Time to Bring Back the Grendel?

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Time to Bring Back the Grendel?

Posted: 9/17/2005 7:57:24 AM EDT

Not many will remember it, but in the late 80's Grendel (George Grendel) Arms brought out a rather unique pistol, a 22 Mag autoloader of average size that held THIRTY rounds of standard 22 Magnum ammo. I don't know if the Grendel gun was killed off by lack of sales or the AWB/94, but I wonder if it's time to bring it back in a smaller package for CCW. How about a 20-rounder with a 3 inch barrel? The downside was that the gun was loaded from the top, i.e., no removeable magazine, hence no rapid reload. But it was still a neat little gun, and made a good backup. I bet the guy who acquired the rights to the gun could even figure out a way to make it work with 17 HMR, if he tried.....It might not be the ultimate defense gun, but I'd pay good money not to stand in front of one!

Papajohn

Posted: 9/17/2005 8:11:15 AM EDT

[#1]

I like the idea-- If people are willing to pay what they will for a Five Seven, I think something a lot cheaper with similar terminal performance would be a winner. I would love something like that for plinking.

Posted: 9/17/2005 9:45:22 AM EDT

[#2]

The Grendel P-30 is the one you speak of..... seems they go for over $500 now! Considering I see little mentioned about their reliability I would approach with caution.....

Posted: 9/17/2005 10:01:14 AM EDT

[#3]

Maybe not the Grendel but I would love to see a 30+ round semi in 22Mag or 17HMR. Glock, CZ, maybe Walther.

Posted: 9/17/2005 10:52:08 AM EDT

[#4]

As I recall, the Grendel had a removeable box magazine.

They sell them on GUNBROKER, probably could find some right now.

I never heard of them loading from the top.

Posted: 9/17/2005 11:02:55 AM EDT

[#5]

Quoted:
The downside was that the gun was loaded from the top, i.e., no removeable magazine, hence no rapid reload.

This is incorrect, they have a removable box magazine like most any other autoloading pistol.

[edit: I'm refering to the P30, which holds 30 rounds of .22 Magnum.]

Posted: 9/17/2005 11:07:29 AM EDT

[#6]

I'd be in for a Grendel or something similar.

Very much would like to see something like that come along offered in both .22 Mag. and .17 HMR.

Danny

Posted: 9/17/2005 11:23:36 AM EDT

[#7]

The Grendle P10 was a 9mmK (380 acp) that was top loaded using a 5.56 stripper clip.

The P12(?) was the same gun with the frame changed to use removeable mags.

( both were junk )

Posted: 9/17/2005 11:46:58 AM EDT

[#8]

I liked those calicos when I was a kid, you know, the ones with 100 round magazines, had one for .22 and another model in 9mm. Never did buy one, still see them around every now and then at mainland gunshows.

Posted: 9/17/2005 8:20:15 PM EDT

[#9]

Apparently my memory is playing its usual tricks, Grendel made a little ten-round .380 that loaded from the top, teeny little thing was a good backup, but the lack of a rapid reload was its downside. If the P-30 had a regular mag, it's escaped my foggy memory, but it probably did. The one I shot in the late 80's was handed to me to unload at the target, and it functioned just fine. Maybe I shot one of the good ones. But it would still be a neat backup or plinking gun! And I still wouldn't want to be in front of it!

Papajohn

Posted: 9/18/2005 9:52:52 AM EDT

[#10]

Quoted:
Apparently my memory is playing its usual tricks, Grendel made a little ten-round .380 that loaded from the top, teeny little thing was a good backup, but the lack of a rapid reload was its downside. If the P-30 had a regular mag, it's escaped my foggy memory, but it probably did. The one I shot in the late 80's was handed to me to unload at the target, and it functioned just fine. Maybe I shot one of the good ones. But it would still be a neat backup or plinking gun! And I still wouldn't want to be in front of it!

Papajohn

Your memory serves you well. The original 380 loaded from the top, but the P30 22 magnum had removable magazines.

I wouldn't mind having a Grendel P30 to plink at the range, but I'm not going to depend on a rimfire for my primary CCW piece. I've heard mixed accounts about reliability and accuracy of the Grendel pistols.....some good, some bad. Interesting that someone compared the Grendel P30 to the FN 5.7 though. The Grendel was once banned, and now the antis would like nothing more then to ban the 5.7.

Posted: 9/19/2005 3:24:14 AM EDT

[#11]

Quoted:
Quoted:
The downside was that the gun was loaded from the top, i.e., no removeable magazine, hence no rapid reload.

This is incorrect, they have a removable box magazine like most any other autoloading pistol.

[edit: I'm refering to the P30, which holds 30 rounds of .22 Magnum.]

Correct, the Grendel .380 subcompact was the gun that was loaded with stripper clips or by hand through the top.

Posted: 9/19/2005 3:27:28 AM EDT

[#12]

Quoted:
Apparently my memory is playing its usual tricks, Grendel made a little ten-round .380 that loaded from the top, teeny little thing was a good backup, but the lack of a rapid reload was its downside. If the P-30 had a regular mag, it's escaped my foggy memory, but it probably did. The one I shot in the late 80's was handed to me to unload at the target, and it functioned just fine. Maybe I shot one of the good ones. But it would still be a neat backup or plinking gun! And I still wouldn't want to be in front of it!

Papajohn

From what I have heard from owners over the years, the QC ( if you could call it that ) was hit and miss on the 22 mag. .22 mag autloaders of ANY variety are pretty hit and miss as far as reliability, it is a troublesome cartridge for autoloaders. The 10/22 magnum may be an excpetion but I hear remarkably little about it.....of course I am not much of a 22 shooter any more.....

.

Posted: 9/19/2005 3:32:47 AM EDT

[#13]

Didn't Kel-Tec buy the grendel rights? There's some small plastic pistol that looks like the Grendel .380 (regular magazine fed small pistol) that I remember someone having back in the 80s.

Posted: 9/22/2005 5:30:18 PM EDT

[#14]

Quoted:
Didn't Kel-Tec buy the grendel rights? There's some small plastic pistol that looks like the Grendel .380 (regular magazine fed small pistol) that I remember someone having back in the 80s.

Changed the name to Kel-Tec and started making a better product IMO.

The P-12 is the only handgun I have ever owned that I didn't regret selling.

My Grendel SRT-26 rifle was one I never should have let go...

Posted: 9/23/2005 1:09:38 PM EDT

[#15]

I remember the P-30, almost bought one too. I did own a P-10 for a while, and it was a real POS. One day at the range, the trigger (plastic) snapped right off.
I read an article once by Dean Grennell who had a P-30 which would sometimes go full-auto on him, and run away until the mag was dry.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Time to Bring Back the Grendel?

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