So I havent been in the black rifle game very long.  I probably bought my first black rifle bacl last Sept.  I have since bought a 6.5 Grendel (last Nov.), and I have a Extreme 6.8 upper on order.  Man I love the 6.6 Grendel.  It shoots fantastic, and Its first year of hunting I have taken quite a few animals with it from bobcats to 250# wild hogs.

Im excited about getting the 6.8 as im sure it will shoot as good or better than the grendel.  Im excitied about all the bullet selection.

Here is the huge diffrence I see between the two.  Bill Alexander hasnt really done shit with the Grendel.  The bullet selection isnt all that great of course tha ist my opinion.  The brass cost almost twice as much as the 6.8 brass.  The 6.8 guys just in the year ive been messing around with the black guns have jumped leaps and bounds over the 6.5.  I mean they have alot of diffrent bullet choices in the 6.8 and it seems they are trying to make the BC better in these bullets.  The brass is cheaper.  The 6.8 ammo is cheaper as well, and im talking in comparison to the wolf 6.5 grendel loads which suck.  It just seems the 6.8 guys keep trying to improve as where as Alexander is like "oh well"

I love the Grendel, but when the hell are they going to get in the game.  I mean dang Bill you built the thing why dont you let it shine.

Rant off

I believe Bill pretty much maxed it out early, the pressures and velocities he set are very close to what you can get. He doesn't have an ammo manufacturer that is interested in improving the Grendel and it had plenty of good match bullets because of other 6.5 calibers, they are short on 100-120 gr hunting bullets. IMO the Grendel doesn't have much room to improve.

I am very fortunate to have done my own research into this. I am very happy with my choice of the SPC.  


edited, these kind of photos are not allowed in tech! ~Cold

Remington, Hornady or SSA brass-36-$50/100
available 6.8 bullets-handload velocities
80gr GS HV––––-3412fps––-20" bbl
85gr Barnes TSX––3176fps from a 16" Xtreme or MK68 Recon, 3200fps from 12 twist 3 groove
90gr Speer TNT––––3158fps––––20" bbl
90gr Sierra HP
95gr SSA frag
99gr GS HV––––––––––––––––––––- These 2 GS bullets were designed specifically for the 6.8 to use at mag length, the HV is a solid alloy deep penetrating hunting bullet with drive bands that make lower
99gr GS SP match- BC .410––––––––-pressure and allow higher velocities, the SP is a solid alloy moly coated match bullet
100gr Nosler Accubond
100gr Rem PSP
100gr Hornady SP
100gr Speer HP
105 GS Custom bullets SP-match––––––-BC .505
110gr Hornady Vmax
110gr Hornady OTM
110gr Hornady HP
110gr Barnes TSX
110gr Barnes TTSX
110gr Sierra pro-hunter––––––––––––-2850fps-20" bbl
110gr Nosler Accubond BC .410––-2850fps-20" bbl
115gr Sierra SMK
115gr Hornady OTM
115 Rem core-lok
130gr Speer SP
130gr Sierra SBT BC .428
130 Rem psp
Many other 130s that can be used but are at the very limit of functioning at 2.30" in the mag
The 85gr TSX can be pushed to 3176fps from 16" barrel, factory loads run apx 3100fps.
The 110gr Noslers hit 2850fps from 20" hunting rifles.
Looks like the FBI may use the new 100gr Accubond.
The GS bullets aren't much more expensive than the Barnes bullets

One of these days I'll have to make one out of a 30-30 just for the hell of it.

If you handload and need a 800+ yard rifle Grendel.

If you don't handload 6.8 and don't have to have an edge at 600+ yards and up.


If you are sick of paying out the wazoo for 6.8 or 6.5 brass and reload.

1.  Buy 7.62x39 brass case reloadable ammo.
2.  Shoot it out of your choice of firearm that doesn't mar the brass too much.

(Skip step 1 and 2 by buying empty 7.62x39 brass for reloading, the only new equipment you will need are AK/AR franken mags)

3.  Size the 7.62x39 to 6.8 and use a 6.8 or 6.5 seating die.
4.  Shoot the "6.8x39"  or "6.5x39" in your 6.8 or 6.5 AR using Frankenmags.
5.  Pic up your fire formed twice fired 6.8 or 6.5 brass.

If you have an MGI upper then you just need a 7.62x39 bolt and barrels in 7.62x39 and 6.8 or 6.5.
With the MGI lower and an AK 47 magwell and AR magwell you can stick with cheap, reliable AK mags and then transition to 6.8 or 6.5 mags in the AR magwell.

THe parent case is a shortened .30 Remington case...

Which is just a rimless 30-30.

uhh, no, it's not.  

It's similar, but don't think for a minute that it's just a .30-30 case with the rim turned down...





They have similar capacities, but different dimensions.