Savage Axis Iron Sights

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hdwhit

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Several years ago, I bought a Savage Axis in .223 Remington. I bought a nice Bushnell sight at a closeout and mounted it on the Savage. With the scope in place, it is difficult to manipulate the bolt without banging my fingers on the scope.

I have used iron sights on every other rifle I have ever owned/used over the past 44 years and would like to "clear the deck" on my Savage and install iron rights.

Has anyone else done this on their own or do I need an experienced gunsmith to do it for me?

Thank you.
 
You'll likely need a gunsmith. There are no mounting points for iron sights on the barrel so a set of universal sights would need to be either silver soldered on or the barrel drilled/tapped for a set of sights. Not only will this task be a bit tricky but doing so while keeping them perfectly straight will be even moreso.

Unless it has sentimental value, you'd likely be ahead to sell the Axis and just buy another rifle that already has iron sights - gunsmith rates usually aren't cheap.
 
Decent sights installed will cost more than you paid for the rifle. If you're banging your fingers on the scope you're doing something wrong or the scope is mounted wrong.

The military doesn't even use iron sights anymore. Instead of spending money on inferior iron sights invest the money in a quality low powered scope. Something with 1X or 1.5X on the low end is faster to get on target than irons and works far, far better in low light. Then practice working the bolt without hitting your fingers on the scope and dry firing the rifle a few thousand reps. Once mastered a bolt gun is just as fast for aimed repeat shots as a lever action or pump.
 
Manipulate the bolt with the edge of your palm, facing the sky. You’ll never hit the scope with your hand again.
 
daniel craig said:
Manipulate the bolt with the edge of your palm, facing the sky. You’ll never hit the scope with your hand again.
Click to expand...

Other than when I was trying out for my college rifle team, that was the way I was taught to do it.

My problem is that to get an appropriate sight picture, the mount is low on the receiver, so even with a palm or three-finger manipulation of the bolt, it is tighter than I would like.
 
jmr40 said:
Decent sights installed will cost more than you paid for the rifle. If you're banging your fingers on the scope you're doing something wrong or the scope is mounted wrong.

The military doesn't even use iron sights anymore. Instead of spending money on inferior iron sights invest the money in a quality low powered scope. Something with 1X or 1.5X on the low end is faster to get on target than irons and works far, far better in low light. Then practice working the bolt without hitting your fingers on the scope and dry firing the rifle a few thousand reps. Once mastered a bolt gun is just as fast for aimed repeat shots as a lever action or pump.
Click to expand...

The scope is mounted on the only mount I could find for the rifle. I have tried manipulating it for nearly THREE years before posting this question. I am well-practiced in trying to deal with this scope.

The military may no longer use iron sights, but they still did when I was in basic training.

Besides that, as a child, I was taught to shoot by a retired marksmanship instructor from the Infantry School at Ft. Benning, so I am most comfortable with iron sights. And where I live, I rarely have to reach out beyond 100m for game and my difference in accuracy between irons and optics at that distance is trivial.
 
I was hoping someone might know of a short-radius solution that could go on my Weaver-type rail in place of the scope.
 
As others have said, unless you really just want to do it or the rifle has sentimental value, you'd probably come out ahead buying another rifle to fix both issues (and selling the Axis to help fund it, should you so choose).

The Savage 110 Hog Hunter in 223 has less bolt throw and has iron sights, seems like it would really fit your desires.

https://savagearms.com/content?p=firearms&a=product_summary&s=57018
 
Maybe get a picatinny rail and get a different scope mount that puts it more forward of the bolt?
 
Hear me out.... AR style pic rail the whole length of the gun.

Or chassis with flip up irons.

All absurd and not practical.

I agree, go hog hunter or mossberg mvp
 
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