my first AR buid question.....12" 6.5 grendel

[daawiz69]

I am considering my first AR build. I am looking at a 12" 6.5 Grendel AR pistol. Any issues with that in CO? Can I hunt with it? thanks for any feedback. Also, if I get in a bind is there anyone that could help build.
Mark

[00tec]

You get to build your own SBR, or buy it.
Both with appropriate tax stamps of course.

Unless you go the pistol route. Different story.

[daawiz69]

yeah its a pistol kit.

[00tec]

Build to your heart's desire. I do not see a regulation prohibiting that firearm during rifle season, but you are going to want to consult the big game brochure thoroughly yourself.

ETA, there will be magazine capacity restrictions for hunting with it.

[daawiz69]

thanks so much!

[ChickNorris]

I suggest Bowers Tactical if you'd like a shop to assist.

All members here, though only one visits the site regularly.

Worth the drive if you need help, parts, & copious amounts of information.

[ferrum]

There are specific hunting regs governing the use of pistols for big game. A 6.5 should easily meet those guidelines, but encourage you to read the regs first.

[Not_A_Llama]

ETA, there will be magazine capacity restrictions for hunting with it.
Not for pistol.

But be aware that pistols probably can’t wear braces under hunting regs.

[CS1983]

Not for pistol.

But be aware that pistols probably can’t wear braces under hunting regs.

Correct, at least as I read it.

Pg 14 of the current regs:


7. HANDGUNS
a. Barrel must be a minimum of 4 inches long.
b. Must use a minimum .24-caliber (6 mm) in diameter expanding bullet.
c. Shoulder stocks or attachments prohibited.
d. Must use a cartridge or load that produces minimum energy of 550-ft.-pounds at 50 yards as rated by manufacturer

Rifles:


142020 COLORADO BIG GAME HUNTING: HUNTING LAWSHUNTING LAWS
1. CENTERFIRE RIFLES
a. Must be a minimum of .24 caliber (6 mm).
b. Must have a minimum 16-inch barrel and be at least 26 inches long.
c. If semiautomatic, a maximum of six rounds are allowed in the magazine and chamber combined.
d. Must use expanding bullets that weigh a minimum of 70 grains for deer, pronghorn and bear, 85 grains for elk and moose, and have an impact energy (at 100 yards) of 1,000 ft.-pounds as rated by manufacturer.
e. It is illegal to hunt game birds, small-game mammals or furbearers with a centerfire rifle larger than .23 caliber during regular rifle deer and elk seasons west of I-25, without an unfilled deer or elk license for the season. A small-game, furbearer or unfilled big-game license is required.
NOTE: SMART RIFLES are prohibited, including any firearm equipped with a tar-get tracking system, electronically controlled, assisted or computer-linked trigger or a ballistics computer. Any firearm equipped with a scope containing a computer processor is considered to be a smart rifle.
NOTE: FULLY AUTOMATIC RIFLES are prohibited.

So the question becomes if CPW would consider such a thing a pistol or rifle. This would seem common sense and be considered a pistol, since it legally is, but I'd still clarify.

Personally, I dunno that I'd bother trying to hunt with it. Get enough of a dickhead wildlife officer and he might even consider a foam bumper on the pistol tube to be an "attachment".

[daawiz69]

thanks for all the feedback!

[Not_A_Llama]

Personally, I dunno that I'd bother trying to hunt with it unless I was going to SBR it. Get enough of a dickhead wildlife officer and he might even consider a foam bumper on the pistol tube to be an "attachment".
ATF classification is helpful to clarify pistol vs rifle, but I don’t think having it under ATF SBR status does anything to negate the 16” minimum barrel length hunting regulation.

I run my AR pistols as bare buffer tube while hunting. Don’t care to be a legal test case.

[CS1983]

ATF classification is helpful to clarify pistol vs rifle, but I don’t think having it under ATF SBR status does anything to negate the 16” minimum barrel length hunting regulation.

I run my AR pistols as bare buffer tube while hunting. Don’t care to be a legal test case.

Gah. Staring at numbers all day and for some reason misread the minimum 16”. Good catch.

[ray1970]

I generally try not to question another person?s desire to do something under my ?to each his own? policy.

But, in this case, if a person were intent on hunting with the 6.5 Grendel, why not just go with an actual 16? barreled rifle instead of saving that four inches of length for the pistol?

Curious more than anything.

Does it have something to do with the whole unloaded rifle in a vehicle or on an ATV thing? Can the pistol be kept loaded in a vehicle or on an ATV?

[00tec]

Does it have something to do with the whole unloaded rifle in a vehicle or on an ATV thing? Can the pistol be kept loaded in a vehicle or on an ATV?
This is the reason I want to build a 308 pistol. First, it's just ridiculous enough for me, and second, I can keep it hot when riding the RZR.

[Irving]

This is the reason I want to build a 308 pistol. First, it's just ridiculous enough for me, and second, I can keep it hot when riding the RZR.

How confident are you that you won't end up a test case though? I wouldn't be. Well, within the context of hunting I would worry about it. Just out trail riding, I might not worry as much.

[00tec]

How confident are you that you won't end up a test case though? I wouldn't be. Well, within the context of hunting I would worry about it. Just out trail riding, I might not worry as much.

Just for trail riding. Not going to play with the game wardens.

[zimagold]

I saw a post on Rokslide awhile back about someone getting told braces were now ok by CPW. So I called and initially I was told they were ok but with some hesitation by a person at the Ft. Collins office. I then asked if I could talk to one of the officers for my GMU. I ended up going down the rabbit hole and speaking with a few CPW officers. They would not give a straight answer for braces and kept deferring to another officer. The final officer I spoke with was the local expert on methods of take (Front Range Area). He basically said if they feel it's a stock you get a ticket. I asked if he was familiar with SIG Style AR braces and he simply redirected to the previous statement. After getting the feeling that everyone at CPW is eager to write tickets, I decided to go the route of a KAC Tube and Shockwave Blade. I remove the blade for hunting and just using a bare pistol tube. A bare pistol tube was the only thing I got an actual "That's legal" from CPW.

As to why not just a 16". I've done that and it works, but a 17.5" effective length with suppressor makes for a very handy and pack-able setup when hunting burns with lots of dead fall.

[Not_A_Llama]

But, in this case, if a person were intent on hunting with the 6.5 Grendel, why not just go with an actual 16? barreled rifle instead of saving that four inches of length for the pistol?
I consider it a significant increase in handiness. Though to echo zimagold, I can toss my TBAC Ultra 5 on there, and I have a suppressed compact rig that hits harder at 800 yards than a 357 Mag at the muzzle.

[kidicarus13]

I saw a post on Rokslide awhile back about someone getting told braces were now ok by CPW. So I called and initially I was told they were ok but with some hesitation by a person at the Ft. Collins office. I then asked if I could talk to one of the officers for my GMU. I ended up going down the rabbit hole and speaking with a few CPW officers. They would not give a straight answer for braces and kept deferring to another officer. The final officer I spoke with was the local expert on methods of take (Front Range Area). He basically said if they feel it's a stock you get a ticket. I asked if he was familiar with SIG Style AR braces and he simply redirected to the previous statement. After getting the feeling that everyone at CPW is eager to write tickets, I decided to go the route of a KAC Tube and Shockwave Blade. I remove the blade for hunting and just using a bare pistol tube. A bare pistol tube was the only thing I got an actual "That's legal" from CPW.

As to why not just a 16". I've done that and it works, but a 17.5" effective length with suppressor makes for a very handy and pack-able setup when hunting burns with lots of dead fall.Are you also the guy writing BATFE asking for clarification on every single decision they've ever published? Good Lord.

[Irving]

In his defense, it is MUCH more likely to run into a game warden while hunting than it is to have someone question whatever is the newest flavor of pistol brace while at the range.

[CS1983]

I’ve called CPW on a few things to seek clarity in the past. The impression I came away with is we are all lucky we get to even think of hunting the King’s deer and we should all stick with a 30-30, plaid, and Ronald Reagan.

Those calls in addition to one very memorable interaction when doing nothing illegal, yet being treated like we were, pretty much soured me on the notion the CPW is there for hunting and hunters, only going after legit poachers.

Make sure to film any interaction with them. No witnesses usually, so don’t count on video evidence in your favor unless you are the one taking it.

[ray1970]

Heck, I video every argument with my wife so I can have documented proof that I was right.

[oldtimer6.5x39]

I see a fair number of people building short barreled ARs with 6.5 Grendel, but I don't really understand it. I would think that 300 Blackout would be a better option with a 12" barrel. Don't get me wrong. I love 6.5 Grendel but I'm focused of full length rifles.