What calibers has everyone experimented with in an Axis?

[WinnieTheBoom]

As the title states... what calibers have y'all successfully [and safely] 'shoehorned' into an Axis action? I know I've seen at least one .300wm, but how about others? Other mags? 7mms? Wildcats?

How about we put together a comprehensive list, and maybe some of the modifications (if any) needed to run certain calibers? I have a hankering to build another rifle, but I've always wondered if I could build an Axis to shoot just as well as the 110s I've done.

Post 'em up!

- 204 Ruger
- 222 Remington
- 22/250 Remington
- 22/250 AI
- 243 win
- 243 AI
- 6mm Dasher
- 6mm-06
- 260 Rem
- 6.5 Creedmoor
- 6.5x55
- 6.5-06
- 270 Win
- 284 Win
- 7x57
- 280 AI
- 308 Win
- 300/350 Remington Mag
- 300 WM
- 300 WSM (?)
- 338 Edge (?)

[drybean]

6.5 creed
6 dasher

[Rosco]

.204 Ruger ...shot just as well as my 110's.

[Hotolds442]

Calibers? 20,22,24,26,27,28,30,35.

[WinnieTheBoom]

Calibers? 20,22,24,26,27,28,30,35.

You know what I meant.

FIFY... "ROUNDS."

[Hotolds442]

You know what I meant.

FIFY... "ROUNDS."

Oh, you mean "chamberings"

204 Ruger
222 Remington
22/250 Remington
22/250 AI
243 AI
6mm/06
260 Remington
6.5x55
6.5/06
270/300 WinMag
284 Winchester
7x57
280 AI
300/350 Remington Mag
300 WSM
350 Remington Mag

I have a friend who bought 20 Axis rifles, and wanted some very specific chamberings for his collection. He brought everything over and we went to work.

Myself, wouldn't own one.

[WinnieTheBoom]

Good Lord I hope you're kidding.

I don't know much about much, but a .300WSM sounds like a failure waiting to happen in an Axis. Everything else I could see fitting (maybe with the exception of the .300wm) without much issue.

[Hotolds442]

Good Lord I hope you're kidding.

I don't know much about much, but a .300WSM sounds like a failure waiting to happen in an Axis. Everything else I could see fitting (maybe with the exception of the .300wm) without much issue.

So you're saying the Axis isn't as strong as the 10-110 series?
I see no problems shooting a WSM on a small shank action as long as you keep it to sane levels. I'd even build a 338 Edge on a small shank, and probably will.

[DrThunder88]

I have a .338 Edge barrel on order from Apache and a lonely Axis receiver waiting to meet it.

The only other unusual Axis chambering I have is .450 Bushmaster, which I still haven't gotten to feed correctly. It's otherwise very functional.

[yobuck]

Its only a matter of time until someone gets hurt really bad or worse by fooling around like this.
I guess my age has had an affect on some of my opinions. But I still think its best to err on the
safe side as opposed to the opposite. Most reputable/experienced gunsmiths will refuse to chamber certain
cartridges on just any action someone brings them. People get away with it because the guns aren't
fired enough for the problems to show up in some cases. But be prepared for there to eventually
be bang bang followed by boom. When that happens the bolt will (probably) hold, but everthing else
blows off and guess who is sitting right behind all of it? The smart gunsmiths don't want it being them
even if they aren't the shooter. Shawn Carlock is the guy credited with creating the 338 Edge.
I would like to be standing nearby to watch his facial expression when asked about putting one on
one of these actions.

[WinnieTheBoom]

yobuck, I'm of the same mindset.

Chamberings that were never intended to be put in certain actions. It's like people don't hear about catastrophic failures and just assume that everything will be fine. I have zero evidence to suggest that the Axis action is not as strong as a 10/110, but the point remains - I'm not sure Savage engineered/manufactured any of these actions with the intent of seeing WSM/Edge pressure levels.

Guess it's just me, but I prefer to err on the side of caution. You know, "that could have been bad." vs. "oh ****."

[Lonewulf]

I like safety myself, I have a
axis .223
HB 22-250 and a 6.5 creedmoor
have a .243 in 110E from 30 years ago that looks brand new or I would get a HB Axis .243 :)
if I want a 308 I will buy a new gun and go from there with add ons for it

[yobuck]

Well it can be argued that a 243 can be as dangerous as any, and I am aware of all that.
But doubleing the powder charge or even more seems to me at least more potential to set
the lugs back.

[ivob]

i do not have that much time on my hands to switch this to that - if i want a specific cartridge I will go to a local gun shop and purchase the rifle in that offering

[WinnieTheBoom]

One could argue that it takes less time to swap a barrel than going to your LGS and purchasing a rifle in the chambering that you want...

[hornet112]

working up loads for a 250 savage on a left handed axis

[red caddy 51]

I'm on the opposite end of the "power scale" I'm working with .223 case head dimensions, .223, 7.62 X 25, 22 TCM, 300 blackout, 9mm, 7 TCU, 6mm TCU, several others are still in the pipeline. The 7mm TCU and the 7.62 X 25 have been the most impressive so far...

Paul