6.5 Grendel build: SS or Melonite barrel?

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doofus47

New member
I'm thinking of buying or building (probably buying, to be honest) a 6.5 Grendel upper for hunting. I'm thinking of getting an 18" barrel. The two most common barrels that I see are stainless steel and Chro-Moly steel with a melonite or nitrite finish.
I have a melonite finish on another of my uppers and it seems to have good accuracy and cleans easily. I haven't put enough rounds through to make a comment as to the superior wear characteristics ascribed to melonite. Truthfully, I don't expect that this upper will see nearly as much wear as my other ARs.
The other option, stainless, seems like a good choice for harsh weather conditions often encountered when hunting. Theoretically, it won't wear as well as a chrome or melonite treated barrel, but, again: I don't expect that this will ever be at any 2 day carbine classes.

Does anyone have any opinions about the two barrel types in so far as shooting 6.5 Grendel from an AR15 platform?

Or, feel free to sound off with recommendations or warnings about any other important aspects of these two barrel materials.

thanks
d47
 
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rickyrick

New member
I'm really liking melonite right now, but I'm not enough of a metal expert to give any recommendations.
I'm not a very high volume shooter anymore, so long term durability differences would probably not be noticed by me.

They are both easily cleaned.
 
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ed308

New member
Melonite would be my choice. It should last longer since 60 Rockwell, be more corrosion resistant (but maybe not compared to stainless) both inside and outside and decreases friction which increases velocity.
 
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doofus47

New member
I do like that melonite is a speed boost.
And all of my other hunting rifles have been blued steel, so the corrosion resistance of stainless is in many ways a solution in search of a problem in my world.
maybe I'm over thinking this.
Again.
thanks for the input.
 
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taylorce1

New member
HankC1 said:
+1. 6.5 wear barrel fast, SS may not last long.
Click to expand...

First I've heard that a 6.5 Grendel being hard on barrels. The cartridge doesn't even break 3000 FPS with a 90 grain bullet, and a 123 grain only make 2600 FPS. I'm sure some 6.5 cartridges can be hard on barrels but the Grendel isn't one.
 
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GeauxTide

New member
+1. 6.5 wear barrel fast, SS may not last long.
Click to expand...
HAH? A 123@2400? I cut an Overwatch barrel to 20" and it shoots .3". I will confess that it's heavy, so I'm decided on another barrel or having it fluted.
 
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TimW77

New member
1. 6.5 wear barrel fast, SS may not last long.

That is, to be nice, just so silly it is laughable!:rolleyes:

Do you have a clue what makes a cartridge "hard on barrel"?
ANY caliber can be hard on barrels under the right (or wrong) conditions.
The Grendel doesn't suffer from any of the factors.


As for the OPs question...

I went with SS Satern barrels on ALL 4 of my Grendels...

T.
 
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ShootistPRS

New member
The Melonite barrel is probably the best way to go. I am under the impression that stainless can also be nitrited/melonited. The process is different but the results are supposed to be similar/the same. Since you are buying the barrel "off-the-shelf" the business might offer the treated stainless if you call them.

The only reason for the stainless is its resistance to corrosion and it is no more resistant than the Melonite treated barrel. The stainless alloy used in barrels is more prone to corrosion than the softer no carbon alloys so unless you like a shiny stainless barrel get the Melonite treated chromoly for corrosion resistance and the good wear characteristics.
 
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stagpanther

New member
I know I'm swimming against the tide, but I've always preferred SS over melonite; even though many of my barrels are melonite. I just don't buy that they are inherently superior.
 
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