Bolt Action Grendel

[JASmith]

Thanks Shuter -- that's one thing less on my plate!

[Varoum]

For a bolt rifle, how long the barrel could be for the Grendel?

[hm2 clark]

Varoum, barrel length answer is as always... It depends. What is your goal? Fo accuracy it proobably does not matter. How far do you intend to shoot? Which bullets do you intend to shoot? How heavy a rifle do you want? For me I like a handy light accurate carbine capable of taking deer/pigs/cyates to 400+ yards with 120 gr bullets; so my bolt grendels are 16&18 inches. If I had to do it over again I might go with 18-20 inch barels. If I hunted Canada, (Moose, Elk BIG Deer) I would probably want to push somthing like the 130gr Swift Sicoroco to 2500+fps so I would use a 22-24 inch barrel. If I hunted Antcosti Island I would be content with the 16 inch barell.

[Varoum]

Coyotes from 300 yards and up up up

You sure know the good places to hunt.

[hm2 clark]

For coyotes (say <60 lbs) most any bullet will do. I would probably use a 123 gr Lapua because of its high BC and little drop. I like shorter barrels so I'd think a 22 inch barrel would work out to 700 yards. I cant hit a coyote @ 700 yards though.

[Varoum]

Great info HM2clark thanks

[Stacyp]

Another thought... Should I just look at a 6.5 Creedmoor? Gives more punch and has a better range... Might do that, but was looking at improving accuracy... With the stuff that I hunt/shoot a bolt works good. I have not tested the Grendel on yotes yet, but I can't wait!

Depends what you want to do with the rifle. I'd rather have a .260 or 6.5 Creedmoor in a bolt gun. Range is much better and you can use multiple brass choices. If you are shooting long range, the increased velocity will help considerably.

[hm2 clark]

Agreed, depends what you want to do with the rifle. For Canadan moose I'd rather have a 6.5x55 or 6.5-06 in a bolt gun. Range is much better and you can use multiple brass and bullet choices. You can seat the long 140 and 160 grain bullets you need for trully big game. They help considerably.

[BjornF16]

I just ordered the .243 version http://www.savagearms.com/firearms/model/116FCSS with the same purpose in mind.

I'm hoping the magazines for the 7.62X39 Model 10 FCM Scout http://www.savagearms.com/firearms/model/10FCM+SCOUT will work in our rifles and that any tweaking for reliable feeding is straightforward.

Smitty, any updates on your findings? (sorry if I missed a post elsewhere).

[JASmith]

Not yet -- but thanks for your prompt! Just sent a note to http://www.sharpshootersupply.com/ with a slightly generalized form of the question. It looks like I will have to call Savage because they don't list a technical support (or other) email.

It is only 5 or six months before I have a barrel in hand where it becomes an issue. Even then it would be "nice to have" because most of my shooting for the project will be single-shot.

And, yes, I have been distracted enough by other projects that I haven't tried contacting the Savage Custom Shop or their technical help folks. Same is true of posting the question at http://savageshooters.com/SavageForum/ ---

If someone does contact Savage or others on the question, I would be most interested in their findings.

[BjornF16]

Magazine maximum length questions:

For bolt action rifles, is the .223 Rem maximum magazine length also 2.26 (like AR15 magazine)? What is the magazine maximum length for 7.62x39mm bolt action rifles (Savage, CZ, etc)?

I noticed that the COL for 7.62x39mm is 2.205"...I want to make sure I don't have a COL limitation due to magazine on a Grendel conversion.

[JASmith]

I am not an expert on this topic -- which is why I have posted the way I did.

What I do know is that the magazine-length is different, depending on the rifle. I have a circa 1964 Browning in 222 Rem Magnum that has a magazine length right at the COAL for most factory ammunition. My son can load longer COAL in his .223 AR and CZ 527.

[Opus Dei]

Bjorn, I see you registered over on the Savage forum. I'm starting my own project and got a 10 in .243 two weeks ago and have since changed boltheads. I'll be interested in what is said about the factory 7.62X39 DBM. Since I don't intend to use that cheap plastic stock with a blind magazine, I've been looking at alternative stocks/DBMs and have seen how 6BR shooters modded AI .308 magazines. Any stock that takes AI magazines/bottom metal for a CF Savage isn't cheap, especially with the DBM conversion factored-in.

[hm2 clark]

tho oal magazine max length in my 527 that started out in 7.63x39 2.162-or so.

[BjornF16]

So a CZ 7.62x39 conversion will have a shorter Grendel cartridge length than the AR based 2.26"?

Here is a comment from the SAVAGE forum regarding Savage 10 FCM 7.62x39mm Scout rifle magazine length:

"The FCM is set up for a standard short action detachable mag. The 7.62x39 mag that comes with it has an overall internal mag length (because of a spacer that Savage puts in the rear) of approximately 2.46 inches.

You could easily replace that mag body, spring & follower with a .223 mag body, spring & follower or a standard short action .308-family mag body, spring & follower if you so desired."

It appears to me that the Savage option is more attractive since it will allow for longer cartridges than allowed in the AR platform.

The 10 FCM is a AccuStock platform...if I go this route, I'll probably keep the factory stock and see how it shoots with a Pac-Nor barrel in Grendel Match. I think the 2.46" magazine would be plenty, so no need to switch to .308 magazine (and have to modify it for Grendel).