Just became a rifle owner.

[Dekota56]

I Coyote hunt as well, my go to gun I set up with is a 223 Rem. 700 heavy bore on bipod

[Three44s]

Nice!

I wonder what the OP, kmw1954 is up to with that Axis now?

Three44s

[kmw1954]

Nice!

I wonder what the OP, kmw1954 is up to with that Axis now?

Three44s

Well Folks, Happy Next Year!

Update on this Savage and myself. I have had this out a number of times now to shoot and am move than pleased with this rifle. Fist I loaded up two different .224 55gr Hornady bullets, (#2265, #2266) one is a boat tail and the other a flat base. The Boat tail shot much better than the flat with the little bit I could work up with just 100 of each. I was told that this rifle shoot shoot much better with a heavier bullet and was able to find some Hornady 62gr FMJBT at MidSouth and even with just a couple gr. above the starting load the out performed the 55gr bullets tremendously. So much so that as soon as they became available I ordered another 500 of them. Everything so far has been loaded with Ramshot TAC powder and recently Powder Valley received some in so I ordered an 8# jug along with 3# of Accurate 2460 to try later.

This rifle is now sporting a new Burris Fullfield II 4.5-14x42 scope and I have only been able to shoot it once since mounting it and that was to sight it in. The first shots were at 50 yds on the range all to myself.. The very first 3 could only find 2 holes but they were in the center but slightly right. Next three were slightly higher with two in the center and and one just outside. Time to move on to 100 yads.

After taking the target down I was looking closer and noticed that one of the holes in the first group was not round. That is where the third bullet went.
Buy the time I got moved to the 100 yard range it was 3pm and was loosing light and I was getting cold already as it was only about 40* and I wasn't dressed for it. Anyhow put 9 shots downrange and all grouped within 3" but this was with junk leftover factory stuff ammo and I was also playing a bit with the sight focus. Now I'm anxious to get back out and shoot it some more only with my good handloads.

[charlie b]

Congrats.

Don't be afraid. 300yd is a drop in the bucket for these things

Yeah, when I bought mine I thought ammo would be cheap enough not to handload. Well, it is, but, it doesn't shoot well at all most of the time. Started hand loading with the bulk 55gn bullets. They do ok. MOA level. Then I bit the bullet and went to Sierra Match Kings. Less than 1/2MOA depending on how I am shooting that day. I use the 77gn bullets most of the time but the Hornady 75gn ELD is good too. Ignore the warning on the Sierra box about 1:8 twist. Load the bullets to 2700-2800fps and they do well. 5" gong at 600 I can hit most of the time (I am bad at wind compensation).

[kmw1954]

charlieB just to be certain haven't we chatted over on the Savage and THR forums? I believe so.

I'm enoying this rifle so much that I am already looking a another one hopefully with a heavy barrel. Locally there is a Remington 700 heavy, a Ruger 77 and a couple heavy barreled Savages I think I need to go look at. Also been looking at new stocks for this one.

[Cosmic_Charlie]

Great caliber for long range plinking.

[charlie b]

If you have the same name over there, then yes we have.

[kmw1954]

If you have the same name over there, then yes we have.

Looking back on posts you were one that helped convince me to move quickly from the 50yd. range to the 100yd. right after I acquired this Savage Axis. Again great advice!

[charlie b]

You're welcome. And good luck on longer range shooting. BEWARE! It is addictive

I will still laugh to myself when I hit a small target at range. The only disappointment I had was hitting a milk jug full of water at 1000yd. The little 77gn bullet didn't have much energy left by the time it got there. I did see a little splash, but, nothing like my .308 hits.

[kmw1954]

charlie, I've had a number of guys over the summer talking about competing in 1000yd milk jug shoots. that sounds like fun. The guys that got me starting in shooting many years ago would go to a gravel pit and put up water balloons at different ranges of distance. Again great fun!

[Mrlucky353]

Extremely accurate with Gold Dot 62 gr.

[bowfin]

should shoot 100/200yds easily and the 300 yard when I'm feeling BOLD!

"It" won't shoot or not shoot 300 yards...YOU will. In the hands of some, it might shoot 500 yards and in the hands of others, it might not shoot 25 yards. I don't own a bunch of hammers that pound crooked nails, my hammers are owned by a guy who pounds his nails crooked.

My brother shoots long range A LOT. Out past a mile. His biggest pet peeve is listening to the people at the local gun shops talking about their "600 yard rifle" or "1,000 yard handloads"...and have never touched off a round at those distances. One has a "600 yard rifle" when one shoots a passable group at 600 yards. Otherwise, it's nothing more than theory or conjecture.

[kmw1954]

Thread is getting a bit old but since it has been resurrected here is an up-date!

The Axis has been semi-retired in favor of a Savage Model 10 223 though I am still shooting it, just not as often. The Model 10 is also a 22" barrel with 1:9 twist and sports a real hardwood stock, not plastic.

I have now shot about 600 rounds thru both guns and have developed a couple pretty good loads. One with a 62gr Hornady FMJBT with Ramshot TAC and one with a 69gr RMR HPBT with TAC. Have also been playing with Varget but so far have not found a load that is better than with the TAC.

My personal shooting has gotten steadier and the groups are slowly shrinking. I have even finally got bold enough to try the 300yd target and all I can say is that I printed paper but it was nothing to brag about. I also think I need a better scope if I am going to compete at that range!

Now I have been having so much fun with this that I haven't pick up a hand gun since Sept!

[Three44s]

Well, you can ask yourself: “What did you ever do without rifles?”

I play with Savage and Stevens bolt guns. Got the tools and many barrels. I like to tinker on a budget. (I am not smitten on the Axis fire control and have none of those however)

The problem I run into is that the Savage/Stevens bolt guns shoot very well and I get hung up not wanting to tear down one fly shooter just to to search for another fly shooting combo. Thus, my stack of barrels get dusty.

Decisions, decisions!

Three44s