My Axis .223 - The Sharp Shootin' Learnin' Stick

On a quest to learn sharp shootin' so I decided to start with this .223 to accompany my .223/5.56 AR. Figure learning the same cartridge on two platforms would be useful in the long run.

Anywho, just basic modifications to this until (hopefully) there's a sale on a stock or chassis system. To get a Boyds up to full snuff, you need to spend money on metal pillars, a metal mag catch, and bedding. That puts me too close to $300 to just buy a stock for this today. I would go with the Oryx chassis but (1) you can't get it in all black right now for some dumb reason and (2) it's $400... for a rifle I paid $189.99 for.

So here's what I've done:
- Burris Fullfield E1 30MM 3-9x40MM (Cabelas exclusive)
- Weaver 48374 Base for Savage Axis
- Weaver 4-Hole Skeleton Rings (Medium)
- Matthews Fabrication Marksman Series Kydex Cheek Rest
- M*CARBO Pro Trigger Kit (Spring + Shims)

So nothing fancy... just basics and necessities. Still trying to get to a place I can sight this in at 100 yards. It's sighted to 25 right now just fine but that's not where I want it.

Going to start doing some "not serious" matches at a range about 2 hours from me once a month to learn and get some tutelage and might sign up for a marksmen course in April. :)

Hoping ultimately to also end up going hunting here in Georgia. Albeit, I'll stick to squirrels and the air gun for now. Can't really hunt a deer with a .223 unless I become the next Chris Kyle.

The Burris scope is really nice. I paid $150 for it on sale at Cabelas, although I suspect it's always on sale. Seems to have really clear glass. Took the rifle to a high-end gun shop to mount the scope and he was giving me a lecture on how I should only be using "good glass" like Leupold and Zeiss and what not, and then he looked through it and was like... "but this isn't bad, to be honest." He also mounted the scope crooked and didn't Loctite anything, so I just redid it myself and it's on there proper now. Guy was whining about my Weaver base and rings, too... it's a .223... I'm not spending $200 on rings. Only thing I had to get used to on the scope was the power rotation is tight, but for good reason.

Anywho... probably nothing fancy for y'all but... now I have some learnin' to do.

Images: https://drive.google.com/open?id=17U...GmVp27zVCXgUpr

Nice job. I also got a .223 Axis to learn to shoot longer ranges. It worked :)

My only caution is with the std contour barrel. You'll have to figure out how to control the barrel temp as you shoot during a session (timing between shots and all). Good skill to develop as well.

You will find that it will probably need to be broken in to shoot well. If you follow a break in process it will be faster to get better groups. Mine didn't get to 1/2MOA til it had several hundred rounds through it.

Yeah, the barrel gets warm pretty quick but I tend to go to a range with the AR, too, and am able to switch off and maximize time. The AR can fire a long while in single plinks before it gets too hot to trot.

I wish I got the HB but this thing was cheap cheap cheap brand new and I'll probably rebarrel it in the future if I find a takeoff HB for sale or maybe slap on a 300 AAC Blackout barrel and turn it into a hunter.