M y First Axis XP in 243

[GaCop]

Just got home from Academy Sports. Got an Axis XP in 243 with Weaver 3x9 scope, Was on clearance, out the door for $256.79. Can't wait to get it to the range! Gotta work up some loads for it this week. Trigger is a bit heavy but, I expected that.

[wbm]

Got one in a 6.5CM last winter. Surprise was the Weaver. Thought it would give it up quick. It did not. Still as good as my Nikon Pro Staff. Go figure.

[Dave Hoback]

Good stuff GaCop! Love 243!

Weaver had had an interesting go of things through several decades. They were actually a large supplier in WW2 to the forces. Things got weird when they said bye-bye in ‘84 & then were purchased by Blount ‘88. Blount outdoors was acquired by ATK in 2001 and ATK sold many of its optics lines in 2002 to Meade Instruments. During all of this is when Asian manufacturing was getting better & better. In 2008 ATK bought the Weaver scope line back from Meade. Funny thing...ATK never sold the rights to Weaver MOUNTS & continued producing them during these years. So in 2008 both mounts & scopes were under 1 roof again. Today Weaver scopes are solid lower cost optics.

[charlie b]

Well, it was ATK. Now it is Vista Outdoors (since 2015 I think). ATK sold most of their outdoors products a few years ago. Interstingly, Vista also owned Savage until this year when it sold off the Savage line (don't know who the buyer was). Vista had to do that so that REI and some other outdoors stores would continue to buy from them. Their customers petitioned a ban on dealing with any firearms mfgs and REI, as well as a couple others, dropped the Vista Outdoors brands (and there are a lot of brands in their lineup).

FWIW, at least until 2010 there was a guy in El Paso left from the original Weaver plant who would still work on the older model scopes. Have not been able to find out if he is still working or not.

My Walmart special Axis II heavy barrel .223 had a Bushnell scope on it. It worked very well for an inexpensive scope. That rifle is now in a Boyd's stock with a Vortex Diamonback on it and it shoots REALLY well.

Sent from my SM-P580 using Tapatalk

[GaCop]

Well, it was ATK. Now it is Vista Outdoors (since 2015 I think). ATK sold most of their outdoors products a few years ago. Interstingly, Vista also owned Savage until this year when it sold off the Savage line (don't know who the buyer was). Vista had to do that so that REI and some other outdoors stores would continue to buy from them. Their customers petitioned a ban on dealing with any firearms mfgs and REI, as well as a couple others, dropped the Vista Outdoors brands (and there are a lot of brands in their lineup).

FWIW, at least until 2010 there was a guy in El Paso left from the original Weaver plant who would still work on the older model scopes. Have not been able to find out if he is still working or not.

My Walmart special Axis II heavy barrel .223 had a Bushnell scope on it. It worked very well for an inexpensive scope. That rifle is now in a Boyd's stock with a Vortex Diamonback on it and it shoots REALLY well.

Sent from my SM-P580 using Tapatalk

I really don't care for the cheap plastic stock is has, even crappier than the Tupperware on the 10/110s. I too plan on replacing the cheap plastic with a Boyd's. Over the years, I've
had good service from Weaver scopes and hope this Weaver will hold up. I'm assuming it's one of the Kaspas? I gave it a good cleaning yesterday after I got home and lubed it. Looking at the box label, it appears to have been made mid 2018.

[charlie b]

I must add that my Axis also shot very well with the plastic stock and cheap Bushnell scope. Since it fully broke in (about 200rnds) it has been sub MOA all the time. Much of the time it is 1/2MOA and when I do my job right it is less than that. The Boyd's stock adds enough weight to make it easier for me to shoot better. Same with the Diamondback. Neither has made the rifle that much more accurate.

Sent from my SM-P580 using Tapatalk

[wbm]

I'm assuming it's one of the Kaspas?

It is.
Bought a Weaver V Series, Japanese, in Fort Smith Arkansas in 1989 and it is still going strong. Really good glass.

[GaCop]

Gave it a good cleaning and lubed the bolt lugs and raceway. So far, have Remington 80 grain HPs loaded up with H4350 and Hornady 87 grain HPs over IMR 4064 for a range trip either tomorrow or Thursday to start the break in process. Checking the OAL of various bullets, I find the throat is a bit tight in this rifle.

[FTGV]

Mine really likes 75gr V Max's with 36gr Varget COL 2.640" and 85gr Sierra Game Kings with 35gr Varget COL 2.620". 1/2 MOA or better if I do my part. Working with some Berger 95gr Classic Hunters and they look promising.

[GaCop]

Mine really likes 75gr V Max's with 36gr Varget COL 2.640" and 85gr Sierra Game Kings with 35gr Varget COL 2.620". 1/2 MOA or better if I do my part. Working with some Berger 95gr Classic Hunters and they look promising.

Years ago I hunted deer here in Georgia with an old Ruger 77 in 243 and the Hornady 87 grain HP. The rifle would put three rounds into an inch at 200 yards consistently so I used that bullet exclusively for years. Every deer taken was usually bang, flop with the occasional run for 10 yards before folding up. I hope it performs as well in my Axis. Time will tell, taking it to the range today for it's first shooting cession. I will give the 75 grain V Max and 85 gr Sierra Game Kings a try to see how they'll do in the Axis.

[charlie b]

lol not here anymore :) This state would be as liberal as CA if they had the money to do it.

Az is getting as bad as California with all the taxes and 'immigrants' from the west coast cities. I grew up in AZ. When I went to buy a fishing license one year the counter guy said "you're a double native!" When I asked what that was he explained that there were so few native born in AZ that anyone who was a resident for more than 10 yrs was considered a native. I guess the smart ones left the state :)

But, the countryside itself is wonderful. AZ, CO, NM, UT are all beautiful if you stay away from the population centers.

[wbm]

This state would be as liberal as CA if they had the money to do it.

That's the truth of it! Reason Kansas had so many floods this year and New Mexico had so many new Californians? Kansas had first choice.

[GaCop]

That's the truth of it! Reason Kansas had so many floods this year and New Mexico had so many new Californians? Kansas had first choice.

That's sad. Glad I have fond memories of my time there in the early to mid 70s. Even though my wife and I are not NM natives, We probably new more about the state than locals from reading. We were heavily involved in exploring ghost towns and read every book we could get our hands on learning the history of the state. My son is a native New Mexican being born in Curry count in 1977. I did my EMT repelling training in Taos NM in 1975, that is some beautiful country. We were repelling off of the Rio Grande Gorge bridge.

[wbm]

That's sad

Yep it is. If New Mexico and other states had adopted the same system as the Federal government and gone with an electoral college, then the problem would be mitigated in large part. California and New Mexico are conservative except for large urban areas.

Finally finished my Axis in 270. The 145 Hornady ELD-X shoots really well with H4831SC. The stainless barrel that came from a Weather Warrior was a real surprise...best factory barrel from Savage I have had in several years.

[GaCop]

Glad to hear. Nice to have a great shooter in a relatively short period of time.

[farmer44mag]

I've been running into problems with light primer strikers lately. Problem started after about 100 rounds thru the rifle? Not only am I getting light primer streikes from the FP but when rounds do fire I also get pierced primers! Figure that one out! My range trip yesterday was a disaster, 100 grain Interlocks over 7828ssc powder, of the 6 rounds tried, two failed to fire and two had pierced primers. Primer were pretty flat so I didn't try shooting the remaining 6 rounds. Charges are no where near the max of 44.5 grains and bullets were seated .013" OTL.

Next tried were 80 grain Sierra Spitzer BTs over IMR 4461 Max charge being 40.3 grains but my loads were between 37 and 37.6 grains, bullet .009" OTL. Six rounds fired but again showed very flat primers The next six again showed light primer strikes and would not fire. I've had it with this Axis. Talked to Savage about the problem and they said to send it in to be looked at. Did some checking with Fed Ex and UPS. To send it back to Savage is going to cost me another $65 to shipped it insured. I'm not wasting another penny on this POS. On top of all the firing problems the Weaver scope went belly up early on, elevation quit working so had to replace the scope. This will be the last Axis I ever buy.

You could try just sending the bolt in to them for polishing and any needed new internal parts. I did that with my 2 2012 models. Cost me $5 postage. They were decocking when bolt was pulled to rear. Have worked fine since.

[GaCop]

You could try just sending the bolt in to them for polishing and any needed new internal parts. I did that with my 2 2012 models. Cost me $5 postage. They were decocking when bolt was pulled to rear. Have worked fine since.

I like that idea better than spending another $65 to send the whole rifle to them.

[GaCop]

Checked head space with GO and NO GO gauge and head space is just fine. I suspect the FP springs are messed up. What has me stumped is the pierced primers that can occur right after a light primer strike?

[Stumpkiller]

I'm going to dig out my old copy of Major Nonte's "Modern Handloading" and check his chapter on primers. He goes into all kinds of causes for various problems.