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Author Topic: Axis Field Report  (Read 2096 times)

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Offline LaOtto222

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Axis Field Report
« on: March 29, 2013, 11:42:28 AM »
I put together a Savage Axis in 223. I did put in an after market trigger, but is stock other than that. I mounted a Simmons 6 X 18 Pro Hunter (cost $60, trying to keep the cost down) with mounts that came on the rifle and a couple of rings that were in my extras box. I loaded up 4 different loadings to try and was waiting on a decent day to try them out. Today was about 45 degrees and just a slight breeze. I tried all 4 loads. Three of them did not impress, but were not real bad, in the 1/2" - 3/4" range taht would be in the 1" to 1.5" at 100 yards. The fourth load worked very well. I shot 2 - 3 shot groups at 50 yards. I shot at 50 yards, because I was set up for it and I had to sight in the scope and did not have time to move back to 100 yards. I feel confident that the groups would have carried about 2X group size at 100 yards because the 75 Grain bullets fly well out of a 9" twist barrel. The first one was very good and the second one was not too bad. I got some 55 grain SPSX on back order, but may not use them. The 75 grain BTHP shoots so well in this rifle and I have 500+ of them to carry me through the panic.

The rifle...



First Group and load data.



Second Group...



May have been my fault, that the group opened up a little. I had to single feed the cartridges in. They fit the magazine, but did not want to cooperate feeding out of the magazine to the barrel. Some of the others I had loaded up, fed OK. The OAL of the 75 grain bullets is 2.380" and were about .020" off of the lands.

One thing I also like about this rifle, besides the accuracy, is the weight... light, just 6.8 pounds with empty magazine and scope. Now that is what I call a walking varmint rifle.

Good Shooting and Good Luck
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Offline JonnyReb

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Re: Axis Field Report
« Reply #1 on: March 29, 2013, 02:28:24 PM »
 Hey congrats on a sweet shooting and looking(and feeling) rifle!  Mines in .308 but no matter the caliber, everyone seems to like the Axis. At least those who own one. Best bargain in a bolt rifle out there imho.  j
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Offline LaOtto222

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Re: Axis Field Report
« Reply #2 on: March 30, 2013, 01:40:01 AM »
Quote from: JonnyReb on March 29, 2013, 02:28:24 PM
Hey congrats on a sweet shooting and looking(and feeling) rifle!  Mines in .308 but no matter the caliber, everyone seems to like the Axis. At least those who own one. Best bargain in a bolt rifle out there imho.  j

There are snobs, that say the Axis are junk and they would not own one and their favorite rifle is the best. I get a kick out of it when a snob is out snobbed by some else saying that their favorite gun is junk and they would not have one. ;D It was once said that the only interesting rifle is an accurate rifle. To me accuracy is what is important, not looks. The guys that say "flimsy" plastic stocks will not shoot, just do not know what they are talking about. As long as the barrel is free floated and you do not put pressure from side to side on the fore end, it will remain free floated while the bullet travels down the bore. Sure the barrel "whips" during a shot, but we are talking thousands of an inch, not fractions of an inch. Do not yank (flinch) the stock during a shot and the fore end will never touch the barrel.

BTW - It only took 3 shots to have the rifle zeroed. I looked down the bore and centered the target in the bore, then alined the cross hairs to the target. In three shots I was 1" high and centered. When I do that , I know it is going to be a sweet shooting rifle. That is repeatability ;)

Good Shooting and Good Luck
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Offline Oldshooter

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Re: Axis Field Report
« Reply #3 on: March 30, 2013, 02:14:28 AM »
Those 75 grain bthp's did group well. Be interesting to see what they'll do at 100 and 200.
 
I agree that the proof is in the pudding about the rifle quality, and accuracy.
 
I love to see a beautiful wood stock, But I hate to handle one in the field due to risk of ruining it. Everything I have purchased in the last 15 years has been synthetic.
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Offline LaOtto222

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Re: Axis Field Report
« Reply #4 on: March 30, 2013, 05:37:25 AM »
I bought the 75 Grain BTHP for my Mini 14. I was thinking that if they did not stablize in the 1 - 9" twist Ruger barrel, I could use them in my 1 - 8" twist 22 BR. I have been shooting 75 A-Max and 80 grain Nosler BTHP in it, so I know the 75's would shoot in it. The 75's stablized just fine in my Mini 14. Unfortunitly, they did not shoot as well I would like to see, so they set on the shelf, until this week. A bullet will loose velocity during flight, but loose little rotational spin. This happens even out several hundred yards. So a bullet will basically be spinning almost as fast at 600 yards as it does at the muzzle. So if it is stable at 50 yards, it should be stable very far out. But as you said, the proof is in the shooting.

One of these days, I will do some shooting at 100 yards and drag out the chronograph to see how fast they are moving. I suspect they are in the 2700 - 2800 fps range.

Good Luck and Good Shooting
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Offline LaOtto222

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Re: Axis Field Report
« Reply #5 on: April 22, 2013, 03:00:59 PM »
I shot a few groups last Saturday. It was cool and windy, but it let me know the 75 gr BTHP would not key hole. I was a little disappointed at group sizes, but I took it down and the action screws more than likely need a little tweaking. Here is a picture of a 4 shoot group at 200 yards.



As can be seen, the 75 grain bullets are still flying true, even at 200 yards. Like I said, I think I can do beter with some action screw touch-up torquing.

Good Shooting and Good Luck


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Offline mechanic

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Re: Axis Field Report
« Reply #6 on: April 22, 2013, 03:19:53 PM »
Mine is the best out of the box rifle I've ever owned, with the exception of my Handi 17HMR.
Ben
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Offline Oldshooter

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Re: Axis Field Report
« Reply #7 on: April 22, 2013, 03:25:10 PM »
With wind that group aint nothin to sneeze at.  What was that about 1 inch? @200 yds!
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Offline LaOtto222

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Re: Axis Field Report
« Reply #8 on: April 23, 2013, 12:13:56 AM »
The grid is 1" squares, so a touch over 1". I think it can do better, but it is not bad for a "cheap" rifle. It is light too, so it will make a good carrin' rifle.

Good Luck and Good Shooting
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Offline 8uck5nort

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Re: Axis Field Report
« Reply #9 on: April 24, 2013, 04:43:37 AM »
If that was from the GBO shoot I was there on Saturday and a saw it with my own eyes. There was a swirling wind that day so I imagine, knowing what a good marksman LaOtto is, he can get that goup even tighter. I wish I could do that at 100 yards consistently on a good day.
I don't knock them cheap rifles. In fact I look for the old and cheap and try and make them look and shoot better than new stuff. Sometimes I succeed and sometimes I don't, but it sure is fun trying.  :D
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Offline Capt. Augustus

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Axis Field Report
« Reply #10 on: June 02, 2013, 12:36:11 PM »
I have an Axis .308 that I shoot cast bullets in.  Could you tell me what replacement trigger you used?
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Offline LaOtto222

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Re: Axis Field Report
« Reply #11 on: June 03, 2013, 12:20:15 AM »
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Offline theratdog

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Re: Axis Field Report
« Reply #12 on: June 24, 2013, 08:04:41 PM »
 well i just bought a 30.06 shot it today shoots ok groups look like yours your are little better. mine needs more tweaking.my little old handy shoots tighter groups. i put a 6-14 power scope on the axis i would rather have a scope that starts at 3-4 power for hunting. :D
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Offline LaOtto222

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Re: Axis Field Report
« Reply #13 on: June 25, 2013, 06:58:25 AM »
3X - 9X scopes are fairly common and about as cheap as scopes get. They make a good hunting scope to boot. Like any rifle, you have to find what ammo it likes best to shoot well. I put a Rifle Basix trigger on mine, but I get picky about good triggers. One last thought - the Handi rifles can shoot surprisingly well, in some cases better than bolt guns.

Good Shooting and Good Luck
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Offline theratdog

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Re: Axis Field Report
« Reply #14 on: June 25, 2013, 11:59:50 PM »
nice shooting OTTO.   did a trigger job on my 06 last night nice trigger now will try it today.see if it improves groups.
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Offline theratdog

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Re: Axis Field Report
« Reply #15 on: June 26, 2013, 07:57:15 PM »
well the trigger job and filling the but of the stock did the trick .it is a real good shooter it doesn't kick as much with  the silicone in the but stock fills more balanced .don't have that hollow sound now i polished the sear on the trigger two times .and cut two coils off the trigger spring worked good.ready to hunt.
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