I'm debating b/w a Faxon 20" heavy barrel 5r barrel and the Brownells 18" or 24" barrel. (I have a giftcard, so choices are confined to Brownells). Does anyone have experience w/ either or both? This will be a "do-all" rifle i.e. I have a range out to 800 I would like to ring steel with and 1x or 2x a year it may go out antelope/deer, coyote hunting. I would be very happy w/ a .75 MOA rifle, but I need it to be MOA at least. Im not looking for a featherweight rifle, but handy would be nice.

I have no experience with the Faxon barrel, but just the word heavy in the description kills it for me.

I have the Brownell's 18in and it shoots better than your requirement.

Weight with a bipod and a loaded 5 round magazine, with scope is just under 10lbs.

Just food for thought OP.

SY

The Faxon Barrels are actually lighter than the Satern barrels

Faxon has an 18" fluted barrel as well.  

An 18" barrel will be plenty for 800 yards.

https://www.brownells.com/rifle-parts/barrel-parts/rifle-barrels/ar-15-barrels-6-5-grendel-heavy-profile-prod108069.aspx

I’ve got a 16” Faxon 6.5 Grendel barrel and I really like it.  I also have a 20” Shilen and the Faxon with QPQ/Nitride will probably out last a Brownell’s stainless sreel 6.5 Grendel.   I would pick the Faxon partially because of SAAMI chamber over Grendel II on Brownell’s Satern/Liberty.   I’d also suggest a 20 MOA scope mount as my 16” 6.5 Grendel runs out of elevation around 800 yards.  I’m using a Vortex 6.5-20X50 Viper in an Aadmount 20 MOA one piece mount and have plenty of elevation even close to sea level.

Can you explain this ?

The Faxon uses a SAAMI spec 6.5 Grendel chamber with compound throat.  The Brownell’s barrels use Satern/Liberty button rifled barrel with Grendel II chamber.  Alexander Arms did a lot of testing before finalizing the design submitted by AA and Hornady to SAAMI for certification.  If you believe AA the compound throat aids in the accuracy in a wide variety of projectile shapes, weight, length and construction.

The Grendel II chamber uses a traditional barrel throat with a long leade.   Some Brownell’s barrels are very accurate with certain bullets but in my experience may not prove accurate with a wide variety of bullet weights, lengths and bullet types.   Granted I only have experience with a few Brownell’s barrels but I have three SAAMI spec 6.5 Grendel and I like them.   Basically it boils down to personal choice, I have a couple of Friends who have Brownell’s barrels and they like them.

After owning a Faxon I’d probably buy Faxon.   If I were going to buy a Satern/Liberty barrel I’d buy it from Brownell’s just because of Brownell’s customer Service.    Let me say there have been issue with Satern and the 6.5 Grendel which is why there is a Grendel II chamber.

Thanks for explaining this for me . I've been racking my brain deciding on a barrel for my 6.5 build don't know what to do ??

Funny how a hundred of other cartridges shoot well without a compound throat. 

Do you hand load OP? If so get the Brownells you won't be limited by a short throat.


From my 24" Brownells barreled budget build

All of these loads were worked up in about 25-30 rounds, so they all came easy and could probably be better if I tried. These are mostly larger  groups so take that into account when comparing.
Tell me how the Grendel II doesn't work well with different bullets.

By the way, all of these large number strings are fired in a row with no cool down.

90gr TNT





130 Hybrid AR





140 gr Custom Comp





140 gr Berger Hybrid







147 gr ELDM






150gr SMK lol doesn't care for those.

Mag-fed COL limits projectile shape in any cartridge regarding throat configuration.

That's why the Grendel has a compound throat.

My 18inch Brownell’s well only shoot two bullets well and those are 120 Hornady and 120 Nosler BT. I have had mixed success with 95 gr Vmax.  Anything  north of 120 gr, even 123gr will not shoot at all.