"Upgrades" to a Savage Axis (not an Axis II)

[d31tc]

Brief background.

In the salad days of Walmart clearance rifles, I got a wood stock Savage Axis 223 for $12 (I like pointing that out because every time I type "$12", it makes me smile). I finally put together some handloads for it and shot a couple groups. It grouped at between 1/2" and 7/8" with my handloads. The 1/2" group was when I was took a little more care pulling the trigger. This made me smile, because when I bought the gun, I wasn't sure if I wanted to keep it. Now I definitely plan on keeping it - and thinking about upgrades (which will put the priority of other items on my list in a conundrum ).

One thing for sure, the trigger was not good. I don't shoot enough or have enough guns to really know what a great trigger is, but one of the first upgrade will be the trigger. I found a "new in package", never used, Timney trigger someone is willing to sell me for $75 and will be on the way soon.

Next, even though my rifle has a wood stock, not a flexible plastic one, I was thinking about getting a chassis for it. An MDT LSS Gen 2 for $225 is available. I have a buffer tube and a cheap buttstock I can put on it, but I will likely want a buttstock with a cheek riser.

Those changes, if not upgrades, will put me at $312 - $460 dollars for the rifle, depending on what buttstock I go with.

So, the target was fuzzy looking through the scope at 100 yards, so I am also thinking of upgrading the scope. This will mostly be a rifle for punching paper and plinking, but I've also got it in my head to try prairie dog hunting with it now that I know it can shoot.

To add, I have no rifle with adjustable cheek risers and I've never been prairie dog hunting.

With that information, I'm open to recommendations on a budget buttstock and scope and comments on my grand plan for this rifle. To me, budget doesn't necessarily mean cheap, just not past the point of diminishing returns for what the rifle is and my purpose. I don't think I need glass clear enough to see out to a mile, but clear enough for typical prairie dog shooting distances (whatever that is) or to see the grid lines on a target at 100.

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

Funny you mention the Axis 223. I had mine out this afternoon. Shooting Hornady 40 grain V-max. 27 grains of H335. Missed 3 times out of 50. Shooting 200-300 yards. I did put a trigger kit in it from Mcarbo. And a vibration dampener on it. I have a sightmark citadel 3-18x50 scope on it. Not sure what your budget range is on a scope.

Amazon.com

 

[troy fairweather]

Best upgrade is to sell it and buy a different rifle.

 

[d31tc]

Funny you mention the Axis 223. I had mine out this afternoon. Shooting Hornady 40 grain V-max. 27 grains of H335. Missed 3 times out of 50. Shooting 200-300 yards. I did put a trigger kit in it from Mcarbo. And a vibration dampener on it. I have a sightmark citadel 3-18x50 scope on it. Not sure what your budget range is on a scope.

Amazon.com

Ultimately, I'm thinking about $400 to $500 on a scope and would consider buying used if it's a Leupold or Vortex.

What were you shooting at 200-300 yards? If it's the broad side of a barn, color me unimpressed Anything small, then thumbs up .

 

[d31tc]

Best upgrade is to sell it and buy a different rifle.

That's an option I guess. Curious as to what you would buy?

If it's shooting good, why would you take a risk on an unknown for more money?

 

[troy fairweather]

That's an option I guess. Curious as to what you would buy?

If it's shooting good, why would you take a risk on an unknown for more money?

Any rifle would be better, why bother with gun that will break with every use, we just had 2 new rifles that were dangerous from the factory both locked up on first firing factory ammo.

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

The gongs go from a man size silhouette to a 12 inch plate.

 

[d31tc]

Any rifle would be better, why bother with gun that will break with every use, we just had 2 new rifles that were dangerous from the factory both locked up on first firing factory ammo.

Excessive pressure due to chamber out of spec?

 

[troy fairweather]

Excessive pressure due to chamber out of spec?

The 270 set the lugs back and don't know on the 6.5 it's going back this week, told my dad not to bother with them ones I had broke something with every use.

 

[LoonWulf]

The 270 set the lugs back and don't know on the 6.5 it's going back this week, told my dad not to bother with them ones I had broke something

Well that sucks!

I've never had any functional issues with the axis besides the magazine locking tab breaking..... But then I've made a point of never owning one.
Not that I think someone shouldn't if They are happy with it.

The 110s now share pretty much all the same parts as the axis I think..... Only real differences im aware of are the receivers, The recoil lug setup, the bolt body, and the bolt handle.

 

[troy fairweather]

Well that sucks!

I've never had any functional issues with the axis besides the magazine locking tab breaking..... But then I've made a point of never owning one.
Not that I think someone shouldn't if They are happy with it.

The 110s now share pretty much all the same parts as the axis I think..... Only real differences im aware of are the receivers, The recoil lug setup, the bolt body, and the bolt handle.

I've had broken mags that separated from the body and the tabs broke, had a butt pad snap off, stripped bases screws from the factory with the bent base they messed up, bolt handle about broke off cracked stock at the butt. And that's just on the ones I owned. My buddies last year right before season broke the stock at the wrist under recoil on his 270, I let him barrow my 91 argentine. Dad had has the 270 first shot set the lugs back and looked up the gun, savage replaced it, new gun mag broke, his 6.5 first shot had to beat the bolt open, called savage and there sending the pre paid. I won't waste anymore of my time or money on the axis or probably any new savage.

 

[courtgreene]

I have not had those experiences with mine, sorry for your experience. Your dad’s savage axis sounds very much like my Remington 700.
OP, I second the mcarbo trigger spring kit. It makes an incredible difference.

 

[entropy]

Brief background.

In the salad days of Walmart clearance rifles, I got a wood stock Savage Axis 223 for $12 (I like pointing that out because every time I type "$12", it makes me smile). I finally put together some handloads for it and shot a couple groups. It grouped at between 1/2" and 7/8" with my handloads. The 1/2" group was when I was took a little more care pulling the trigger. This made me smile, because when I bought the gun, I wasn't sure if I wanted to keep it. Now I definitely plan on keeping it - and thinking about upgrades (which will put the priority of other items on my list in a conundrum ).

One thing for sure, the trigger was not good. I don't shoot enough or have enough guns to really know what a great trigger is, but one of the first upgrade will be the trigger. I found a "new in package", never used, Timney trigger someone is willing to sell me for $75 and will be on the way soon.

Next, even though my rifle has a wood stock, not a flexible plastic one, I was thinking about getting a chassis for it. An MDT LSS Gen 2 for $225 is available. I have a buffer tube and a cheap buttstock I can put on it, but I will likely want a buttstock with a cheek riser.

Those changes, if not upgrades, will put me at $312 - $460 dollars for the rifle, depending on what buttstock I go with.

So, the target was fuzzy looking through the scope at 100 yards, so I am also thinking of upgrading the scope. This will mostly be a rifle for punching paper and plinking, but I've also got it in my head to try prairie dog hunting with it now that I know it can shoot.

To add, I have no rifle with adjustable cheek risers and I've never been prairie dog hunting.

With that information, I'm open to recommendations on a budget buttstock and scope and comments on my grand plan for this rifle. To me, budget doesn't necessarily mean cheap, just not past the point of diminishing returns for what the rifle is and my purpose. I don't think I need glass clear enough to see out to a mile, but clear enough for typical prairie dog shooting distances (whatever that is) or to see the grid lines on a target at 100.

MCARBO makes a trigger spring 'kit' for the original Axis, though I never bothered with it on mine, it shot quite well without it.

My $29 Axis II has the AccuTrigger, which I have set down to 2# . I will be ordering a scope much better than the Bushnell 3-9 that came with it, still deciding whether to replace the noodle stock with a Boyd's or an MDT chassis, but one step at a time. It already shoots better than the first Axis I had, and that wasn't bad at all. I load 55 gr. V-Max or Nosler Ballistic Tip Varmints with 28.5 gr. BL-C(2) in range brass with CCI 400 SR primers, both rifles are sub MOA at 100 yards with this load. I'm hoping to cut that in half with better glass and a solid stock.

 

[bernie]

I had a Savage Scout that broke the bolt head retaining pin. You have no idea what a pain that was to deal with. But I got a Savage Axis on clearance. .308 in a wood stock. As much as I want to not like that rifle, it shoots like a house on fire. I put a Leupold scope on it with a good mount (I have more in the scope and mount than the rifle) and did a trigger job on it using info I picked up for a Youtube channel called the Social Regressive, and it is hard to beat as a deer rifle. It shoots really tiny groups, and the trigger is pretty good now.

 

[doubleh]

I had an early one. Trigger was terrible and RifleBasix decided to make one for it. Huge difference and the thing was 1/2 - 3'4" accurate at 100 yards with my handloads. It just had too many little annoying other things for me to grow fond of it and I sold it.

 

[Ks5shooter]

Wifeys Axis 223 is a killer gun.Many fox and ground hogs taken with it out to 319 wifeys farthest shot on a fox.Leupold 6.5-20 on top,Boys thumbhole stock.

 

[d31tc]

I've had broken mags that separated from the body and the tabs broke, had a butt pad snap off, stripped bases screws from the factory with the bent base they messed up, bolt handle about broke off cracked stock at the butt. And that's just on the ones I owned. My buddies last year right before season broke the stock at the wrist under recoil on his 270, I let him barrow my 91 argentine. Dad had has the 270 first shot set the lugs back and looked up the gun, savage replaced it, new gun mag broke, his 6.5 first shot had to beat the bolt open, called savage and there sending the pre paid. I won't waste anymore of my time or money on the axis or probably any new savage.

That's a lot of stuff to go wrong on a gun so I hear what you're saying.

Your experience with Savage kind of sounds like my 2004 Ford F150 (can you say "cam phasers"?). Hard to imagine how Ford could put out something with such obvious issues and I paid the price. So far, my Toyota is doing very well - not fancy, but no problems. Based on my experience, Ford would be the last truck I would buy. HOWEVER, if I found one for $12 - I'd probably buy it.

So, by analogy, I've got myself a $12 F150 that currently runs pretty good - so far.

My thinking is I won't be out too much if I have to part it out if things go south. Would I rather have something else - probably. I mean, wouldn't we all? Maybe I'll sell it in the future to do a BIG upgrade.

 

[LoonWulf]

I had a Savage Scout that broke the bolt head retaining pin. You have no idea what a pain that was to deal with

Something that i keep wondering about, tho never test when i have a savage(empty of course).....in that situation if the bolt pin actually manages to come out completely after it breaks, you could probably rotate the bolt into firing position without rotating the bolt head and locking the lugs.


Bolt lugs sitting back bolt head pin shearing are pretty unusual circumstances, but could be awfully eventful in the wrong circumstance.

 

[tmd16556]

I’d start with the scope. Those Weaver green glass goofy goggle scopes they shipped with aren’t that good. Mine popped a lens out (Axis in 30-06 so a bit more recoil than your 223). It should replace with another cheap scope under warranty but it’s fairly low on my round-to-it list

 

[Skylerbone]

You’ve got an upgraded trigger coming so I definitely feel glass is next. The most portable piece in the equation is a good scope. No matter if the rifle goes South or you trade up later, we are in a revolutionary age where good, feature rich optics are plentiful. Spend what you can there, buy a decent bipod and mat to practice field positions with, then see what you and the rifle can do.

 

[d31tc]

You’ve got an upgraded trigger coming so I definitely feel glass is next. The most portable piece in the equation is a good scope. No matter if the rifle goes South or you trade up later, we are in a revolutionary age where good, feature rich optics are plentiful. Spend what you can there, buy a decent bipod and mat to practice field positions with, then see what you and the rifle can do.

I think you're right on the scope being the next logical improvement to improve precision. The scope image was fuzzy to me, so a 1/4" error could easily have been the sight picture. I'll be able to test that theory with swapping out a scope after the trigger arrives.

I think with the wood stock currently on it is rigid enough and free floated (with the scientific pieces of paper sliding under the barrel), a new chassis won't have that much impact on precision.

However, does anyone have any experience with the MDT LSS chassis? At $225, it seems like a good deal and if it doesn't do anything for precision, it seems like it would have other benefits (AICS mag so I don't have to worry about broken magazine tabs, which seems to be an issue on the OEM mag). I was also looking at the Boyds One Thumbhole Act FBC stock as well which has the adjustable butt plate and cheek riser for about $275, out the door.

 

[d31tc]

Thanks to troy fairweather's advice on removing stripped scope base screws, I am able to SLOWLY (definitely not smoothly) move forward on my upgrades on this rifle. This is ironic because doing anything to this rifle other than sell it goes against his very strong recommendation to sell it. His advice has been sound so far, so he has to be asking himself, "What is wrong with this d31tc guy?"

Hold my beer - I got this. Figured I'd give an update.

The trigger arrived, unopened in the original packaging. When I removed the stock trigger, I tried to install the new one, but the trigger pin would not fit. The hole on the original Savage trigger was measured at 0.1405”. The hole on the Timney trigger was measured at 0.138”. The original Savage trigger pin was measured at 0.139”. Timney was going to just send a replacement trigger, but wanted to look at the trigger I had, so they sent me a shipping label and I sent my trigger off to them. I'm expecting to get a new one this week. It will be interesting to see what they measure the hole at, as I don't have calibration gauges on my caliper for the inside measurement, and it's possible my calipers are off, but the bottom line is it didn't fit.

After I was able to remove the scope base screw, I was able to install an EGW Picatinny rail. I figured I'd use red loctite on the screws now that I know how to remove them easily enough....yeah, just kidding.

My current plan is to install the new trigger when it arrives, then go to the range and shoot groups with the Weaver Kaspa? 3-9x40 that came with the rifle and groups with my current floater scope, a Bushnell LRHS 3-12x44 and amaze myself with the improvement in group size I'm able to achieve with a better scope. This will then justify a more permanent, better quality, scope.

After I've justified buying a scope for this rifle, following are my list of wants for this scope:

1. Low magnification maximum of 3x.
2. High magnification minimum of 12x.
3. Mil/Mil reticle/turrets
4. Adjustable Turrets
5. Zero Stop
6. FFP
7. Scope budget, based on budgeting as much on the scope as the rifle, is - $12.

I didn't find any scopes under $12 that met my criteria, so, I upped my budget to $500. A list of contenders to date:

Vortex Venom 3-15x44
Athlon Helos BTR Gen 2 2-12x42
Swampfox Kentucky Long 3-18x50
Primary Arms SLx 3-18x50 Gen II

Curious if anyone has any experience, good or bad, with these scopes or if there are any scopes I missed that I should add for consideration and be on the lookout for deals.

I would consider buying used to get a scope with my set criteria for a much better price or maybe better quality within budget.

 

[troy fairweather]

Definitely lipstick on a pig lol, but if it shoots good who cares. Eurooptics has the older pro bushnell for I think $300 they look pretty good, if I had the spare cash I'd pick one up to try.

 

[Show Me]

Any project is a good time.

 

[kmw1954]

This is what I am shooting now. It is a Savage model 11 that was purchased as a barreled action in 243 with the intention that it would be rebarreled into something else. I paid $125.00 for the barreled action. During the course of purchasing a stock and deciding on a new barrel I just happened upon a Savage Model 12 heavy Varmint 223 that was a take off and never fired. For $100.00 I couldn't pass it up.

The Burris scope in this picture is ok. 4.5-14X50 SFP. Then another member here offered me an Althon Argos 8-34X56 FFP with MRAD reticle. I am still using that scope. So currently it is shooting 60gr VMAX 2" groups at 300yds...

If it were me I would look at the Athlon line of scopes. Had a 6-24X56 Helos and didn't like it as much as my Argos. Since it came with a wood stock I would also look into just glass bedding it for now until you decide which way you want to proceed. Glass bedding isn't difficult and is inexpensive.