Axis II Barrel Upgrade

[berri100]

Looking to upgrade the barrel on my Axis II chambered in 30-06. Curious to hear what company's others have used and have had success with in terms of improving overall performance.

[Dave Hoback]

Are you currently having Accuracy issues? Accuracy is a byproduct of consistency. Consistency is not necessarily increased by swapping barrels. That said, barrels like Bartlien, Brux, Chriterion, Shilen, McGowen, Krieger & some others are all top shelf barrel makers. However, consistency does not come from simply installing a top shelf match grade barrel. It’s found through a coordinated system of parts that work together. And in conjunction with carefully worked up loads for that specific rifle.

[charlie b]

Which brand really depends on your funding and accuracy demands. I'd probably go with a Shilen for my Axis. Less than $500.

If I were serious about it I'd get a 12 target or Rem action and send it off to Bartlein. Let them true the action and fit the barrel.

[GrenGuy]

Charlie, IMO, if it is a factory Rem 700, the action needs to be trued to equal what a Savage Action is out the door. charlie, do You have experience with trued Savage actions ? I don’t mean what the Savage factory is calling trued. Any truing done on My actions, I have done Myself. This has lead to much smoother operation, which increases confidence, which can show up as better targets. But it would be good to hear from someone who has developed a baseline for a rifle, then had the action trued, and reported on the results, rather noticeable improvement or not.

[berri100]

Are you currently having Accuracy issues? Accuracy is a byproduct of consistency. Consistency is not necessarily increased by swapping barrels. That said, barrels like Bartlien, Brux, Chriterion, Shilen, McGowen, Krieger & some others are all top shelf barrel makers. However, consistency does not come from simply installing a top shelf match grade barrel. It’s found through a coordinated system of parts that work together. And in conjunction with carefully worked up loads for that specific rifle.

No I'm having no accuracy issues actually. But I want to get a muzzle brake on my Axis II and I've been told that the factory barrel is too small to thread. So I'm getting a slight bigger barrel so that it can fit the brake. I'll have to inlet the stock a bit, but eventually it will fit.

[Rednekz]

Just out of curiosity, have you checked to see if an Axis II Precision barrel will fit? Those are threaded.

[charlie b]

Charlie, IMO, if it is a factory Rem 700, the action needs to be trued to equal what a Savage Action is out the door. charlie, do You have experience with trued Savage actions ? I don’t mean what the Savage factory is calling trued. Any truing done on My actions, I have done Myself. This has lead to much smoother operation, which increases confidence, which can show up as better targets. But it would be good to hear from someone who has developed a baseline for a rifle, then had the action trued, and reported on the results, rather noticeable improvement or not.

Nope, no experience with a 'real' trued action. But, like I said, if I were serious I'd send an action to Bartlein and have them do everything, chambering, fitting and trued. An alternative would be to find a good gunsmith experienced with benchrest guns and have them do it. I'd have to know that they were capable of decent work. I've seen some so called 'custom' guns that were not well done.

[Dave Hoback]

The floating Bolt Head o the Savage is very forgiving in the “truing” department. I’ve spoken with several people who have sent their Savage Actions to very reputable Smiff’s, only to get the Action back with nothing more than it cleaned & the face trued. Then assemble the rifle themselves with a new, quality barrel & proceed to work up a load, resulting in the rifle routinely shooting bug holes.

While so many online very regularly talk about every group they shoot being 1/4moa or less, there are very few people who can actually put a 1/8” MORE accurate rig to good use. For example a 3/8moa-1/4moa. I certainly can’t! To me, a rifle that consistently delivers even 1/2moa is a damn accurate firearm! Going a step more…. That 1/8” or 1/16” “better” accuracy accounts for even less the further the target is, as wind comes into play.

Even if I were to use a custom Action, I would still use a Barrel Nut setup. Barrel nuts are made for every Action Tenon thread sizing these days. (It ain’t just a Savage/Remage thaaang no more!) And will deliver a competitive rifle. I do my same “basement Blueprinting” to all Savage Actions. I square the Action face so the Recoil Lug sits square and lap the bolt & lugs together. With a good barrel & worked up load, I know it’ll be more accurate than I am. Strike that… than MOST people are.

[Rosco]

In the past, I have had good results with X-Caliber Barrels. They have small shank Savage Pre-Fit's in a variety of chamberings, and for an additional fee you can have them run 5/8x24 threads and still come in under $400.

https://www.x-caliber.net/savage-pre-fit