Axis in .300 Winchester Magnum

[DrThunder88]

Some time ago, I got my Apache barrel installed on the Maxis project and have been dinking around with getting it out to the range for accuracy testing. Today, I finally got it, my match ammo, and another rifle to shoot while the barrel cooled down to the range. The results are pretty encouraging!

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e310/DrThunder88/Guns/maxis%201.2%20full%20800_zpszyurdryy.png (http://s42.photobucket.com/user/DrThunder88/media/Guns/maxis%201.2%20full%20800_zpszyurdryy.png.html)
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e310/DrThunder88/Guns/Maxis%201.2%20action%20800_zpsavfluqnc.png (http://s42.photobucket.com/user/DrThunder88/media/Guns/Maxis%201.2%20action%20800_zpsavfluqnc.png.html)
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e310/DrThunder88/Guns/Maxis%201.2%20target%20800_zpsmomqsmo0.png (http://s42.photobucket.com/user/DrThunder88/media/Guns/Maxis%201.2%20target%20800_zpsmomqsmo0.png.html)

Apart from possibly offending a nearby shooter after yanking the trigger on the last shot of the string, shooting went very well. The Hornady 195gr match ammo left a group 0.45" across the main cluster and 0.77" with the called flier. The heavy barrel, recoil pad, and muzzle brake soaked up a good deal of the recoil, making it very comfortable from the bench.

Components:

Stainless Axis action (formerly .270 Win)
Timney trigger
Stainless Apache Gun Works .300 Win Mag varmint contour barrel with 5/8"-24 muzzle threads
Boyds Pro Varmint long action in pepper laminate with 1" Pachymar recoil pad
SWFA SS 12x42mm
EGW 20MOA Picatinny rail
UTG max strength rings
Some kind of muzzle brake and crush washer
Bit of 1/8" gray Kydex and hardware for the cheekpiece


Work done:

Installing a small shank magnum barrel in the Axis action was the easy part. As mentioned in a previous thread, the most difficult task was to fit a magnum bolt head, but it was done mainly with hand tools.
I pillared and bedded the stock with brass pipe and Devcon. I also had to open the barrel channel and replace the plastic trigger guard with a stainless one.
The cheekpiece is a simple design of my own. I haven't cut slots for adjusting the height but haven't found it necessary yet.


I was going to try my Spike's Dynacomp, but I couldn't get the timing right with the crush washer I had on the gun. Interestingly, when I switched back to the unknown brake my POI seemed to have shifted a mil to the left.

[upSLIDEdown]

That's one great looking stick, and a great looking group. Congrats on a great build! That's one beast of a bolt knob too! I like it.

[sixonetonoffun]

Looks like the real deal to me :-)

[BlueDog]

Doc, that is a beautiful rifle. I'm glad to see the Axis is beginning to get legitimized. What are you doing for a magazine?

[DrThunder88]

Thanks! The magazine is part number 109179 from the magnum Trophy Hunters. It fits and functions without modification in a long action stock. The bolt knob is an oval knob from McMaster-Carr. Phenolic over a threaded brass insert. I ground flats onto it to decrease the average diameter (from 1 1/8") and to make it a bit more handsome.

[foxx]

Nice!

[Rosco]

That is one fine looking rig! How is the muzzle blast on that thing?

[DrThunder88]

The muzzle blast is significant but not particularly skull-rattling. I only needed an earplug on my right side because my earmuffs kept getting dislodged from my face by the cheekpiece. My left ear seemed fine just under the earmuff.

I don't know how my neighbors at the range felt about the side-blast exactly. The DNR range has a noise-abatement baffle system, and I was the only one in my bay.