Post by 5ontarget on May 26, 2015 22:51:53 GMT -5
I "needed" a new rifle for a prairie dog hunt this summer. I had a thought to try building up a wildcat varmint gun with a Savage as a donor gun. I picked Savage for a couple reasons, not the least of which is the relative ease at which the backyard gun plumber, like me, can rebarrel one. I thought, "I'd better not spend a lot on my first Savage rebarrel, in case I somehow screw it up badly." What can I say, I've lived with me my whole life, and know me pretty well. So, I chose a Savage Axis, the entry level gun Savage offers. I did get the heavy barrel version, chambered in .223. My plan was to rebarrel it in 20 Vartarg, 221 Fireball (which is the parent case for the vartarg), or perhaps or 20 practical. Yeah, I could just go with the .204 Ruger, but I wanted to try something different, and I wanted a smaller case than the .204 Ruger.
So the Axis arrives, er, side note. The heavy barrel version only comes in the base Axis model. The Axis II line has the accutrigger. They would sell a lot of these rifles if they put the accutrigger on it, but they might be losing sales on the higher model lines. I'll leave that to the execs at Savage. Back on topic, the gun arrives and it is quite nice, very nice for the price (especially after the rebate from Savage). The fit and finish are not as nice as their higher lines, but it shouldn't be either. The action isn't as smooth, but this gun is about 1/2 the cost. The stock is plastic and I can easily flex it against the barrel with my hands, and was touching the barrel down one side of the gun, but hey, they had to cut cost somewhere, right? The trigger is not bad, with very clean break, but a little harder than I'd like. A couple of quick internet searches, and I'm off to the hardware store. I install an overtravel screw and new spring, polish the trigger and sear, reassemble and pull the trigger....who needs and accutrigger! I don't have a trigger pull gauge, but it is much improved. It passed the bounce and drop test without a problem.
A couple weeks pass and I have a package on my front door. It was the new laminate thumbhole Boyd's stock for the HB Axis. It was very close to being free floated from the factory, a few passes with some 150 grit sandpaper and it was fully floated. I did have a little inletting to do for my "aftermarket" overtravel screw, and a tiny bit on the mag well for the mag catch. Very well done by Boyd's. I just polished/smoothed the finish a little more.
Next, the scope and rings arrived, and I figured I might as well see how it shoots with the factory .223 barrel on it. After zeroing the scope in at 100yds, I took a couple shots out at 200 and 230yds. My friend then shot a couple rounds at the same target. Our first 5 shots (3 from me and 2 from him) were in a 1.5" group, with 4 of them within a 1" group. Hmm, maybe I don't need to rebarrel this rifle after all. I still want to build my wildcat, but it will be done with another rifle.
I've been impressed with the price/quality of Savage rifles, and I was hoping for something like this, but not really expecting it. A sub MOA rifle for under $400, counting the new stock. Would it shoot that good with the factory stock, and be a sub MOA, sub $300 gun? It might, but I never tried. I knew I wanted a stiffer/heavier stock as this is going to be a range and varmint gun, not something I'll lug through the woods.
I'll have to get some pictures up. I can't believe I don't have any on my phone.
So the Axis arrives, er, side note. The heavy barrel version only comes in the base Axis model. The Axis II line has the accutrigger. They would sell a lot of these rifles if they put the accutrigger on it, but they might be losing sales on the higher model lines. I'll leave that to the execs at Savage. Back on topic, the gun arrives and it is quite nice, very nice for the price (especially after the rebate from Savage). The fit and finish are not as nice as their higher lines, but it shouldn't be either. The action isn't as smooth, but this gun is about 1/2 the cost. The stock is plastic and I can easily flex it against the barrel with my hands, and was touching the barrel down one side of the gun, but hey, they had to cut cost somewhere, right? The trigger is not bad, with very clean break, but a little harder than I'd like. A couple of quick internet searches, and I'm off to the hardware store. I install an overtravel screw and new spring, polish the trigger and sear, reassemble and pull the trigger....who needs and accutrigger! I don't have a trigger pull gauge, but it is much improved. It passed the bounce and drop test without a problem.
A couple weeks pass and I have a package on my front door. It was the new laminate thumbhole Boyd's stock for the HB Axis. It was very close to being free floated from the factory, a few passes with some 150 grit sandpaper and it was fully floated. I did have a little inletting to do for my "aftermarket" overtravel screw, and a tiny bit on the mag well for the mag catch. Very well done by Boyd's. I just polished/smoothed the finish a little more.
Next, the scope and rings arrived, and I figured I might as well see how it shoots with the factory .223 barrel on it. After zeroing the scope in at 100yds, I took a couple shots out at 200 and 230yds. My friend then shot a couple rounds at the same target. Our first 5 shots (3 from me and 2 from him) were in a 1.5" group, with 4 of them within a 1" group. Hmm, maybe I don't need to rebarrel this rifle after all. I still want to build my wildcat, but it will be done with another rifle.
I've been impressed with the price/quality of Savage rifles, and I was hoping for something like this, but not really expecting it. A sub MOA rifle for under $400, counting the new stock. Would it shoot that good with the factory stock, and be a sub MOA, sub $300 gun? It might, but I never tried. I knew I wanted a stiffer/heavier stock as this is going to be a range and varmint gun, not something I'll lug through the woods.
I'll have to get some pictures up. I can't believe I don't have any on my phone.
