6.5 Grendel vs. 6.8 SPC

[Raider4044]

I started a thread about 6.8 barrels yesterday which I was previously sold on, but I have had a few people that I've talked to suggest 6.5 Grendel instead. This will be put on my AR pistol lower (Future SBR) and I would like a barrel from 10.5 to 12.5 inches. It will primarily be used for hogs and possibly some deer. What do y'all think would fit me best?

Side Note: One of my draws to the 6.5 G is that you can buy cheap Wolf Steel Case ammo for target shooting, but it seems that most places are out of stock. Did this get discontinued or what?

[TexMax]

Splitting hairs at that point. I'm putting together another 12.5 gun and still doing a grendel. It will still begin to separate from the 6.8 past 300 or so (haven't looked recently). Fair enough on the ammo thing. But you also get cheap gold dots with the 6.8 $8/20

[Raider4044]

Splitting hairs at that point. I'm putting together another 12.5 gun and still doing a grendel. It will still begin to separate from the 6.8 past 300 or so (haven't looked recently). Fair enough on the ammo thing. But you also get cheap gold dots with the 6.8 $8/20

Where are you seeing the Gold dots for $8 a box? Also, what barrel are you using on your build?

[TexMax]

Psa

[SC-Texas]

68 has better terminal ballistics inside of 300 yards. It's a better short barrel rifle cartridge

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[TexMax]

Not sure on barrel. The faxon and ballistic advantage are both cheap and get good reviews. I'd pick up a black hole if they happened to have one in stock. If I have to order going back to satern

[WTJim]

I have an 18" 6.5G that I do most of my hunting with but I am wanting to build a AR pistol in 6.8 and I think you would be better off building the AR pistol in 6.8 and later on building an 18"+ 6.5G...just my thoughts. Oh and Faxon makes an awesome barrel.

[Outbreaker]

As many here know I LOVE the 6.5 Grendel.

The 6.8 was purposefully build as an SBR CQB round to be primarily used at less than 200yds (usually less than 50) and it excels in that role.

The 6.5 was built with longer range shooting in mind with 16-24"bbls with 18-20 being the sweet spot. It will start edging out the 6.8 at 200 and really be whipping it past 300.

It really comes down to this.......if you will be breaking down doors and knocking heads with an SBR.......go 6.8.

If you have no clue how to put a primer, powder and bullet into brass and/or have no clue how to order ammo online.......go 6.8

For virtually everything else go 6.5.

[Balcones_Walker]

Sellier & Bellot makes cheap plinking ammo for the 6.8.

The differences are negligible. The 6.8 will do the exact same thing to animals the 6.5 will at normal hunting distances. One's not a door kicking round and the other a hunting round. Your friends are likely misguided to try to talk you out of it... it's a matter of religion with these AR cartridges.

All that being considered I used to hunt with a 12.5" 6.8 but don't anymore. The velocity you get by going up to 18"+ barrel makes a significant difference for me. I also personally found the powders to be spiky... I'm sure now with more experience I could find a node that I liked, but that was my experience with it back then.

It hasn't been mentioned but perhaps most importantly the 6.8 is in decline and the 6.5s are all in ascendancy. That may or may not matter to you.

Oh, and if what you actually want is a CQB round I prefer 300BO, and 458 SOCOM looks great as well although I haven't shot it.

[crzymike]

The conclusion I came to after my own research was that the 6.8 would be better suited for inside 300 yards while the 6.5 will out preform it past 300 yards. That being said im with balcones walker- for and sbr 300BO or 458 would be awesome.

[kumathebear]

Not educated to the ballistics quoted, but I absolutely LOVE my Grendel in the AR platform! Took my best buck EVER this past November with 1 shot...my favorite of all the calibers me and my son's have!!

[Slow&Steady]

The 6.5 Grendel is all but wasted in an SBR. It's got to have some barrel length to achieve full powder burn. The 6.8SPC is much better suited to use in an SBR, though a 16" to 18" barrel will be required to gain the full benefit of this loading as well. A shorter barrel will work, but you'll start seeing muzzle velocity, and thus energy, decline fairly steeply for each inch below 14". The 300 Blackout (though you didn't mention this cartridge) is even better suited for the purpose of the SBR. It was designed to achieve full powder burn in a 10"-12" barrel. Loaded with Barnes Tac-TX rounds, it's black magic for anything made of meat. My advice is as follows:

If you want an 18"+ rifle with the intent of achieving best performance at ranges of 300 + yards: 6.5 Grendel

If you want a 14" to 18" rifle that can do solid work out to 300 yards or so: 6.8 SPC

If you want a barrel shorter than 14" and are looking to work out to 200 yards: 300 Blackout

Note: Once you start trying to use an SBR as a long range rifle (beyond 200 yards or so), you are really using the wrong tool for the job. Sure, SBRs have the cool factor, but they gut most cartridges of power and accuracy. Most cartridges used in the AR platform are a bit anemic to begin with, requiring well placed shots and needing all of the power they have. Sure, you can probably go online and find someone who shot an elk with a 12" SBR in 223. Just because something is possible doesn't mean it's a reliable and recommendable approach.

Also note that shooting beyond 200 yards with any of these set ups will require significant range time to develop the confidence and competency require to reliably shoot at those ranges. Know your goals and limitations. Work within your limitations to achieve those goals, or acquire the tools to remove those limitations.

[kmon]

The 6.5 Grendel is all but wasted in an SBR. It's got to have some barrel length to achieve full powder burn. The 6.8SPC is much better suited to use in an SBR, though a 16" to 18" barrel will be required to gain the full benefit of this loading as well. A shorter barrel will work, but you'll start seeing muzzle velocity, and thus energy, decline fairly steeply for each inch below 14". The 300 Blackout (though you didn't mention this cartridge) is even better suited for the purpose of the SBR. It was designed to achieve full powder burn in a 10"-12" barrel. Loaded with Barnes Tac-TX rounds, it's black magic for anything made of meat. My advice is as follows:

If you want an 18"+ rifle with the intent of achieving best performance at ranges of 300 + yards: 6.5 Grendel

If you want a 14" to 18" rifle that can do solid work out to 300 yards or so: 6.8 SPC

If you want a barrel shorter than 14" and are looking to work out to 200 yards: 300 Blackout

Note: Once you start trying to use an SBR as a long range rifle (beyond 200 yards or so), you are really using the wrong tool for the job. Sure, SBRs have the cool factor, but they gut most cartridges of power and accuracy. Most cartridges used in the AR platform are a bit anemic to begin with, requiring well placed shots and needing all of the power they have. Sure, you can probably go online and find someone who shot an elk with a 12" SBR in 223. Just because something is possible doesn't mean it's a reliable and recommendable approach.

Also note that shooting beyond 200 yards with any of these set ups will require significant range time to develop the confidence and competency require to reliably shoot at those ranges. Know your goals and limitations. Work within your limitations to achieve those goals, or acquire the tools to remove those limitations.

In barrels of 12.5 inches and longer inside 200 yards there is not enough difference to be noticeable to game suited to the calibers of Grendel or 6.8. For SBR in the Grendel I would for sure be shooting the 129gr Nosler Longrange accubond.

I do fully agree with the if something is possible doesn't always mean it is a good idea and the practice and learn limitations of the shooting system (Shooter, rifle, scope, caliber and ammo)

[Balcones_Walker]

The 6.5 Grendel is all but wasted in an SBR. It's got to have some barrel length to achieve full powder burn.

I have heard this before, but I've never seen hard data and Quickload doesn't seem to agree with you. Which grendel powder are you seeing that with, and what % is left to burn at 12.5"? CFE223, IMR8208, AR Comp, Accurate 2520, TAC, H322, X-Term?

Until someone shows hard data on how a 6.8 powder (say A2200) is getting full burn in real world scenarios where Grendel powders consistently are not, I'm going to call this out.

Note: Once you start trying to use an SBR as a long range rifle (beyond 200 yards or so), you are really using the wrong tool for the job. Sure, SBRs have the cool factor, but they gut most cartridges of power

Agree x1000 (although I would expand it to ARs generally, they're all running out of steam at 200 yds.)

and accuracy.

But that is simply false.

[Hudson05]

6.8 has factory TSX loads which makes a huge difference. I shoot an 11.3" 6.8 pistol and have taken lots of game with no issues whatsoever and have a good friend who has been disappointed with SST 6.5.

6.5 is much better for long range target shooting but that's not what I use mine for. You can get cheap Federal XM68GD (gold dot) 90 gr loads that work well if you don't want the TSX or e-tip or equivalent.