6.5 grendel vs 6.8 SPC availability

[jm13690]

I need help on is I am planning on getting a 6.5 Grendel or a 6.8 SPC upper for my already put together AR lower. I know the ballistics and all of each, my question was what do you all think about the ammo availability?

The 6.8 SPC seems to be getting out there, but I was wondering if the 6.5 Grendel is going to catch up. Both are great calibers, I just don't want to be stuck with a very small option of available ammo.


And this is a repost from the ammo/reload section. The problem is it doesn't seem like there is a lot of views in that section as there is in others especially in the firearm section.

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=512662

[FatalKitty]

At all three gun stores i visited today, 6.5 was everywhere, and the guys at the counter suggested i buy 6.8 online

[Dreaded Claymore]

I have read that more 6.5mm diameter bullets are made than 6.8mm, and as a result there are more factory loads available for 6.5mm Grendel, as well as more reloading options obviously.

[Mamluke]

6.5 over 6.8 all day, more available & a longer range round ...

You can get loads of each online BTW, unless you live in LA city proper!
Plus 6.5 Grendel is cheaper & been out there longer!

......... .........

[russ69]

I don't think either will become popular enough to insure cheap ammo will ever be available so you are stuck handloading. I think both cartridges are for the advanced handloader so I would not pick it unless I wanted to try something different. For shooting through an AR15 where you have a limit on OAL, the 6mmAR is the better choice.

[Trickpony]

I had both, kept the Grendels. The 6.5 Grendel was easier to buy over the counter ammo for and was quite a bit more accurate at longer distances. Go 6.5 Grendel! Hornady makes some great 6.5 Grendel 123 gr. A-Max Match ammo.

[starsnuffer]

Wolf just started making steel cased grendel as well, which should help out too.

-W

[duggan]

Funny, when I had the same dilemma I ended up going with the 6.8 due to the lack of 6.5 ammo. I built mine for hunting and needed lead free and found that SSA made some great stuff using Barnes bullets (85, 95, 110 gr.), at the time you'd have had better luck finding Bigfoot before you found 6.5. After buying a few boxes I decided to start loading my own and bought an el cheapo lee hand press and dies,
That's ten rounds of my very first handloads at 100 yards. It's not that hard to load your own and if you don't have to have all the bells and whistles its not that expensive either. I suggest going to both the 6.8 forum and the 6.5 forums and do a little poking around, once you cut through all the BS from both sides you should have an idea of which one to go with and where the best ammo prices are for each one. PS there isn't a magic super bullet yet despite what both camps might think lol.

[send it_hit]

these responses are depressing, as i have my first upper in 6.8spc on its way to me.

[CavTrooper]

these responses are depressing, as i have my first upper in 6.8spc on its way to me.

Dont worry, there is plenty of 6.8 ammo out there, as well as magazines and reliably functioning rifles.

[gun toting monkeyboy]

these responses are depressing, as i have my first upper in 6.8spc on its way to me.

Yeah, don't stress. The Grendelites are like Ron Paul supporters. Relatively few in number, but vocal and motivated enough to skew any poll or thread online. The 6.5 is a very good cartridge, but the 6.8 is still cheaper and easier to find everything for. And it is likely to stay that was for the forseeable future.

I was originally looking at the 6.5, but saw the cost of dies and brass was insane. And it was all unavailable at the time. So I went with the 6.8 and haven't looked back. As for the reflexive Grendelite response of "But 6.5 is better at long ranges..." all I can say is that if I am shooting at things past 300 yards, I am NOT going to be using an intermediate round anyway. That is what full powered cartridges are for.

-Mb

[Retzius]

I find 6.8 very easy to reload and to find in stores compared to 6.5.

[starsnuffer]

6.8 had a lot of hype because it was thought the military might adopt it. That isn't going to happen.

6.5 just received it's SAAMI acceptance, so you will see a lot more of it now.

IMO 6.5 is the superior cartridge. Since the military variable is no longer in the equation, it makes sense that you'll see more and more 6.5 and less 6.8, but I don't think 6.8 will go away any time soon. There will still be plenty of arms makers riding the "military" bandwagon for quite some time.

-W

[Flintlock Tom]

You need to examine the pros & cons of each cartridge and decide what works best for you.
I have a Stag Arms AR15 in 6.8, with a 22" barrel that shoots MOA if I do my part. I have been very happy with the quality, price and availability of 6.8 SPC ammo from Silver State Armory. If you buy at least 250 rounds at a time, it's $.80/round. They also make and sell bullets and brass for the 6.8.

[jm13690]

I have read a lot about each caliber and both sound good. Really it just comes down to what am I going to find either online or at the store. I do like that Wolf makes ammo for the 6.5.