On whim I bought a cheap Axis in the 6.5 Creedmoor. Now I need another rifle like a need a hole in the head, but am looking for something to tinker with on these winter days.


As a boy my first real rifle was a Savage in the 222 Rem. It was a gift from my grandfather at age 12. He was an accomplished long range shooter and NRA instructor. He taught me how to reload and shoot. I was able at that age to shoot dime size groups at a 100 yards, at his range at the house. I spent my summers there in the Berkshires hunting over 20 fields covering a five square mile area. I had no license at that age and hunted for 3 to 4 hours every day. I would limit myself to 3 woodchucks a day and shoot at nothing less than 200 yards. By the end of the summer I had made my furthest shot at 360 yards, not bad for a 12 year old boy with ammo he had loaded himself.


I am now an old guy, I have spent many summer days shooting woodchucks, back when we had them here in Up-State NY. I use a wind gauge portable shooting table and a rangefinder. Have some nice rifles and most of the shots consists of doping the wind and looking at my range card. and competing with my shooting partner. I have wasted untold hours building rifles and working up loads over the years. I have come to find that one of the most rewarding parts of shooting, is doing the legwork to get a rifle to shoot it's best. Hours on the range, quiet hours reloading ammo and working on guns has always been on of my favorite pass times.


So, I figure why not buy some cheap piece of junk that has tons of potential but needs tuning, in a caliber I have never loaded for.


I plan on converting a wooden stock to fit, get some decent optics, spend some time fine tuning a well designed rifle and meeting some other like minded shooters along the way. I am fortunate to have 100 yard range outside of my bedroom window that has been unused in the last couple of years, and I am excited over the thought of working up new loads. I am sure there are many others here who are driven by the same passions, I am looking forward to meeting you...Bob