Savage 110 custom build - 7mm Valkyrie

[chuckhammer]

Here's a summary of the improved version of a 7mm-300 Win Mag I drew up for my first custom rifle build. I named it the 7mm Valkyrie after both the buxom blonde "chooser of the slain" from Norse mythology and after the incredible XB-70 Valkyrie bomber from the 1960s.

I chose the Savage 110 due to the barrel nut and floating bolt head. Both of these features make for a very home gunsmith-friendly build. I managed to keep the total cost below $1500 for the whole rig. As a result, some of the parts are not cream-of-the-crop but I believe they will serve me perfectly well for now.

First shots are shown at the bottom! These five were touched off on Sunday 12/8 and were only the 11th through 15th shots ever fired from the rifle. Yes, that is two bullets that formed a single nearly concentric hole. My goal is to find a FAST 1/2 MOA load at 100 yds and then move out to longer distances. I have several different powders and bullets to try so it may take a couple of hundred shots before I reach that point.

All in all, I am very pleased with how it's turned out thus far.

 

[calib]

any groups yet? i did a 7-300 win and am getting 3170 out of my 180 bergers, though some guys on here didn't think, they swore it wouldn't happen. tiny clover leaf at 200

 

[chuckhammer]

Calib,
I recall your 7-300WM post, very cool.

The shot group I mentioned up top has an associated photo at the bottom. The html was screwy but it should be working now.

 

[chuckhammer]

In case anyone is interested, I did my fire-forming in the bullet-less "cream of wheat" manner. I loaded 16gr of Bullseye powder with a compressed column of cornmeal over it, topped off with a 1/4 sheet of single-ply toilet paper. The Valkyrie case you see in the second pic in my original post was formed in this manner and had not yet been fired at full pressure with a bullet. Now that I have fired some full-pressure rounds, the shoulder-to-body junction came out nice and sharp. I'll post a pic showing loaded rounds of 300WM, 7-300WM, fire-formed 7 Valkyrie, and fully-formed 7 Valkyrie.

 

[calib]

when using that method, did you just go outside and crack them off or? i have never done the cream of wheat method, just because i use the fire forms to shoot or hunt with, but may want to try some time

 

[chuckhammer]

I live in a suburban neighborhood so there's no "cracking them off outside," unfortunately.

I bought a used beer keg (15.5 gallon, a "half barrel") and modified it to serve as a type of "fire-forming suppressor" in my garage. I removed the ball-check valve, spring, and 1" diameter tube that runs from the top all the way to nearly the base of the keg. This made the full internal volume available to diffuse the ejecta plume. I then poured in 4" of landscaping sand and leveled it off to protect the base of the keg and also reduce the blast effects. I place a folded rag with a slot cut in the middle over the keg's entry hole. The muzzle is then pressed against the rag and the trigger is pulled. The net result is no hearing protection needed. I'm happy.

 

[mj2evans]

I used chocolate malt-o-meal to form 243AI cases at the range. Funny to see people look around and try to figure out why the smell chocolate.

 

[chuckhammer]

Funny! Mine is supposed to smell like corn muffins baking but the smell of 16 gr of Bullseye going off kind of overpowers it.

 

[Danny1788]

I use a cardboard box with an old blanket inside of it. tape the box on every seam with duck tape and then cut a small hole on one side. Put the box up against a flat surface I use the door in my garage. stick your barrel in the one hole and make sure it is a tight seal. Cuts sound down a lot.