I was very pleased to hear the news that the 6.5mm Grendel has been accepted by SAAMI and that Alexander Arms has agreed to released their trademark on the name “6.5mm Grendel”. Hornady submitted the cartridge to SAAMI last year but the application was rejected because Alexander Arms refused to relinquish the trademark. Now anyone can manufacture 6.5mm Grendel guns and ammunition without paying royalties to Alexander Arms.

The 6.5mm Grendel was developed Arne Brennan but the name was later trademarked by Bill Alexander of Alexander Arms. The trademark was controversial and has led a few companies to produce almost-the-same-but-not-quite cartridges such as the .264 LBC-AR. The royalties demanded by Alexander Arms put many companies off from producing guns chambered in it. Now that it is free, I expect the Grendel will now make great gains in popularity.

Also announced is that Wolf will be producing steel cased 6.5mm Grendel ammunition and is in talk with Izhmash and Molot to produce 6.5mm Grendel chambered Vepr and Saiga rifles. The 6.5mm Grendel uses the same case head dimensions as its ancestor the 7.62x39mm, so it should be easy to chamber an Ak-47-derivative in it.

[ Many thanks to Matt for emailing in the tip. ]