Savage AXIS conversion to 300WSM

[SixFive]

I had a guy bring me a Savage .308 rifle that he had drilled into the chamber while trying to put on a scope mount. I fitted a new barrel for him and he left the old one with me. I cut about .750 off the back to get rid of the hole and picked up the threads and cut new ones .750 forward. I then chambered it in 300WSM. Got a savage 110 LA magnum bolt head, machined it for the proper firing pin protrusion and built this AXIS into a magnum, Turned out pretty nice. Got it all head spaced tonight and a scope mounted.

This AXIS was originally in .308, I modified the magazine and it feeds like factory, but only holds two of the fat rounds in the mag

The Savage AXIS rifles are cheap but the receivers are built like TANKS and with a little work I can make them shoot as good as anything out there.

 

[Mark611]

I agree 100%

 

[Jonnyofalltrades]

An Axis in a wood stock? Never saw one of those before.
I have been favorably impressed by certain aspects of the Axis. The trigger is actually very tunable. Cheaply built, but a few minutes with the stones, and a crisp 2.5 lb is easily achieved.

 

[SixFive]

An Axis in a wood stock? Never saw one of those before.
I have been favorably impressed by certain aspects of the Axis. The trigger is actually very tunable. Cheaply built, but a few minutes with the stones, and a crisp 2.5 lb is easily achieved.

That is a Boyds stock the Axis is sitting in. You are correct, I can do magic with those triggers, in fact there is no need to buy fancy triggers for them at all, I can get them to break like glass rods from 1.5 to whatever I want.
Having built rifles on 4 different AXIS platforms now I have learned a little about them. One thing I see is every one I have built the factory machine work is of less quality than say the Savage 110, this is mostly from a fit and finish perspective like the receiver threads are not clean and the barrels are hard to get off as they are a bit tight versus a regular model Savage.

The receiver threads are easily cleaned up with a wire wheel and Dremel. The tooling marks on the inside of the receivers can be polished and lapped away making the actions feel like glass.

I usually square up the lugs and the receiver face on the lathe but they are no better or worse that any other rifle. Savage made sure they put attention to the critical areas. I only started messing with them because people were selling them super cheap, I figured I would see if they were good base receivers for little projects, mostly they are. So far I have built 4 incredibly accurate rifles based on the AXIS all shooting one ragged hole (less than .500 MOA at 100yards)
6.5-284 Norma
6mm Creedmoor HEAVY Barrel
6mm Creedmoor LIGHT Barrel
300WSM - Cannot say how accurate this is yet have not taken to the range or started working handloads.

 

[JB10]

Here is an axis in a wood stock. Savage offere them in wood. It comes this way but is from boyds. I made it a 6x45

 

[SixFive]

Here is an axis in a wood stock. Savage offere them in wood. It comes this way but is from boyds. I made it a 6x45

Hey JB out of curiosity what was your intention with the 6x45, hunting, target? I read about the round just never have shot one. My understanding is that it is a .223 necked up to 6mm? Interesting. Nice rifle too!

 

[JB10]

I built it for the heck of it. I will use it for target and coyotes mainly. Some times for prerrie dogs. Yes its just a 223 necked up to 6mm. Its very light recoil and fun to shoot. I just collected all the parts to build a 20 practical also. Will order the reamer next week.

 

[Mark611]

People can say what they want! I have a Savage M11 action that was a lightweight hunter model, That I spent a lot of time and money on to build, only used was the action and bolt, and everything else was built correctly off that action, it's a 308win build and all I can say is it's a 1/4''moa gun at 200m with my hand loads! I have not been able to stretch it out further due to my work schedule for many years, I'm planning to build another rifle off of the M12 action I have in .223rem to 6.5CM, my old gun smith who passed away 30yrs ago told me Savege builds very strong actions! clean them up and their very good! Which is what I have had done on my builds, I don't build them my friends at Walnut Creek armory in NC do, and they build me fantastic rifles that are built off my parts and requests to what I want done to them! which is about everything you can think of! being a southpaw shooter actions are not cheap! so the Savage actions work well for me!

 

[Ggmac]

Hey JB out of curiosity what was your intention with the 6x45, hunting, target? I read about the round just never have shot one. My understanding is that it is a .223 necked up to 6mm? Interesting. Nice rifle too!

Having done this many years ago when tha axis was first released , have you noticed how easy the bolt lift is compared to a savage 110-10 action? Look at the bolt cocking ramp compared to the 110 -10 . Much less agressive ramp . Only problem the old ones had was the 2 piece fp spring , with the occasional ftf .
I was shooting a 338 lap mag and a 338 RUMACKLEY in an axis with an accutrigger . Worked great , wore out my powder supplies fast .
I still haveone in 375 RUMACKLEY , but my shoulder cant take it anymore.

 

[SixFive]

Having done this many years ago when tha axis was first released , have you noticed how easy the bolt lift is compared to a savage 110-10 action? Look at the bolt cocking ramp compared to the 110 -10 . Much less agressive ramp . Only problem the old ones had was the 2 piece fp spring , with the occasional ftf .
I was shooting a 338 lap mag and a 338 RUMACKLEY in an axis with an accutrigger . Worked great , wore out my powder supplies fast .
I still haveone in 375 RUMACKLEY , but my shoulder cant take it anymore.

I did not realize you could fit a 338 Lapua Mag into an AXIS action! That is very cool, what di they do for the bolt face on that monster case, does savage sell a bolt head? Got me thinking....

 

[Ggmac]

I did not realize you could fit a 338 Lapua Mag into an AXIS action! That is very cool, what di they do for the bolt face on that monster case, does savage sell a bolt head? Got me thinking....

Yes the did , I think they still do . If not dont just open up a mag bolt . The lugs are larger on the Lapua . Single feed only , I never wanted to play with the mag feed .
I only use 41v50 steel , seeing what the thread to chamber measurements are .
It gives you an extra margin of safety . I used a straight 1.25” x 26 barrel , tamed the kick . The 375 has a gentry brake on it . The 338 Remington ulta mag Ackley holds as much powder as the 338 lapua . Even velocities with the same bullet were within sd of each load cartridge. Good luck

 

[SixFive]

Finally a range update!

You can cover all three holes with a dime (the picture looks bigger than it is). at 100 yards So success on converting a Savage Axis to 300 WSM. The rifle shoots very well, low recoil and accurate, I quess it is the only Axis 300WSM in existence? Mag feeds great also but only hold 2 rounds of these fatties.

LOAD:

67.5gr of Staball 6.5
168gr Federal Trophy Bonded (Tactical) bullet
Rem 9 1/2 Mag primer
COL=2.850
Light crimp

Sorry guys, I did not take the crono today