Just sold my dad my 18" Odin Works barrel w/ upper. Now I need to build myself a new upper. Was not real impressed with the odin works barrel (I was probably part of the problem). Looking to buy barrel in the $500-$700 range (With head spaced bolt). Not sure what length I want yet. Wanting a longer barrel (20" - 24") will be used for steel targets and hunting (both suppressed). Thinking with a 24" barrel and my Rugged Surge it may end up being a rifle I dont want to carry around deer hunting (I do have Rugged Micro 30 in jail right now, so that could help loose some weight). So what are some options I should look into?
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6.5 Grendel what barrel?
- Thread starter Matman2010
- Start date
Satern makes a 16" cut rifled barrel that would make an excellent carry setup for hunting. I have 20/24" Satern cut barrels and they are superbly accurate. They're right in your price range with a matched Maxim bolt.
In that price range Bartlein, JP, Lilja, Proof. I’ve got an 18” Wilson Combat ordered. Hoping to hit nice spot above the Odin, BA level without going to $500 for the barrel
I got the 20" PSA complete upper in 6.5 Grendel for about $375 ... and it shoots "lights out" with Hornady AG bulk ammo. It's a great deal.
Mark has a presence over on 65Grendel.com site. Good reputation for accuracy and workmanship, turnaround would be a conversation with him. Keystone Accuracy and others offer similar services. Padom can offer good references for Keystone, and perhaps others.
If you were to buy a Satern I would call them and verify the chamber dimensions prior to ordering. I have one of their cut rifled barrels that I just built up which has a couple of issues with it. (It was purchased last fall so the ones in stock may very well be fine) The throat/lead are cut short, and factory ammo jams well into the lands. Looking at a chamber casting it also does not appear to have the compound throat of a SAAMI chamber, though in all reality I don't especially care about that.
Also the body of the chamber measures .451 where it (according to the dimensions I've been able to find) should measure .441 (+- .0004). The result of all this is that I'm getting pressure signs, and swollen cases. The barrel I'm replacing (different mfg) did have the smaller diameter and did not have the swollen case issue. I'm going to be calling them today to talk about exchanging it. It is nicely machined, and does group well though.
Edited to add: This is probably the fault of their reamer mfg more than Satern themselves. The neck diameter is correct, so its probably an oversize reamer, not an issue with their machining process.
Also the body of the chamber measures .451 where it (according to the dimensions I've been able to find) should measure .441 (+- .0004). The result of all this is that I'm getting pressure signs, and swollen cases. The barrel I'm replacing (different mfg) did have the smaller diameter and did not have the swollen case issue. I'm going to be calling them today to talk about exchanging it. It is nicely machined, and does group well though.
Edited to add: This is probably the fault of their reamer mfg more than Satern themselves. The neck diameter is correct, so its probably an oversize reamer, not an issue with their machining process.
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If you feel like you are part of the problem with the old barrel, what do you feel will be different with the new barrel?
There are a lot of great barrel makers out there, including Odin. I've had about 4 of them in 223 or 6.5 Grendel. All have performed excellent.
Here's a pretty common theme with my Odin 6.5 Grendel. 5 shots each at 100 yards. Both are in the .3's.
I don't expect a huge change with a new barrel. I never could get this to shoot under 1" (I have a LR-308 that I built around the same time that I cant shoot under an inch with either) I'm guessing I don't have them either tuned quite right or there is a fundamental between a bolt action and a semi auto that I am just not getting. I didn't sell it because of the barrel. Dad wanted a bigger caliber for his AR for deer hunting and I saw it as an option to build something new.
What are you shooting out of your Odin? I tired some of the hornady in the 123 gr (Black and something else) and ended up with some handloads with some 129 gr noslers.
