savage barrel maker/what caliber?

ohihunter2014

New member
I'm thinking about rebarraling an axis 1 223rem to another caliber possibly in a varmint contour. anyone have a decent barrel maker that's not going to put me in the cost of a new rifle? How about a caliber for shooting varmints and paper?
 
What price point do you want to have?

It is hard to beat the 223 for colony shooting and it is certainly a good paper puncher.

The first step in planning a build is to choose a bullet and speed you want to see that bullet. Then you choose a chambering that will meet that speed requirement.
 
I use Jim at Bison Gunworks and it always turns out great. I have a 6mm BR that he spun up for my wife that can shoot in the .3's pretty consistently. He's currently doing a 6x45 on a Remington for me, can't wait to get it. He did my 338-06 also. Can't say enough good about Jim, and he's a [beeep] of a guy to talk to on the phone.

SHM
 
Originally Posted By: pahntr760What price point do you want to have?

It is hard to beat the 223 for colony shooting and it is certainly a good paper puncher.

The first step in planning a build is to choose a bullet and speed you want to see that bullet. Then you choose a chambering that will meet that speed requirement.

I'm not really caught up on speed I'm more for accuracy and affordable to shoot. I almost purchased a 308 a year or so ago and seen how much bullets were and said nope and went with a 223rem heavy barrel. Everything I read says its really only a 200yard gun and kind of sucks when your sitting in a woodchuck tower and guys are hitting woodchucks at 300-350yards with 250's. My thinking was rebarrel it and throw a boyds on it and a boyds on my heavy barrel or scrap that idead of almost 200 for a boyds and get a model 12 or 110.
 
Originally Posted By: ohihunter2014Originally Posted By: pahntr760What price point do you want to have?

It is hard to beat the 223 for colony shooting and it is certainly a good paper puncher.

The first step in planning a build is to choose a bullet and speed you want to see that bullet. Then you choose a chambering that will meet that speed requirement.

I'm not really caught up on speed I'm more for accuracy and affordable to shoot. I almost purchased a 308 a year or so ago and seen how much bullets were and said nope and went with a 223rem heavy barrel. Everything I read says its really only a 200yard gun and kind of sucks when your sitting in a woodchuck tower and guys are hitting woodchucks at 300-350yards with 250's. My thinking was rebarrel it and throw a boyds on it and a boyds on my heavy barrel or scrap that idead of almost 200 for a boyds and get a model 12 or 110.

Don't blindly believe what you read. I shoot PDs reliably to 300 yards with my precision AR, and do OK to 400. If I can shoot PDs you should have non issues hitting chucks.

Good news with a Savage is you aren't married to the bolt face just the action length. Never shot an Axis but assume it shares the changeable bolt head. If you want longer range but affordable shooting I'd recommend a 243. If you want to stick with the 223 bolt head you can shoot that, bump up to a 6X45, or neck down to 20 Practical to cut shooting cost considerably (but then you do really have a 300 yard gun with wind temperament).

They all have their advantages. For varmints, if range is an issue I have a 243AI, I take the precision AR in 223 for bulk shooting, as well as a 20 Practical, and just a couple days ago finished a 6X45.
 
Originally Posted By: springerOriginally Posted By: ohihunter2014Originally Posted By: pahntr760What price point do you want to have?

It is hard to beat the 223 for colony shooting and it is certainly a good paper puncher.

The first step in planning a build is to choose a bullet and speed you want to see that bullet. Then you choose a chambering that will meet that speed requirement.

I'm not really caught up on speed I'm more for accuracy and affordable to shoot. I almost purchased a 308 a year or so ago and seen how much bullets were and said nope and went with a 223rem heavy barrel. Everything I read says its really only a 200yard gun and kind of sucks when your sitting in a woodchuck tower and guys are hitting woodchucks at 300-350yards with 250's. My thinking was rebarrel it and throw a boyds on it and a boyds on my heavy barrel or scrap that idead of almost 200 for a boyds and get a model 12 or 110.

Don't blindly believe what you read. I shoot PDs reliably to 300 yards with my precision AR, and do OK to 400. If I can shoot PDs you should have non issues hitting chucks.

Good news with a Savage is you aren't married to the bolt face just the action length. Never shot an Axis but assume it shares the changeable bolt head. If you want longer range but affordable shooting I'd recommend a 243. If you want to stick with the 223 bolt head you can shoot that, bump up to a 6X45, or neck down to 20 Practical to cut shooting cost considerably (but then you do really have a 300 yard gun with wind temperament).

They all have their advantages. For varmints, if range is an issue I have a 243AI, I take the precision AR in 223 for bulk shooting, as well as a 20 Practical, and just a couple days ago finished a 6X45.

I have the confidence in myself but its the round performance I'm worried about. I know I'm supposed to be the big bad hunter and its just a chuck but I hate seeing them run off to a hole and slowly die. I did it to one and jacked another one as he was dragging himself across the field and hit him again but then this past summer I took a chance and hit one with 24gr of benchmark and 55gr v max at like 260yards and dropped him. Turned around and went to another farm and hit one at 90yards and he ran like 10ft.

when you say neck down to 20prac is that making a wildcat with another case?
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: ohihunter2014Originally Posted By: pahntr760What price point do you want to have?

It is hard to beat the 223 for colony shooting and it is certainly a good paper puncher.

The first step in planning a build is to choose a bullet and speed you want to see that bullet. Then you choose a chambering that will meet that speed requirement.

I'm not really caught up on speed I'm more for accuracy and affordable to shoot. I almost purchased a 308 a year or so ago and seen how much bullets were and said nope and went with a 223rem heavy barrel. Everything I read says its really only a 200yard gun and kind of sucks when your sitting in a woodchuck tower and guys are hitting woodchucks at 300-350yards with 250's. My thinking was rebarrel it and throw a boyds on it and a boyds on my heavy barrel or scrap that idead of almost 200 for a boyds and get a model 12 or 110.

A 223 is only a 200-yard gun? Laughable and purely drivel. If you can't kill a woodchuck at 500 yards with a 223, it isn't the headstamp that is the issue.

I never said anything about gaining speed, simply that the speed at which you wish to operate has input requirements. Figure out how fast that particular bullet needs to go to fulfill your needs.
 
Keep the 223 and buy one of the FV rifles from Cabela's in a larger caliber and have any distance covered. Barrel will run you $400+ and the tools to swap if you don't already have them.
 
Last edited:
Build a 12 or faster twist 220 Swift using one of the Criterion barrels. They go for around $330 shipped and shoot lights out, are hand lapped, easy to clean and cheap to load. Nothing better than a Swift IMO.
 
Originally Posted By: 1badsheeKeep the 223 and buy one of the FV rifles from Cabela's in a larger caliber and have any distance covered. Barrel will run you $400+ and the tools to swap if you don't already have them.

True advice.
 
You can buy a new barrel if you want, but a 223 will work for gh's out to 500 yds for sure. If you want to try something different why not have your 223 barrel re-chambered to a 223 Ack Imp.
 
Originally Posted By: whyYou can buy a new barrel if you want, but a 223 will work for gh's out to 500 yds for sure. If you want to try something different why not have your 223 barrel re-chambered to a 223 Ack Imp.

I take it i can use the same cases and bullets? Isnt that caliber for more benchrest type stuff?
 
The guy above is right. Just buy another rifle. It will cost you as much to re-barrel as it would to buy a new Savage Axis. Just make sure it has the twist to handle the larger bullets for those 500 yard targets. 1:9 or 1:8. in .22 cal anything.
 
No, 223 ack imp is not for benchrest. You have a gun smith re-chamber your barrel to an AI chamber and then you shoot standard 223 ammo in it and when you eject the empty it will be a 223 AI case and you load it using 223 AI dies. The new case will hold a little more powder and give you a little more velocity. You will still be able to shoot and hunt with standard 223 ammo if you want. Goggle 223 Ack imp. I am shooting 53 gr v max @ 3600 in mine and have killed gh's at 650 yds with it.
One more thing is that you won't need to trim your brass as often with an Ack Imp case.
 
Originally Posted By: ohihunter2014Originally Posted By: whyYou can buy a new barrel if you want, but a 223 will work for gh's out to 500 yds for sure. If you want to try something different why not have your 223 barrel re-chambered to a 223 Ack Imp.

I take it i can use the same cases and bullets? Isnt that caliber for more benchrest type stuff?

Asking this type of question shows the Ackley Improved rout is beyond your skill set at the moment. There is some more research needed before making that venture.
 
Originally Posted By: pahntr760Originally Posted By: ohihunter2014Originally Posted By: whyYou can buy a new barrel if you want, but a 223 will work for gh's out to 500 yds for sure. If you want to try something different why not have your 223 barrel re-chambered to a 223 Ack Imp.

I take it i can use the same cases and bullets? Isnt that caliber for more benchrest type stuff?

Asking this type of question shows the Ackley Improved rout is beyond your skill set at the moment. There is some more research needed before making that venture.

Don't you tell me what kind of skill set I have!! LOL. just joking, figured id make light of it.

Anyways, I looked into the AK improved and the first thing I see was put some powder and cream of wheat in there and fire away to fire from the case and I said yep, this is some crazy B.S. and wrote that one off real quick.
 
Based on what I seen with E.R shaw barrels was they give you the wrench and headspace gauges for about $200 so I figured that was my best bet but I guess not.
 
Back
Top