Savage Grendel Options

[JASmith]

I used the Model 16 Weather Warrior in 243 Win as the starting point for my 20 Grendel project.

I had no serious challenges beyond those one encounters from not having done it before.

Have fun and good luck!

[FW Conch]

As an addition to this thread, I just found out Gun Shack is offering a group buy on Savage prefit ER Shaw barrels.Eleven 264 offerings, including the Grendel. Eight 30cal offerings. Price is $199 plus shipping, 2 to 4 months delivery. The order will go in Jan 28. Call Noemi at 210 858 6882 to inquire or place order.

Just when I am fat dumb and happy with My 16 Savage barrels, this pops up. Let's see...a 260ai, Criedmoore, 47 L, PRC ???

Oh the decisions. I think I'm having an anxiety attack:confused:

[Frontier Gear]

I put mine together using a Savage 11 receiver. For the ppc bolt head I just used the same extractor and components from the 223 bolt. I reused the 223 mag and just played with the lips until it fed without issues. The mag will let you load up to 2.4” and some change. I believe it is the same plastic bottom mag used in the axis. Mine was a bottom bolt release configuration. Everything works as it should.

From what I can tell, the Savage 223 and the 7.62x39 mags are blocked in the back of the mag and the bolts have and additional piece that keeps them from cycling all the way back. Is yours that way?

[Frontier Gear]

I used the Model 16 Weather Warrior in 243 Win as the starting point for my 20 Grendel project.

I had no serious challenges beyond those one encounters from not having done it before.

Have fun and good luck!

What type of feed system does yours use (detachable mag, hinged floor plate, etc...)? Did you have to bend the feedlips any or make any other modifications? I've talked with guys who have tried to make 7.62x39 rifles out of a Savage 243 and had issues with the round diving down as the bolt was moving forward and stripping the round from the mag.

[Frontier Gear]

I added this to post number 4 as well. These guys make an extractor that is supposed to work well on steel cased ammo. The guys shooting steel case 7.62x39 Savages swear by them. That would be good for the Wolf Grendel ammo. Click on "Bolt Parts" and look for "Improved Extractor Kit" at the bottom of the page.

https://www.sharpshootersupply.com/

[Frontier Gear]

Think I'm bout to order a mag and run a few test on it.

A5, After a little more research I believe that the 223 and 7.62x39 mags have a block to keep the round from going too far back into the mag. I'm not sure what the internal coal length measurement would be. Did you order one up for testing?

[A5BLASTER]

A5, After a little more research I believe that the 223 and 7.62x39 mags have a block to keep the round from going too far back into the mag. I'm not sure what the internal coal length measurement would be. Did you order one up for testing?

No not yet

[bowhunter]

I can't say much about the grendel side of things, but I did build up my 22-250 up from a savage axis. shaw barrel, timney trigger, boyds stock, and a bedding job. Besides being a long action, its the most accurate rifle I own.

[s3silver]

From what I can tell, the Savage 223 and the 7.62x39 mags are blocked in the back of the mag and the bolts have and additional piece that keeps them from cycling all the way back. Is yours that way?

Yes, it has a block in the mag to push the rounds forward. The baffle behind the bolt has an extension to shorten the bolt stroke by about 5/8 - 3/4” (will have to measure that). The extended baffle is around $10 on ebay. The 2.4+” measurement is from the block to the front of the mag so you can load up to 2.4” col if your barrel is throated for it.

PM me if you want to see some pics of the mag and baffle.

[Frontier Gear]

PM me if you want to see some pics of the mag and baffle.

PM sent. Please do post some pictures of your Savage.

Ok A5,
I'm about ready to pull the trigger on this thing. My confidence in success is going up anyways. From what I can tell a Savage Axis in 223 would be the best place to start, and there are a ton of them out there. I'm looking at a used one for less than $250. Trigger, stock, bolt handle, etc... could all be upgraded later if this thing feeds reliably. Another cool thing is that I could keep the 223 barrel and put it back on the Savage later. That way, if it does feed well and I want a nicer rifle I could sell it as a 223 and keep the Grendel barrel for another build off of a model 10 or model 16.

[Frontier Gear]

From another thread, but a great idea.

I thought about the lack of feed lips being a problem and thought that a setup similar to a browning A-bolt with box mag attached to floor plate may be the best route. Not ideal but they feed reliably and don’t stick out. Just a thought

http://www.65grendel.com/forum/showthrea...post220197

So I checked and a Howa mag fits perfectly inside a Savage mag width wise. In my Savage 7mm mag body, the How mag slides right up inside it. It looks like the Howa feed lips would go right to the same level as the Savage feed lips (see item 1 below for more details). The idea being that you cut down a Howa mag and spring but toss out the bottom plate. Remove the follower and spring from the Savage mag and insert the Howa mag along with it's follower and spring. Cap it off with the Savage bottom plate. You could probably even window the front of the Howa mag and position it back a ways so that you could use longer bullets. Positioning the Howa mag front-to-back would be easy enough with some blocks on either end. I did some playing around by positioning a Howa mag right where I would want it in a Savage action and it works.

Here are the three gotcha's that I can see.

1. The Savage mag has some bends in the sheet metal in front of the feed lips to help prevent the follower from tilting. These get in the way and would have to be dealt with. Probably best to grind them out.
   
2. You might get three rounds in the Howa mag after cutting it that short. Two would be easy, three maybe. You would just have to try it and see.
   
3. When cutting down the height of the Howa mag, you would have to get it so that the bolt head just skims over the top of the feed lips. The Howa feed lips come up pretty high on the case so there isn't much room for error. Cut it too short and it is a throw away.
   

[klr]

Another option for a donor Savage is the 12 FV. It has a shorter action, accutrigger, and much better stock than an axis. The varmint take-off barrels often sell for $100-$125.

http://https://www.cabelas.com/product/S...994604.uts

[Cowdog]

These guys make an extractor that is supposed to work well on steel cased ammo. The guys shooting steel case 7.62x39 Savages swear by them. That would be good for the Wolf Grendel ammo. Click on "Bolt Parts" and look for "Improved Extractor Kit" at the bottom of the page.
https://www.sharpshootersupply.com/

I have their Improved Extractor kit in my Savage 116 30-06 and you can certainly tell the difference.
Well worth the $20 and only takes 5 minutes to install. By the way it is an extractor and ejector and sprint and retaining ball. Will put these in every Savage I get.

[s3silver]

I have their Improved Extractor kit in my Savage 116 30-06 and you can certainly tell the difference.
Well worth the $20 and only takes 5 minutes to install. By the way it is an extractor and ejector and sprint and retaining ball. Will put these in every Savage I get.

Are the extractor kits in stock?

[Cowdog]

You would need to contact Sharp Shooter Supply. They do not have an online ordering system and you have to call or email or snail mail an order form. I bought mine from Tactical Works, who resells some of Sharp Shooter Supplies parts but I cannot find it on their website any longer.
It is Fred and his wife Lisa and it looks like Fred took ill and they have not been able to get orders out in a timely manner. Probably why Tactical Works no longer shows their parts on their website. Just looked at Brownells and they have discontinued all of the Sharp Shooter Supply parts also. Not looking good.

[Harpoon1]

Are the extractor kits in stock?

Not sure what caliber your having problems with but, have you tried using a 9/64” ball bearing under your current extractor? It’s the next size up from the factory part and often that’s enough to markedly improve your extraction. For some reason, the Creedmoors ship with a 3-corner extractor and angled ejector, mine were pitiful right from the factory.

Anyway, I purchased the full kits replacing the springs, extractors and ejectors, in 3 of my 4 Creedmoor before I found out the larger ball bearing was often enough solve the problem.

Sure enough, it worked in both a 110 LW Creedmoor and a 110 223.

I found the ball bearings on Amazon, if your lazy like me.


FWIW: I saw your post over on the Savage forum, not sure why they didn’t tell you about checking with the “GunShack”. Maybe they are no longer a sponsor.

Anyway, here’s the link to the kits I used. And be advised those kits come with the standard size ball bearing.

http://www.gunshack.com/savage-parts/sav...-parts-kit

[Cowdog]

I found the ball bearings on Amazon, if your lazy like me.

Thanks for the info. Will just try the ball bearing on my next Savage build.
It will be a Grendel. Just will be a while before I get to it
Here is a link to the ball bearing size you specified on Amazon.
Do these look right to you?
[URL="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01AX6XNXQ/?coliid=I1UIBQXJ1RMUMN&colid=3RGUG2XGCW0C7&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it"]https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01AX6XNXQ/?coliid=I1UIBQXJ1RMUMN&colid=3RGUG2XGCW0C7&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

[/URL]

[Harpoon1]

Thanks for the info. Will just try the ball bearing on my next Savage build.
It will be a Grendel. Just will be a while before I get to it
Here is a link to the ball bearing size you specified on Amazon.
Do these look right to you?
[URL="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01AX6XNXQ/?coliid=I1UIBQXJ1RMUMN&colid=3RGUG2XGCW0C7&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it"]https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01AX6XNXQ/?coliid=I1UIBQXJ1RMUMN&colid=3RGUG2XGCW0C7&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

[/URL]

Those are exactly the ones I purchased........bag of 25!

[Frontier Gear]

Well since nobody bit on the eBay bolt head, I went ahead and got it. If nothing else, I know I can make a single shot Savage in 6.5 Grendel or I'll just re-sell the bolt head. Savage is king of like the AR of bolt actions. If you don't like something about it, simply swap that part out or change the caliber.

[Cowdog]

Those are exactly the ones I purchased........bag of 25!

Thanks! 25 will be a lifetime supply but for $5.95 including shipping I am not complaining.