Savage Axis XP .308 spent cases sticking hard

[Irina]

Hi!
Noob here, so go easy on me.
Just picked up a Savage Axis XP .308 with the scope package a couple weeks ago.
Yeah I know it’s a cheapie rifle I read the reviews before buying and expected the usual accuracy issues plus the hard trigger everyone complains about.
Funny enough, my trigger is actually perfectly fine and the rifle seems quite precise so far.
The issue is I can’t get the spent round out after firing. Using Federal Power-Shok 150gr .308. Almost every single shot the case sticks hard in the chamber.
Bolt will not open without a serious fight. Takes an unreasonable amount of force to extract. We’re talking “go find the biggest guys on the range and politely ask for help” levels of force. Well, at least I’m making new friends… because this rifle is so ridiculously inoperable.
I’ve already cleaned and oiled it thoroughly, worked on it with a brush, and I can’t see anything stuck in the chamber or on the bolt. Bolt itself looks fine.
This is my first centre-fire rifle everything else in my gun cabinet is basically a rimfire Winchester and a Maverick 88 shotgun so there is a possibility I’m doing something wrong. A couple people at the range suggested maybe the rifle was just getting too hot. Fair enough, so I tried waiting quite a while between shots and letting it cool down. Made absolutely no difference.
Put maybe a 2 boxes of rounds through it so far. Will this get better as it breaks in, or am I just destined to wander the range looking for something hard enough to bang the bolt open after every shot?
At this point I feel like Savage should just include a rubber mallet from the flooring department in the box as an official accessory.
Anyone here had this happen with the Axis XP? Known issue? Something Savage normally fixes under warranty? Or is this a “take it to a gunsmith” kind of problem? Curious what the GunNutz collective wisdom says.
Thank you!

 

[ivobb]

can you cycle a round without firing it?

 

[Irina]

can you cycle a round without firing it?

Yep, just tried cycling an unfired round and it chambers - extracts very easily. The problem only happens after firing then the spent case gets stuck and the bolt becomes extremely hard to open.

 

[homslice]

Try giving the chamber a good coat of solvent and then a good scrubbing.
I have not had that happen on a axis before but I have had it on a Remington.
If that doesn't fix that give their customer service a call . A friend of mine has dealt with them before for his Axis (Bolt broke after 1000 or so rounds)
I've had a handful of Axis rifles and enjoyed them all. I regularly put a few rounds on the gong at 500 meters with my .223 axis just using a holdover of about 6 feet (scope is set for 100)

 

[mephisto002]

Post a picture of a spent case.
The problem might be a rough chamber.

 

[Irina]

Try giving the chamber a good coat of solvent and then a good scrubbing.
I have not had that happen on a axis before but I have had it on a Remington.
If that doesn't fix that give their customer service a call . A friend of mine has dealt with them before for his Axis (Bolt broke after 1000 or so rounds)
I've had a handful of Axis rifles and enjoyed them all. I regularly put a few rounds on the gong at 500 meters with my .223 axis just using a holdover of about 6 feet (scope is set for 100)

Will do, thanks!

 

[Irina]

Post a picture of a spent case.
The problem might be a rough chamber.

Thanks, really appreciate you guys taking a look and helping me figure this out! Also I noticed the probability of a stuck case seems related to how aggressively I chamber the round. If I work the bolt quickly and firmly, it’s much less likely to get stuck after firing, maybe 1 in 5 instead of almost every shot. Basically I have to cycle the poor bolt like I have serious anger-management issues and then it behaves better. Not sure if that tells you guys anything, but figured it might be relevant.

 

[kevin g]

Is this the only factory ammo you've tried so far ??
Any chance you can try another brand or two to see if it still behaves the same way on extraction / ejection ?

Nothing jumping out obvious in the pics as far as I can see when I zoom in on them.
Your chamber is clean and dry I'm assuming...no excessive amount of oil/lube in there ?

Bit of #0000 steel wool wound around a chamber brush and lightly polished out (with a drill)...if it is in fact a crudded up chamber.
Other than that, wonder if the gun has a very tight chamber ?

Best of luck with it..Keep us updated > Kevin

 

[fingers284]

I dont think the OP has a chamber problem from what he has written. He states the issue is hard lifting the bolt handle and doesnt mention any extraction issues after the bolt is opened...if the spent case extracts easily, chamber issues prob dont exist. Does a fired case you have already removed re-chamber and remove easily ??
I think he has a bolt locking lug-action interface problem or, in a Savage Axis, could be as far fetched as an issue with firing pin/spring holding bolt face pressure against the case head.

 

[DeadShot519]

Check headspacing. I had an axis that barrel nut was set incorrectly so throat was too short. Factory ammo jammed into the lands causing very sticky bolt lift

 

[Eagleye]

A small amount of roughness in that chamber may not be particularly obvious, but can still
cause initial extraction difficulties. 'smith could polish it out, or you could have the Savage
warranty depot review it. As suggested, I would try some different ammo, since I feel that
Federal has the softest brass, and may be more inclined to stick if some slight roughness
exists. EE

 

[Irina]

A small amount of roughness in that chamber may not be particularly obvious, but can still
cause initial extraction difficulties. 'smith could polish it out, or you could have the Savage
warranty depot review it. As suggested, I would try some different ammo, since I feel that
Federal has the softest brass, and may be more inclined to stick if some slight roughness
exists. EE

Thanks, that makes sense. I’ll definitely try a different box of ammo before sending the rifle off anywhere. Any particular manufacturer/series of .308 you’d suggest trying for this? My local store has Hornady, Nosler, Barnes, Remington and PMC. so I can at least rule the ammo in/out before bothering Savage.

 

[Irina]

I dont think the OP has a chamber problem from what he has written. He states the issue is hard lifting the bolt handle and doesnt mention any extraction issues after the bolt is opened...if the spent case extracts easily, chamber issues prob dont exist. Does a fired case you have already removed re-chamber and remove easily ??
I think he has a bolt locking lug-action interface problem or, in a Savage Axis, could be as far fetched as an issue with firing pin/spring holding bolt face pressure against the case head.

probably described issue poorly, sorry. The bolt handle itself rotates up/unlocks after firing without issues. The problem starts after that, when I try to pull the bolt rearward. That pull is VERY hard. If I give bolt handle a persuasive bang with a wooden block for example, once I overpower it the spent case comes out normally and flys away in normal "phew" like any other spent case. Unfired rounds chamber and extract very easily. Does that still sound like the lug/action issue you were thinking of, or more like the fired case is actually binding in the chamber?

 

[Irina]

Thanks for all the help, folks! Really appreciate everyone taking the time to troubleshoot this. Plan for now is give it another really thorough cleaning, try a box or two of different .308 ammo, and see if anything changes. I also contacted the shop I bought it from, and their suggestion was basically just to exchange the rifle rather than mess around with it too much. Starting to think I should’ve just saved a little longer and bought the Tikka everyone keeps raving about

 

[Bigbubba]

The bitter taste of poor quality lingers long after the sweetness of a cheap price is forgotten.

 

[fingers284]

probably described issue poorly, sorry. The bolt handle itself rotates up/unlocks after firing without issues. The problem starts after that, when I try to pull the bolt rearward. That pull is VERY hard. If I give bolt handle a persuasive bang with a wooden block for example, once I overpower it the spent case comes out normally and flys away in normal "phew" like any other spent case. Unfired rounds chamber and extract very easily. Does that still sound like the lug/action issue you were thinking of, or more like the fired case is actually binding in the chamber?

This changes my dissertation 180 deg LOL...yes , now you have a chamber/ammo issue...I would completely take the suppliers offer to replace the gun if a simple change in ammo doesnt remedy the issue.

 

[Bigbubba]

Anyway, if you have a friend with a 308 try the ammo in their rifle, or try different ammo in your rifle…

I had an issue like that once with a Remington 700 and it was the extractor…repaired under warranty

 

[possum]

I also contacted the shop I bought it from, and their suggestion was basically just to exchange the rifle rather than mess around with it too much.

I wouldn't mess around with the POS. I would exchange it ASAP.