New 7 SAUM

[bluegrassdan]

Finished up the 7 SAUM barrel and changed out bolt heads on the ARC CDG action for my back up rifle for the 2026 moose hunt. Rattle can paint job on the stock is good enough for this go round, Cerakote over the winter when I have time to mess with it. Now I just have to get some rounds on the barrel so I can start to pick a load.

 

[std7mag]

Oh, come on Dan!
More details!

What's the twist?
Barrel length?
Rifle weight?
What bullet are you planning on?
Where are you planning on hunting?

Such a tease!!

 

[bluegrassdan]

American Rifle Company, Coup De Grace action, 1-8 twist Proof barrel, 26" long, trigger rech diamond, McMillan stock, bedded and that sweet assed custom paint job- a la Krylon. Current brake to be replaced with a custom brake I make in house.
Hunt is a Newfoundland moose, September of 26. Plan on my 280 AI as my primary rifle. Both will shoot the 160 Accubonds about the same velocity, 2970 ish seems to be where I landed with Reloader 26. My .280 is a more traditional stocked, Impact NBK long action, Brux 1-7 twist 22" barrel.

 

[BAKPAKR]

View attachment 384966

Rattle can paint job on the stock is good enough for this go round, Cerakote over the winter when I have time to mess with it.

Before you cerakote the stock, you should open up the ejection port cut a bit to match the action.

 

[bluegrassdan]

Before you cerakote the stock, you should open up the ejection port cut a bit to match the action.

Yea, I was looking at that and had the mill tied up with another job, so for now it will have to work.

 

[std7mag]

Before you cerakote the stock, you should open up the ejection port cut a bit to match the action.

You saw that, but you missed the cool a$$ed bolt knob??

 

[BAKPAKR]

You saw that, but you missed the cool a$$ed bolt knob??

That knob is just an ARC thing.

 

[std7mag]

That knob is just an ARC thing.

With a name like Coup De Grace, I can understand that!

Unfortunately most of my builds are bases on an action with the name of Axis...

 

[std7mag]

Laugh if you must @BAKPAKR, but the proof is in the pudding.

They may not have that nice finish, or be as smooth, but the Axis is functional.

Savage Axis II action, trigger and stock.
Was a 7mm-08 originally. $350
I took the barrel off and reamed it out to 7mm-08AI and installed it on my Stevens 200.
E.R. Shaw 24" sporter "over run special" in 250 Savage $125.
EGW 20MOA one piece base and their Keystone line of rings.
Redfield 4-12X40 with Varmint AccuRanger reticle.

PPU 22-250 brass necked up.
Fed 210M
Alliant Varmint
75gr Sierra HP Varmint
3,150fps

200 meters, 5 shots. Wind caught me out on the last shot.
Orange dot is 1 inch diameter.

I have almost half as much spent in the whole rifle than the ARC action. About as much as the Proof barrel.

But I'd still love to have Dan's rifle!!

 

[bluegrassdan]

Laugh if you must @BAKPAKR, but the proof is in the pudding.

They may not have that nice finish, or be as smooth, but the Axis is functional.

Savage Axis II action, trigger and stock.
Was a 7mm-08 originally. $350
I took the barrel off and reamed it out to 7mm-08AI and installed it on my Stevens 200.
E.R. Shaw 24" sporter "over run special" in 250 Savage $125.
EGW 20MOA one piece base and their Keystone line of rings.
Redfield 4-12X40 with Varmint AccuRanger reticle.

PPU 22-250 brass necked up.
Fed 210M
Alliant Varmint
75gr Sierra HP Varmint
3,150fps

200 meters, 5 shots. Wind caught me out on the last shot.
Orange dot is 1 inch diameter.

I have almost half as much spent in the whole rifle than the ARC action. About as much as the Proof barrel.

But I'd still love to have Dan's rifle!!

I have built many a Savage in my career. The barrels are usually great shooters with the occasional fence post, but that happens with top shelf barrels sometimes as well. I have one short action ARC and one Defiance Machine short action I use for PRS (currently a 25GT). I needed a back up rifle to take, so I swapped out bolt heads so I could fit a Magnum case in the ARC. My 280 is currently using my long action and standard bolt that usually wears a 338 Edge barrel and magnum bolt in a different stock. That rifle weighs 18lbs when in that configuration. A bit much to lug around hunting moose.

 

[mtmuley]

Laugh if you must @BAKPAKR, but the proof is in the pudding.

They may not have that nice finish, or be as smooth, but the Axis is functional.

Savage Axis II action, trigger and stock.
Was a 7mm-08 originally. $350
I took the barrel off and reamed it out to 7mm-08AI and installed it on my Stevens 200.
E.R. Shaw 24" sporter "over run special" in 250 Savage $125.
EGW 20MOA one piece base and their Keystone line of rings.
Redfield 4-12X40 with Varmint AccuRanger reticle.

PPU 22-250 brass necked up.
Fed 210M
Alliant Varmint
75gr Sierra HP Varmint
3,150fps

200 meters, 5 shots. Wind caught me out on the last shot.
Orange dot is 1 inch diameter.

I have almost half as much spent in the whole rifle than the ARC action. About as much as the Proof barrel.

But I'd still love to have Dan's rifle!!

My Son bought two Axis rifles in 7-08 for about what one costs. Gonna play with the one without the Accutrigger. Have the M-Carbo kit so far. mtmuley

 

[BAKPAKR]

American Rifle Company, Coup De Grace action, 1-8 twist Proof barrel, 26" long, trigger rech diamond, McMillan stock, bedded and that sweet assed custom paint job- a la Krylon. Current brake to be replaced with a custom brake I make in house.
Hunt is a Newfoundland moose, September of 26. Plan on my 280 AI as my primary rifle. Both will shoot the 160 Accubonds about the same velocity, 2970 ish seems to be where I landed with Reloader 26. My .280 is a more traditional stocked, Impact NBK long action, Brux 1-7 twist 22" barrel. View attachment 385037

I am getting right around the same velocity with the 160 gr Accubond and RL26 in my 22” 280 AI. It is an accurate combination.

 

[bluegrassdan]

I am getting right around the same velocity with the 160 gr Accubond and RL26 in my 22” 280 AI. It is an accurate combination.

I have tried about every powder out there and every decent bullet in the 160 to 175gr weight class and the only ones that meet my criteria were the Accubonds and surprisingly, the 175gr Partitions. Most shot pretty good, but velocity was lower than I would accept, so they were put back on the shelf for later. I can get the 175gr up to speed and accuracy is about an inch but it would hard on my brass, so I dropped some weight and it works great.

 

[std7mag]

My Son bought two Axis rifles in 7-08 for about what one costs. Gonna play with the one without the Accutrigger. Have the M-Carbo kit so far. mtmuley

Let me know how the M-Carbo turns out.

I put a Rifle Basix trigger on an Axis that I was going to do a Benchrest build on.
I ended up getting lighter springs from Wolfe Springs to lower the weight.