whats involved in converting to 6.5/6.8?

[Ring]

new barrel
bolt?
mags?

6.8 seems more common, but testing looks like the 6.5 is better ballisticly.

what about reloading, does 1 have better bullet selections then the other?

[Dave L.]

new barrel
bolt?
mags?

6.8 seems more common, but testing looks like the 6.5 is better ballisticly.

what about reloading, does 1 have better bullet selections then the other?

Yes to the above, it's the same as switching the 556 to either of those calibers.
I just built a 6.8 upper, I believe that's the better way to go rather than converting one into a 6.8.
6.5 intrigues me, but I believe the 6.8 will pass it up in popularity by a huge margin in the near future.

[Cohibra45]

new barrel
bolt?
mags?

6.8 seems more common, but testing looks like the 6.5 is better ballisticly.

what about reloading, does 1 have better bullet selections then the other?

Visit each ones website and read, read, and read some more. Then ask all the questions you want on their site. Both require registration to keep out spammers/porn and are much better for it!!!

Both sites have very friendly people willing to answer questions and some on both sites have both calibers. I personally am going the 6.8 route because of all the research I have done over the last year...

Both are very good rounds and both are much better than the 5.56 for hunting in the AR-15 platform. The best thing about these rounds is you can have an upper in one caliber and with the switch of the take down pins, you have it back to the original 5.56. No need to get another (larger) lower to increase the power level of your rifle!!!

It has been discussed over and over again and some people get pretty heated about which they believe is the best one. It is too much to get into in one little reply here, but if you are limiting your shooting to 400yds, just toss a coin. I am going to use mine for hunting and have a self limit on how far I can ethically take an animal. That is something you will have to decide for yourself. Just remember that both drop a lot at 1000yds!!!

Here are the links to their websites:

http://www.68forums.com/

http://www.65grendel.com/

Good luck with your research. BTW, the 6.5G originally looked much better on the graphs that were used a year or so ago, but now the gap has closed considerably!!!

[FALbert]

Correct, new barrel, colt, and mags. My barrels came with matching bolts. That would be the route to go if you don't have any headspace gauges. Also, I can get six 6.8 rounds into a standard USGI 30 round magazine any it will function flawlessly. Given the price of this ammo, using the GI magazine discourages magazine dumps.

[nicholst55]

Definitely join the forums mentioned above. It's pretty straight forward to do a conversion to either cartridge - a barrel, bolt, and mags. Also, don't forget a muzzle device with the correct size hole through it - it does funny things if you install a .223 muzzle device and try to squeeze a larger bullet through it!

[Ring]

after going threw all the ballistic charts the 6.5 is still a way better round.

the 6.8 has the backing of remington, and could make it have a bigger future.

the 6.8 barrels seem to be easy to find and are cheaper, but .....
some of the gun review mags are even showing a accuracy difference inherently in the 2 as well, in both bolt guns and AR's, the 6.5 has been running 1/2 to under 1moa the 6.8 in the same platform is running 1 to 2moa.

in a combat gun that difference may not mean much to some people, but i like my guns to shoot as well as i can, my varmint bolt gun will do under 1/2" at 200y, even my varmint AR will do 3/4" at 200

[Cohibra45]

Ring

Again, all I can say is do a lot of research first, then get what you want. I know of several people that own ARs in 6.8 that are getting .33in in 100yds. That is nothing to sneeze at!!! The 6.8 is getting 2800fps in 110-115g bullets and over 3000fps in 85-95g bullets. The best the 6.5 gets is less than 2500fps in 120g bullets...and that is in much longer barrels!!! 18" 6.8 vs 24" 6.5.

Like I said earlier, go to the sites and read and ask questions. They are both very good rounds and for my main purpose (hunting), I am going 6.8. My choice. There are others that go with 6.5 and love it.

Just reading gun magazines and reviewing 2 year old 'performance' charts will definitely get you into trouble... Get up to date information and you will see that both are extremely effective and accurate rounds!!!

[Ring]

thx....

[wild_wild_wes]

The geat 6.5 Grendel- 6.8 Remington debate is settled as soon as you examine the ballistic coefficients of the bullets used for each cartridge.

I would say the 6.8 is now ascendant because of its current greater availability. If/when more manufacturers start producing 6.5 components, the 6.8 will be a dead issue, because of the fact outstanding ballistic superiority the Grendel.

[chadbag]

The geat 6.5 Grendel- 6.8 Remington debate is settled as soon as you examine the ballistic coefficients of the bullets used for each cartridge.

I would say the 6.8 is now ascendant because of its current greater availability. If/when more manufacturers start producing 6.5 components, the 6.8 will be a dead issue, because of the fact outstanding ballistic superiority the Grendel.

It is not that simple. And from what I see from others they are really aimed at different "itches" (that need scratchin').