6.5 grendel barrel
- Thread starter Dzeek
- Start date
I'm ordering a JP 6.5 Grendel barrel shortly. All my JP barrels shoot extremely well. All their barrels come with a matching bolt which is quite nice for the Grendel.
I'm not sure if Rainier Arms has what you are looking for, but their Supermatch barrels have all been excellent for me.
Have JP, Lilja, Bartlein, two Saterns and an Alexander Arms barrel to draw my experience from. Bartlein at the top, JP/Lilja just a tick behind, as are the cut rifled Saterns. Each with slightly different throat dimensions, Bartlein, JP and Lilja allowing longer OAL’s, Saterns require short OAL, so some compression of some powders that make BTO dimensions a little tricky to hold, but they do shoot very well. Just did a throat ream on AA barrel and have not shot yet, but it’s always been temperamental. Only Krieger I have is a 6.5-47, but it’s a laser. You would not be disappointed with JP or Lilja, and they both have a variety of profiles to chose from. The Bartlein is the most accurate semi in my inventory, of all calibers.
I have a Satern on mine and it is the most consistently accurate AR platform I own. I don’t know if it is the barrel or just that the 6.5 Grendel is a inherently accurate round but the thing just shoots. I don’t think I have put anything through that rifle that isn’t sub MOA and my pet load is consistently sub 1/2MOA. I believe my barrel was around $225 which seems like a steal in hindsight after shooting it for the last year.
I went with a satern button barrel a little below your price range but the thing seems to be temperamental. Sometimes its a laser with flyer every once in a while and other times its just under a minute. extremely frustrating at times haha. If I were to do it over I would go with a JP or Lilja. YMMV
What ammo are you using? Mine is decent with the factory ammo I have tried but absolutely loves 8208XBR and 123 ELDM bullets. From 25gr all the way up to about 28 were all sub MOA. Very odd but I’m not complaining.
DZ
You will have no regrets-great mfg, bolt included, short lead time, and a great compromise for milking most all of what you can from a Grendel, and still easy enough to pack around. Good choice. Check out 65Grendel.com. Great bunch, lot of wisdom and couple of loading books you’ll want if a hand loader. Welcome to the Horde!
You will have no regrets-great mfg, bolt included, short lead time, and a great compromise for milking most all of what you can from a Grendel, and still easy enough to pack around. Good choice. Check out 65Grendel.com. Great bunch, lot of wisdom and couple of loading books you’ll want if a hand loader. Welcome to the Horde!
Late to the game. JP is a good choice. Bartlien and Lilja would be the Top 2 I would think based on my reading. Member over there at 65Grendel as well. Tons of good info & Great people
Keep us posted on your results. I am planning the same thing in the next few mos.
I have a Satern. It's phenomenal, capable of consistent .33 MOA with the handloads it likes. Getting one was like pulling teeth though. Unless they have one for sale that suits you, go elsewhere. Unless you don't mind zero CS and waiting 3 years for an update (I'm not kidding).
They're good enough though even running the business half ass keeps 'em in demand for years on out.
They claim they do custom work. They do not. I've submitted drawings for one and four years later I finally told 'em to just forget it.
But that one barrel is the best I have...
They're good enough though even running the business half ass keeps 'em in demand for years on out.
They claim they do custom work. They do not. I've submitted drawings for one and four years later I finally told 'em to just forget it.
But that one barrel is the best I have...
Very happy with the 22” JP 6.5 Grendel barrel on this rifle. I’d quote group sizes, but it was built as a hunting rifle...
Glad you're happy with the barrel! Squad with us next time. The bolt gunners don't mind us gas gun fellas as long as we don't ask them to catch our brass. Although last match they were happy for the mini hand warmers...
I started PRS earlier this year and am already learning so much from the good guys.
I started PRS earlier this year and am already learning so much from the good guys.
Ordered the barrel today, its going on a gibz left side charge with thier "competion" longer latch. This will be a unique setup as i wont be running a gas system on it. From what i read l9cal prs matches dont allow AR type rifles. I live in ny, so they dont want to deal with the safeact at matches. So this will be a "straight pull" rifle setup. I have it all planned out in my head, we will see how it turns out. Thanks for the suggestions.
I just ordered a 20” 6.5 Grendel barrel on a 5R Bartlein blank to upgrade my 18” Brownells / Liberty barrel.
I”ll have about $600 in this one with a head spaced bolt by the time it gets here in 4 to 6 weeks.
The cut rifled blank was over half the cost of the finished barrel, so using a criterion or rock creek blank could save someone else some cash.
I”ll have about $600 in this one with a head spaced bolt by the time it gets here in 4 to 6 weeks.
The cut rifled blank was over half the cost of the finished barrel, so using a criterion or rock creek blank could save someone else some cash.
Likewise. I can personally attest to this. Cancelled my barrel order after like 16 months. Every excuse imaginable. "We're not doing that length right now, we're doing of run of xx" barrels right now". Got that one bout 6 times. Somebody please take my money.. Screw it, ordered a Shilen. It's ok, just not what I wanted
They are, especially in 6.5 Grendel. I tried to get Frank White at Compass Lake to do a barrel for me, but they didn't want to take on the project.
Paul Craddock at Craddock Precision is turning one for me out of a Bartlien blank.
He came recommended by Mark @ Bartlien barrels for custom work like this.
I have three barrels from Paul- you will love them! My newest is a .224 valk. he does great work! I have a Satern for my grendel but I have not had the time to finish the build yet. Mine is a 16" Satern, but I thought about doing a longer one with a bartlein also. But that will have to wait for now.
Precision Firearms does up the Batliens (I have one of them) among others. Just ignore the lead time. It takes much longer.
I have my Gibbz side charge with extended "competition" handle. 22" black JP barrel got here the other day. Hopefully putting them together tomorrow. Just need to pick up a low pro gas block and put it on backwards. May put some rounds through it by the end of the week.
Attachments
All put together.
Gibbz left side charge with extended handle.
JP 22" supermatch barrel
Scope is a leupold vxr 4-12, that will be changed out when i save up enough $$
Have a magpul prs stock on the way.
Trigger now is a cheap rock river 2 stage, either going larue mbt or may save up more money, thinking timney calvin elite.
But it is a straight pull, no gas system rifle.
Hopefully trying it out tomorrow.
Gibbz left side charge with extended handle.
JP 22" supermatch barrel
Scope is a leupold vxr 4-12, that will be changed out when i save up enough $$
Have a magpul prs stock on the way.
Trigger now is a cheap rock river 2 stage, either going larue mbt or may save up more money, thinking timney calvin elite.
But it is a straight pull, no gas system rifle.
Hopefully trying it out tomorrow.
Attachments
Nice looking set up. Just out of curiosity, if you use off the shelf ammo whats your go to HUNTING 1st choice. Hornady 123gr ELD Match works great for me on paper. But on large hogs I have had mixed results. Shot placement is key, I know.
My 9 YO daughter used a 120 ballistic tip hand load to good effect last month shooting 2 Blackbuck antelope. The front one was at 185 yards and DRT with one shot. The rear buck was an 85 yard shot that knocked him down for about 30 seconds, he struggled back to his feet, was coughing up blood and we put an anchor shot in him and dropped him for good. 
A voracious pig hunter on another forum has been having excellent luck with 90gr TNT from Beaver to 300# boars out to 250y (can go farther on range, prefers to get closer for multiple kills in a sounder).
