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Thread: AXIS .308 $1000 Project. Finally stretched it's legs to 1160 Yards!

  1. #1
    savagemann
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    AXIS .308 $1000 Project. Finally stretched it's legs to 1160 Yards!


    I wanted to get into some precision shooting for fun, but am on a tight budget.
    I decided I could start with an Axis and see where it goes.
    It started as an Axis SR .308 18".
    It actually shot decent in it's stock configuration, but I am not one to leave well enough alone.
    I wanted to try and keep everything around $1000
    I shopped a lot during Black Friday Sales and scored some great prices on items.
    It ended up coming in right around $1k

    Build parts as follows...........
    ER Shaw Stainless Heavy Varmint barrel
    Boyds Tacticool Stock
    EGW 0MOA Base (more on that later)
    Timney Trigger (set so it would pass the drop test. approx 1lbs)
    TPS Rings
    SWFA SS 10x Optic
    Tip Top Pivot Bipod 9-13" (because I am a fat guy and need the height going prone)




    I worked up reloads for it and settled on Lapua Brass, IMR4064, Nosler CC 175gr BTHP and Wolf Primers. I trickle powder down to the granule on a digital scale that goes down to 0.02 grains. It usually involves removing individual granules with tweezers to get an exact charge. Tedious, but worth it IMO.
    They come in around 2700fps and shoot between 3/8" up to 3/4" depending on how much coffee I have had.
    I have had a few 1 hole 3 shot groups at 100 yards.

    My local ranges only go out to 200 yards, so over the last couple years, I never was able to take it past that.

    My really local range closed down over 2 years ago, and the range I have been going to only has 100 yards.
    I haven't really even shot the rifle in about 2 years....Until this weekend.

    We took a trip a couple hours away to some BLM land.
    There is a plate setup at 1160 yards a few ridge lines away from our chosen shooting position. It is about 30x40".
    We also setup a 12x20" IPSC plate at 820 yards.

    My first shooting position was pretty unstable.
    Prone, shooting through tall strands of grass with a rear bag that isn't nearly big enough.
    It was pretty shaky.

    Using Strelok+ and my ballistic data, I was on in only a few shots.
    Pretty awesome considering it was my first chance to shoot past 200 yards.

    Then I moved to the shooting table, and while it wasn't optimal, it was more stable than my previous position.

    I wish I had the wherewithal to bring stuff to setup paper to shoot for groups.
    I toyed with the idea of repainting the target, shooting a 10 round string, then taking a picture of it.
    That would have sucked though as it took several minutes to drive up to the target position and the roads were really rough.
    Several ruts that were 2-4 feet deep. I was puckered up just the 2 times we drove up and down to setup, then retrieve targets.
    My buddies truck is severely customized for offroading, and it was scraping getting up and down the road.
    This was at the bottom of the hill in a fairly flat spot...



    Judging by the missing paint on the target after I was shooting for 20 minutes or so, there was an area that looked to be about 6" missing paint, a couple inches low and about an inch right of center.
    I'll take it!

    It was pretty windy. 12-15mph on the first day and about 5mph on day 2.
    Day 2 was much easier :)

    From the target down to the shooting position @ 820 yards. The shooting position is centered in the picture, the last grassy prairie without trees. If you look closely, you can see a little black speck. That's my buddy standing there.



    The plate here is a permanent fixture at this place. As is the plate at 1160yards.

    Here is my IPSC 12x20" plate setup at 820 yards.




    The SWFA glass was surprisingly clear at range. If I really focused, I could see my individual hits on the steel, where the paint was missing.

    The rifle is almost done.
    I still plan on bedding the stock and painting the rifle.

    The reloads are set in stone and won't change until this barrel is shot out and needs to be replaced.

    If you've made it through this whole post, thanks for sharing my adventure with me! It's been a fun ride from starting with a $200 rifle and ending up here.

    Here is a vid of me shooting 1160 and 820 yards. If you turn the volume up, you can hear all the hits at 1160yds.



    https://youtu.be/fylPRzAufqk

  2. #2
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    You good on my book! Great job!


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  3. #3
    Basic Member scooterf79's Avatar
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    Congratulations! You're definitely hooked now....put togther yourself, reload your own ammo and bang steel @ 1160! Heck yeah! It's awesome.
    Good job!
    Scooter

  4. #4
    Team Savage
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    Outstanding !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  5. #5
    Basic Member ktmracer358's Avatar
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    This is what I'm trying to do also looks good great job man

    Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

  6. #6
    Basic Member SageRat Shooter's Avatar
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    Me too.... Now if I could just get it to quit snowing and raining... I've got an 8" plate and going to get a 10" plate also. Wish I had a spot a little closer to home...

  7. #7
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    Dang near exactly what I started with a couple years ago!

  8. #8
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    Nice job and yes I could hear the hits, I have a neighbor with an 800 yard range but have not shot at it yet.
    As of now about 150 yards is the longest I have shot.
    I only have a 75 yard set up now but next year I will have another at about 135 yards.

  9. #9
    Basic Member DrThunder88's Avatar
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    Looks familiar to me too! They grow up so fast...






    By the time I got it to Bang Steel (third photo), I had about $1100 into it, including the scope.

  10. #10
    Basic Member SageRat Shooter's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by DrThunder88 View Post

    By the time I got it to Bang Steel (third photo), I had about $1100 into it, including the scope.
    Wow.... Thunder, Isn't that an IOR (Camo painted rifle) on your setup? Or is it an Athlon?

  11. #11
    Basic Member DrThunder88's Avatar
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    It's a Primary Arms 4-14x44mm FFP mil dot. In the third photo it has a sunshade on the objective bell, and it has my Poortex Razor paint job in the fourth. It does resemble IOR Valdada scopes with that oval midsection. IOR is probably who the Chinese copied when they started producing the scopes that are sold as Primary Arms, Athlon, BSA, and a few others I've seen on AliExpress.

  12. #12
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    Here's the one I built. a one off SSS Axis Pro-Tac Stock. Not sure if Fred has made many since this one!

    Click image for larger version. 

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  13. #13
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    This was the final outcome after painting the barrel. Plus I like this photo better.
    Click image for larger version. 

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  14. #14
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    I love imr4064 for .308 & 175smk got them going 2750m.v. out Reminton 700 milspec ss 5R 24"
    But I liked 155 scenars better @ 2920m.v.
    And alot of one hole groups @100yds.

  15. #15
    Basic Member Robinhood's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by LoneWolf View Post
    Dang near exactly what I started with a couple years ago!
    I remember this. What a journey!

  16. #16
    savagemann
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    Thanks for all the replies.
    Some good looking rifles in here!
    I'm hoping to get back to this spot within the next few weeks. If the weather holds out for us, we should have no problems making it into the spot.
    This time I plan on setting up some paper at the 820 yard position and shooting a couple groups.
    I'm really curious what it can do at distance.
    I've thought about working up some new loads. Only because several new bullet offerings have hit the market since I have put this together.
    I kind of dread the thought though.
    So much time and money invested into working up these loads and they shoot really good.
    At the time I was working these up, I was going to the range once a week. I think it took me 6 months to work these up. Trying every combo of powder, primer, bullet, OAL, etc.
    Then chrono'ing everything to find the sweet spots.
    I settled in on 43.4gr 4064 @ 2.820" OAL with the 175gr Nosler CC.
    But I like the idea of some of the heavier bullets that have hit market in the last few years.

  17. #17
    Basic Member Zero333's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by SageRat Shooter View Post
    Me too.... Now if I could just get it to quit snowing and raining... I've got an 8" plate and going to get a 10" plate also. Wish I had a spot a little closer to home...
    I have to drive 5+ hours to shoot 1k, on Crown Land.

  18. #18
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    Good build!. Love it!

  19. #19
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    I like it, I'm fixing to build one myself thinking 308 but it's currently in the air

    Sent from my SM-T550 using Tapatalk

  20. #20
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    Nicely done.

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