Axis .223 bolt handle nut loose.

[Gabe1972]

I found that my bolt handle nut was loose on my new Axis .223. It wasn't hard to fix with the proper sized Allen wrench, but I was just wondering if this was a common thing when they are brand new. This is one of those Walmart models that aren't on the Savage site. Love the rifle, though I'm having a heck of a time finding FMJ ammo for it. As of late I can only find the Tulammo and I won't use that. I did buy a box of soft point Winchester 55gr, but for target practice I would rather have the other.

[LoneWolf]

Normally it feels like a gorilla tightened it and you have to stand on the wrench to loosen it up. I wouldn't be upset if I got one that was loose! Easy to tighten up and a non issue. If shooting steel targets most ranges do not allow FMJ ammunition, but for paper have at it!

[bootsmcguire]

I have yet to find FMJ's that shoot well, but that's just me. I would feel better with the soft points from a safety and accuracy stand point. As to the nut (aka - Bolt Assembly Screw or BAS) LoneWolf is right, most of them leave the factory so tight it can be a pain to loosen so consider your self lucky.

[Gabe1972]

I have yet to find FMJ's that shoot well, but that's just me. I would feel better with the soft points from a safety and accuracy stand point. As to the nut (aka - Bolt Assembly Screw or BAS) LoneWolf is right, most of them leave the factory so tight it can be a pain to loosen so consider your self lucky.

Why do you consider soft points safer? I have two boxes of soft points that I bought when I got the gun, simply because they had no FMJ at all. I was under the impression that FMJ was the norm for target shooting, but then again, I am new to anything larger than a .22LR.

[Gabe1972]

Normally it feels like a gorilla tightened it and you have to stand on the wrench to loosen it up. I wouldn't be upset if I got one that was loose! Easy to tighten up and a non issue. If shooting steel targets most ranges do not allow FMJ ammunition, but for paper have at it!

I tightened it down very snugly. It definitely won't be going anywhere and I wouldn't want to have to try to loosen it. As for target shooting, I actually live out in the boonies and will be shooting out in my own field, well my folks' field across the street. I just figured the FMJ would be better because it seems that it is what most people refer to when talking about target shooting, though I'm new to the .223 so I may be wrong. I also figured FMJ because it is cheaper. I do have two boxes of the Tulammo that I bought before finding out about the bi-metal jacket, but I only got it because I figured I might as well get it while they had it. I'm actually going to be giving it to a neighbor who doesn't mind using it in his gun. I wish other FMJ was this cheap as it was only $5.47 per box. I can't buy ammo online either as I live in New York State.

[LoneWolf]

If you are doing true target shooting and intend to extend the range of your rifle and shooting capabilities and do not reload your own ammo. Then you want to look for some quality match ammo. If just plinking then FMJ and Soft points are just fine. Higher quality bullets perform better.

[bootsmcguire]

Why do you consider soft points safer? I have two boxes of soft points that I bought when I got the gun, simply because they had no FMJ at all. I was under the impression that FMJ was the norm for target shooting, but then again, I am new to anything larger than a .22LR.

FMJ's are designed to penetrate and hold together, and often when they strike a hard object like steel or a rock they tend to ricochet. The soft point, hollow point, ballistic tip, and match bullets are often a lighter construction and will mushroom when striking a dense object and be less likely to ricochet. Also they just tend to be better made and thus give greater accuracy vs the FMJ's. Soft points can still give accuracy issues, but are IMHO still a step better than FMJ.

[Gabe1972]

If you are doing true target shooting and intend to extend the range of your rifle and shooting capabilities and do not reload your own ammo. Then you want to look for some quality match ammo. If just plinking then FMJ and Soft points are just fine. Higher quality bullets perform better.

It's definitely just for plinking and just fun target practice, but nothing major. Match ammo would be too much for me. I'm glad I have the two boxes of soft points then. Soon I'm going to a local gun shop that I didn't even know existed which, according to the person I talked to, has some Wolf FMJ ammo in brass casing and non bi-metal jacket. If this is true I will pick some up as I'm sure it's cheaper than the Winchester soft points I bought at Walmart for $21 per box. That's more than a dollar a round. Ug! I know it's not .22LR, but still, a dollar a round is a bit much for just fun plinking. I so wish that Tulammo wasn't bi-metal.

BTW, I appreciate all the help. I'm learning something new about the .223 every day, and even though the ammo can be hard to get for it right now, I am glad I got this caliber and not any other.

[Gabe1972]

FMJ's are designed to penetrate and hold together, and often when they strike a hard object like steel or a rock they tend to ricochet. The soft point, hollow point, ballistic tip, and match bullets are often a lighter construction and will mushroom when striking a dense object and be less likely to ricochet. Also they just tend to be better made and thus give greater accuracy vs the FMJ's. Soft points can still give accuracy issues, but are IMHO still a step better than FMJ.

Thank you for that info. I knew that FMJ rounds didn't deform too much and it's the yaw that usually does the damage to soft targets, it's just that I thought it was what most people used when target practicing and just having some fun, plus I know that they tend to be the cheapest to get (the hollow point Winchesters I got when buying the gun were $21 per box and the only other ones they had cost $37 per box). That's why I had been looking for it all this time. I'll never really need anything like ballistic tip or match bullets, but I will definitely not hesitate in using the others to have fun. It's just the thought of being that much per round when just having fun is another reason I've been looking for the FMJ. I knew that you could use the others for plinking, but they're so expensive to use for that and I thought that I would use the soft points for the occasional raccoon that invades the garage. I wouldn't need them for anything else as I don't hunt and never have. Nothing against it, it's just something I don't do.


Thank you for the help as well. I appreciate both of you giving me advice.

[LoneWolf]

You should be able to find ammo for less online if your LGS's prices are high. Sometimes when they're the only show around they tend to jack their prices up. If that's the case then I don't support them.

[sixonetonoffun]

You should be able to find usmc or American Eagle for .50 - .35 and.get decent accuracy and a lot.cleaner burning.then the Russian imports.

[Gabe1972]

You should be able to find ammo for less online if your LGS's prices are high. Sometimes when they're the only show around they tend to jack their prices up. If that's the case then I don't support them.

You probably didn't notice it at the end of one of my earlier posts, but I live in New York State and can't buy ammo online. If I could, I wouldn't be having any problem.

[Gabe1972]

You should be able to find usmc or American Eagle for .50 - .35 and.get decent accuracy and a lot.cleaner burning.then the Russian imports.

At a chain sporting goods store or local gun shop? Definitely not at Walmart, they have practically nothing, except for the Tulammo and some $35+ stuff.

[sixonetonoffun]

Ouch. Must be a NY thing local WallyWorld carries all of the above and more. Sorry to hear that.

[Gabe1972]

Definitely ouch! Because no one can buy it online anymore, everyone is buying it at the stores so they constantly sell out. Also, and I'm not positive yet that this is going on, but I think Walmart and other chain stores here are starting to gouge the prices. After all, why shouldn't they sell it for what they want? We don't have a choice. I just hope if they are doing this they get caught and get into deep trouble.

[n4ue]

Gabe, sorry to hear about the ammo situation up 'there'.
I moved from Mass. to Ky, then to Florida. Definitely going in the right direction! ha ha
The comments about the chain stores was spot on. "Down here", all the Ganders, Sports Authority, even WM are flooded with ammo. Even (gasp!!) .22 LR.
I was at a Gander last month and never saw so much Lake City .223 in one place in my entire shooting career.... Yeah, not the cheapest, but, hey......

ron

[Gabe1972]

Gabe, sorry to hear about the ammo situation up 'there'.
I moved from Mass. to Ky, then to Florida. Definitely going in the right direction! ha ha
The comments about the chain stores was spot on. "Down here", all the Ganders, Sports Authority, even WM are flooded with ammo. Even (gasp!!) .22 LR.
I was at a Gander last month and never saw so much Lake City .223 in one place in my entire shooting career.... Yeah, not the cheapest, but, hey......

ron

I never expected it to be such a problem. I just thought they had sold out or something when I had first purchased the gun. I had no idea that this is an ongoing problem, but I should have known better being it is such a popular round and there is no more online buying here. I will find some sooner or later, whether FMJ or not. With regard to the 22LR, that whole thing is ridiculous. I was lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time a couple of years back when Walmart had a 550 count box of Federal 36gr hollow point for $17 and some change. Heck, $17 now will barely get you a 50 count box of some junk brand .22LR, if you are lucky enough to even find that. What's going on with the .22LR ammo prices is most definitely price gouging and I would not be surprised in the least bit to hear that there are class action suits against chain stores that are selling it for four or five times what they did three years ago. It's not right.

I called the local gun shop I mentioned in an earlier post and asked him again if he was sure the Wolf brass ammo was not bi-metal jacketed. He said he was sure, and from what it looks like on the Wolf site he is right. I think what he has is the Wolf Gold, which is definitely just copper jacketed. He's got it for $14 a box, which for a local gun shop, isn't bad. He said he's got over 100 boxes. I'm going to get a few for sure. Stock up...why not? It's brass and it's copper. Even if it's dirty, I clean my gun every time I shoot, at least I do with my .22LR and I will also with this.

An off topic question, and maybe you can answer this...I have an Outers cleaning kit which I got for my .22LR some time ago. It's got sizes .17, .204 and .22. Now I know that the .22 is the right size, and it has a brass brush and a plastic spear pointed jag, so those are fine. The question I have is will the 3-piece steel rod be okay with this gun, or should I look into getting something different? It also has an adapter that I have to use for the .22 attachments, and I think that is make out of aluminum. If I should get something different, I don't want to spend more than maybe $50 at the most, but less would be even better. The kit I have also has this "tri-care" stuff, which is a cleans/lubricates in one type thing. It only has this, no separate bottles of cleaner and oil. Thanks for the help.

[zippyhuntin]

Definitely spend the money on a one-piece nylon coated, or stainless steel cleaning rod, and a bore guide. Should be right around $50.

[cranebird]

Move or reload........ Before you knock the $5 a box Tula ammo, compare it in accuracy against PPU and the other cheap ammo.I'm thinking you will find that it shoots as well for half the cost for what you are doing with it.

[Gabe1972]

Move or reload........ Before you knock the $5 a box Tula ammo, compare it in accuracy against PPU and the other cheap ammo.I'm thinking you will find that it shoots as well for half the cost for what you are doing with it.

cranebird,

I'm sure for what I plan on doing the accuracy of the Tulammo would be just fine, but I've decided, because of it's composition, I don't want to use it in my gun. Some people say it will be fine and others are weary about like me. I'm basing my decision on the recommendation I received from Savage with regard to bi-metal jacketed ammo, and also from reading about tests and others' experience with said ammo. It's just a personal decision. The fact that it's dirtier than Richard Burton's liver doesn't really bother me. Nor does the steel casing, although that can cause different problems. I still may keep it for some future need, but I don't plan to use it unless I truly need to. Either that or I may give it to my neighbor to give it to one of his friends that uses this type of ammo. Again, some people will and some people won't. I've found what I'm looking for locally so it's not really an issue now. A neighbor down the road has a small cannon. You are only about 90 miles from me so I could package it up really well and shoot it to you. LOL.