Savage Axis won't fire in freezing weather
- Thread starter Shawn.54
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243winxb
Member
Reloaded ammo?
1stmarine
Member
hi Shawn,
Savage will take the rifle for repairs but I doubt this needs the gun to be sent in.
- Did the firearm actually release the firing pin or didn't hear anything moving?
- Did the misfired rounds had a dimple and fire later or in different weather or firearm?
- Did you miss 2 buck and 3 doe in the same day and same weather/temperature or different days?
- Did you take the firearm apart (full strip) and clean and apply new lube? A good thing to do 1st time anyway.
- While doing this did you measure firing pin protrusion? A good time to run the pin alone and clean so slightly with
an emery cloth. The only thing that could interfere is the pin at the stop due to a small burr or something that can
be easily cleaned / deburred. Same as any other rifle.
I hope this helps. It is hard to know what precisely to do w/o more information as it easily becomes a guessing game
but the mechanism in bolt action rifles is simple enough that issues like this are simple to figure out by
anyone even with minimum mechanical knowledge. If you are a re-loader this should be easy for you.
I would not put the firearm away over something that should be pretty simple to fix.
Savage will take the rifle for repairs but I doubt this needs the gun to be sent in.
- Did the firearm actually release the firing pin or didn't hear anything moving?
- Did the misfired rounds had a dimple and fire later or in different weather or firearm?
- Did you miss 2 buck and 3 doe in the same day and same weather/temperature or different days?
- Did you take the firearm apart (full strip) and clean and apply new lube? A good thing to do 1st time anyway.
- While doing this did you measure firing pin protrusion? A good time to run the pin alone and clean so slightly with
an emery cloth. The only thing that could interfere is the pin at the stop due to a small burr or something that can
be easily cleaned / deburred. Same as any other rifle.
I hope this helps. It is hard to know what precisely to do w/o more information as it easily becomes a guessing game
but the mechanism in bolt action rifles is simple enough that issues like this are simple to figure out by
anyone even with minimum mechanical knowledge. If you are a re-loader this should be easy for you.
I would not put the firearm away over something that should be pretty simple to fix.
243winxb
Member
What trigger? Plain like on early models or the newer ACCUTRIGGER? If an Accutrigger, has any one made adjustment to it? https://s3.amazonaws.com/savagefiles/manuals/manual_centerfire_rifles_accutrigger.pdf
Sunray
Member
"...won't fire in freezing weather..." It ok in warm weather? If it's only in cold weather, it indicates there's frozen/solidified lube somewhere. Look in the trigger group and clean the entire rifle. Get all oil based lubes out. 12 degrees isn't terribly cold, but cold enough for greases and oils to solidify.
Mind you, like 243winxb says, the Accutrigger, if there is one, matters. Has to be pulled straight back or the sear gets blocked and it won't go bang. Read page 10 of the manual. Having gloves on might be doing it.
http://stevespages.com/pdf/savage_boltaction_centerfire_accutrigger.pdf
"...Savage will take the rifle for repairs..." Not after 2 years. Savage's warrantee is only a year.
Mind you, like 243winxb says, the Accutrigger, if there is one, matters. Has to be pulled straight back or the sear gets blocked and it won't go bang. Read page 10 of the manual. Having gloves on might be doing it.
http://stevespages.com/pdf/savage_boltaction_centerfire_accutrigger.pdf
"...Savage will take the rifle for repairs..." Not after 2 years. Savage's warrantee is only a year.
1stmarine
Member
If you let it sit and loose the warranty you can still send it to be fixed but I would be surprised if there is anything horribly wrong with it.
I've shot Remington .308 Win BR cases with small rifle primer pockets stuffed with Rem 7-1/2 primers that failed to fire with ambient temperatures 20 Degrees F. Used a different firing pin that had an extra .010" protrusion from the bolt face and that didn't help.
Quit using them in sub freezing weather. RWS and Winchester large rifle primers didn't have that problem in the same rifle and firing pin hardware.
Quit using them in sub freezing weather. RWS and Winchester large rifle primers didn't have that problem in the same rifle and firing pin hardware.
entropy
Member
I shoot my reloads in below zero temps from my .223 Axis, they go off every time. Disassemble and relube it correctly and you shouldn't have any problems. If you think you've done so but are still having problems, bring it to a gunsmith to have it done correctly. I use CCI primers, for those who have had that problem.
Sun Tzu warrior
Member
- Joined
- Jun 24, 2012
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- 384
Check the trigger group for grease/cosmoline,
Had this happen to me on a Remington 700, the sear was stuck down and didn't hold the striker (firing pin) back when the bolt closed. can still look like a pin strike on the primer.
STW
Had this happen to me on a Remington 700, the sear was stuck down and didn't hold the striker (firing pin) back when the bolt closed. can still look like a pin strike on the primer.
STW
Dog Soldier
member
It is not unusual for any firearm to fail at Sub Zero conditions. Most of us who live in areas below zero prepare for these conditions. A clean bolt and sear. A few drops of automotive anti freeze can keep your firearm running.
entropy
Member
You would do well to clean the trigger group also. several of us have mentioned the trigger group (Actually I meant a complete dsassembly), but you keep focusing on the bolt. I still recommend a complete disassembly, cleaning, and reassembly with correct lubrication for the temperature range you plan on using it in.
Dog Soldier- I never thought of anti-freeze. I usually use powdered graphite or run 'em dry if hunting. I'll only be firing one or two then.
JackSprat
Member
This is just grabbing at straws,but steel does shrink when cold.I don't think your firing pin would shrink enough to matter length wise,but maybe it warps a little when it contracts.It may be enough to cause a little misalingment in the bore of the bolt.Keep in mind that the pin for the bolt head is drilled for the firing pin to run thru .I don't know if you bought it new,or used,but maybe the bolt head pin has been removed,and reinstalled a little off.I would pull the firing pin,and roll it around and make sure it's straight,then I would put it in the freezer for a spell,and roll it again and see if it is still straight.Like I said grabbing at straws..I would also take a tight fitting brush,and clean the bore of the bolt just like you would a barrel.That big headed pin that goes thru the cocking piece side of the firing pin is susposed to turn freely .I would also check it too.Does the bolt face have any gas scars?..I know all of what I said is a longshot,but I hope it helps.
Blue68f100
Member
All metals/material expand and extract with temp change. But the amount in most all cases is so small you don't have the equipment to measure it. How do you think the thermal expansion rate is determined? Some material get stronger as the temp goes down, while other gets brittle. All basic metallurgy/material science.
When you disassemble and clean, I would recommend running the FP dry. Or use a syn oil sparingly that will not thicken till you get to extreme temps, -60F. The same goes with the trigger works. Oils and grease can cause problems at cold temps when you have tight tolerance spec parts. Extreme temps is the main reason Syn lubes were first developed. Hydraulics on air planes were freezing up at high altitude. I've done a lot of testing at extreme cold for the Alaska oil field. Equipment is required to work there at -75F, and at well head temps. Heat was never a problem but when you cool one down to -75F and try to open a valve under pressure it is. When not properly engineered you could not open one with a 10' cheater. You would strip the threads off the stem though.
Dog Soldier
member
Below Zero is an expression. Any temperature below 40 degrees can change the function. The reason for using Anti freeze is "sweating". Depending on various factors humidity, rain, snow heat cold. Wet and low temperatures can cost you a trophy elk or deer.
sage5907
Member
There's a thread on Google under Maryland Shooters (MDShooters) that goes through your exact problem. It describes sending the rifle back to Savage and what they did to fix the problem. Really interesting. Go to Google and type in Light primer strikes on Savage Axis - Maryland Shooters.
BBBBill
Member
Dog Soldier
member
Shawn, Yes, You just have to love a well tuned Flint Lock. I also have become a Sharps Rifle fan. My elk rifle the last seven years is a .45-110-500. I must be going backward.
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