6.5 Grendel barrel suggestions

[Junkie]

I'd like to put together a 6.5 Grendel AR. My understanding is that it's the only real option that gets you better all around performance vs 5.56: more energy both up close and at longer ranges. In comparison, 6.8 SPC doesn't do as well as 5.56 at longer ranges due to poor ballistic coefficient. There's also cheap plinking ammo available in Grendel...

Most of what I shoot through it will be decent ammo, but I don't want to feel bad about shooting Wolf through it sometimes, so I'd rather not go with stainless. I'm not aware of any chrome lined Grendel barrels, so that leaves nitride.

For the barrel itself I'd like to stick to $250 or less. I'm happy to spend a bit more if it includes a matched bolt.

Suggestions?

oh, forgot to mention that I'd like 18" or so, medium profile.

[cdmiller]

The 16" Alexander Arms "Lite" (fluted) barrel I am building a rifle with currently is very nice. 18" version is $195. AA doesn't sell matched bolts but if you call them they will tell you they guarantee their bolts to headspace in their barrels.

That said, the idea of a Faxon 6.5G barrel and bolt that was brought up in Faxon's "Ask us anything" thread is intriguing.

[mark5pt56]

For what you get, the AA barrels are awesome. Shilen is another great one, pricey but top notch.

[gunnerblue]

I have a 18" medium contour barrel as part of a complete AA upper that is sub-moa. The fluted version would perform similarly, I expect, and is currently available for $195.

[Junkie]

At this point I'm considering 2 options.

The AA barrel appears stainless, and says it has no external coating, but that implies there's an internal coating. I don't know what alloy it is.

The Faxon barrel isn't available yet. It says it's 416R QPQ. It costs a little more, but it isn't a dealbreaker.

Does anyone know about what coating the AA barrel has on the chamber/bore?


mark, if I was going with one that only shot good ammo I'd consider high end... but I'd feel really bad about doing some closer up fast shooting with steel crap through a Shilen.

[Jsp10477]

I think he's sold out but check Ar15performance. He sells 4150 melonited grendel barrels. I have a couple of his 223 wylde barrels and they perform above their price point. The owner is a member here.

[FaxonNathan]

At this point I'm considering 2 options.

The AA barrel appears stainless, and says it has no external coating, but that implies there's an internal coating. I don't know what alloy it is.

The Faxon barrel isn't available yet. It says it's 416R QPQ. It costs a little more, but it isn't a dealbreaker.

Does anyone know about what coating the AA barrel has on the chamber/bore?


mark, if I was going with one that only shot good ammo I'd consider high end... but I'd feel really bad about doing some closer up fast shooting with steel crap through a Shilen.

Correct. We will use stainless for Grendel as most shooters of the round are highly interested in accuracy.

[pinzgauer]

Grendel shooters who have them have been reporting great results with the AA lite barrels. I believe they are made by Bergara. I'm eyeing one for a build now.

The AA hard use bolt is also GTG by all reports, I have one on order.

My main Grendel now is an older AA SS 16" mil profile (no 203 cuts) with AA non -coated bolt. Just a carbine, not optimized for accuracy, and I'm in moa range at 200 yards with Hornady factory ammo.

[Tx_Aggie]

I have some experience with barrels by Alexander Arms and Satern. Both are of excellent quality and are very accurate (again, in my experience).

I'm planning to build a Grendel later this spring and will be using a Satern Liberty barrel over one by Alexander mainly because it's available with 5/8-24 threading at the muzzle where AA still only sells their barrels with 9/16 threads. Another nice bonus is that Satern sells their Grendel barrels with a matched bolt.

But again, anything made by AA is top quality. Their hard use Grendel bolts are good to go.

[pinzgauer]

I have some experience with barrels by Alexander Arms and Satern. Both are of excellent quality and are very accurate (again, in my experience).

I'm planning to build a Grendel later this spring and will be using a Satern Liberty barrel over one by Alexander mainly because it's available with 5/8-24 threading at the muzzle where AA still only sells their barrels with 9/16 threads. Another nice bonus is that Satern sells their Grendel barrels with a matched bolt.

But again, anything made by AA is top quality. Their hard use Grendel bolts are good to go.

Personally, I'd steer clear of the Liberty, it's an economy barrel with a pretty checkered past. Many folks had issues with throats and short chambers. It's also not a real Satern, though associated/owned by them. For the cost they charged many to correct their own mfg problem you could have bought a much better barrel.

Now their answer is a completely non-standard long/sloppy throat, with weasel words that the throat is not part of SAMMI, etc.

The AA designed compound throat is what makes the grendel shoot many different bullets well. You really don't want to lose that unless you are trying to optimize for a single loading like LBC did. And even then it's not clear it was a significant difference.

The AA lite barrels are much better for the money, IMO.