I already have a new Leopold vx-6 4.5-14x50. I want this rifle (like all my rifles) to shoot MOA (or better?) at 100yds like my deer rifle does. But now with me looking at radical arms , I may just buy one of theirs and I could always change barrels of I really wanted to. Any advice here? And ammo is not a problem either.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


If all you want is MOA at 100yds I'd be at Radical today. That upper is going to be more than adequate for that task.


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## Ernest (May 21, 2004)

In the AR-15 platform, decent trigger, good ammo, decent shooter, stable shooting platform, 1 MOA at 100 yards is not considered much of an accomplishment. Its more like a screening point. Meaning, if it will not shoot 1 MOA (5 round groups consistently), sell it and buy another cause that one is a lemon. 

A stock AA 6.5G with a 20 inch barrel (decent trigger, ammo, yadda, yadda, yadda) should produce consistent 1 MOA groups at 100 yards with at least 5 different bullet/powder combos. Basically, all of them will shoot 120 Sierras over TAC into 1 MOA at 100. 

In fact, that's the practical diagnostic technique they use over on the 6.5 forum. Shoot Sierra 120's over TAC with AA brass within this range. Show us the groups, and that will determined whether its a weapon or shooter/reloader issue.

Bear in mind, the 6.5G is not an easy to tune as some of the other rounds. Relative to say a 308 or 223, its a bit more finicky.


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## CDHknives (Mar 17, 2012)

I built mine on a Schilen 20" bbl from Midway. It comes with the matched headspaced bolt. Superb shooter...100 grain Barnes TTSX into bugholes with 8208XBR powder.


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## Navi (Jun 2, 2009)

Too Tall said:


> If all you want is MOA at 100yds I'd be at Radical today. That upper is going to be more than adequate for that task.


Have you bought yours yet? :cheers:


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## THE JAMMER (Aug 1, 2005)

Nothing but great things to say about radical. The one thing you did not mention is a trigger. Here's a tip: buy the JP springs for your mil spec trigger and you will be amazed. I have done this on two of my ar's and gotten the mil spec trigger down to 3.6-3.8 #

FOR $11.


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## Too Tall (May 21, 2004)

Navi said:


> Have you bought yours yet? :cheers:


No not yet. I'll get serious about it after we finish the upcoming turnaround at work. I plan to build one and won't have much, if any range time between now and then anyway so I can wait.


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## cdc3660 (Oct 10, 2012)

*6.5 Grendel*

Try Underground Tactical in Austin for a 6.5 Grendel barrel


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## JLJ1981 (Nov 7, 2014)

Brownells has 6.5 Grendel barrels made for them by Satern. They have 18 and 24 inch lengths and they include a matching bolt. They are priced at 290 and 300 dollars.


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## peckerwood (Jun 9, 2012)

Too Tall said:


> I wish you hadn't posted that. I've been trying to avoid jumping in to a 6.5 yet.


Ha! My exact thought.


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