Savage Axis poor accuracy
- Thread starter d2wing
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I recently mounted a scope on a new rifle that had loose base screws. It's wise to tighten or check torque on all screws of a new rifle before shooting. (Burned once...and it still stings.) I'd prefer to have mounts in a bag than to have them loose from the factory!!! Don't trust anything new these days.
Buy a boyds stock to eliminate the flex. This is an Axis II heavy barrel with 6-18 scope and Boyds classic stock torqued to the correct specs. Before the Boyds it would hold its own but now I sometimes put a remington 700 22-250 with heavy barrel and 2x more expensive scope to shame when shooting for groups. 100 yard 5 shot groups with the last pic being two 5 shot groups. This is off a cheap Caldwell rest and rear bag. The second pic was shot off a bipod and rear bag. Most of this was load development.
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entropy
Member
I plan on it, and better glass with my new one. Nice shooting!
I never did care for the synthetic "Tupperware" stocks that Savage uses. They are thin and flex way too much for my liking. I always try to buy mine with a wood or laminate stock. And it isn't just Savage synthetic stocks that are flimsy. Proper torque setting and even how you rest the rifle while shooting is more important with a synthetic stock.
illinoisburt
Member
We can carp about the cheap synthetics flexing and opening up group sizes, but they still beat the snot out of the old wood stocks that would change point of aim by a foot or more after a couple hours hiking in the rain and snow versus sight-in on a warm sunny afternoon.
entropy
Member
Not when properly free-floated and/or bedded.
illinoisburt
Member
But that's the rub (literally), isn't it? The average person buying a new rifle didn't then (and still likely doesn't now) take the rifle out of the stock and sand/bed it. Far and away the majority of factory guns have a full or partial contact stock. Unless the owner modified it, they were stuck with a squirrelly unpredictable gun. Modern synthetics and pilar beds are so much better. Even if the forearm is flimsy and pushes groups open an inch or more, I'd take that over the headaches we used to deal with.
Wood does shrink and swell. If the rifle action is supported on steel or aluminum pillars however I doubt it could be much issue. But if the action is simply bedded but the screws still torque up on wood, I do not know? I would think it might could have some minimal effect. But the same with the Ruger American or Savage Axis which is supported by metal pillars front and rear and the American on some sort of Vee blocks if I saw correctly, I would think the stock could flex, especially the fore stock, and unless it actually touches the barrel would not be a concern. But, yes, I am usually wrong so I allow that
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d2wing
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Good shooting. I have faith that this is a good rifle. Now that I know what the problem is I think I can handle it. I was trying to spend minimal money on this so I will try getting it to shoot with proper technique before I start buying stocks and tools. But if I need to I will. The next thing is I am buying a 700ADL in 243 from Walmart today. I have a Veterans ride tomorrow then I will going to my cabin up North so this may have to wait a couple weeks. When I get a chance I will shoot them both. Thanks everyone for your input. You have helped me a bunch.
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d2wing
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The Savage Axis can't be forced, it has to be aimed gently. Like a lady. A while back my Sniper buddy told me that. Never curse your gun, sweet talk it caress it handle with care. Treat it like a lady. From there he gave me a critique of my love life when we were young but I digress. Anyway. sorry lost my train off thought.
Remington uses pressure points at the front of the stock.
I'll usually fill the voids around the front action screw, then skim bed the action to the stock. The forend bumps do a good job at keeping the barrel centered in the channel during bedding, so I only remove them after finishing the bedding.
giggitygiggity
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I never trust that the manufacturer mounted the scope correctly. You can usually get by without verifying the alignment of rings and lapping the rings. However, skipping out on threadlocker is a fool’s errand. I have had factory-mounted scopes that did not have threadlocker on the rings and bases. I missed a massive buck at 25 yards with multiple shots. Perplexed as the buck ran away, I looked at the Win 70 and saw that the factory mounted scope’s rings had wobbled free due to a lack of threadlocker. That was about 15 years ago. Since then, whenever I get a new bolt rifle, I thread lock the action screw and make sure to mount or re-mount optics myself.
WisBorn
Contributing Member
With the comments on this thread. Should I pull the action out of the stock and remount the scope?
I was just going to clean the barrel and start shooting my Walmart Axis. Normally I haven't worried about the accuracy to much until I have a couple boxes of ammo through the barrel. My break in process was to clean the barrel after each shot for the first 5. Then every 3 shots for the rest of the first box.
The second box was to clean the barrel channel every five shots. Measure the group size of the 3rd, 4th, & 5th shots with a fowled barrel.
I was just going to clean the barrel and start shooting my Walmart Axis. Normally I haven't worried about the accuracy to much until I have a couple boxes of ammo through the barrel. My break in process was to clean the barrel after each shot for the first 5. Then every 3 shots for the rest of the first box.
The second box was to clean the barrel channel every five shots. Measure the group size of the 3rd, 4th, & 5th shots with a fowled barrel.
I generally don't buy scope rifle packages, but even guns that just come with bases installed I'd suggest taking them apart, cleaning then remounting.
That way you can eliminate THAT variable before even starting with your new gun. I'd also mount a.known good scope for the first box or two, so you have a solid baseline before using the included scope.
I would recommend that you remove the scope and bases, clean the parts and the base mounting screws and the receiver attaching holes and then use blue Loctite to reinstall the bases and torque to 18 in/lbs. The torque on the scope ring cap screws is usually 20 to 24 in/lbs, do not use Loctite there. The screws on my .223 Axis were not evenly tight and they were not installed with thread locker. I wound up installing an inexpensive Weaver single piece base on my .223 Axis II just because I prefer single piece bases.
JFrank
Member
I’m not going to read all the post but I will say that box Ammo is a crap shoot to get under 1 minute groups at any distance
WisBorn
Contributing Member
Excellent groups! Mine shoots handloads about as well, but the rifle I bought as a spare now has a free-floating barrel, pillar-bedded receiver, and epoxy-filled forend to stiffen it. I may buy a new stock for it soon.
I'm another one that always checks scope mounts and action screws on every new rifle I purchase. I have found mounts loose or crooked along with action screws either too loose or too tight along with them being torqued uneven. I bought a brand new Savage Model 110 GL in .270 years ago that I had to re-torque the action screws right away to get it to shoot good.
I strongly recommend that, after cleaning the receiver top, using a drop of high-strength Loctite under mount bases, base screws, but not on ring screws. I also use powdered rosin inside of rings to prevent slippage. I also use a torque screwdriver to tighten base and ring screws to values recommended in the torque-screwdriver instructions.
WisBorn
Contributing Member
Cleaned up the Axis last night. One of the screws on a scope ring was loose and the screw for the ring to the base was not very tight. The bases didn't have loctite on the screws either.
I was happily surprised that the gun was overall pretty clean.
I'm actually excited about taking it to the range on Friday.
The rifle doesn't have much in the way of aesthetics. If the gun shoots well then I got a true bargain at $184.
I was happily surprised that the gun was overall pretty clean.
I'm actually excited about taking it to the range on Friday.
The rifle doesn't have much in the way of aesthetics. If the gun shoots well then I got a true bargain at $184.
And, when would a 1 1/4 minute shooting rifle not kill a deer if aimed at the 8-10+ inch kill zone of a deer or any other critter within a couple of hundred yards? Yeah, I get it that our rifles are supposed to shoot 1 minute groups and mine do better than half that, but it's not really necessary, just desirable!
If a person sighted-in a rifle with a three-shot group, an inch high at 100 yards, then gave that rifle to another person without saying anything except that it's sighted-in to hit center out to 200 yards, that other person, if a decent shot, would have full faith and not stop to worry about it not being capable of killing anything out to at least 200 yards and feel he/she had the hunting world by the toes. Why?...because there ain't any scoring rings on a deer!!!
When young, I literally shot out a cheap .22 RF semi-auto rifle barrel, but didn't realize it, because every rat or other critter I aimed at was killed and if I missed, there was another shot at the pull of the trigger. I've mentioned this before, that I decided to check the sighting-in and found that the rifle didn't shoot inside of about 6" at 50 yards, so it was traded THAT DAY! If I hadn't checked, it would have continued to serve me well for much longer.
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JFrank
Member
Well I suppose if shootin off hand or breathing heavy, I added a 5-6 inch wobble to that 1 14/ Moa rifle because I’m human , it might make the difference between a heart shot and a gut shot.
I suppose that’s why people develop their own loads.
My comment which I feel is fair was that box Ammo was a crap shoot, some are very good others not so much so it’s tough to evaluate your weapon not being confident with the ammunition.
A friend recently took down a box of 6 Creedmoor Ammo ( just out of curiosity) finding that the powder charge indifference was substantial.
Apologies if misunderstood the op
I suppose that’s why people develop their own loads.
My comment which I feel is fair was that box Ammo was a crap shoot, some are very good others not so much so it’s tough to evaluate your weapon not being confident with the ammunition.
A friend recently took down a box of 6 Creedmoor Ammo ( just out of curiosity) finding that the powder charge indifference was substantial.
Apologies if misunderstood the op
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