New to Savage--tried an Axis, big mistake!

[dacaur]

If you want modular, check out the T/C Dimension.... Thats one I would like to get... perhaps when I am ready to get my first .300 win mag....

As for the savage stock, I imagine if the stock were better, it would be touted, but then if they gave it a better stock, it wouldn't be a budget rifle... Its because of this modularity that it IS a budget rifle. rather than having molds for a short action and long action stock, they have just one stock, with different trigger guards and magazines..... It is odd that yours is shorter though, I dont get that... did you buy it new or used? if used mayby someone put a .308 action in a youth stock before you got it?

With how great most of these rifles shoot, I wonder if anyone has considerd making an aftermarket stock, but keep the stock trigger guard/mag setup as the stock rifle, so a guy could buy ONE really nice stock, and then several budget rifles, and then at any time switch the action/trigger guard out to put a new caliber in his nice stock.... Seems to me it would make it easier to swallow a $300 pricetag on a stock if you knew you could use it with any caliber edge/axis.....

If no one has thought of it, get on it!

[thermaler]

If you want modular, check out the T/C Dimension.... Thats one I would like to get... perhaps when I am ready to get my first .300 win mag....

As for the savage stock, I imagine if the stock were better, it would be touted, but then if they gave it a better stock, it wouldn't be a budget rifle... Its because of this modularity that it IS a budget rifle. rather than having molds for a short action and long action stock, they have just one stock, with different trigger guards and magazines..... It is odd that yours is shorter though, I dont get that... did you buy it new or used? if used mayby someone put a .308 action in a youth stock before you got it?

With how great most of these rifles shoot, I wonder if anyone has considerd making an aftermarket stock, but keep the stock trigger guard/mag setup as the stock rifle, so a guy could buy ONE really nice stock, and then several budget rifles, and then at any time switch the action/trigger guard out to put a new caliber in his nice stock.... Seems to me it would make it easier to swallow a $300 pricetag on a stock if you knew you could use it with any caliber edge/axis.....

If no one has thought of it, get on it!

well, if ya can't get someone else to do it--maybe you just have to do it yourself.

As I mentioned earlier--I wonder if pillar/bedding the existing stock may solve the flex problem--provided it is cheap enough it may still make the Axis an exceptional value.
So this morning, I started obliterating the second stock--the one of my 308 which I just bought! I really don't think it is the youth model--all the specs fit the regular Axis except that the stock is 1" shorter. It is brand-new and just recently arrived at the store. Manufacturers are known to make changes in their production without announcing it--sometimes they don't want a massive recall response or people wanting a replacement?? I don't know--but it might be a possibility.

Anyway, my approach was to reinforce the stock from front to back with aircraft grade 6061 tubular aluminum. This may sound very expensive--but a visit to your local area hang gliding school you will probably find plenty in the their waste bin--I got mine from broken hang gliding parts. For the front end of the stock I used 1/4" tube which I cut to fit each of the compartments--you get get two of them side by side nicely. For the butt end to the grip. I used a thick-walled 3/4" tube. If you use a hammer to flatten one end, it should fit all the way up to where the trigger guard clips in and go right down the middle of the stock to the butt pad. To make all of this work, I used marinetex to fill the compartments and the front and rear of the stock where I put the rear pillar in between the trigger guard and butt pad. I doubt the total additional weight amounts to much over a quarter pound. Also, wherever there is an open cavity in the stock sidewall I filled that with marintex as well. The whole process took me maybe two hours--mostly because marintex is messy stuff and gets all over everything and I was basically making things up as I went

However, I eventually lost the battle of keeping the stock outside clean. So now I'm doing my very first camo job, which is still in progress. Everything is setting up and drying right now--but I'll do a test fit tomorrow to see if everything is OK--should be easy to tell with the scope on whether the flex has been reduced or not. I will take pictures so you can laugh at my further follies. : )

[thermaler]

Here are the aluminum tubes that I used; the 3/4" tube is hammered on the end so that it will fit all the way to the trigger guard rear:
http://i1049.photobucket.com/albums/s388/triggerpull/Facebook/Untitled%20Album/556512_147161198758453_747953833_n.jpg

[dacaur]

cool, cant wait to see how it turns out!

[thermaler]

Here is the stock bed with tubes fitted and filled with marinetex. Notice all the "open air" lightening cavities have been filled as well:http://i1049.photobucket.com/albums/s388/triggerpull/Facebook/Untitled%20Album/253559_147161305425109_1708539710_n.jpg

[thermaler]

I couldn't wait either, so it is with pleasure I present to you "phoenix" in all her glory:
http://i1049.photobucket.com/albums/s388/triggerpull/Facebook/Untitled%20Album/644050_147161238758449_1446441790_n.jpg

[thermaler]

Another view: http://i1049.photobucket.com/albums/s388/triggerpull/Facebook/Untitled%20Album/561075_147161278758445_866222367_n.jpg

[thermaler]

And another: http://i1049.photobucket.com/albums/s388/triggerpull/Facebook/Untitled%20Album/551965_147161222091784_1651812425_n.jpg

[thermaler]

So far so good--I did a cheek weld and even with the gun on the bipod the site image stayed rock-steady. Of course--I can't wait to put some rounds downrange to see what improvements there really are.

[M.O.A.]

so did your filler job stiffen up the stock ? i sure looked likeit sould have

[thermaler]

Like I said--so far so good--even with the front end weight on the bipod and my cheek weld the sight image stayed rock-steady. But the real proof is in the paper when I get some rounds through her--gotta wait at least 24 hours for everything to fully dry--but I can't wait to see the results.

[M.O.A.]

you sure are quick with things you just started this post six days age and have already bought a nother gun and fix the old gun with the new gun and some work on that stock and had a gun smith not know how to do something kinda easy.

man i have been following this post sents the beganing and it seems to have been an ordeal and i have to say you handled it quit well ;-}

[thermaler]

I think I might be a bit OCD, : ) Naturally I'm going nuts waiting to go fire her.

[fgw_in_fla]

I used plain 'ol aluminum rod 3/16 diameter & Ace Hardware quick set epoxy.
http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/w424/fgwinfla/DSC07364.jpg

Aside from spending a few hours tighening it up, my 25.06 Edge shoots a good as any hi dollar rifle I own. In fact, I kinda like it more since it was a pawn shop rescue...

Here's one of the best groups I got from it during OCD / OCW...
http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/w424/fgwinfla/2506with100grNBT001.jpg

And here's the end result....
http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/w424/fgwinfla/DSC07605.jpg

Best of luck with yours. A little patience, time and a few bucks & I believe anyone can make them shoot like a high dollar rifle.

Frank in Fla

[thermaler]

I certainly hope I get near the results you did--that's some great shootin! I went with 6061 tubular because of it's superior strength/weight ratio--and I could get it for free. The biggest expense was the marinetex--I thought long and hard about all the various epoxy options--the reason I selected marinetex is because of it's well-known performance in harsh environments including heat and solvents, plus I can drill and tap it if I want to add something. Also, I just put a wad of it at the beginning and end of the tube that runs from the trigger guard to butt plate--that way I didn't have to fill the stock with anything nor worry about the epoxy flowing out of the various angles, plus all of this kept the weight increase to a minimum. But I stll don't know how it will perform till I put it to the paper.

Nice weapon--where/what did you get the higher capacity mag? I'm a 5 shot is a grouping kind of guy. I can't tell for sure, what distance are those groupings?

[thomae]

I did something similar to my Axis. Using an extra long bit, I drilled in on both sides lengthwise from the muzzle end of the stock all the way back to below the recoil lug. I inserted two aluminum rods (I believe they were 5/16"diameter) and then filled all the crevices with epoxy. That way, I didn't need to cut through the reinforcing ribs in the stock (although I guess the epoxy makes them redundant). I also epoxied in a wrist pin and a metal spring for the buttpad release catch. Seems to help, but I have not had the time to really shoot it since then.

[davemuzz]

I think I might be a bit OCD, : ) Naturally I'm going nuts waiting to go fire her.

We r from the FBI.....Your already on the list.... ;)

[fgw_in_fla]

Ya know I figured it's still a cheapo plastic stock so I didn't want to go nutzo with hi dollar epoxies & metals. I even cut the aluminum rod with my bolt cutters , then used the sharp ragged edge to drill into the recoil block. When I put the fat barrel on it, I had to ballast it because it would nose dive pivot off the bipod.

I used 2 handfuls of lead buckshot mixed with epoxy & shoved it in the stock. Nuthin' fancy... By the way, that's 100yd OCW load testing when I put the new barrel on it.
I don't see any reason why yours shouldn't punch out one hole groups. For a cheapo flex - o - matic rifle, they're remarkably accurate. With the right ammo & shooter, of course.
Good luck with yours & keep us posted. I think you've got everyone's attention now since it's been such a pain in the hiney...

Frank in Fla

[thermaler]

Ya know I figured it's still a cheapo plastic stock so I didn't want to go nutzo with hi dollar epoxies & metals. I even cut the aluminum rod with my bolt cutters , then used the sharp ragged edge to drill into the recoil block. When I put the fat barrel on it, I had to ballast it because it would nose dive pivot off the bipod.

I used 2 handfuls of lead buckshot mixed with epoxy & shoved it in the stock. Nuthin' fancy... By the way, that's 100yd OCW load testing when I put the new barrel on it.
I don't see any reason why yours shouldn't punch out one hole groups. For a cheapo flex - o - matic rifle, they're remarkably accurate. With the right ammo & shooter, of course.
Good luck with yours & keep us posted. I think you've got everyone's attention now since it's been such a pain in the hiney...

Frank in Fla That is truly outstanding shooting for any rifle--you're living proof that these things can be "diamonds in the rough." As soon as everything is dry and the weather is good it's paper-punching time (tho at this point I'm shooting mainly budget factory stuff for break-in purposes) !

[thermaler]

We r from the FBI.....Your already on the list.... ;)

Probably true--I once was a federal contractor and had an FBI security background clearance. But in all seriousness--anyone who doesn't believe in the supremacy of the rule of law has no business owning a firearm, IMO.