Took an Axis to the range today

[Fassteel]

Did some horse trading over the weekend and part of the trade was some loaded ammo in 223. buddy has a Savage Axis with a real nice 3-9 Redfield with a dud of a reticle, so much stuff going on there that a fudd like me had real trouble lining up the scope with the target at 100 yards.
When I did gets things going I was getting some great groups with 40gr Ballistic tips and H335 powder, 26.5gr right up to 28gr in new Win. brass. Trigger is a lot firmer than I am used to but it worked. I have peeled off the Redfield and dropped a 6-18 buckmaster from Nikon for another range test later in the week, thinking those small groups are about to become smaller . FS

 

[cody c]

A real nice redfield with a dud of a reticle?

I would just call it a POS.

 

[hometownhero]

Sounds awesome. Timney makes a really good trigger for these. I paid around $125 from western gun parts. If you are tired of the sh!tty stock boyds has some replacements as well.

 

[mastrmasn]

Sounds awesome. Timney makes a really good trigger for these. I paid around $125 from western gun parts. If you are tired of the sh!tty stock boyds has some replacements as well.

Did Boyd's really finally get some Axis stocks ?

 

[hometownhero]

What do you mean by get? They make them there

 

[mastrmasn]

I realize they make them there.

Should of said "Boyds is finally making Axis stocks ?"

 

[hometownhero]

Yup I ordered one of the first ones.

 

[kamlooky]

It comes with a trigger guard too.

 

[hometownhero]

It comes with a trigger guard too.

And recoil lug. Just bolt it on.

 

[canthitathing]

I took my new Axis .223 out for it's maiden range visit on the 22nd. It only has a cheap, used but new-to-me, Tasco 6-24 AOEG scope for now (I swore I would never buy a Tasco POS ever again but it was a cheap place to start). Despite what others have said about the stock, I like the look except the grip area should be beefier.

I picked up a "value pack" of 40 Winchester 45g JHP Varmint & Predator cartridges which were about the only ones they had. The Axis has 1-in-9 rifling so a heavier bullet should be used from what I've read.

I won't be joining the sniper squad any time soon, lol, but I'm only requiring minute-of-coyote accuracy anyway. I had some issue with the scope seeming reluctant to move the reticle to the right. The day was cool, with spitting rain and I used my bunched up coat as a rifle rest. I also found the Tasco very sensitive to eye relief so the exit pupil must be small, I don't like that at all.

The club only had the 100 yard range open but I've got the Axis shooting close but not yet ideal. I wasn't very solid on my target hold I'll have to admit, but I found the trigger quite heavy, gritty and with noticable creep (all issues openly mentioned in forum reviews I read so I wasn't surprised). I'll keep my eyes open for sales on Timney triggers.

Hopefully will get to range again soon, then go and freeze my butt looking for coyotes.

 

[hometownhero]

I shoot 36/40gr up to some 77gr in mine without any problems from them. I mostly shoot 53gr vmax