Axis 1 revisited

[stagpanther]

I've always had a soft spot for the Savage Axis rifle line--it's the model of rifles that everyone loved to hate because of the maddeningly flexible Tupperware stocks. I still have a few of the originals in my gun cabinets--they are and remain a great bargain for what you get--the savage barrel and receiver at a bargain price.

I just bought this axis 1 in 308 win at wallyworld for $180. The first one I bought about ten years ago cost me $250. Now that's progress. The stock has come a long ways since the original "flex by just looking at it" stock. I can't see much difference between it and the axis 2 stock--other than true to it's origins savage has insisted on retaining the push-button buttpad system which I've always thought is a blatantly poor design. I suppose they feel compelled to purpose-design inferior features to make the upgrade rifles more appealing at their prices.

The stock is thick enough that it won't come up and contact the barrel once you cut the barrel channel back. True to every synthetic stock I've ever purchased, the barrel doesn't align straight down the channel so a bit of trimming is needed to ensure complete free-float. Easy enough to do, and unlike the first axis stocks I didn't need to reinforce the foreend to keep the stock from flexing and contacting the barrel. Very Nice. Savage has added molded bedding and metal pillars to where the action screws come through--nice touches. My opinion about their Axis 1 and 2 stocks is that they both benefit from doing some skim bedding to the magazine inlet area, this gives a solid seat to the receiver and reduces the play when tightening the receiver screws. For this particular job I used devcon plastic steel (expensive and getting harder to find these days, but well worth it) and decided to try common weather caulking instead of the expensive medaling clay that GS suppliers like to sell at exorbitant prices. It works just fine, and I find is less messy than modeling clay. about the tenth of the cost of modeling clay and readily available art your hardware store. Savage has a rather unique and clever system for their rear screw pillar, it's really 3 pillars--one in the stock itself, a thick cast metal stub that is part of the trigger assembly (the part protruding forward with a hole cut through it) and then the trigger guard plate. This rather complex system is I assume the natural outgrowth of their "one size fits all" modular approach of the axis line that can be adapted to all their short and long actions offerings, all they do is change the trigger guard fitting to adapt to the different magazines.







The trigger comes at a rather hefty 5 lbs pull but very workable for typical hunting. A bit of spring trim brought mine down to a nice compromise of 3 lbs.

[stagpanther]

There are a few other flashing over-run issues that need to be trimmed--the magazine also had a slight misfit--nothing a few minutes with a Dremel didn't easily fix.

Her she is all dressed up and ready to rock. Sporting the reddot the rifle all-up weighs just over 6 lbs and balances beautifully standing free-hand; sighting is natural with both eyes open. Why not? Could be a perfect thick woods hunting gun.



Maybe some 125 gr accubonds traveling at 3100+ fps?

[kilotanker22]

Stag, is this the rifle you intend to rebarrel for .224 Valkyrie?

Instead of having the bolt face opened up on my Ruger, I will likely buy a Savage for the same purpose.

[CarJunkieLS1]

I have a soft spot for the 125 Accubonds. They should prove to be a accurate and very deadly bullet. From my 30 Rem AR I launch them at 2850ish and the handful of medium game animals that's hit with them have gone straight down, no running, no kicking, nothing. That 125gr pill is a light switch for me.

Nice looking rifle and nice work as always.

[stagpanther]

Stag, is this the rifle you intend to rebarrel for .224 Valkyrie?

Instead of having the bolt face opened up on my Ruger, I will likely buy a Savage for the same purpose.

It is. I was looking to get quotes on a basic 224 valk barrel and a plain Jane sporter profile would have run me at least $500. I sometimes look at EABCO as a last resort, and they had a 26" 6mm BR barrel ready to ship for half that. Took me all of about 20 seconds to change my mind--the barrel has already shipped. At $180 a pop per axis I may just have to make another run to wallyworld--especially if this shoots well. PS--that PTG 6.8 bolt face is already paid for and on the way--you interested? ; )

I have a soft spot for the 125 Accubonds. They should prove to be a accurate and very deadly bullet. From my 30 Rem AR I launch them at 2850ish and the handful of medium game animals that's hit with them have gone straight down, no running, no kicking, nothing. That 125gr pill is a light switch for me.

Nice looking rifle and nice work as always.

Thanks--and good to hear about the AB's. This combo swings and balances as good as any of my lever guns--I figure it may have a second lease on life if it tests well with the reddot. A fast handling carbine-like rifle is a handy thing in the heavy woods here.

[ReloadKy]

I am very interested to hear your results with the 125 accubonds. I have almost a complete box on the shelf that I had bought for a 308 but then ended up selling the 308 to buy a 243 compact for my son. I had fleeting thoughts of trying the 125's in my 30-06 just for giggles.

[stagpanther]

well--things did not go as planned (as often is the case). I did my reloads with cases that had seen repeated firings over the past decade through several semi-autos--for whatever reason the bolt would not close on about a third of them--the cases probably are just too memory stretched for what I assume is a small-side cut chamber in the new axis. The issue was settled for me when a gust (it's still howling winds here) blew the full ammo box off the table--and no I don't color-code my cases.

[kilotanker22]

Stag I will send you a pm for that bolt head.

[kilotanker22]

Originally Posted by stagpanther

It is. I was looking to get quotes on a basic 224 valk barrel and a plain Jane sporter profile would have run me at least $500. I sometimes look at EB Shaw as a last resort, and they had a 26" 6mm BR barrel ready to ship for half that. Took me all of about 20 seconds to change my mind--the barrel has already shipped. At $180 a pop per axis I may just have to make another run to wallyworld--especially if this shoots well. PS--that PTG 6.8 bolt face is already paid for and on the way--you interested? ; )

Thanks--and good to hear about the AB's. This combo swings and balances as good as any of my lever guns--I figure it may have a second lease on life if it tests well with the reddot. A fast handling carbine-like rifle is a handy thing in the heavy woods here.

You can get a 26" stainless bead blasted Savage Drop in Barrel from Preferred Barrels for $360. 6 week lead time though.

https://preferredbarrelblanks.com/cart/#gform_21

[stagpanther]

Looks like you'll still need the chamber reamed? 6 weeks isn't bad, most of my custom cut barrels generally take 8 weeks +/-

Anyways, today I made the dramatic decision to take the 308 axis rifle apart lest I be tempted to buy yet another rifle. For the first time I couldn't get the barrel nut all the way off--those little ball bearings savage uses to seal the threads were just too much.

[stagpanther]

It had to end sometime.

[stagpanther]

I have a soft spot for the 125 Accubonds. They should prove to be a accurate and very deadly bullet. From my 30 Rem AR I launch them at 2850ish and the handful of medium game animals that's hit with them have gone straight down, no running, no kicking, nothing. That 125gr pill is a light switch for me.

Nice looking rifle and nice work as always.

I shot what was left through my PSA carbine and they grouped very well @ 106 yds using a redddot--I think I'll get some more. ; )

[kilotanker22]

Originally Posted by stagpanther

Looks like you'll still need the chamber reamed? 6 weeks isn't bad, most of my custom cut barrels generally take 8 weeks +/-

Anyways, today I made the dramatic decision to take the 308 axis rifle apart lest I be tempted to buy yet another rifle. For the first time I couldn't get the barrel nut all the way off--those little ball bearings savage uses to seal the threads were just too much.

Nope, they come already chaambered I thought. Otherwise they wouldn't be a "drop in" barrel or "Pre fit"