Bjorn's Savage Grendel project

[Whelenon]

Nice rifle, good luck at the range. Look forward to a report.

[dpw4x4]

Thats a nice one

[BjornF16]

Range Report

Finally got my Talley Lightweight rings in on Friday. Mounted the rings and Viper PST 2.5-10x44 and let thread locker cure overnight.

Wanted to go to the range just to sight in and run some Hornady A-Max through the barrel. Didn't have time to make any hand loads with 129 SST.

Range was somewhat crowded today, and I couldn't even get onto the 200 yd range. So I stuck with 100 yards after the initial sight in at 25 yds.

Pics attached. Small orange circle is 1" diameter; center orange circle is 1.5" diameter. I did a quick setup and took some quick shots. The first two shots on the center circle were sighting adjustments. I then shot three to verify zero, then another five shots in the center. Moved to upper target and had one called high shot (rushed setup, wasn't stable).

Bottom line: rifle will shoot better than I can, appears to be sub MOA with factory A-Max. I haven't tuned the action screws for best results, just torqued them to 40 in-lbs. I really like the Savage Accutrigger. I think the Savage rifles are great for easy caliber conversions.

Looking forward to load development with this rifle.

[ricsmall]

Very nice bjorn! I've been inspired, to build one when things hopefully calm down.

[LRRPF52]

That is sweet dude! I'm interested to see what results you get with the 123-130gr weight class bullets. If you can run the 125gr Nosler Partition, 129 Hornady SST/SP/IB, 129 Nosler AB-LR, 130 Nosler AB, 130 Sierra Game King, 130 Berger Hunting VLD, etc., you should be able to push them from 2650-2750fps. My friend's Cz527 pushes the 139gr Scenar at 2650-2700fps on top of N140.

That is a sweet-looking little rifle! Sweet-shooting too.

This is really making me want to build a micro action, but I'm trying to decide between a hunter and a target gun. Maybe a hybrid of sorts is the best route.

What's your weight of the system with scope?

[BjornF16]

She weighs in at 8.5 lbs with magazine and scope...the Savage isn't a micro build like the CZ. I purposely went with Savage for the longer OALs available with their magazine.

I have 129 SST and 130 Bergers on hand. I've ordered Nosler 125 Partition and 130 Accubond, as well as Hornady 120 GMX. Looking forward to the 129 LR Accubond to hit the streets.

I have CFE, 8208, 2520, 2230, N133, N135, N530 and BL-(C)2 on hand...where to start with 58K psi as the max?

[BjornF16]

200 yard group

Really nice day today in DFW area. Little to no wind, 60F and sunny.

So what else better to do than go to the range! After helping my son sight in his AR-15 and shooting our pistols, we headed to the 200 yard range to shoot the Grendel bolt action.

Split the remaining 7 A-Max between me and my son. Here is my group of 4 (the red circle is 1"). Overall very pleased. Groups factory A-Max at 200 yds as well as 100 yds.

[Taylormade]

Very nice, awesome gun

[BjornF16]

Update!

Put the Savage Grendel through its paces this past weekend out to 700 yards. Very pleased with the accuracy of the bolt action at 400-700 yards using factory AA Nosler 120 Ballistic Tip ammo.

Was getting an estimated 2650 fps muzzle velocity (actual vs calculated drop using JBM Ballistics mobile app was only .25 MOA difference between 400 and 700 yards when using 2650 fps).

I'll try to find some pics to post from this weekend (didn't take my camera, have to rely on others).

The gun is currently out for a "face lift" somewhere in Utah...

[LRRPF52]

I was really impressed with the Savage Grendel's performance as well. I watched BjornF16 effortlessly blast 4" boomers one after another at 400yds in varying wind conditions like it was cool, and he literally spent 3 days hosing away with the rifle, fed from 2 cases of AA ammo at his firing positions.

The bolt gun Grendel is a set-up that you & your kids can literally practice with to your heart's content without a hint of recoil fatigue, but you have substantial terminal energy and minimal wind drift comparable to cartridges that generate considerably more recoil that would penalize you from being able to shoot in volume.

I want to also point out that BjornF16 is a very good dude, salt of the earth, and a super-fast learner...just really good people, both he and his son. We had a great Precision Rifle Clinic and a very enjoyable weekend, with much discussion. BoomerShoot is a great venue to meet interesting people with broad experiential bases, shoot steel and explosive targets for 3 days straight, and interact in a very free-spirited environment. The irony is that it's probably one of the most peaceful and friendly settings for human interaction, where any thoughts of harm from one to another are so remote, that the atmosphere is strikingly serene and almost without care.

It was great meeting you Bjorn, and look forward to all future firearms-totin' events together.

[BjornF16]

[KentuckyBuddha]

I have a .243 Savage with the accutrigger, and I like it as well. Making a grendel like yours is awfully tempting!

[JASmith]

Finally getting back to project. I had tried removing the factory barrel using wood barrel vice and the Savage barrel nut wrench, but no go - barrel twisted in wood blocks (didn't have any resin).

I decided to get an action wrench since it works for both Savage and Rem 700's. Much easier this way...

I had a similar experience when I swapped the .243 barrel for the .20 Grendel in my Model 16. We ended with a very large mechanics vice, rubber straps, the resin and a very strong person whacking on the nut wrench.

Things got easier when we remembered that the darned barrel nut acts like a stop nut and that we had to turn in the opposite direction! (There are now only a few dings in the nut wrench...)

Nonetheless, the action wrench looks like an excellent alternative!

[KentuckyBuddha]

I have a .243 Savage with the accutrigger, and I like it as well. Making a grendel like yours is awfully tempting!

Resisting temptation is not a real strong suit for me. Soooooo, my plan to shamelessly copy Bjorn's grendel bolt action is officially underway as I have now ordered the self-same Savage 10 7.62x39 base rifle though with a stainless select match Shillen 20" in 1/9 and threaded for comp or can. I am sure I am not the only one that would love an update on this thread with your thoughts on the components you chose and pictures of your weapon after her "makeover".

[ricsmall]

where did you order from KB?