[Excalibur]

in 2007, 6.5 Grendel was still that sorta fringe round that people have heard about, but no one serious ever use in combat. It like the 6.8 didn't really take off in popularity like the .300 Blackout. You COULD have your guy use it like this is his preferred choice, but it would limited his options for reloads because not that many companies make it cheap enough, so you'd have to resort to hand loads. That's the stories I've heard about.


What situation is your character in that he can only get his hands on a rifle with that specific round? Is he a civilian? If he's some sort of LEO/Military or Contractor, he most likely would have access to the latest of the period circa 2007.

There's nothing really wrong with the 5.56 in an DMR. Military, police and civilians alike still use it.

When you say long distances, what is reasonable because in modern warfare, effective engagements rarely happen at long ranges unless you're a sniper in a stationary position. If you are in combat and well trained, typically most guys would only shoot at the general area of where they think the enemy is coming from and effective hits when the enemy is closer. A guy who has a DMR of sorts, or the sharpshooter would engage at sorta closer ranges as well, say at 200-230 yards to still be effective.

If your guy is some sort of specialists, most I've heard would carry a sorta "Recce style" 5.56, but in the military, the SPC of choice has always been the mk 12 that has an 18in barrel.

At the time of 2007, the 6.8 is a bit better and have been considered in these types of rifles but 5.56 is general picked for ammo compatibility with the rest of a unit and that no known military unit I've heard ever using 6.8 or 6.5 in combat.

For a sorta movie reference of military guys using a 5.56 rifle in a sorta DMR role, look at the movie Lone Survivor which is about Operation Red Wings that took place in 2005