Newbie here, got my Axis a few days ago.

[fgw_in_fla]

I woudn't sell the Axis / Edge short by any means... Here's what I think about the Edge I bought from a pawn shop 3 - 4 months ago. It's a 25.06....

http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/w424/fgwinfla/2506with100grNBT001.jpg

Absotively, posolutely love it. I just picked up a new .308 & it's now my official "play around" rifle. Not alot of extras. Just a nice light rifle for wandering around the woods with. It's now a 7mm-08.
http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/w424/fgwinfla/708targets002.jpg

I'll be needin' to work on it some more to tighen up those groups a little...

Off for the rest of the day.... Finally
See y'all later.
Frank in Fla

[fgw_in_fla]

I almost forgot....
Here's what they look like now.
http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/w424/fgwinfla/708project027.jpg


http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/w424/fgwinfla/DSC07417.jpg
Total bucks spent - About $400.00 for two rifles. Spent about 4 to 5 hours on both of them & the scopes I had here.

Enjoy your new edge.

Like I said, they will shoot. Pretty darn good, too.

Frank in Fla

[Richard Giguere]

Well itis obvious it is a shooter. Thanks for the pictures. I am a bit shy of shooting those sort of groups , I will get there, I am confident.

[fgw_in_fla]

After you've made a few "Shootability Modifications" to your rifle, the best thing you can do to improve your shooting is trigger time. Here's my recommendation....
I think you should go shooting at you local range, woods, open fields, wherever, and spend a minimum of 3 hours daily practicing. In a month or 2 you should see an improvement.
I'm sure your family & employer will understand. I mean, after all it's for a good cause.

Frank in Fla

[Jayne Cobb]

Hey Frank! What type/brand Bipod you using on those?

[Richard Giguere]

Exactly, well not quite LOL. I do make it to the range 2 days a week for 3 hours at a time and also every other Saturday so far.

[MaDa]

Wish I had a range near me and I'd be there twice a week! I'm still looking for a pawn shop edge/axis. I figure if I can spend $360 getting about $700 worth of fly fishing equipment, I sure can spend a couple hundered on a new to me rifle.

[fgw_in_fla]

Jayne - The upper pic is showing the bipod that came with it when I bought it. That bipod now resides up on the top of the cabinet, labeled "for emergency use only".

The lower pic is made or packaged by WInchester - available at most walmart stores. It resides on a different rifle. My wife picked one up from walmart in a champion package & it seems to be well made & has a swivel feature to it.

The horrid looking bipod in the top pic is made by UTG - I think - since it looks like what's in a Natchez catalog. Too wiggly wobbly for me.

I notice that some manufacturers of the low end bipods are now using retractable spring loaded legs. Quite a surprise when you loosen the set screw & the leg slams inward. Yes, my finger was in the way..... yes, it did hurt.

For the money they do what I need them for. I don't like sandbags & if I'm in the jungle shooting for whatever reason, I may not have a sangbag on me.

I'd like to go the Harris route but the bipods I use are more than adequate & much less expensive. That leaves more money for bullets, powder, barrels, primers, more rifles, divorce, etc ........

I don't think I've paid more than $40 for a bipod. Check it out when barrel cleaning, a little Loctite on the screws, it's ready to go.

Frank in Fla

[fgw_in_fla]

Ya know Rich, I consider my range time sacred. I spend all day Sunday & I try to get there on Saturdays as well if schedule permits. Men with guns, shooting guns, talking about guns is a sacred ritual. It should be taken seriously & enjoyed to the fullest.

You want to ruin a perfectly good day at the range? Bring your lady with you. Unless she's a stump jumpin', ridge runnin' florida redneck like mine, you start to hear "my hair! - It's too windy!.... it's too smoky, ...It's too noisy!..." Thank the lord above for ear prtection. It serves 2 useful purposes at the range sometimes.

Shoot well, Shoot straight, Shoot often, Shoot!

Frank in Fla

[mattm0812]

Matt, so I take it that you had all of the answers when you first got into shooting. Now I am envious of you, it is wonderfull to meet someone as knowledgeable as yourself. I am astounded in the fact that you apparently had no learning curve. BTW I have joined and paid, I hope soon to be as informed as you are. TY

I learn quick.


And I learned from Frank.

[Richard Giguere]

Matt, I have been thinking of my reply to you. I believe I shot off the hip on that one. I now realise you were just trying to help. My sincere apologies (hand shale here).

[Richard Giguere]

Well Frank, I picked up the needed materials and went ahead and filled the stock with two metal rods, and an even amount of Loctite Epoxy. It was very easy to do with your photos as a guide. Thank you.....

[mattm0812]

Matt, I have been thinking of my reply to you. I believe I shot off the hip on that one. I now realise you were just trying to help. My sincere apologies (hand shale here).

It's all good.

I'm 18 so I'm used to it.

[fgw_in_fla]

Rich - were you able to drill into the plastic recoil block & set the rods in it? I find it helps make it a bit more sturdy..

Most important - clear channel for the barrel. A little breathing room goes a long, long way. The stock touching the barrel will wreak havoc with consistancy & accuracy.

Glad to know the surgey went well....

Now, let's see some one hole, 5 round groups.

Frank in Fla

[Richard Giguere]

Yes, I have a set of 12 inch drill bits. So that certainly decreased the drill angle. I drilled two holes at each end and used my Dremel tool to gouge out the ribs. I ledt the very top portion of each rib somewhat visible so I could use that as a guide to leveling the epoxy. Cleaned everything out as I went along with acetone. I will try to shoot it tomorrow ..... The groups.....well that is for another time......

[fgw_in_fla]

By the way, I don't recall if I mentioned it in the article. If you cut the steel or alum. rod with a bolt cutter the edge it leaves is good for drilling into plastic. The bolt cutter pinches the rod & leaves a sharp edge. You can lock the longer piece of rod in the drill & use the cut / pinched end to drill with. It works quite well in fact, it works so well i keep a piece for drilling plastic stocks, where a long drill bit is needed.
Since you have yours already completed, you'll have to take it all apart to do that. We'll wait while you do it....

Frank in Fla

[Richard Giguere]

Frank I think I did one better. I have a set of 12 inch drill bits, I drilled 2 holes one at each end of the stock. I cut the rod about 3/8" longer than needed, inserted one end of the rod in the drilled hole as far as it would go. I then aligned it with the other hole and pulled it back into that hole. I filled both holes with epoxy from the top side. I then mixed more epoxy and leveled it all off. I let it dry, and then sanded out any burs the next day. Cleaned everything off and painted the inside of the stock and epoxy with flat black paint. Almost looks like factory.
By the way, I don't recall if I mentioned it in the article. If you cut the steel or alum. rod with a bolt cutter the edge it leaves is good for drilling into plastic. The bolt cutter pinches the rod & leaves a sharp edge. You can lock the longer piece of rod in the drill & use the cut / pinched end to drill with. It works quite well in fact, it works so well i keep a piece for drilling plastic stocks, where a long drill bit is needed.
Since you have yours already completed, you'll have to take it all apart to do that. We'll wait while you do it....

Frank in Fla

[Richard Giguere]

Mmmm after re-reading the first sentence in that last message, well I do not have a set of 12 inch bits, what I have is a set of 12 inch long drill bits. After all the gun stock is only about 2.5 inches in diameter.

[Richard Giguere]

c:\img_399

[fgw_in_fla]

I know a few people use drill bits if they have them. You can drill the holes on a slight angle & it won't affect anything. I just use the 16" piece of steel rod with the sharp end from being pinched by the bolt cutter then, run it into the plastic recoil block at the approx. location the rods will go / lay in the forend.

A little epoxy on the ends & tap into the hole. This way I don't have to drill thru the end of the stock of worry about the bit chewing up the stock.

Whatever works best, that's what you use....

If driving an ice pick into the plastic works for you, that's what you use. We're not building the next starship Enterprise..... We're trying to make an Edge less of a variable angle shooter....

Frank in Fla.

Rich - PM about posting pics sent....