Axis Accuracy Question?

Is the Axis line as accurate as the 11/110 line?

I'm going to do a build on a pawn shop purchased Axis. The LA's have kind of dried up and I $200.00 burning a hole in my pocket.

I'm not sure if it's a good thing or bad...I didn't research the Axis before I bought it.

If I had it would still be at the pawn shop, but I'm stuck with it! Now I need to know what the potential is of the action before I pour too much money in it.

First thing I plan is going to be to cut the receiver so it will take a recoil lug like the other Savage rifles...I was in shock when I took it out of the stock!

It's not that bad.

If you replace the stock and work the trigger or replace it with Rifle Basix Sav-1, it should be pretty good. The mag is kinda cheap and subject to breakage, but they shoot.

Thanks foxx...

The accuracy of the action is my main concern.

The recoil lug has to go though...not sure what they were thinking when they decided to do it that way!

What made me buy was the enclosed receiver, it has to be pretty strong...I've seen a few top shelf receivers that were designed like that...

I was good with it right up to the recoil lug...my heart fell when I seen that!

Thanks foxx...

The accuracy of the action is my main concern.

The recoil lug has to go though...not sure what they were thinking when they decided to do it that way!

What made me buy was the enclosed receiver, it has to be pretty strong...I've seen a few top shelf receivers that were designed like that...right up to the recoil lug...my heart fell when I seen that!

eh. I don't know if the recoil lug is even all that bad.

I have done maybe 100 "custom" builds for people off the Axis actions using the factory lugs and they all shoot well. I know Sharp Shooter Supply will machine the action down so as to allow for a traditional lug if you have them T&T it, but as far as I can tell, it's not all that necessary unless you are also wanting a heavy duty, trued lug. If done well, I am sure it won't hurt anything to modify it, but...

I mean, really, now. I doubt you had expectations of turning this thing into a world-class target rifle. If you were looking for a 1 moa or better hunting rifle at reasonable hunting distances, it will fill the bill. I doubt adding a traditional trued recoil lug will make it any more accurate, ( in practical terms) assuming it's not defective in the first place.

My magnum Axises are showing no weakness around the recoil lug or barrel nut. Nor does it seem to rob me of any the accuracy I'd expect from a Savage in any chambering.

It actually makes building the rifle slightly easier, which may be why Savage did it that way. Goodness knows they should have standard recoil lugs coming out the wazoo on the production line.

I pulled the barrel tonight and the barrel nut was never touching the Axis recoil lug. So I don't I'm guessing the actions screws are all that was holding it in place.

I know a guy who is going to show me how to true an action. He is going to set it up to cut the it to use the original style lug. I just received the lug over the weekend. He is also going show me how to cut a barrel for a muzzle brake...sold be fun!


I will say I have no clue as to the round count on the rifle so maybe that's why there has not been any contact there...

My axis' are the regular non accutrigger. with the trigger spring mod done on the 25-06 I am just under 1" with a 3 shot. with a timney on my 7mm-08 I am at about 1 1/4 with a 3 shot. I just got a .223 that I haven't shot yet.

my 300 WSM Bear hunter is in that 3/4 to 7/8 range 5 shot groups with a lot of rounds through it.
My 116 7mm Mag is about 1", I get one shot right on the bullseye and the next 3 are just under 1" low in a 5/8" group.
My 10T 6.5 Creedmoor is under 5/8" with a 5 shot.
My 12LRP 6.5 Creedmoor is right around 1/2" 5 shot.
My 12 FV .22-250 has shot 2" groups when I first got it, but now with 75 rounds through it, the last 3 three shot groups were less than 1/3 of an inch.... I took a picture of the first one, and shot two consecutive identical groups after.

I absolutely love the accutrigger and even a Timney in my Axis isn't even close to as good. I still like the Axis, but just not as good as the higher lines. Also keep in mind that I havn't shot an axis with the accutrigger.

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Originally Posted by CaptnC

I pulled the barrel tonight and the barrel nut was never touching the Axis recoil lug. So I don't I'm guessing the actions screws are all that was holding it in place.

I know a guy who is going to show me how to true an action. He is going to set it up to cut the it to use the original style lug. I just received the lug over the weekend. He is also going show me how to cut a barrel for a muzzle brake...sold be fun!


I will say I have no clue as to the round count on the rifle so maybe that's why there has not been any contact there...

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That seems really unusual and slightly scary! How did you determine there was no contact between the lug and the barrel nut? One of the first things I do when reassembling any bolt gun is to set the receiver back as far as it will go, which usually means the recoil lug bears directly on its mating surface in the stock. I assumed the recoil lug was bearing on the barrel nut when I do that to my Axises. If there's a possibility that it's not, then that could be problematic.

That said, I've had .300 Win Mag Axises in unbedded factory plastic and Boyds laminate stocks with no signs of recoil beating up the stocks. I also have an even bigger kicker in a Boyds stock, and there's no sign of failure around the lug or action screws.

Not to get off topic but I've never seen a 300wm axis, did you convert one?

As a matter of fact,I did!

Awesome write up, will keep that in mind in the future!

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Originally Posted by DrThunder88

......... I also have an even bigger kicker in a Boyds stock, and there's no sign of failure around the lug or action screws.

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Do tell.

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Originally Posted by DrThunder88

That seems really unusual and slightly scary! How did you determine there was no contact between the lug and the barrel nut? One of the first things I do when reassembling any bolt gun is to set the receiver back as far as it will go, which usually means the recoil lug bears directly on its mating surface in the stock. I assumed the recoil lug was bearing on the barrel nut when I do that to my Axises. If there's a possibility that it's not, then that could be problematic.

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Thunder...I noticed there was no contact on the barrel nut where the lug should have been in contact. The blueing was still untouched, but you could see where the nut was in contact with the receiver.

I'm not sure if I read it here or on another forum but E A Brown will cut the face off the Axis receiver for $75.00 if you buy a barrel so it will take a normal recoil lug.

In light of what I've read about the Axis not having any value I'm certainly not going to pour too much money into a barrel. I don't sell guns but I don't want to have a high dollar pig in a fine suite either. I feel the barrels they sell at Browns are really a lot better than most want to believe.

My Savage 110 264wm shoot fantastic even though it only has a 24" barrel and it is one of their ER Shaw magnum contour barrels. I will try to post a pic of my latest 200yd target...looks like there is no button to upload a file...

Any way the three shot group is 0.667 center to center...roughly 0.866 outside to outside...and I don't shoot paper very well!

So what are your plans for the Axis?

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Originally Posted by CaptnC

Thunder...I noticed there was no contact on the barrel nut where the lug should have been in contact. The blueing was still untouched, but you could see where the nut was in contact with the receiver.

I'm not sure if I read it here or on another forum but E A Brown will cut the face off the Axis receiver for $75.00 if you buy a barrel so it will take a normal recoil lug.

In light of what I've read about the Axis not having any value I'm certainly not going to pour too much money into a barrel. I don't sell guns but I don't want to have a high dollar pig in a fine suite either. I feel the barrels they sell at Browns are really a lot better than most want to believe.

My Savage 110 264wm shoot fantastic even though it only has a 24" barrel and it is one of their ER Shaw magnum contour barrels. I will try to post a pic of my latest 200yd target...looks like there is no button to upload a file...

Any way the three shot group is 0.667 center to center...roughly 0.866 outside to outside...and I don't shoot paper very well!

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I think you can upload a pic by using the "Go Advanced" option the the "Insert Image" icon.

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Originally Posted by prdatr

I think you can upload a pic by using the "Go Advanced" option the the "Insert Image" icon.

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You have to use a hosting site to link the photo...I can't see where I can upload one to this site.



Any way...what I am I going to do with my Axis???????

Well for sure;
"Axis lug system" will be gone.
Rebarrel with a hard hitting 6.5 (Creedmoore is not on list)
Sharp Shooter stock and bolt sleeve
Trigger-most likely will be replaced. I felt smoother cellar doors! It might be the worst trigger I've ever felt.

The mag will be what gets the most personal attention. I may cut up/re-weld a CDI or PTG bottom metal. It will depend on how odd ball the Axis mag is...

I don't think that you had evidence of the lug not contacting the nut. All signs point to Axises getting a spray on finish rather than bluing, and it's applied after the barreled receiver is assembled. That's how you get the spline outline on the front of the receiver and on the back of the barrel nut and the barrel threads in the lug cutout. I would not expect there to be much of any wear on the back of the nut unless the gun was constantly being dis- and reassembled. Furthermore, even if the finish were applied separately, Savage is believed to employ a sizable gorilla that torques on the barrel nuts. The friction between the barrel nut and receiver must be huge compared to the friction between the barrel nut and the recoil lug.

I am not trying to trying to talk you out of the TTT job and appreciate you taking the time to write your observations. I just foresaw that particular assertion about the lug not contacting the nut becoming an urban legend about the Axis and thought it better to get as many of the facts now rather than later! It could be that you're right, but I suspect the most reasonable explanation for what you've seen lies in how the rifles are painted.

What ever give you the idea that they were spray painted? The Axis rifles right along with most of the other cheaper models are shot blasted and black parkerized. The nuts are not torqued any tighter than a model with a sandwiched lug. The fact is that all these "gorillas" who torque the barrel nuts, are mostly women. The reason they come off so hard is the fact that a lot of shot media is wedged between the nut and barrel when they are blasted.

I could have sworn it was discussed somewhere here and you or someone else in the know said Axises were finished with some sort of baking lacquer. It made sense as the most direct comparison I drew was between the finish of a WASR and a Saiga. Axis metal looks much more like the parked and painted Saiga than the black phosphated WASR.

In any case, is the finish applied after the barreled receiver is assembled? If not, would the torque of the barrel nut, however judiciously applied, do more damage to the finish between the receiver and barrel nut than the action of fitting the recoil lug to the barrel nut?

Not sure if I understand that last question, but all actions have the barrels installed before finishing. Once the barrels are installed, they go to the proof room. Once they pass proof, only then are they roll stamped for model and caliber. Then they go to the finishing dept.

Well the area of the lug was still black on the barrel nut and I couldn't see any contact...but it could have had a solid enough contact that it didn't rub off.

I was comparing the bolt pattern of the LA and my Axis...they look close enough that a long action that you might can alter the stock to make it fit.

Has any one gave that a try?

^^^I don't understand the question, or the concern.

The only way I would know to judge whether the design is "proper" or not is if it consistently shoots accurately. Certainly, NO one would choose to use an Axis (in its original factory configuration) for a competition target rifle, but that does not mean it needs to look like one to shoot good enough to be an effective hunting rifle even capable of 1/2 to 3/4 MOA accuracy out to 300+ yards. Personally, I think they are an amazingly well designed rifle. Meaning, they were designed for INEXPENSIVE mass production and still be good shooters worthy of most any sport hunting situation and ranges within 3-400 yards, maybe more. They fit that bill exceptionally well.

If it does shoot well, why spend 2x what it originally cost to remanufacture it while criticizing it for being different than a gun that originally cost 2x as much to produce? Ijust don't "get it".

Your right...I was not expecting what I seen when I dropped the stock off. But like you said it must work...they are still selling them.

I won't spend much more on this build as I would a 110 LA. I have a guy who will be doing he work for me.

This build will used mostly for steel and targets out past 600yds...but knowing me it will end up in the deer woods at some point. I don't shoot competitively so it's just a fun gun for now. And for the fun of working on another rifle.

If it doesn't end up shooting well enough I can always pull the parts off it to be used on another 110 LA and rebarrel it to something more of a hunting cartridge.

No matter what...In the end it will be a learning experience and mean more guns in the safe!

Win/win deal no matter what!:cool::cool:;)

I bet it will do well. Finally put rounds through my axis, as accurate as the 12fv next to it. Put a good barrel on it and make them eat crow.

Given the relatively low cost, I'm actually impressed with just how accurate the Axis rifles are out of the box.

If nothing else, it's an inexpensive platform for the aspiring home gunsmith.

M