223 Barrel Cut

[gerard488]

Thinking of shortening my Savage Axis 223 barrel to make it a more compact truck gun. Planning to replace the stock and cut the barrel to 18 or 20 inch. I can do the work myself so I`m not worried about cost.

Just wondering, Has anyone here ever cut one of those barrels ? Anyone have any thoughts on what it will do to accuracy? I plan to give the rifle a trigger job and free float the barrel. Using the axis because it is a cheap rifle to start with and not such a money loss if it turns out bad

[gerard488]

Thanks for your response, now I`m wondering, why do I need a lathe? Can`t I just cut the barrel with a bandsaw as long as I make a clean perpendicular cut, then use a crown cutter and cut an 11 degree crown? As for the stock, I can build my own, I have built shotgun stocks, acoustic guitars and a lot of different woodworking projects so I feel confident about a stock. I will post pics when I do.
You are right, the barrel is free floating, but the stock is flimsy and may touch the barrel if resting the forend on anything such as a bipod.
Again, I appreciate any ideas and information that might help make it easier or even Info that coninces me to just leave it as is

[CJnWy]

I took a sawsall to 30-06 and 243 rifle barrels to fit the Stryker. Must have gotten lucky twice as the 30-06 has droped goats past 500 yards and the 243 has gotten a prairi dog that far also.
What I did was cut them a .25" longer with the thought of haveing them crowned if nessisary=it wasnt ;-)

[quickkillaught6]

I am intrigued with this thread already, Gmac5 you are correct to do it the right way is always best but Gerard, Do what you need to and post pics of groups before and after. I personally cut a muzzle loader down 4" from its 26" previous state with a hacksaw. we only did this because it had more rust in it than rifling. after cutting the barrel we smoothed it up just the sharp edges and took it to the range (expecting shot gun patterns) 2 (777( pellets and a 295 green hp powerbelt bullet spit patched between shots the gun shot basically 1 large ragged hole at 100 yards after gettin on paper at 50..... sooooo what can it hurt rifle $277.00 walmart see what happens. no axis rifle that i know of out of the box will shoot at the 600 yard line with custom rifles anyways. I say cut it down :-)

[CJnWy]

Shotgun patterns.......Now that right there is funny I dont care who ya r LOL
He asked, I just posted my results and to be honest the 30-06 barrel will probably get crowned. The 243 sporter barrel shot good before it was cut and right now I'm kickin myself for cutting it to 15.25 instead of 16.25 because it would make a great barrel for the Axis(it shoots as good as any barrel in the safe!). As it is though its a pistol barrel and nothing more :-(
I've got an Axis that I put a Shaw 6.5-284 barrel on and there is a fair shootin 25-06 barrel for it too. Neither barrel is anything great and like the OP I have considered cutting the barrels back a tad to see it it helps.....I may have a smith cut and crown them but?
One things sure untill you get to 16" it can always be redone.

[Blue Avenger]

Calm down Gary LOL Some people do not have a lathe. Most do not have a lathe. There are a few here that barely have the disposable income to but a hacksaw, so the chop saw method is out also. There going to do what Granddad did in the old days. Hacksaw with broken teeth & the wrong tooth count! Then crown with a brass head screw in a drill! Just sends shivers down your spine when people cobble guns.

[thirty06]

I don't have access to a lathe and the nearest gunsmith is 60 mi. away.
I use a tubing cutter to mark the barrel and a hacksaw (with all the teeth).
It works for me. I figure the results are more important than how you got there.

[82boy]

Calm down Gary LOL Some people do not have a lathe. Most do not have a lathe. There are a few here that barely have the disposable income to but a hacksaw, so the chop saw method is out also. There going to do what Granddad did in the old days. Hacksaw with broken teeth & the wrong tooth count! Then crown with a brass head screw in a drill! Just sends shivers down your spine when people cobble guns.

One of the best shooting 22/250s I have ever shot was done this way. He built the gun back in the late 1940's and the barrel was too long for his liking, so he cut it off with a hacksaw, and crowned it with a rounded stone in a drill. THIS GUN FLAT OUT SHOOOTS!!!! There is always more than one way to skin a cat.

Sometimes people ate a bit too anal about a crown, I remember Precision Shooting had an article where the gun cut nicks, beat on the croen, and ran a drill bit down about 2 inches of the barrel at the muzzel, and none of it made a bit of diference, in fact when he ran the drill down the muzzel it shot tighter groups.

[gerard488]

Originally Posted by Blue Avenger
"Calm down Gary LOL Some people do not have a lathe. Most do not have a lathe. There are a few here that barely have the disposable income to but a hacksaw, so the chop saw method is out also. There going to do what Granddad did in the old days. Hacksaw with broken teeth & the wrong tooth count! Then crown with a brass head screw in a drill! Just sends shivers down your spine when people cobble guns."

Some people are also too anal about thinking that their way is the only way.
Not everyone cobbles a gun, Not everyone does it the way grandpa did and not everyone can`t afford to buy a hacksaw.

I Don`t have a lathe, but I do have a brain that I use regurlarly and is fully functional. I believe in learning how to do things safe and right, I also believe that the world has advanced as much as it has because people were not afraid to try. We all know that most gunsmiths can cut and crown a barrel properly but I don`t believe they are the only ones who can. If Christopher Colombus had felt the way that some of you guys do, Where would we be today? Just remember that the Ark was built by amateurs and the titanic and bismarc were built by professionals

[squawsach]

The hack saw and improvised crowning method will work, sometimes. You will hear stories of barrels being cut with a dremel tool and crowned by rubbing it on a brick wall and it shoots lights out all day long.:confused: Just know that the odds are against it when you use a DIY substitute for a correct cut and crown. It's your barrel, hack away and good luck with the project.

[quickkillaught6]

This is greatness! Gmac I don't see why you need to appoligize to anyone, as members of what I think is the best rifle forum on the web, we are all in it together. That said: you have access to "the right equipment" and I'd say 80% of all long range shooters start out as machinists<because you are all anal retentive> Which is a great thing! When us amutores screw something up you guys know how to fix it and do it right, an treat everyone's weapon as though it was your own. Enginuity and thinking outside the box has its advantages aswell. Safety, like previously mentioned is always First priority, no if's an's or but's. When shortening a barrel like mentioned earlier there is more than one way to skin a cat. So nobody's right, or wrong and the diversity of the people I think makes for a great thing so we can all learn. As a mechanic I know what you machinists are thinking "oh lord the doctors gonna cut me open with a kitchen knife cuz he doesn't have the right tools" keep in mind in some countries that's the best way to get a black market kidney :-) great read guys can't wait to see how things turn out

[Nandy]

Gerard, I have never done that work but I have read about it here. First time I read it I was like "are you kidding me?" but heck, if it works then do it. I would not cut it to the minimum just to make sure that if it gets messed up it can be done by a smith. $50 is not really a bad price and I would probably pay it instead of trying that but that is me (I do my tinkering also).
I have 2 requests, if you can take pictures of the process and do a "how to" for the barrel shortening and specially for the home made gun stock that will be great. The only reason I have not bought an Axis yes is due to the lack of aftermarket stocks. I have heard of at least 2 people here that have done it and been successful that it has inspired me to try it but I always like to have as much info as possible.
Good luck, please keep us posted...

[Nandy]

I was not aware that the 110 stock could work. Will look into it, I think I still have my old stock somewhere in storage.

[Nandy]

A blind mag stock.

Yeah, that is what I have. Staggered feed blind mag.

[gerard488]

OK Folks, Haven`t fired a shot from my axis .223 yet but I have done a few things with it. I have cut the barrel at 19 1/4 inches and started working on crowning it. Started working on a new stock, building the first one out of Russian birch plywood just to see how it goes. Also built a neat bolt handle knob from the piece that was cut off the barrel. Hoping to post some pics and a range report in mid March. May seem crazy to cut the barrel without firing it first but if I ruin it, i don`t want to know how good it was before. I will post pics of the whole job.

[quickkillaught6]

Gerald! Keep us posted with plenty of pics looking forward to seeing

[gerard488]

How do I post pics?

[1ShotKing]

Here a few pics, posted on behalf of gerard488.

http://i627.photobucket.com/albums/tt353/kevink400/Gerards%20Savage%20Axis/028_zps0a292988.jpg

http://i627.photobucket.com/albums/tt353/kevink400/Gerards%20Savage%20Axis/029_zpsf9b4a7a7.jpg

http://i627.photobucket.com/albums/tt353/kevink400/Gerards%20Savage%20Axis/032_zpsa8842d51.jpg

http://i627.photobucket.com/albums/tt353/kevink400/Gerards%20Savage%20Axis/034_zps206145fa.jpg

[thomae]

How do I post pics?http://www.savageshooters.com/showthread.php?16607-The-ultimate-guide-to-posting-pictures-so-easy-a-caveman-can-do-it!
Please feel free to PM me if you have any problems.

[gerard488]

Thank You Thomae, Great Support