See Jeremy’s review of CMMG’s MkW-15 XBE ANVIL in .458 SOCOM here. Safe to say he was impressed. Now CMMG has announced a slightly different beast, their new long range-ready MkW ANVIL XLR2 in 6.5 Grendel, designed to let you really stretch your ballistic legs. Here’s their press release . . .

CMMG’s Newest ANVIL is Ready-Made For Long-Range Hunting

CMMG has announced the release of its all-new MkW ANVIL XLR2 chambered in 6.5 Grendel. Featuring a 22-inch medium taper barrel, this new 6.5 Grendel is capable of delivering a knockout punch, even at longer distances out to 800 yards.  The rifle includes:

  • 22-inch barrel with 1:8 Twist for maximum long-range accuracy
  • Geissele Automatics SSA 2-stage Trigger
  • Fully Ambidextrous CMMG Charging Handle and Safety Selector
  • CMMG SV Muzzle Brake and RML15 MLOK Hand Guard
  • Magpul Moe Pistol Grip and PRS Stock

“The 6.5 Grendel is a great round. It has very minimal recoil. It is also flat shooting out to 500 yards and beyond. It’s great for hunting medium-sized game such as deer and pigs, and best of all, you can find ammo for it that is relatively inexpensive. In building the ANVIL XLR2 with a 22-inch barrel, along with some of our other finest components, we designed this rifle to help shooters achieve the best possible results with this caliber,” said Chris Reinkemeyer, CEO of CMMG.

CMMG’s MkW ANVIL is a mid-sized AR rifle platform that is uniquely engineered to easily handle calibers with large casing diameters and significantly high bolt thrust. The most defining feature of the ANVIL is CMMG’s unique POWERBOLT design, which allows the rifle to utilize a modified AR10-sized bolt for increased durability. This is important because large-diameter cartridges such as 6.5 Grendel would require material to be milled out of a standard AR15-sized bolt in order to function – resulting in a thin, fragile bolt face. The POWERBOLT design allows the ANVIL to take 6.5 Grendel, and many others, to their full potential.

The MkW ANVIL is built on an AR10-sized frame with the upper receiver shortened by three quarters of an inch to minimize weight and increase ergonomics. Although the frame is based on the AR10 platform, the magwell on the lower receiver has been uniquely designed to accept standard AR15 magazines. This allows the rifle to utilize the durable AR10-sized bolt with calibers such as 6.5 Grendel, which have a case diameter that is larger than a 5.56 NATO. The result is a mid-sized AR that delivers superior durability while minimizing weight.

Each MkW ANVIL in 6.5 Grendel ships with one 10-round magazine and is backed by CMMG’s Lifetime Quality Guarantee. For those who already own a CMMG MkW ANVIL in .458 SOCOM, CMMG will also offer 6.5 Grendel upper receiver groups that will be compatible with any MkW ANVIL lower.
 
The 6.5 Grendel caliber was developed by Arne Brennan, Bill Alexander, and Janne Pohjoispää and introduced in 2004 by Alexander Arms. The design of the 6.5 Grendel intended to create a cartridge capable of functioning in an AR15 platform while simultaneously providing superior long-range accuracy and energy upon impact.
Since its introduction, the 6.5 Grendel has proven to be an effective round for long-range shooting in both hunting and tactical situations. Bullet weights range from 90 grains all the way up to 130 grains, making it a diverse cartridge for a variety of applications.
The MkW ANVIL XLR2 in 6.5 Grendel is available in the following configuration:
 
CMMG MkW ANVIL XLR2:
Caliber:  6.5 Grendel
Barrel:  22″, 1:8 Twist, Medium Taper, 416SS SBN
Muzzle:  CMMG SV Muzzle Brake, Threaded 5/8-24
Hand Guard:  CMMG RKM15 KeyMod
Upper Receiver:  Billet 7075-T6 AL Mid-Size
Lower Receiver:  Billet 7075-T6 AL Mid-Size
Trigger:  Geissele SSA 2-Stage Trigger
Furniture:  Magpul MOE Pistol Grip & PRS Stock, CMMG’s Ambidextrous Charging Handle and Safety Selector
Gas Port Location: Rifle Length
Weight: 10.5 lbs (Unloaded)
Length: 43″ (Stock Collapsed)
MSRP:  $2,299.95
CMMG Lifetime Quality Guarantee
CMMG, Inc. will guarantee its products against defects in material or workmanship.  CMMG, Inc. will repair, replace or substitute part(s) (at CMMG, Inc. discretion) at no charge to the customer if a defect of material or workmanship is found. All service work must be carried out by CMMG, Inc.

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19 COMMENTS

    • The name Anvil should apply to bump fire. Stay with me here…

      A quality blacksmith anvil actually rebounds the hammer with as much force as possible causing the hammer to bounce back up reducing the effort the blacksmith has to put into resetting the hammer for another strike.

      If not for that tidbit of wisdom, the name Anvil is not very flattering, especially for a gun.

      • Unless you watch Road Runner cartoons. Or if you are into anvil chucking; nothing quite like a 40 lb anvil smacking the ground after being blasted 100 feet in the air.

      • I am too old and haven’t texted, tweeted and instagramed too little (0 for the last two) to get these references. In the ’70s and ’80s I was a tech and modernity acolyte, a software engineer and then IT manger at a couple companies, today I am Jed Clampett without a cement pond:-(

  4. I thought the Grendel’s bolt breakage problem was resolved with improved alloys? At 10.5 lbs and $2k+ MSRP you could start considering an AR in a more potent short action caliber, IMO.

    • Indeed. A ten pound AR15? Forget it. Also Grendels aren’t “relatively inexpensive” to feed. I have two and I’m paying 85 cents a round for reloadable boxer primed brass case ammo. Awesome guns so I’m willing to pony up.

      • The Wolf steel-cased bimetal stuff runs about 25 cents a pop when you can find it. It’s inaccurate, underpowered, under-diameter dirty garbage that’s only good for recreational blasting, IMO, but it has also played a big role in the Grendel’s growth.

        • Wolf also sells a brass load but it’s Berdan primed, probably not worth the effort to reload. Reloading the Hornady brass I can get close to $.55 on average which is tolerable.

  5. Hoggwash, scrap the AR lookalike, and go with a heavy contour pillar bedded 26 inch barrel on a pre64 mod 70 action with a laminated stock. This caliber screams barrel length. It’s never going to see wife spread use in AR platforms until the U.S. mil adopts it as GI issue and that ain’t going to happen. It a good cartridge, just like all the rest that we never shoot no more. A 220 Swift with an 75 gr btsp is pretty fuckin wicked, who shoots that?

    • Yup. I am sure manufacturers keep coming out with 6.5 Grendel products because no one is buying. Right. That’s it.

      Wide spread use is pretty vague. You seem to actually be referring to market dominance. Not the same thing.

  6. Advertising 6.5 Grendel as flat shooting past 500 yards isn’t really accurate. “The high BC of many 6.5 Grendel loadings maintain downrange energy at extended ranges with greater efficiency than .308” or something similar would be more fitting.

  7. Accuracy in mine is awful, using a Zeiss 6-24×50 . Starting with a 50 yard zero I could tell right there it wasn’t going to be good. 8 different factory loads not one under 2 inches at 100 yards , and because it doesn’t work with standard AR platform no local gun store will even talk about trading unless I want to take less than half what it cost. I also bought an 18 inch upper in 6mm arc from CMMG and about 2 inch groups is all it will do at 100 yards with all 3 loads from Hornady. I’ve got a 20inch stainless fluted AR Stoner upper in 6.5 grendel that cost $400 and consistently shoots multiple factory loads well under an inch at 100 yards,so much for the quality of CMMG .

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