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Thread: Crash Test - Axis - THE FUN BEGINS

  1. #51
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    It started cold this morning and snowing, then it warmed up which turned to rain. Chilled off this afternoon and it snowed again leading to the covered pic on page 1.

    Now it has warmed up a bunch as I can hear the water running out the down spouts. This rifle is well and truly soaked and maybe even frozen solid tonight.

    Might be the end of the rifle as we know it... or a whole lot of rust removal ????

    Anyways, it's too late now and we will see what the morning brings.

    Jerry


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  2. #52
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    The Final Ice Cube test is completed and posted. I was very nervous last night when it rained then snowed, then frooze. I found a nice ice cube this morning but the rifle function without a hiccup.

    The series of tests are now completed and the Axis has passed with flying colours. The sear/bolt release part is an easy replacement and will get one on order asap.

    The rifle is now thawed, dried and relubed. There is no visible rust anywhere on the surface. Of course, the surface can rust with even longer exposure to moisture but for a hard day in the rain and cold, as long as you dry things up and keep the surface lubed, it will give excellent service.

    Next time someone dishes on these dirt cheap plastic fantastics as just junk, maybe send them to this post and they can decide for themself.

    The Axis will certainly not win any beauty contests but it performs where it matters....

    In the field under rough conditions and useage

    Enjoy and Happy Holidays to all.

    Jerry


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  3. #53
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    Everybody loves a good torture test
    We need to get protection of life back into the national dialogue as the best reason for civilian firearms ownership. Guns are not just for hunting and target shooting!

  4. #54
    CGN Regular Ishodu's Avatar
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    Very well done thanks for doing this!
    F-Class Junkie

  5. #55
    CGN Regular timmy204's Avatar
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    Hey Jerry, how about a couple tests that really test the weak points of the savage design, that being the bolt handle and the attachment of the bolt head with a pin. How about dropping the rifle on the bolt handle from say 5 feet onto a hard surface like a concrete floor. The second test you should preform is to over pressure a cartridge and intentionally lock the bolt shut then hammer the bolt open with a hammer and a 2x4 to see if the handle or the pin breaks. I witnessed a guy this summer lock his bolt shut this summer on his 700 and we hammered his bolt open in this manner and the bolt handle did not come off surprisingly. It did tear the rim off the case and the case had to be tapped out through the barrel with a cleaning rod. Just to add I am not a fanboy of any manufacturer, I would just like to see if the axis is as tough as you think it is by testing the things that could actually break on the gun.

  6. #56
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    Quote Originally Posted by timmy204 View Post
    Hey Jerry, how about a couple tests that really test the weak points of the savage design, that being the bolt handle and the attachment of the bolt head with a pin. How about dropping the rifle on the bolt handle from say 5 feet onto a hard surface like a concrete floor. The second test you should preform is to over pressure a cartridge and intentionally lock the bolt shut then hammer the bolt open with a hammer and a 2x4 to see if the handle or the pin breaks. I witnessed a guy this summer lock his bolt shut this summer on his 700 and we hammered his bolt open in this manner and the bolt handle did not come off surprisingly. It did tear the rim off the case and the case had to be tapped out through the barrel with a cleaning rod. Just to add I am not a fanboy of any manufacturer, I would just like to see if the axis is as tough as you think it is by testing the things that could actually break on the gun.
    Interesting ideas and from the viewpoint of finding the weak spot I can see the value of these types of tests.

    But I think the testing Jerry has shown us is more oriented to "operational" or "end-user" type testing in which he is essentially amplifying the bumps and tumbles that a rifle might see in field use.

    Under these conditions there are not many concrete floors (although there are plenty of rocks), and most users are not shooting over-pressure loads.

    I cringed especially watching the drag test but it was very interesting, thanks for doing the work and putting it up.

    Very good performance for a very inexpensive rifle.

    Snapshot

  7. #57
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    Quote Originally Posted by timmy204 View Post
    Hey Jerry, how about a couple tests that really test the weak points of the savage design, that being the bolt handle and the attachment of the bolt head with a pin. How about dropping the rifle on the bolt handle from say 5 feet onto a hard surface like a concrete floor. The second test you should preform is to over pressure a cartridge and intentionally lock the bolt shut then hammer the bolt open with a hammer and a 2x4 to see if the handle or the pin breaks. I witnessed a guy this summer lock his bolt shut this summer on his 700 and we hammered his bolt open in this manner and the bolt handle did not come off surprisingly. It did tear the rim off the case and the case had to be tapped out through the barrel with a cleaning rod. Just to add I am not a fanboy of any manufacturer, I would just like to see if the axis is as tough as you think it is by testing the things that could actually break on the gun.
    Why 5 ft? Why not 6 ft 10 and 5/8"? destructive testing is of little value and at best nonsensensical. Anything can be broken if enough stress is applied AND if you build an object that is indestructible, it will likely fail its primary objective and useage so what's the point.

    You don't build a plane to survive all crashes, cause if you did, it wouldn't fly.

    So there is little point breaking a rifle, any rifle through extreme, non task specific stresses. Two hand swing any rifle against a telephone pole and they WILL break - so what have you proven? I think we all know telephone poles are tougher then firearms - proving that unnecessary, we believe you.

    The tests I used illustrated conditions, albeit enhanced, that can occur with a hunting rifle in the field. Guns drop, sometimes fall off cliffs. Get dragged behind quads and trucks. Definitely get cold and wet and very frozen. The rifle has to function safely and fire when the need arise WITH the bullet landing where desired.

    But don't let me stop you from doing any test you want. Just be safe and ensure neither bodily injury to yourself or to anyone around you.

    Hammering any bolt handle hard enough will eventually lead to its failure - this I concede, but on the Savage and Axis REPLACING the handle is a 1 minute job. Not so easy on any other platform I am aware of.

    As to stress testing a rifle under near explosive loads, no one I am aware is trained nor has the equipment to undergo these tests. Doing it by seeing when you need to pound open a rifle with a 2x4 is neither safe nor very smart. The best thing you can do is use published load data released by large professional reloading companies that have the equipment and expertise, and as they say in the book "NEVER EXCEED PUBLISHED LOADS".

    If that shooter had followed safe loading procedures AND some common sense, there would have been plenty of clues indicating impending doom. Fail to heed those and don't blame the rifle for deciding to test the laws of Entropy.

    I have to believe that Savage before releasing the Axis for consumption sent it off for PROPER destructive testing by qualified firm. This would have been necessary to satisfy all federal and state laws for the manufacture of firearms AND those tests qualify that firearm to be sold globally.

    And most importantly - satisfy the lawyers and insurers. There have been no recalls that I am aware of so the product satisfies the strength and safety as it was designed for. My tests concur that this is a surprisingly robust and hardy rifle that will offer years of excellent survice under less then ideal conditions.

    Just so you know, destroying 1 part under a set of circumstances is not enough data to prove that same test would destroy ALL similar items.... Unless of course, you want to fill a 300WM case full of pistol powder and pull the trigger.

    But that is another story....

    Jerry


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  8. #58
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    Jerry, how about the salt water test? I know you are far from the ocean, but that seems to be a glaring omission

  9. #59
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    Jerry you're from BC? That explains all the rain involved in the testing! Just pulling your leg! I had my eye on a snow Camo axis in 22-250 to accompany my Stevens 200 for yote hunting. The only thing that has stopped me from buying one is the bad reviews and the negative feed back on the bolt issues. I held one 2 or 3 years when they first came out and didn't like the feel at all. I haven't been following the axis closely but heard they changed since then doing some kind of transition from the edge? It would be interesting if you could post a short history on the rifle along with the tests. You seem to know quite a bit about the axis.

    Shayne
    I'm canadian eh , there's no doot aboot


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  10. #60
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    Quote Originally Posted by romurra View Post
    Jerry, how about the salt water test? I know you are far from the ocean, but that seems to be a glaring omission
    Nothing to test. The plastic will show no effect in our lifetime. The rubber buttpad may break down - but that will take years.

    The metal bits will corrode like any other blued chrome moly steel object. The SS parts will last a bit longer but it is all going to rust.

    There is no point in doing a corrosion test on modern firearms because they either have some high tech coating - you paid for it - which should be durable OR it doesn't, in which case you take care of it as best you can.

    What I have been impressed with Savage bluing is that it is deep and stands up to really rough handling. Rust free? not in your life. That is why I was very nervous when the temps rose and things thawed. That rifle got soaked through and through.... then it froze. The freezing stopped the rust but could have also stopped the rifle from functioning.

    Luckily neither happened.

    You would be miles ahead with good old enamel paint on the outside if exposed to really salty air. I think generic paint replaced on an annual basis is some of the best insurance against rust that is dirt cheap/simple to do. Not sure how you would keep that bore rust free though? That would be a challenge if you didn't want an oily bore.

    Any suggestions?

    Jerry


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