Budget axis build.

[Cru3rd]

So I picked up a savage axis in 30-06 for my wife to use this year. I mainly want to make it into a do-all gun for her/ the family. It will mostly be used for deer,hogs and other varmints but would also like to be able to take it to the range and step out a little further if we should want to.

I started out the build with a
Used savage axis 30-06 for $150
Egw 20 Moa base $32
Vortex 3-9x50 scope. $160
Used rings that came with gun $0
The claw sling $25
Boyd's thumb hole stock. $117
Sold the factory scope -$50
Total. $434

Now my question is for barrel and caliber. Would like something with less recoil for her but still plenty of knock down power. Looking at the E.R. Shaw barrels in .243 would this be a decent barrel and what twist.

Here it is as it sits until the stock arrives.

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/10/28/zyvy5u7a.jpg

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/10/28/6uzajase.jpg

[bootsmcguire]

I would look at the CBI barrels. Much better quality barrel. You will be happier.

For a twist it all depends on how heavy a bullet you want to shoot. Savage uses 1-9.25" twist on their 243's. You can run up to 100gr bullets on that twist. A 1-8" will let you pretty much shoot them all. I would say go 1-8" just to be safe as you will more likely be shooting 85gr and up bullets and the lil extra spin won't hurt.

Now if you decide to push say 55-58gr bullets as fast as they will go then the 1-8" may be too fast, but for your intended purposes I think the 1-8" will let you do it all.

[Cru3rd]

Ok so we're at .243 1-8 twist. Now would that twist still be fine on a 20-22" barrel? I want to try to keep it light and easy to handle in the woods.

[LoneWolf]

20-22" is a pretty standard length. Will get the job done for hunting!

[LoneWolf]

Although mostly stock it's looking pretty good. I like to green on it.

[Cru3rd]

Thanks, it's a budget build so not going crazy with it. I may even just try to find a ss .243 take off to go on it to keep cost down. I polished the trigger, sear, and pivot pin and changed out the spring bringing the pull weight down to 3.5lbs. I may end up ordering a rifle basix trigger for it on down the line.

[LoneWolf]

The Rifle Basix is sweet. I had it set about 2lbs safely in the factory stock and about 1.5lbs now in the SSS Stock. Upgrading that factory stock though will definitely change the consistency of the rifle!

[Cru3rd]

Yes I have the sav-2 on my .308 that I like. I ordered a Boyd's thumb hole so that should help some. I'll either have to open it up some for a varmint contour barrel or just go with a factory barrel in ss which is probably the route ill end up taking.

[bootsmcguire]

Check with Jim Briggs at N.S.S. and see if he has a new take-off for ya. Most of the time he has them available for a decent price.

[Cru3rd]

Will do thanks. I guess I need to become a paid member also.

[LoneWolf]

Also check Gun Shack. I was able to get my 308 barrel very quickly from there. They had stuff in stock and I was able to order from there before Jim had gotten back to me, but I hear Jim is very good people!

[bootsmcguire]

Yup Jim is a great guy to deal with, has plenty of knowledge and will get you started down the right path. He got me most of the parts for my first build and I've been building like crazy ever since.

I've heard good things about Gun Shack, but just never crossed paths with them. The buzz around here is good, so that says something.

[Cru3rd]

Ok can I do the barrel swap without a action wrench? I've heard mixed answers about using the recoil lug? I don't want to spend $75 on something I'm only going to use once.

[LoneWolf]

Action wrench made it a heck of a lot easier! I just plan to build more Savage rifles down the road!

They're to easy to work on!

Sent from my HTCEVOV4G using Tapatalk 2

[bootsmcguire]

I have swapped more than my fair share of Savage barrels and never owned an action wrench. Probably should get one one of these days, but just have not needed it. If I get a real stuck nut to where the bench vice and wood blocks wouldn't hold the barrel well enough, I have wrapped a little electrical tape around the recoil lug and used a large crecent wrench to hold it. However that method doesn't work too well on the Axis models. ;)

[Cru3rd]

ok,the boyds stock came in now to pillar and bed it. Any suggestions? Im looking at the bedding and pillars from stockys.
http://www.stockysstocks.com/servlet/the-531/Stocky%27s-Epoxy-Gel-%26/Detail

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/11/14/geheduhy.jpg

[Cru3rd]

Finally drill the Boyd's stock, put pillars in and bedded it . Pretty straight forward.

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/12/05/zu2yzeva.jpg
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/12/05/y2uqatan.jpg
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/12/05/qytysury.jpg
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/12/05/y3ude3eq.jpg
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/12/05/ugu7ypa5.jpg

[Cru3rd]

The back one didn't have a lot of material to work with. When I drilled for the rear pillar i did lose some material and it was right next to the cross member but worked out well once I bedded it, just took a little more work.

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/12/05/7y5y9ypa.jpg

I when ahead and drilled a hole for a safety indicator and filled it while I was at it.
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/12/05/y4y9eje3.jpg
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/12/05/erudymen.jpg

[jalmeter29]

awesome Cru3rd exactly what i wanted to see. .where did you get the pilers?

[Cru3rd]

I got them from a local ace hardware store. They where labeled as aluminum spacers and abot .60 each