Axis range report

[BruceH]

Got my new Axis back together today after opening up the stock barrel channel some for a little needed clearance. The barrel was free floated, but just barely. I also painted the stock before it's first outing.

The rifle had not been fired previous to today, but the barrel was cleaned very thoroughly with Wipeout and the action was cleaned and oiled as well. I note that the trigger is not as light as I have seen on a few other Axis', and I guess it about 7 pounds. There is no creep or overtravel, just heavy.

The scope mount used is a DNZ one piece Game Reaper. The scope used was a Zeiss 3-9x50 MC Conquest. The rifle (30-06) was rough sighted in at 25 yards (3X setting) using Remington 150 Core Lokts. The final sight in was at 100 yards (9X setting). All shots were from a bench using a bean bag rest.

I started out sighting in at 100 yards with the Core Lokts. I could only get about 1 1/2" groups at best with them and actually had one (round #7 @ 100 yds) go way out of the group and it temporaily froze my bolt up. These are factory loads and all from the same box. After clearing the brass from #7, I visually inspected it and the remaining rounds and then I tried a few more and they shot fine, but the groups were still mediocore.

I then left, went home and picked up some more ammo of different weights and brands. When I went back to the range, I started out with some Fiocchi Exacta 168 grain Match King (factory). The first round was slightly off of my original sight in, but close. I shot the second round and noted that it looked like it was below and touching round #1. I then shot #3 and called myself pulling the shot slightly to the right. I walked down to the 100 yard line and this is what I had just shot.

[img width=573 height=768]http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn148/BruceHHH/Axis.jpg[/img]

The squares are one inch. I came very close to getting three touching holes. I think I really like this load, but now I need to find a match that has a better hunting bullet. BTW, I stopped shooting and went home. I want to research the Fiocchi round and see what else (factory) is out there that is a hunting round and will come close to matching it.

[farmer44mag]

Deleted post- realized you already knew what i posted.

[fgw_in_fla]

Wow - That's pretty decent for an econo-rifle. In that caliber, too.

I'm going back to a pawn shop I was in last week to have another look at a 25-06 Edge I saw. Much like what you just described, the stock needed to be trimmed away from the barrel.... badly. Way too tight. Just the same, if I can get them to come down a few bucks, I believe I'm going to give it a good home.

Back to your target - Imagine what you could do with handloading what it really likes.... That is really good shootin' for factory stuff.

Nicely done

Frank in Fla

[BruceH]

Frank,

I used a 1" wood dowel wrapped with sandpaper to open up the barrel channel. That worked just right for this stock.

After the above experience, I also took a NIB Ruger American 30-06 and found it also liked the Fiocchi 168 grain round. Shot almost the same size group.

I took most of last week and decided to shoot all of my 30-06's with various brands and weights of commercial ammo to see if there was a common accurate combination. I shot 150's, 165's, 168's and 180's. Some were match rounds, some were hunting rounds. I shot two Savage 110's, the Axis, the American and a Remington 700 - all 30-06. All were cleaned before shooting and all were shot the same exact way. All were shot in three round groups, then rifles were switched in order to allow barrels to cool. Once all the various rounds were shot, I repeated the procedure again on the same target, with each sample of ammo having it's own aiming point.

The end results were the Fiocchi 168 gn. Sierra Match King came out on top with all rifles, followed closely by the Remington 168 gn. Bonded Core Lokt and then the 165 Core Lokt. The 150 gn. rounds were next with an average of about 1 1/4" to 1 1/2". The 180's were on/off depending on the rifle, but came in last. My conclusion for my rifles. They can share something around 165-168 grains pushed in the 2700 fps plus range and all get great accuracy like in the original post.

I am now going to hand load some rounds and repeat my test to see if my conclusion is right. I wanted to try the Sierra Game King bullet, but don't have any readily available. So, I am going to try some Hornady 165 gn. Interbonds and Interlocks with Varget powder at around 2700 fps.

[SFLEFTY]

I remember years ago my friend's 700ADL -06 really liked Hornady 165 and 168's. He's a Nebraska boy and lives only 90 miles from Hornady, so a natural Hornady fan. :)

[fgw_in_fla]

Yo Bruce .....
I never tried anything but Nosler. It all started about 2 or 3 years ago, I paid $45 a box for some 30.06 & .270 Federal Premium (I think Vital Shok) with Nosler Ballistic Tip bullets. It's been a match made in heaven ever since. The few times I've tried Hornady stuff, I say "OK... that's nice" & end up going back to Nosler.

I use 130gr & 150 gr for my .270 & 150gr thru 180gr for my '06's. Rare occasion, I'll have a go at some 200gr. but typically 150 & 165gr Nosler BT for the '06's.

I roll my own so I don't have to pay that $45 a box stuff....

If I learned anything, especially from this site, go with whatever your rifle likes.... Regardless of what you like.

Go with it. Looks like you're on the right path

Frank in Fla

[BruceH]

I have heard and read where the factory loaded Hornady Garand ammo (168 AMax @ 2700 fps) is really shooting very well in these rifles. I know the powder and charge weight they use in that load and I am going to try it with the 165 hunting bullets.

Frank, where are you at in Florida? I live up in north Florida - Lafayette County.