It is really simple. SF want a lighter package long range weapon system. As I have said many times it is all about owning the cartridge. Hornady does not own the 6.5 Grendel (264. LBC) or the 6.8 SPC or the 6mm AR or the 243 LBC or the 6mm Predator, profits come from owning the cartridge marketing it and then dominating that market. You take a 243 LBC / 6 mm AR push the shoulder a couple of thousands come up some small changes to bolts or feeding magazine issues which are their perceived weaknesses. Add in some slick marketing and hope enough people buy what your selling.
The difference between all of the is so minimal you can slide apiece of paper between all of them. For hunting I’ll take a 6.8 SPC or a Grendel all day. As I posted before a 24”Grendel firing a heavy 130 gr high BC bullet say an RDF smokes a 6 mm ACR in every category except drop.
From a 24” barrel firing a match at 108 ELD match at 2,750 FPS , with a 10 mph cross wind at sea level, 200 yds zero here is what your corrections are at 1,000 yds, 8.0 Mil drop, horizontal correction 2.16 Mils, velocity 1,337 FPS, energy 429 ft
pounds.
A 6.5 Grendel 24” barrel 130 gr RDF 2,628 at muzzle 9.1 mild drop, 1.91 drift, 1,393 FPS and 560 ft lbs. So while it drops 1.1 Mils more, drift is .25 mild less and it has 131 more ft pounds of energy and is moving faster.
If you move to a 115 Berger in the 6mm at a velocity of 2,710 you get 8.7 mild drop, 2.00 mil drift and 1,393 fps with 495 ft lbs. This narrows the gap but again other than elevation drop the Grendel wins.
As you can see, I am a Grendel fan (actually a 264 LBC) as I have BHW barrels. But it seems you can split difference between them and come up with reasons but to me if you have a Grendel than other than trying to recreate 6mm PPC accuracy it just does not make sense to go through all the hoops with another cartridge other than you can say you have a 6mm ARC.
This was the reason I never went to the 243 Predator ( sorry constructor) just not enough of a benefit to justify it.
If all you have is a 5.56 or a 300 BO, or even a 6.8 SPC and you really want to reach out and touch someone a long way off. Then there is a strong reason to change. if you have a 24” barreled Grendel not so much.
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