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Posted: 12/22/2020 8:15:58 AM EDT
[#1]
A couple years back I had an extra lower, but just couldn’t stomach building yet another 5.56. After months of research and study, I arrived at 6.5Grendel. Now, I have two Grendel ARs and a bolt gun. It’s a great round that punches above it’s weight class. Strong contender for what you want.
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Posted: 12/22/2020 8:25:33 AM EDT
[#2]
I went with a ham'r
easy to make brass and even found 150gr 30 cal Savage bullets and CFE BLK powder in this drought. I would go with Grendel second due to brass availability. |
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Posted: 12/22/2020 8:28:35 AM EDT
[#3]
Grendel
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Posted: 12/22/2020 11:25:03 AM EDT
[#4]
6x45
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Posted: 12/22/2020 2:15:06 PM EDT
[#5]
The Grendel is ideal for punching paper at almost any distance and has become very popular with hog hunters.
I built mine with the exact same idea in mind. If I can find a place to hunt hogs it will definitely be my gun of choice but in the meantime it's my preferred paper puncher. I highly recommend the 6.5 Grendel. |
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Posted: 12/22/2020 10:58:27 PM EDT
[#6]
I’ve built 300 ham’r, 6.5 grendel, 7.62x39, 5.56 and 5.45 AR’s. 300 ham’r is my favorite, 6.5 grendel is #2. The 300 ham’r is much easier to get into, cheap and easy brass conversion, wide bullet availability, is more durable and in my experience inherently accurate. It is a super medium game round, varmint bullets are not great, can handle up to elk fine. Can run 30 round magazines perfectly.
The grendel is more versatile as in it has excellent flat shooting varmint bullets but can handle elk too. It is flatter shooting over 300 yards. The heavier bullets have excellent sectional density making them pretty effective on elk sized animals yet still have good external ballistics. Down side is the grendel is harder on bolts and breaks more extractors, uses more powder, recoils more, is harder to set up correctly, more expensive brass, more powder, less bullet choices and is more magazine sensitive, the more rounds the less reliable, mags suck and are more expensive. I love both though. |
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Posted: 12/23/2020 8:40:28 AM EDT
[#7]
Join the HAM'R club, you won't regret it
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Posted: 12/23/2020 8:46:20 AM EDT
[#8]
The ARC is calling you
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Posted: 12/23/2020 9:01:45 AM EDT
[#9]
Grendel vote here. But only because I like it's longer range performance.
The HAM'R is a very interesting cartridge when limited to 400 yards. Short 125 gr. bullets combined with a full case of CFE BLK powder makes for a potent little cartridge. |
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Posted: 12/23/2020 9:05:32 AM EDT
[#10]
the one the mighty the 6.8 faster than a speeding bullet out of a shorter barrel
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Posted: 12/23/2020 9:13:39 AM EDT
[#11]
It took a long time for the first 6.8 post.
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Posted: 12/23/2020 9:27:52 AM EDT
[#12]
Roughly 1 to 2 years ago I contemplated 6.5G, 6.8 SPC, or 300 HAM'R. I went the 300 HAM'R route and have no regrets. Can't speak to the other 2 as I only looked into them. My focus was hog and deer hunting.
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Posted: 12/23/2020 10:02:22 AM EDT
[#13]
I've seen the ARC used from 200-1000 yards. Pretty impressive round.
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Posted: 12/23/2020 10:29:23 AM EDT
[#14]
Quoted: No practical need for the rifle other than I want something new and fun. You want fun? This one doesn't exactly draw Oooo's and Ahhhh's from the crowd but it's a lot of fun ............ try a Tippmann M4 in .22LR, put a can and scope on it. It's the uber squirrel rifle. I got one a couple months ago and it's one of the best toys I have. There is a video online where a guy compares all the AR's in .22LR. Fun fact, a lot are made in a factory in Germany (Colt for one) and the rollmarks are leased so it's not even a Colt rifle but you can't get one for less than $1k now. The Tippmann is of a lot better quality and A LOT cheaper. |
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Posted: 12/23/2020 10:33:43 AM EDT
[#15]
I own several 6.5 Grendel AR-15’s and one bolt action 6.5 Grendel.
For a pure hunting and some plinking the 300 Ham’r fills the bill. Hunting with target shooting with good performance to 800 yards (further at higher elevations) 6.5 Grendel Primarily target shooting with limited hunting or varmints hunting 6 ARC. Hunting and shorter range target shooting 6.8 SPC. Pick your poison but for my uses I like the 6.5 Grendel. I’ve been lucky, I’ve gotten reliable 6.5 Grendel magazines. Recent production CPD/Duramag have been very good. Bolt and extractor life are not a problem if the rifle is not over gassed and you don’t hot rod your reloads. The 6.5 Grendel with low cartridge pressure (52,000 PSI) have very long barrel life. Wolf steel case ammo works well for banging steel targets or cheaper close range practice. |
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Posted: 12/23/2020 5:28:01 PM EDT
[#16]
6mmAR Turbo.
300 yard target superiority? Check. Make all the folks online/at the range green with envy? Check. Spit bullets 100fps faster than 6mmAR or "6 ARC"? Check. Thing is right on the heels of the 243 win/6mm creamhorn. |
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Posted: 12/23/2020 5:38:47 PM EDT
[#17]
300 HAM'R, and then just be happy!!!!!!!
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Posted: 12/24/2020 12:01:33 PM EDT
[#18]
Quote HistoryQuoted: 6mmAR Turbo. 300 yard target superiority? Check. Make all the folks online/at the range green with envy? Check. Spit bullets 100fps faster than 6mmAR or "6 ARC"? Check. Thing is right on the heels of the 243 win/6mm creamhorn. Yeah, I have a 6mm FatRat and it's basically the same thing. It does beat the 6ARC. B |
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Posted: 12/24/2020 6:12:15 PM EDT
[#19]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Thing is right on the heels of the 243 win/6mm creamhorn. It’s an impressive cartridge for an AR-15 platform but it’s still about 2-300fps slower than a 6creed with 105’s. It’s very close to many of the other popular 6mm match cartridges. For fitting in an AR-15, it’s about as good as you can get for a longer range cartridge. |
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Posted: 12/25/2020 1:12:29 PM EDT
[#20]
Quote HistoryQuoted: It took a long time for the first 6.8 post. Lol, it sure did. They rank up there with the Tikka and 10mm guys. Anyways, I didnt know much about the Hamr. I am kind of digging it for a 300 meter hunting rifle. I need to do some more comparisons but it would be a cool little friend for my Grendel. |
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Posted: 12/26/2020 10:19:31 AM EDT
[#21]
I was all excited about the 6 mm arc but the lack of barrels put me off, I also wanted a barrel with a twist more suited for light varmint bullets. I’m a fur hunter and sell hides, there are lots of good lighter 6mm varmint bullets that weren’t affected by all the shortages here. I still might try it once the barrel situation sorts out. I’m not sure why I bought my first 300 ham’r barrel honestly but man do I love that caliber, I now have 3 all with Wilson barrels and they are light recoiling, reliable, tack drivers. Not the greatest coyote gun as far as pelt damage is concerned, we sell all our furs for good money.
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Posted: 12/26/2020 11:27:16 AM EDT
[#22]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I was all excited about the 6 mm arc but the lack of barrels put me off, I also wanted a barrel with a twist more suited for light varmint bullets. Contact White Oak Armament. They are the ones that built my 6mm RAT and I am sure they would chamber a 6ARC in a slower twist barrel. |
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Posted: 12/29/2020 9:09:38 PM EDT
[#23]
Quote HistoryQuoted: The ARC is calling you This was seriously going to be my next build, but then I tried to acquire, a barrel, a complete upper, ammo or brass. Good luck with any of that. Looking at a 300 blkout for subsonic instead |
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Posted: 12/29/2020 10:27:29 PM EDT
[#24]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I was all excited about the 6 mm arc but the lack of barrels put me off. https://mcgowenbarrel.com/shop/custom-ar-barrel/ |
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Posted: 1/10/2021 10:24:05 AM EDT
[#25]
Quote HistoryQuoted: 6x45 |
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Posted: 1/10/2021 9:01:01 PM EDT
[#26]
Quoted: I have a fully assembled Wilson Combat lower and thinking about what caliber upper to use. It’s for hole punching and maybe at some point hog punching. I’m enamored with 300 HAM’R at this point but the other choices are 6.5 Grendel, 6mmAR. I have tons of grendel brass which I could sell if I don’t do something based on that. I could convert some of my .223 stock pile to 300. It’s mostly for 2-300 yard target shooting and I’d be loading for it—no factory ammo. No practical need for the rifle other than I want something new and fun. IMO, You've already answered your own question OP. If I hadn't drank the 6.8 SPC Kool-Aid a long time ago in large quantities, I'd be all in for the HAM'R. Besides, HAM'R belongs with the Wilson Combat lower. |
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Posted: 1/10/2021 10:24:00 PM EDT
[#27]
Had a grendel. Got rid of it. PITA to get it to function like a regular AR. Couldn't do a mag dump without jamming. Even after all the adjustments to the magazine. Sold it. My 300 BO if flawless. But wilson combat wants a pretty penny for there uppers. Barrels isn't to bad if your building from scratch. Since I am invested in 300 BO, not much difference to justify getting a HamR. But if you don't have a 300 BO, get the HamR. brass is stupid cheap and plentiful to convert. Bullet selection is so wide to pick from. Other calibers don't offer the selection of bullets. Would love a HamR in a bolt action though. Tried to get them to make me a barrel for a bolt action. Nope.
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Posted: 1/11/2021 8:59:49 AM EDT
[#28]
300 yards max, new, fun, and maybe some hogs? 375 SOCOM should check all those boxes.
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Posted: 1/11/2021 11:01:11 AM EDT
[#29]
What the heck, building my first AR on this caliber for a few reasons, it's a decent "thumper", will take deer and hogs with authority, recoil is very manageable (think quick follow up shots), and the ammo, at least here, is plentiful everywhere and cheap right now. $20 for a box of the Winchester 150 grain Xtreme Point....350 Legend. Have an upper from BCA on the way, as well as a full lower build kit (MOE CTR buttstock and grip) from PSA coming too. Picking up a stripped lower locally today.
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Posted: 1/11/2021 11:02:37 AM EDT
[#30]
For a pelt gun, I'd go 204 Ruger.
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Posted: 1/11/2021 11:09:02 AM EDT
[#31]
Quote HistoryQuoted: What the heck, building my first AR on this caliber for a few reasons, it's a decent "thumper", will take deer and hogs with authority, recoil is very manageable (think quick follow up shots), and the ammo, at least here, is plentiful everywhere and cheap right now. $20 for a box of the Winchester 150 grain Xtreme Point....350 Legend. Have an upper from BCA on the way, as well as a full lower build kit (MOE CTR buttstock and grip) from PSA coming too. Picking up a stripped lower locally today. I did a barrel swap last year, 300BO for 350L. Deer legal here. Ballistics very similar to 30-30. I have a YHM R9 almost ready to escape jail I will put on it. |
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Posted: 1/11/2021 12:15:30 PM EDT
[#32]
How do you like that 350L? Based on ballistics and review videos I've seen, I think this is a great short/medium range mini thumper for the AR. Plenty of bolt guns for it too should you ever want to go that route. It was my choice mainly for the prolific availability of the ammo in my area. 350L and 7mm Rem Mag is available everywhere around me. I live close to the Ohio border, so if I ever hunt there, which is possible as I have a few friends over there, then I also have a legal deer rifle too....but that's not what I'm building this for, specifically. Would have preferred to go with a 12.5" pistol build, but couldn't find any uppers in my budget range.
Just got an email from BCA...my upper has shipped! Hopefully the lower build kit from PSA gets sent soon too. |
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Posted: 1/11/2021 1:23:43 PM EDT
[#33]
I haven't shot a lot, enough to zero with Hornady 170 gr InterLock and shot a couple mags of the Browning 124gn.
I put the brake that came off of my Ruger 9mm PCC on the Legend until my can is free. We only have one week of deer gun here, unfortunately I didn't see any that week. Typically see them behind my house in a grass field at 50-150 yards. I zeroed at 30 yards, should shoot flat enough for minute of deer out to 125 and 2" low at 150. |
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Posted: 1/11/2021 4:24:09 PM EDT
[#34]
The one caliber that is always available at Walmart is 350 legend. I’m not sure what that says about the caliber, lol.
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Posted: 1/11/2021 4:28:59 PM EDT
[#35]
Quote HistoryQuoted: The one caliber that is always available at Walmart is 350 legend. I’m not sure what that says about the caliber, lol. It's only been out 1.5 year, I don't think there are that many rifles yet. I agree it does seem weird seeing on the otherwise bare shelves. |
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Posted: 1/11/2021 4:54:10 PM EDT
[#36]
It's new, only came out last year. There was some controversy over the usable bullet diameters. Winchester and SAAMI specs says .357 -.003 and bore/groove of .346 and .357, exact same as a .357 magnum, which means it should work with .354 up to .357 diameter bullets...but....back when it was being developed, PRC was given a reamer that apparently has different/wrong dimensions. It's such that .357 diameter bullets are causing pressure spike issues. Apparently, the chamber throat is too tight and the brass doesn't want to let go of the .357 bullets. If loaded with .357 bullets, it won't even chamber in some rifles. PRC explicitly says only .355 (9mm) bullets in any of their barrels and that seems to be the case everywhere else too. All factory ammo is loaded with .355 bullets so far.
This round was designed specifically as a deer cartridge in states that only allow straight wall cartridges. Either way, I don't see this as an issue because if you look up 9mm bullets, there's several offerings specifically for 350 Legend. The same 150 and 180 grain bullets Winchester uses in the factory ammo is available in component form and LeHigh Defense and Hornady make bullets and ammo for it too. Some people are upset they can't load .357 bullets as well, but IMHO, it isn't that big of a deal. I just think of it as a 9mm on extra steroids. I think the ammo is sitting on shelves in my area because my state doesn't restrict hunting to straight walled cartridges and that combined with it's newness, it hasn't caught on yet. From a ballistics perspective, it's a nice thumper, and it's very efficient. After some testing, it's being compared to the 300 BO in terms of efficiency. It's accurate as heck too. |
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Posted: 1/11/2021 5:04:49 PM EDT
[#37]
Sorry, since I'm a noob here at the site, I got character limited...
Anyway, if you like testing vids, go on YT and look up "350 Legend By the Inch." They take an AR, put a 25" barrel on it, shoot 5 rounds, record velocities, then cut an inch off, rinse repeat. They take it all the way down to 7". Pretty interesting to see the velocities as the tube gets shorter. Several other nice videos on it too. One guy takes a box stock Ruger American "Go wild" bolt rifle and shoots sub-moa at 307 yards with it. Same guy takes his AR and blasts some pork shoulders sitting in front of ballistics gel with the factory 180 grain loads, then hits it with 90 grain LeHigh Defense Xtreme Defense solid coppers...at 3300 FPS. Any load looks pretty dang devestating. I really think as a 10.5" or 12.5" pistol, this would be one exceptional CQB build. But that's just my personal opinion, of course. |
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Posted: 1/11/2021 5:06:24 PM EDT
[#38]
Quote HistoryQuoted: The one caliber that is always available at Walmart is 350 legend. I’m not sure what that says about the caliber, lol. Not if I'm shopping there :-) |
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Posted: 1/11/2021 9:58:14 PM EDT
[#39]
Quote HistoryQuoted: 300 yards max, new, fun, and maybe some hogs? 375 SOCOM should check all those boxes. I have a .458 upper with larger ejection port. May not be a bad idea. |
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Posted: 1/12/2021 4:51:46 PM EDT
[#40]
I absolutely love my 6.8 16” stainless “name that’s not said” and if you handload the 100-110 Accubonds are absolutely tack drivers-like bullets on top of bullets-and will kill any deer, hog in TX
The 110 Hornady BTHP factory load or handloaded will shoot 1/2-3/4” The barrels are not expensive either The 6.5 Grendel I built a 16” and an 11” from Alexander Arms barrels Both are extremely accurate and shoot the Wolf steel very well like right around MOA With 123 SST and 123 ELDM they are .75” guns Barrels are like $250 now used to be $200 I have had zero mag issues when you get E-LANDERS you have to let them “set” loaded After I have been using the same 3 17 rounders for a lot of rounds they are GTG I have a couple 24 rounders too no issues The bolts I have had no issues I have popped a couple extractors but AA replaced them free as I got a bolt from them too like 1k rounds before I popped them each Probably my fault as I run 90% steel and hadn’t been scrubbing the chamber as much as I should have Reloading there is a ton of bullets available I just got some 100 TTSX that I’m going to load and see |
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