Anyone know who makes these Type ll barrels? Price is good.

Wow, wish you would have posted this 3 weeks ago. I would have gotten one of these instead of the anderson.

urban, just found them last night

I bought a Anderson and had to send it back because of a bad chamber. They are sending me a replacement now.

Was looking on Classic Arms last night and seen their barrels and ordered one in 18" length but don't know the manufacture. I have purchased several barrels in other calibers from Classic and been pleased. They are calling the 6.5 barrels Type ll.

I'll be selling a unfired Anderson 16" barrel Type l and a bolt Type l with 16 rounds on it shortly.

I see some 18 inchers with CLG...

I bought the Anderson m4 barrel. Haven't shot it yet. What was the issue with the chamber and is it common?

There was a nasty ring indention just below the shoulder that was left all the way around the brass after firing it using Hornady SST. Switch to Hornady ELD and the bolt wouldn't go in to battery. When I got the rounds out there was a ring mark on the bullet ogive like the chamber wasn't cut deep enough. I'm just going to sell the replacement barrel.

That's not a good sign.

What is CLG?

Likely means Carbine Length Gas

And also likely means it may be less reliable and then there is the gendel 2 chambering which isn't clearly defined.

Says type II BCG so it sounds like it uses the .136" bolt.... Correct?

Type 2 Midlength requiring a Type 2 bolt.


From their website;


Length: 18
Profile: Heavy Barrel
Twist: 1:8
Finish: Black Nitrided
Material: Chrome Moly Vanadium
Thread Pitch: 5/8x24
Caliber: 6.5 Grendel
Feed Ramp: M4
Flutes: Straight Flutes
Gas System: Mid-length
Gas Block System: 0.750
Gas Hole Diameter: 0.070
Type 2 Bolt Carrier Group required

That fluted 18" looks good, no confidence though-wish BA or Faxon would hurry up, I may go Alexander Arms IDK yet.

I can read what they posted too... I'm just confirming that Type 2 means the .136 bolt...?

Yes that is what a T-2 bolt is supposed to be .136, when I googled Century it didn't show that offering as it showed a different barrel with carbine length gas system.  What is missing is the actual chamber spec as there is the original and at least 2 or more others to date, do like that it has a small diameter gb port so it shouldn't be over gassed and leaves room to work with if needed.

I didn't know which one you was looking at:

What is called a type II chamber is generally the SAAMI approved chamber.

Yeah well that certainly could be an issue as generally doesn't guarantee that is the SAAMI approved chamber.  I've seen at least 3 different chambers, SAAMI, Grendel 1 and Grendel 2 with all three being a bit different from each other.

As an aside... they're also selling 7.62x39 barrels. And 5.56, too. It looks like all their barrels are on sale right now, 20% off.

FWIW, I checked on shipping cost for one of their tubes, and they want $17.50 to send it to me. So I guess you could look at it as having the sale price cover your shipping. But for what I was looking at, the large shipping cost doesn't make it a good deal, so I'm passing.

My fluted 18" barrel came in yesterday. I must say it's one damn good looking barrel. No comparison to the Anderson barrel. Chamber in the CA barrel looks a lot smoother then the Anderson.

Bolt will be here today so I'll try to get some range time Friday.

You made me look at my barrel. Still haven't shot it but I tried to load an empty case into the chamber. The bolt won't close. I knocked it out and ran it through a sizing die and tried again. Still no go. I tried ramming the carrier home and no dice. I inspected the case and it looks like it has impact marks on the shoulder....

Does that sound simlar to your issue digger658 ?

And just to clarify, I have a black rifle arms .136 bolt....http://www.blackriflearms.com/65-Grendel-Bolt-Assembly-Melonite-QPQ_p_295.html

What barrel are you talking about? One you got from classic arms?

No...Anderson M4 barrel...the same one digger refers to in his posts.

Urban, if it looks like a ring just below the shoulder, then yes it may be the same. Here's what's happened in my Grendel world.

Bought Anderson Barrel and Type l bolt. Fired cases had ring around shoulder. Chamber was "sticky", few rounds wouldn't go into battery. Shooting Wolf brass cased ammo. Hornady rounds would absolutely not go into battery. Sent barrel back but haven't tried the new barrel they sent me, but chamber looks a lot smoother then the first.

Bought 18" Type ll barrel from Classic Arms. Chamber sticky with reloaded Wolf brass that I fired from Anderson barrel. Switched to Hornady 123g SST. 20 rounds ran but not great, little sticky in chamber plus 3" groups all rounds vertical stringing.

Switched H 123g ELD. First box ran good. No sticky, but 3" group and vertical stringing. Second box of ELD shut me down. There wasn't a round in the box that would go into battery.

Also, with the Classic barrel there was heavy extraction marks on the brass rim.

My game plan, Clean the piss out of the Classic barrel, check both bolts in the chamber. Reload more ammo and try again.

Edit; all groups where 5 shots.

I am waiting to see how this barrel runs for you. I am in the market for one but 3" groups don't sound to good. My brother bought a Radical Firearms Grendel on sale from Brownells and although it wouldn't cycle, at 100yds it was putting bullets within 3/4" or so first time out.

Good luck and hopefully you can get it grouping better.

Let us know what the updates are on the Classic. I emailed Anderson about my current barrel to see if they have a defective run of chambers that would include mine. Depending on what happens I will either ask for a refund to pick up a classic or get a replacement Anderson. I was wanting an 18" or 20" barrel anyway, only went Anderson for the price range.

My Anderson takes a .136 bolt.   The only barrels that I am aware of that take the
.125 bolt are the BHW/Columbia river 264lbc (type 1).  I own 3 of the bhw barrels now.  2 shoot great but have had extractor breakage.  Have a few hundred rounds through the replacements so far.   The third barrel I have not fired yet.

@digger658. Check your bolt depth,  I purchased my bolt from Anderson and it is .136.  If you have the same barrel as I do this might be your problem.  
.01 inches can make a huge difference in clambering.  The ring may be from crushing into place.

I'm pretty sure those barrels from classic are made by bear creek arsenal. I've wanted a 6.5 for a long time and I saw those, but I haven't seen bolts being offered from BCA yet. I won't buy a 6.5 without a matching bolt. To many variables at this point in 6.5 specs.

Good choice.  I always got bolt and barrel from same company or affiliate.  No mix ups then.

Digger658, I was just looking at the Anderson 6.5 bcg and reading the comments. They say it is a type 2 and somebody said their barrel is a type 2 even though it says type 1 (mistake?). Sounds like you got the wrong bolt.
Honestly I don't know Jack about 6.5, so verify for your self. I was just looking because I'm tempted to try one of these barrels.
https://www.andersonrifles.com/product/16-6-5-grendel-barrel/#reviews
Read down: "5 out of 5
group.rfg – October 22, 2016:

Are you sure this is type 1 Grendel? My bolt head (from Anderson and ordered in the same order) measures 0.136? deep in the case head recess. Type 1 from everything I read is 0.125? (same depth as a .223 bolt recess). I can chamber a round and it’s tight with your 0.136? case head recess bolt which I believe means that this and your bolt are both Type 2 Grendel.

5 out of 5
Innocentbystandar – November 1, 2016:

Here’s where you’re getting confused: Grendel I and II have to do with different iterations of the chamber. There was a minor adjustment in the THROAT. However type 1 and type 2 bolts are a while different topic and hark back to the earliest adaptations of 7.62×39 to ARs. The less common .135 bolt face got called type 2. So in this barrel it is a Grendel 1 chamber which were required to use the. 135 (type 2) bolt under the trademark. Even now that the trademark has been released, .135 is the standard. Manufacturers would be pretty foolish deviate from that and not make it VERY clear. The safest solution is to buy bolt and barrel from the same manufacturer which it seems you have done."

Their bcg:

https://www.andersonrifles.com/product/6-5-grendel-bolt-and-bolt-carrier/

Read comments: "5 out of 5
group.rfg – October 15, 2016:

Do these also work with 7.62×39 Russian? I’ve read sometimes the case head recess is .125 and other times it’s about .010? deeper which wouldn’t allow interchangeability.

Which is this? I’ve read it has to do with barrel head spacing for it’s matching bolt.

5 out of 5
group.rfg – October 22, 2016:

To answer my own question, this bolt head is Grendel 2 (not 1). The bolt head case recess is .136? and not the type 1 0.125? depth. Also the barrel seems to match the bolt so you all might want to check which type you have. I believe the barrel is labeled type 1. Small detail number wise but makes a difference in matching parts up. The two types are not compatible.

5 out of 5
group.rfg – October 22, 2016:

One more note just to be clear, your bolt and barrel do match. What I’m trying to say there is that I believe you have type 2 and not type 1 on both pieces. It’d be good to make sure you have the numbers correct here incase someone does mix and match"

Here in is the confusion with the 6.5g.  All 6.5Gredels take the .136 bolt.  At least all of them I have found.  As I posted earlier the only ones that use the type one and type two in reference to the bolt is Black hole now Columbia river in reference to the 264lbc they carry.  

From what I have been able to glean from all the info about 6.5 on this forum is the commonly called type one chamber or saami spec chamber has a compound throat.   The type two chamber does not have the compound throat and a little more lede to accommodate longer bullets.  I am sure LRRPF will chime in and correct any errors i may have made.  And please do.  I am still learning about this and own 4.

I have the Anderson 16"..  it is a great barrel for what it is.  Not quite as accurate as my 20 bhw barrel but that is using factory ammo.  If I developed a load I am sure it would.come in nicely.  I would be hesitate to buy another.  I would however recommend getting the bolt from them.

I've got this one gun that I'm thinking about converting. By the time I buy a barrel, bcg and a few mags I'll be at $300. Every time I think about doing a 6.5 though I keep thinking "but for my application it won't do (kill) anything that a 7.62x39 won't". I guess it's supposed to be like the Ferrari of ar15 calibers though? Some day I'll probably buy the barrel
ETA: I was just looking at ammo. To bad wolf doesn't offer cheap steel cased with SP bullets. Or even HPs. I gotta have anything but FMJ to legally hunt with it. So I'm looking at $1 a round for hunting ammo and it probably has a different zero than the wolf practice ammo.

Consider this: Unless you already have a 7.62x39, 65G also has cheap steel-case ammo. Something to think about. . . .

I was going to buy the 7.5" 5.56 barrel for $51... $25 shipping! I'll wait and buy direct from bear creek arsenal.

Then there was the 6.5 sporter chamber by mod I that used a. .125 bolt and had a little different throat and slight body taper. If you're not absolutely sure on the source get the bolt barrel combo and ask for them to head space it. This right here is the only downside to the Grendel family is the number of bastard chambers and bolt combo's. That's why so many people are recommending just certain barrel manufacturers.

If you hunt in timber and stuff... yeah a 150-200 7.62x39 will do ya fine.  The Grendel can stretch out much farther though if you ever travel.

As far as nice hunting rounds go, costs about the same for the good stuff between the two rounds. $15-25 will catch the big brands.  You can get cheap HP for x39 but I wouldn't risk a nice buck with it.

Grendel is on the upswing too, just because cheap HP isn't available now doesn't mean it never will be.  More and more factory calibers are added every year for it.

What about .300 Blackout at that range as well?

20% Off Blowout Sale  on AR-15 Barrels!

I think the .300BLK is pretty comparable to the x39.



Has anybody actually used these barrels?  Have any real life pictures of them?

I've had great luck with barrels from Classic in the past, and was interested in a Grendel barrel, but what is a good source for bolts?

6.5Grendel.com has a group buy going on.  $55+$3 freight for a Lehigh bolt with the .136" bolt face depth, I have one of those incoming.  

I asked Classic for more details on their SS fluted barrel.  They don't even have the bolt face listed in the description.

The M4 barrels sure smell like BCA:

https://www.bearcreekarsenal.com/b6-5cm41618-ss

https://www.classicfirearms.com/ar15-barrel-6-5-grendel-2651

The descriptions for the others are in a similar format but BCA doesn't show anything other than M4 profiles on their site.

Prices are great but those things are all heavy profile.   The Alexander Arms 16" & 18" are less than 2lbs. each.   That and you know what you are getting..... think I'll splurge on the bolt + barrel from AA.

And that sums up my internal conflict.

One is a little lighter, a from well known company that actually developed the round.  Other is probably from not quite as well known company a tad heavier... but available in something other than SS and is half the price.

Heard back from Classic:

I see you got an 18" barrel, what length is the gas system?

*Sorry quoted wrong post, supposed to be @digger658.*

Well... I'm a hypocrite.   I bought the 16" in the M4 profile along with the A2 birdcage, and an upper, and gas block they had on sale.    

Ran over to JoeBob's and picked up the Odin BCG & Bolt, carbine gas tube along with the Matrix 13" HG.     I'll have about $372 in it but have yet to grab magazines.    

Couldn't help myself.

Mid length

Digger....What's the update on you r second range outing with that barrel? Did it tighten up?