New Axis

[FrankenCub]

Hey guys, new Axis shooter. Picked one up in 22-250 for thinning the coyote and fox population. Seemed to be a great shooter even though the trigger was crap, took care of the trigger yesterday so it should really shine now. I thought it would be a good beater for cheap and turns out I love it, all but that god awful stock lol. Been looking at the available stocks for it but not really what I wanted. Have any of you done your own inletting ?
I found some pretty sweet stocks but they don't have a pattern for the Axis, but, I emailed them and they said they would sell a stock with no inletting done. So thinking I may try my hand at it.

[DrThunder88]

It's not a job I've done, but I've screwed around with a few Axises and their stocks. Inletting for an Axis could be a little more complicated than some other rifles, especially if you're intent on using it as a repeater.

The factory, plastic floorplate magazine will require a latching point in the front, and short magazines will need a surface to hook onto in the rear of the magazine well. Boyds does this with plastic pieces set into grooves in the stock. SSS has a proprietary, metal, single-piece front pillar and latching point and a metal tab in back. It's possible, I'm just speculating though, that CDiPrecision could cut the inletting for their DBM once you have the magwell, action screw holes, and trigger guard inletting cut. I also seem to recall SSS made an Axis stock that would take factory metal floorplate magazines, but I'm not sure how he did this given the Axis' weird action screw spacing.

The other thing that might be a challenge is the trigger bracket. Unlike the 10/110 trigger bracket, and Axis' bracket isn't just fixed to the bottom of the receiver in a way that you can just cut around. It's spring-loaded, it has a flat bearing surface, and one of the action screws runs through it. There's a lot going on, and I'd just be tempted to hog it out and pour in some epoxy if it weren't for the spring-loaded aspect.

[FrankenCub]

Yeah it looked like it would be more difficult to me too. I didn't spend a whole lot of time looking it over when I had it apart but should have. It's raining so maybe today is a good day to do that. The mag area is what kinda concerned me because of the cheap design but I guess as long as I measured 100x's before I made a cut I would get there.
This place has two stocks that I really like, the Wildcat and Pistol Grip. The Wildcat in hardwood can be bought for $85 in economy grade, for a hunting gun that will get banged around I'd rather not buy a fancier grade. Although they do have them. I'll have to spend some time looking over the Axis fist.
http://www.rifle-stocks.com/sporter_hunting_styles.htm

[devildogandboy]

have you looked at the Boyds' line of stocks for Axis? i picked up the "classic" in nutmeg for mine and it looks and feels nice.

Bruce

[FrankenCub]

Yeah I have, the Pro Varmint I kinda like. I was just hoping for more choices lol. I will probably end up with a Boyds stock if I don't feel I can inlet the other stock with acceptable results. I was reading on that site I linked also, that they will copy the inlet of a stock that you send if it's something they don't have a template for. So I may give them a call to see how much extra their pricing will be to duplicate the Axis inletting.

I did spend some time yesterday looking over the Axis some more, other than not having the correct tools on hand, it doesn't look like the inletting would be too bad. Measure 100x's cut once, rinse and repeat..

How often do stocks come up in the classifieds here ? I may just jump up to the paid membership.

[wbm]

Seemed to be a great shooter

Seems like the stock is not that awful if the rifle shoots great. My 223 Axis also shoots great with the original stock. Bought a Boyd's Thumb Hole stock for the 223 stainless Axis I have and it improved the consistency of groups but for beating around in the bush for Coyotes I still use the original stock.

[rfd12fv]

if adding some weight isn't an issue, have you considered rockite for both the fore and butt stocks?

rockite does an amazing job of both stiffening and adding some recoil absorbing weight to almost any tupperware rifle stock.

and for under $10.

addendum - after adding the rockite, i just free float the forend with sandpaper over a large dowel.

[FrankenCub]

I guess my biggest issue with the stock is really how it feels in my hands and when I shoulder it. As long as I keep it rested back far enough the fore end doesn't contact the barrel, but is quite flimsy if I hold it too far forward. I'm not having any problems with it affecting accuracy which I am happy about. I finally got a chance to shoot it today after the trigger job, it's been pretty windy here, and even today was really breezy. Still, with the heavy breeze and using my tailgate on my truck as a rest it was still printing 1" groups at 100yds.With a proper rest that will shrink considerably. I would watch the crosshairs move around on the target. I need to make a proper shooting bench lol.


I am going to stiffen the fore end up for the time being so I can use a bipod. I'm thinking about going the 1/4" rod route and epoxy them everywhere they go through the plastic dividers and see how that works out. I figure if I cut the holes right I can tension the fore end so it keeps a slight pressure away from the barrel at the front without effecting the rest of the stock. I already have the material so it should be worth a try. If that doesn't do it I will Rockite them in.

[rfd12fv]

frankencub - seriously, rockite is WAY better/stiffer than messing with epoxy and rods, and far cheaper. i've done way more than a few rockite jobs on synth stocks (savage, rem, winchester, vanguard and others). do a search in this forum for "rockite" and see the pix and vids.

[FrankenCub]

I've seen it here and Youtube, just don't want to add more to the stock to balance the weight. Although sitting on a bipod that shouldn't matter none. I may go that way, but cost really isn't a concern as I already have JB Weld and rods from other various projects. I know the Rockite trick works, but just doesn't sit right putting a concrete product in my gun :nono::rofl:

[rfd12fv]

rockite is a Very special "concrete" that's more like an epoxy slurry that real concrete. but to each their own!

[FrankenCub]

I've never seen it before this forum, but have done more concrete work than I care to remember. If it's more like an epoxy slurry / limestone mixture, that sounds better than what I picture from my concrete work history lol

[triehl27]

Franken cub,
- I wanted to keep my factory stock BECAUSE it is the lightest i can find without going full custom one of kind carbon fiber. But flex wise it's cR@p. I rocktited the forend. Actually my 11 year old did it, yes, it's that simple, and takes an hour at most.
- I epoxied my trigger guard it, which greatly stiffened the grip flex. I mean honestly if you are playing with your trigger weight that much, to need that pop off piece, then you need a new trigger.
- I have NOT as yet Rockited the butt stock for the same reason you hesitate to. Weight. I wanted to keep this as light as possible.
- I also had the recoil lug area bedded (Poorly) but it did completely free float the barrel.

BUT I did finally give it, and recently ordered a Boyds Pro Varmint stock with full trimmings at $300. The down side to this is it's going to be several pounds heavier then the OEM stock. The upside is that there wil be no flex.

I have a 16" custom Model 10 that is great from packing around. I am going to have to accept my Axis Heavy barrel for what it is, one tack driving accurate rifle that I won't necessarily desire to pack up mountain and down dale.

BTW: ROCKITE can be ordered from Ace Hardware/do it center/??? the other subsidiary, for $3.99 a pound. You can't beat that.

My recommendation would be start with Rockite in the forend, just up to the top of the fins. much higher and you may touch the barrel. Obviously leave the barreled action out of the stock while drying and leave it level to dry.
Then if you still want, epoxy the trigger guard in place. I use Carnuba Wax as a sealer on my bolts so that if they get epoxied I can get them loose.
I used PC3000 very lightly, and Super glue Gel on the connection tabs going into the stock. Really added strength to the grip area.

Then if that wasn't enough. Then I would consider Rockite in the butt stock.

My very final step for this rifle is I am adding an Accu Trigger that is showing up today.

[rfd12fv]

you will not at much weight to the butt stock if an assortment of pvc tubes are inserted before pouring in the rockite. just close the inside end of the tubes with tape, and use temporary weights inside the tubes to keep 'em from floating up as the rockite is poured in. lots of stock stiffness, not much added weight.

this multi tube thing also gives the advantage of adding weight inside those tubes, if ever needed for balance or recoil control.

[FrankenCub]

Sorry guys, didn't know there were new replies. For some reason I'm not getting the email notifications. All my trigger work is done now to where I really like it so I won't be messing with it any more. I have a couple more important things I need to blow some money on right now so I will hold off on the Boyds stock temporarily and Rockite the forend and epoxy the trigger guard. I need to hold off using the Axis for a bit as deer season is open and is slug/handgun country where I'm located. Bagged my buck opening morning so I'm done until muzzle loader opens. Now have plenty of time to work on the Axis stock :)