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

[davemuzz]

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.

True...I'm just glad u can take some ribbing!!!!

[thermaler]

Ok ...I finally got through to Savage and had a few questions answered.

First off--Savage has in fact recently changed the production of the stock and it is in fact shorter than ones produced up until a short time ago. I didn't get an exact date of change-over--though both my 270 and 308 are very recent and the two stocks are different. Even before I put the reinforcements inside my 308 stock--it was noticeably stiffer than the longer stock that came with my 270 which was absurdly flexible. Tried getting them to foot the bill for a replacement stock but they wouldn't go for it. : (

As for my fantasy of easy swap-out receivers--Savage says they won't sell a complete assembled receiver (barrel, bolt, chamber) without a customer sending a completed rifle in for factory testing and swap out. So my next question was, "OK--than how much are the parts?" to which I was told $250 + shipping + FFL transfer. So now we're back to what a complete assembled rifle costs.

[fgw_in_fla]

Thermaler - let me make this even more amusing....

I went to my favorite pawn shop this morning to buy an older 110 wooden stock .270 for 300 bucks. The guy there tells me the boss won't be back until Sunday, maybe Monday.

I say the heck with it.

I walk across the street to the gun store that deals in Savage, Rem & alot of police type guns & say to the guy "I need a Savage. Any caliber. Cheap."

He hands me an Edge in .308win. I peel off a few C-Notes & leave with my new Edge & papers.

NOW...... The fun begins. I think this one is going to be a 7mm-08 or maybe a .308. I want to build another lightwieght hunting rifle. My long range shooters are way too heavy to be running around the jungle with it strapped to my back.

I'll try to make a picture record of all the "stuff" I do to it in order to get it to shoot like the other so perhaps the next unfortunate soul that thinks they got a real POS can see that there is hope & a way to make them shoot like a $1000 rifle...... sort of.

Anyway, it's been one helluva day. I had a accident in the parking lot of the post office. Man, did my 1 ton GMC make a mess of that Saturn bumper & tail lights....
I had to fire one of my guys because he was stoopid and, I'm on the verge of offering my 'ol lady for sale on the classified section under things you really don't need beacuse they're a pain in the hiney....

I gotta go work on my new Edge.
Later, y'all.

Frank in Fla

[thermaler]

Sorry about the accident and woman given ya trouble--but the sun gonna shine after every storm. : )

One thing to think about in your rebuild--I did end up ordering a new shorter stock for the 270 since the whole modularity thing seems a bit out of reach--another drawback to the 308 and up in caliber is the recoil wallop--that recoil lug seems to me to do nothing in terms of actual recoil reduction. I'm wondering if some kind of recoil reduction cheapo rod/spring could be devised for inside the stock to reduce the recoil wallop and muzzle lift--making it smoother and easier to get back on target.

[RSG]

Thermaler,
Back in the past I saw a cylinder like part that you press into the butt of the stock. I think it was call Dead mule. It was a oil or mercury filled recoil brake.
RSG

[fgw_in_fla]

As for the accident, I laughed my butt off as I drove away. My big 'ol GMC pick up really did a job on her car. When I backed out & put it in Drive, I started to hit the gas & at the same time my truck rocked sideways and hesitated for a moment. As I moved ahead, I ripped the plastic bumper cover off & ripped the tail light outta the car body. I would say about $1800 to $2000 in mess for her. I got home & cleaned the grey paint off my truck bumper. I can't help but chuckle. I had an accident & for a change it wasn't my fault!!!!!


Anyway, enough fun, for now.
Recoil with an Axis / Edge..... I load for my Edge 25.06 and some loads have been near max cap according to Lyman. I have never had any trouble or indication of the lug not doing its job. As long as the action bolts are tight I can't imagine it getting in trouble.

Do you know something I don't... or need to?

As far as muzzle flip and geting it back on target, I add reinforcement to the forend, which adds weight. I add a little more than necessary to help keep it stable. Then, I counterweight it in the stock / butt end. A little lead buckshot mixed with epoxy & I can get it well balanced. By the time I add a bipod & counterweight, it's good 'n' stable. My 25.06 is quite tight & stable to where I can pull the trigger & watch the shot thru the scope.
Gotta go for now.... My epoxy is hardening and I need to trim the stock so it lets the barrel float.
Later y'all,
Frank in Fla

[thermaler]

Well, I can assure you that 30 06 is not 25 06 : ) It and 270 pack a fair wallop, which in a lightweight setup like the Axis is pretty hard to hold steady after launching the round--at least for me.

[mattm0812]

fgw_in_fla's edge does shoot like a dream...


That .270 in the pawn shop is haunting me...it won't leave me alone.

[thermaler]

fgw_in_fla's edge does shoot like a dream...


That .270 in the pawn shop is haunting me...it won't leave me alone. I must say that I'm very attracted to the ballistics and performance of the 270; flat shooting, high velocity with good reach out and knock-down power--which is why I bought the thing in the first place. I think I will eventually get mine operating tip-top and I will finally get some good shooting out of it. I would be leery of the old style stock though--at least the one I got was just too flimsy for launching artillery like the 270. : ) Still projecting rain for the next two days here--but I'm going to test fire my mods ASAP.

[mattm0812]

I must say that I'm very attracted to the ballistics and performance of the 270; flat shooting, high velocity with good reach out and knock-down power--which is why I bought the thing in the first place. I think I will eventually get mine operating tip-top and I will finally get some good shooting out of it. I would be leery of the old style stock though--at least the one I got was just too flimsy for launching artillery like the 270. : ) Still projecting rain for the next two days here--but I'm going to test fire my mods ASAP.

I was originally looking for a .243 because of the recoil and ability to still shoot stupid accurate, but Frank led me on to the deal at the pawn shop and I can't pass the offer up. I might later down the road barrel swap it.

[thermaler]

I almost went for the 243, but the way I see it it starts losing it fast much past 200 yds in terms of confident kills, though like anything it depends a lot on the shooter. But from what I read, the 270 is much more effective than the 234 at more than twice it's effective range, plus shoots flatter than comparable calibers--though I'm far from experienced with it or the other calibers. My understanding is the main problem with 270 is finding a slow enough round for the same ranges the 234 is good for so it doesn't just laser-beam right through the target animal. I would be interested in hearing comments from those experienced with both.

[mattm0812]

I don't plan on hunting, so I don't need the extra power of a .270. But I'll see if I come to a liking of it.

[thermaler]

If that's the case, I'm sure there are other lower recoil calibers you might like that still shoot far and flat, the 6 and 6.5 mm flavors come to mind--again just what I've read about them. Not sure I'd personally bother with 270 if I wasn't intending on hunting with it.

[fgw_in_fla]

Speaking of .270's & 30'06's.....

I changed my .270 to a .243 & missed the .270 so much, now my 30.06 is a .270 (that sounds confusing....)

I like the .270. Less recoil that the 06 & it'll do pretty much what the 06 will do. It's a real flat shooter & easy to load for. I would keep the .270 over the 06 although I still miss my 06. I shoot the .270 & hold the 06 barrel on my lap so I don't miss it so much.

The 243 is like a BB gun compared to the 06 & .270. I'm shooting my new Edge 7mm -08 tomorrow. I just finished making a set of OCW rounds to try it out. Since I had a bunch or 4895 on hand, it got the vote as powder of the day. I'll post a report tomorrow, weather notwithstanding...

Later y'all

Frank in Fla

[M.O.A.]

frank it sounds like you just need to get another action to put your 06 barrel on ;-}

me im just in love with the 6.5 rounds i got a 11 LHR in 6.5creed moor and now i want a 6.5-06 or 264 win mag witch the 264 will match the 270 and the 6.5-06 being alittle lighter ;-}

but my grampa shoot a 270 all his life and never had a problem

[fgw_in_fla]

Ya know, since I put together a .243 with a Shaw barrel, I like the caliber but I'm having a little trouble getting an accurate load together. I narrowed it down to 75gr V-Max & 90gr Nosler BT. They show the most potential so far. I guess I'm use to loading for bigger calibers, bigger cases. The .243 case seems to be sensetive to powder weight adjustments.
That's half the fun of reloading & looking for the all elusive optimum accuracy load. After I find it, I'll try another bullet & start all over again.
The .270 has been pretty easy to load for, by comparison. A little H4831, a box of 130's & jump right in. The old .270 barrel did excellent with 55.6gr of 4831. It got to be boring to shoot after a while. The new barrel seems to lean more towards 54gr.but it is a brand new barrel.
Gotta load up & get ready to try to beat the rain. On the note, I leave y'all with a photo of most recent aquisition & OCD subject. Gentlemen..... May I present to you my new Edge in 7mm-08...
http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/w424/fgwinfla/708project025.jpg
Please try not to laugh at the cheapo bipod & Barska scope.... They're only temps until the new stuff gets here. I'm off to see if it'll shoot.
Later y'all....
Frank in Fla

[M.O.A.]

Theres nothing wrong with barska Scopes have one on my 223 but irony think I would put it on any thing that recoils alot.

[fgw_in_fla]

Yeah..... I'll give ya the recoil thing. I bought a package deal from Natchez last year. It was a spotting scope & 6-24x 50mm AO scope for $80. I figured I need a spotter & the scope won't last a week, I mean for $80 what kinda scope could it be & the spotting scope...... what could be bad bout it? All it has to do is magnify.
So, it arrives & I figure I'll give the scope a try on my .270. I have shot some of my tightest groups,even at 200yds with that scope. It gets a little cloudy around the edges at max power but tolerable. The spotter has worked real well. It's a 36x max power spotter & works just fine for what I paid for the whole package. I took the 6 - 24x scope off my .270 when it was changed into a .243.
So now, I need a scope for my new Edge & I guess we'll see if it can tolerate a 7mm-08. I loaded some ammo to run OCW so the charges aren't near max.
I can only hope it didn't get stale sitting up on the shelf in an old Vortex box.
I gotta try to beat the rain this morning.... Headed off to the range.
Later
Frank in rainy Fla.

[thermaler]

I'm a big believer in sneaking in great guns at low price points--hence the Axis buy(s). There's something hedonistic about it--and I love it when the other guys say " Yeah, but it's not this, and it's not that" and you punch in groupings that are at least as good as their rigs costing twice as much or more. I'm also a Nikon addict for scopes, at their price points, quality glass and even the nice spot-on program back-up--I never doubt what I'm getting is something that leaves it up to me to make the best shot. Sure there's more capable stuff out there--but it's a "git er dun" scope at a great price for cheapos like me. : ) I got a Barska spot scope--meh, not worth it IMO--but to each his own.

[mattm0812]

I'm a big believer in sneaking in great guns at low price points--hence the Axis buy(s). There's something hedonistic about it--and I love it when the other guys say " Yeah, but it's not this, and it's not that" and you punch in groupings that are at least as good as their rigs costing twice as much or more. I'm also a Nikon addict for scopes, at their price points, quality glass and even the nice spot-on program back-up--I never doubt what I'm getting is something that leaves it up to me to make the best shot. Sure there's more capable stuff out there--but it's a "git er dun" scope at a great price for cheapos like me. : ) I got a Barska spot scope--meh, not worth it IMO--but to each his own.

I just picked up the savage from the pawn shop this morning and the scope on it currently is a joke. I was thinking getting a nikon in the 300-50 dollar range. Your thoughts?