Why doesn't the Grendal use a 223 case & mag like the 300AAC?

I'd like to have a 6.5 short AR, and I reload so I wouldn't be buying factory ammo but it's not important enough to me to inventory yet another mag and specific bolt.

I guess that's what I don't like about them.

"6.5 Whisper" would be the 300 equivalent. You can get one of those, but it will cost a lot. .221 Fireball necked to 6.5

6x45 is a much simple one to come up with. Barrel prices are "average".

6.5 TCU is too long I believe? (at least with most weight bullets)

There's 6.5 PCC... I know nothing about. Since I don't, I assume it would be expensive? (not ammo and barrels we're tripping over)

quote:

Originally posted by kimberkid:
Why doesn't the Grendal use a 223 case & mag like the 300AAC?

I'd like to have a 6.5 short AR, and I reload so I wouldn't be buying factory ammo but it's not important enough to me to inventory yet another mag and specific bolt.

IMO the 6.5 Grendel, 6.8 SPC, 22 Nosler, and 224 Valkyrie all use a larger case to deal with the limited boiler room of the standard 223 case.

The 300blk uses the energy of a normal 223 case pretty well, due to the physics properties of fluid dynamics. Unfortunately, there still isn't enough oomph from the 223 case to get the heavier 308 bullets up to much MV. And the lighter 308 bullets have pretty lousy BCs. So the 300blk becomes a good short-to-intermediate distance chambering, but not so great at distance.

The others (6.5, 6.8, 22, 224) try to use the larger case to perform different roles. Both the 6.5 and 6.8 try use the increased energy from the larger bore (i.e. fluid dynamics again), without getting into such a heavy bullet that MV suffers. 6.8 doesn't have very high BC bullets, so it works better as a hunting and defense round. 6.5 often pushes the long distance aspect, due to the high BC bullets available.

I personally think 6.5 is pushing a little too heavy of bullet with the 123s. Sure, the Amax bullet doesn't drift much, but it doesn't fly very flat. The MV of 123 grain bullet in a standard 223 case would be pretty slow. Maybe rainbow arc slow, so I bet it wouldn't sell well for the distance guys.

I don't much about the lighter 6.5 bullets. Maybe some would have a respectable combination of MV, ballistics, and terminal performance (for the hunters) out of a 223 case. It's probably been tried before, and the results are probably why the 6.5 Grendel uses a larger case.

I dislike the magazines, notably the unreliable feeding and cost of ammo/reloading components.

Everything else I like. Excellent accuracy, distance, ballistics and recoil.

I use mine specifically for banging steel between 6-800 yards, after trying in vain with a MK12 build to do the same. Its a fun squirt gun for sure. Nice light recoil, and does much better in the wind. It was my gateway drug into .260 and 6.5 CM. I used a lighter weight profile barrel, adjustable gas block, JP LMOS carrier, and JP buffer/spring combo, with a JP adjustable trigger. Thing is just stacks the brass into a little pile, and puts a smile on my face. =) Its also lighter and handier than the Mk12 I built. So yeah. Great little round.

How about non ARs in 6.5 Grendel can I play also? This cartridge interest me for some reason. I already have a few 6.5x55 rifles and a very heavy 6.5 284 Norma bolt guns so it could be a 6.5 thing.

My lastest project Howa Mini bolt action in 6.5 Grendel 20" 1 in 8 hammer forged light weight barrel five round magazine. Picked it up at LGS for $399.

http://bulletin.accurateshoote...eviewed-by-6-5-guys/

quote:

Originally posted by kimberkid:
Why doesn't the Grendal use a 223 case & mag like the 300AAC?

I'd like to have a 6.5 short AR, and I reload so I wouldn't be buying factory ammo but it's not important enough to me to inventory yet another mag and specific bolt.

I guess that's what I don't like about them.

6.5 Grendel is based on the PPU round cases. As such it has a slight taper in the case body like 7.62x39.

6.5 G is a great hunting and long range round. 6.5G just isn’t great to run in an AR because of the tapered case. The tapered case needs a constant curve magazine (like an AK mag) to feed reliably. The AR was originally designed around straight mags and the magwell requires a straight portion at the top of the mag. This is incompatible with good feeding in the tapered case. This is the same reason HK switched MP5 mags from straight to curved.

While reliability issues make it a no go for duty use, For hunting an target shooting applications it’s great.