Savage Axis Grouping

[northmn]

Hoping some more experienced Axis shooters or owners could offer me something to look at quick. I have a 6.5 Creedmoor black stocked Axis. Not that the caliber matters. It shoots fine but walks up vertically when I sighted it in. You could put a straight edge on the holes. I let the barrel cool and impact went back down. Its a deer hunting rifle and does not get shot a lot. As I sight in cold for deer hunting it does not bother me too much but is kind of a PITA. I have read about the flimsy forestock and it does pinch in if you squeeze it. It will rise up a couple of inches from the first shot.


As I generally make the first shot count, its not a real big deal but I do like to be able to shoot a reasonable 3 shot group at least out of a hunting rifle to make sure the first shot is not a fluke. Just checking to see if someone has run into this. It has to be shooting off something as the barrel heats up. As stated if I let the barrel cool I the first shot is lower. The second shot will still hit a deer as will the third at 100 yards but if I take a longer shot it might cause problems.


DEP

[NSB]

If you're not experienced in working with this type of problem, it could be problematic getting an improvement. I have personally glassed plastic stocks and gotten remarkable improvements. I glass bed the barrel lug area the the first six inches of barrel channel. The remained of the channel I just make sure it's not in contact with the barrel. Torque settings can cause some problems also. Get the manufacturers specs in that area and use a torque wrench to get it set to where it's supposed to be. My personal opinion on torque is that it's important, but it's also overrated and blamed for more problems than it usually causes. Still, different screws must be tightened in the correct sequence. Last, you (or I for that matter) can make extreme changes in impact with a flexible stock simply by placing different parts of the forearm on the front rest or pushing the face down harder/softer on the rear of the stock. Don't sight in off using a bipod, and don't rest the front of the gun on a hard surface. It's difficult to do, but wait a couple of minutes between shots to let the barrel return to ambient temperature. Good luck.

[TaylorS]

I have one in 308 that Had similar issues and that junk stock that came with it pinched a couple times, I put a shorter heavy contour barrel mostly cause I picked one up cheap and didn’t want the length from the stock barrel and put a Boyd’s thumb hole stock on it and it’ll shoot 1/2” at 100 all day. The axis stocks were just poorly done and to weak but it makes the axis a good 300$ gun. I would think you just need to get a better stock and your problems will go away


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[Mr Peabody]

Try putting less pressure on the action screws. I just got a weatherby vanguard. They say 35 inch pounds of torque on the action screws, it strung vertically. I dropped to 30 inch pounds and it stopped. Nice round groups. I will try 25 inch pounds and see what happens.

[northmn]

Try putting less pressure on the action screws. I just got a weatherby vanguard. They say 35 inch pounds of torque on the action screws, it strung vertically. I dropped to 30 inch pounds and it stopped. Nice round groups. I will try 25 inch pounds and see what happens.

Thank you. That's a quick fix I can try. As I stated its not a bench rest gun, just something to be shot a few times a year. I may have over torqued the screws.

DEP

[Wolfer]

Ive had this problem several times. Factory stocks come with a pressure point at the end of the forearm. As the barrel heats up and swells slightly it pushes the bore line up.
On my old 760 in 30-06. It had a thin metal plate that wedged between the pump tube and the barrel. This acted as a heat sink and curled the barrel down. You could get three shots and then it would walk straight down off the target. I took that piece out for years. It didn't group quite as good but it shot the same all day. After I discovered that there are funner guns to shoot than a light 30-06 I put the piece back in. It's very rare that I shoot two shots at game.

Now for the kicker!
It probably has more to do with the barrel wall thickness than out side diameter but Ive found barrels that mic .650 or above do just fine free floated. Barrels that mic .550 at the end nearly always need a pressure point. They are generally good for two to three shots from a cold barrel. Then they tend to walk a little. In my opinion this is fine for a hunting rifle but no good to bang away at the range with.

Personally since I'm more hunter than shooter I would rather have a lighter gun that I carry far more than I shoot it.
As long as I know where the first shot lands at the crack of dawn on a frosty morning I'm good to go.

[tazman]

I have a Savage 112 varminter in 223 that did that. The plastic stock was fairly flimsy and was causing problems as the rifle heated up.
I purchased a Boyds laminated stock for it. No more problems. I can put rounds through the rifle until it gets too hot to hold the barrel(10-15 shot) with no group movement now.
The Boyd's stock was a drop in fit and didn't require any fitting.

[NSB]

I have a Savage 112 varminter in 223 that did that. The plastic stock was fairly flimsy and was causing problems as the rifle heated up.
I purchased a Boyds laminated stock for it. No more problems. I can put rounds through the rifle until it gets too hot to hold the barrel(10-15 shot) with no group movement now.
The Boyd's stock was a drop in fit and didn't require any fitting.

Probably your best option.

[Texas by God]

I agree with Wolfer about bedding/barrel diameters and a Boyds stock will improve that rifle in accuracy and looks.

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[Moonie]

I had an Edge (first year of the Axis before they changed the name). Once I replaced the stock and worked on the trigger (lighter spring) it shot very well. The wrist on those plastic stocks is very thin and flexes there.

[northmn]

Got it pretty well sighted in today. I did loosen the screws but I did see a certain rise in the shots after the first shot. I am consistent in that the first shot is low, so it is sighted in for the first shot. The second shot does not rise that much, maybe an inch. I did not run into an issue until after I adjusted the scope for a different load. It shoots OK but I may do some stock bedding and stiffening.


DEP

[Mr Peabody]

Glad to hear your feedback