CavReconScout
08-30-2015, 10:31 PM
A couple years ago I received a Savage Axis 223 as a gift from my wife. It was always a pretty good shooter, but I wasn't happy with the stock and decided to rebuild it. I picked up a Boyd's stock, a 26" Criterion barrel (223 Match chamber) from NSS, a SAV-1 trigger, and sent it off for CDI bottom metal. A local smith pillar bedded it, assembled it, and did the detail work. I think he did a great job. I topped it off with a Sightron SIII 3.5x10 I've had for a couple of years. It looks a lot different than it did with the flimsy black stock!
http://i1331.photobucket.com/albums/w581/jrm5787/Mobile%20Uploads/238CC92F-BCCC-4D5C-B014-011284FC83B6_zpszthfa71c.jpg
http://i1331.photobucket.com/albums/w581/jrm5787/Mobile%20Uploads/8421ABBB-46D3-4CE6-AE09-EABF2CB6E2D4_zps1xejju91.jpg
http://i1331.photobucket.com/albums/w581/jrm5787/Mobile%20Uploads/2DAE8E7B-21FB-43F5-A62C-61C911A802B7_zpsagrw9xvz.jpg
http://i1331.photobucket.com/albums/w581/jrm5787/Mobile%20Uploads/D4DB69BF-9004-4E5F-A25B-CF233F03D371_zps3csdgwo6.jpg
I had a load that was worked up for the original barrel with a Nosler 80gr HPBT, 24.1gr Re15, Wolf primer, and LC brass. This was the 25th-30th shot through the barrel:
http://i1331.photobucket.com/albums/w581/jrm5787/Mobile%20Uploads/45FBF4A2-2D4C-4BBF-BE31-A61311D109DC_zpsfrllh491.jpg
The rifle was shooting so well that when a fly landed on my target the spotter dared me to shoot it. I hit it, it was probably the luckiest shot of my life:
http://i1331.photobucket.com/albums/w581/jrm5787/Mobile%20Uploads/A20E78A4-6513-4A13-9D0F-5286A6A84BF1_zpsjzobgfh3.jpg
I went out again today and this barrel just seems to keep shooting better with each outing. This was a 5 shot group at 100 yards prone off a bipod and rear bag:
http://i1331.photobucket.com/albums/w581/jrm5787/Mobile%20Uploads/FF09FF50-DA32-4D0D-AD4D-B38269ED2B14_zpswf1rkgsq.jpg
This is a 10 shot group with the Magnetospeed Sporter attached (The shot to the left was a called flyer!):
http://i1331.photobucket.com/albums/w581/jrm5787/Mobile%20Uploads/2D1C7044-7F9C-4CEE-B749-E974C2A666B4_zps4twisjwa.jpg
I am pretty happy with how this project turned out. I think the rifle looks great, and it is definitely a shooter!
http://i1331.photobucket.com/albums/w581/jrm5787/Mobile%20Uploads/238CC92F-BCCC-4D5C-B014-011284FC83B6_zpszthfa71c.jpg
http://i1331.photobucket.com/albums/w581/jrm5787/Mobile%20Uploads/8421ABBB-46D3-4CE6-AE09-EABF2CB6E2D4_zps1xejju91.jpg
http://i1331.photobucket.com/albums/w581/jrm5787/Mobile%20Uploads/2DAE8E7B-21FB-43F5-A62C-61C911A802B7_zpsagrw9xvz.jpg
http://i1331.photobucket.com/albums/w581/jrm5787/Mobile%20Uploads/D4DB69BF-9004-4E5F-A25B-CF233F03D371_zps3csdgwo6.jpg
I had a load that was worked up for the original barrel with a Nosler 80gr HPBT, 24.1gr Re15, Wolf primer, and LC brass. This was the 25th-30th shot through the barrel:
http://i1331.photobucket.com/albums/w581/jrm5787/Mobile%20Uploads/45FBF4A2-2D4C-4BBF-BE31-A61311D109DC_zpsfrllh491.jpg
The rifle was shooting so well that when a fly landed on my target the spotter dared me to shoot it. I hit it, it was probably the luckiest shot of my life:
http://i1331.photobucket.com/albums/w581/jrm5787/Mobile%20Uploads/A20E78A4-6513-4A13-9D0F-5286A6A84BF1_zpsjzobgfh3.jpg
I went out again today and this barrel just seems to keep shooting better with each outing. This was a 5 shot group at 100 yards prone off a bipod and rear bag:
http://i1331.photobucket.com/albums/w581/jrm5787/Mobile%20Uploads/FF09FF50-DA32-4D0D-AD4D-B38269ED2B14_zpswf1rkgsq.jpg
This is a 10 shot group with the Magnetospeed Sporter attached (The shot to the left was a called flyer!):
http://i1331.photobucket.com/albums/w581/jrm5787/Mobile%20Uploads/2D1C7044-7F9C-4CEE-B749-E974C2A666B4_zps4twisjwa.jpg
I am pretty happy with how this project turned out. I think the rifle looks great, and it is definitely a shooter!