I think we are closer than you know with one exception. The Savage WSM head will not work like you non standard PT&G unit due to not being dimensionally the same. The Savage WSM actions have the same bolt body and several other parts in common with its non magnum counterparts but the Bolt Head length and the firing pin length are different. This has been proven to be true many times over and the PTG BH is a fix for conversions like you are making. Not ground breaking as many of have done it before.

If you order one from Savage that fits the Savage short action magnum 270 WSM, the 7mm WSM or the 300 WSM is will have lugs that are 9/16" long. You have the one that only PTG sells that has 7/16 long lugs. This is why you do not need to modify your firing pin or the bolt head like I stated previously. You may not think the PTG is a custom Bolt Head but I believe it is for the simple reason that it is dimensionally different than any factory bolt head made. Bellow is the article showing that data.



L to R
short action (7/16" lugs)
short action controlled round feed(1/2" lugs)
long action (1/2" lugs)
new short action heavy magnum (9/16" lugs)

The new heavy magnum bolt head requires the new relieved front baffle (shown to the right) and also a longer firing pin. The new heavy magnum bolt head is replacing the short action CRF bolt head, as the CRF is not needed on the new center feed magazines for the WSM line of cartridges.

Submitted by Fred Moreo of Sharp Shooter Supply

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Honestly it does not really matter because you have the correct one for your conversion. I did not know when I made my first post due to your reference to the factory Savage Short action magnum, that will in fact not work without modification of some part of your assembly.

Dr. Thunder was not the first one to utilize a shortened version of a LA bolt head modified to fit a short action magnum Bolt Head application. He did make the first video however.


Bellow is the PTG drawing that represents the dimensions of the bolt head you have. It is the correct one for your conversion and the Axis conversion to a SA magnum. Not having the knowledge that you had this one I made this post stating you would need to spend some coin on a PTG B.H. Because you had that one it was money that had already been spent. If you had tried to use the 300 WSM Bolt head that savage made for short actions, your experience would have been much more frustrating due to the 1/8" difference in overall length. That is a fact.

If you take the overall length of the short action; 1.44" and minus the nose; 1.00" you have a lug that is .44 or 7/16". With PTG's design they have standardized their $69 bolt head to have 7/16" long lugs on all versions regardless of the case rim size. This is the identical length of the Savage standard(.473 bolt face) that fits the 308 and all other short action cartridges with that size bolt head. As you mentioned they do have a more expensive model that is according to their nomenclature custom, I can see where we missed that but it does not change the fact that almost every PTG BH has custom dimensions and in my mind it remains a custom non factory piece. Compare and you will see that I was not leading you astray.

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If we knew what area of the country you are in we might be able to help you find someone to do your barrel closer to home.