Axis in 25-06

No trick.

I personally decock it with my thumb but I believe that step is unnecessary as the tension is gradually released while you back out the screw.

1/4” Allen as I recall. Could be wrong. You’ll need a (padded) vice the first time, as I believe they use red loctite to hold it together.

The hardest part is recocking the bolt to put it back in the gun... I just use the edge of my vice but there’s probably a “correct” way.
 
Thanks for that. I'll get around to it eventually--got lots of other irons in the fire to attend to.;)

Still concerned about that RL22--never heard of a powder getting stronger as it ages. I bought it originally for my 270 win and 300 win mag loads, I may do a bit of testing on them to see if it performs any differently.
 
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Have you measured the fired cases to see how they compare to a SAAMI chamber and/or checked the throat to see if maybe your rounds jammed in the rifling?
 
I got my first good look into the chamber--hard to with an assembled rifle and no bore scope--it was coated with a caked-on "blast debris" from the base of the shoulder to about mid-case length. I thought I had cleaned the rifle well when I bought it--but didn't see this stuff. Spent an hour with copper remover and other cleaners and brushes and got the chamber down to it's shiny like-new look--interestingly, the last layers of goo that came out looked like the packing grease new gun's bores come treated with. Maybe the former user simply took the gun out and shot it without bothering to clean it upon purchase? I may try the RL22 loads again and see if that makes a difference. The only thing I haven't done yet is check headspace dimensions--haven't found any available gauges yet. Dimensions of brass, both before and after firing, are within SAAMI measurements.
 
4Drentals.com
4D Reamer Rentals is your friend for headspace gauges. $8 for 1 week rental. Shipping sucks either way, but still cheaper than buying new.

For the bolt dis-assembly, i use 1/4" allen 3/8" drive socket and long rachet. Put gun in vise, bolt in, but not locked. Insert socket, give tap on rachet with my palm. Screw comes out fairly easily after that.

Red Locktite is NOT used by factory to put together. Otherwise you'd need a torch to dis-assemble.

I use the edge of the work bench to recock when put together. Otherwise bolt won't lock when in rifle. Watch out for the little ball under the extractor!! (Ask me how i know!!)
 
I called Alliant and talked to one of their powder engineers--learned quite a bit actually, very helpful and informative. One big misconception I had corrected right away--as a powder degrades it can in fact become more volatile. Something else--any solvent or source of ammonia in the proximity of reloading powders is bad news--if it leeches into the powder. For example--powder use or storage in the same room where rifles are worked and cleaned--big no-no. I ahem, cough, cough have been doing that for years.:eek::o

He gave me 4 different tests for measuring the efficacy of the powder--and I can report the RL22 I used passed all of them with flying colors.

Time to look elsewhere for the fly in the ointment.
 
Might I inquire as to the source of your load data?

Alliant shows a max load of RL-22 under 115gr SP at 52.0gr
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No problem--got it out of hornady's load manual. I also verified the charge weight with the fellow at Alliant and he said it should be no problem. Checked out the Alliant listings--I didn't notice that it said max load--in fact it listed the 52 grs as the only load?

I did just check my Lee flyer and it does say 52 max for RL22.

Hmmm..I wonder what the discrepancies are attributable to? Anyway, I'm already going to pull all the ssts and replace the powder with something else.
 
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stagpanther said:
Hmmm..I wonder what the discrepancies are attributable to?
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Different sources use different lots of powder, primers, cases, etc. Some use universal receivers, generally with barrels built near SAAMI minimum chambers, and some use real guns, which are often a lot closer to SAAMI maximum chambers. Some use actual pressure testing equipment (usually the same ones that use universal receivers) and some use "Hey, that looks about right". Some just copy other sources.

Generally speaking, I prefer the manufacturer data if it's available.

I also trust QuickLoad, but only after it's calibrated to my gun (and components) and the particular powder batch I'm using.

Anywho, RL-22 is probably not a bad choice, seems maybe a little slow... possibly RL-19 would be better, just off the top of my head. I could be wrong, happened once back in the 90s.:p:D

Just bump those starting loads accordingly (about 47gr) and try again.;)
 
Different sources use different lots of powder, primers, cases, etc. Some use universal receivers, generally with barrels built near SAAMI minimum chambers, and some use real guns, which are often a lot closer to SAAMI maximum chambers. Some use actual pressure testing equipment (usually the same ones that use universal receivers) and some use "Hey, that looks about right". Some just copy other sources.

Generally speaking, I prefer the manufacturer data if it's available.

I also trust QuickLoad, but only after it's calibrated to my gun (and components) and the particular powder batch I'm using.

Anywho, RL-22 is probably not a bad choice, seems maybe a little slow... possibly RL-19 would be better, just off the top of my head. I could be wrong, happened once back in the 90s.

Just bump those starting loads accordingly (about 47gr) and try again.
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I've heard some pretty entertaining "rumors" from industry folks--some question as to how exactly do manufacturers comply with SAAMI specs.

Anywho--I agree the RL22 is probably better with bigger capacity burns--so I'm tabling it for now--I have a very good selection of other powders to try so while I'm interested to figure this out--I'm not too interested on being on the pressure bleeding edge.;) FYI--the fella at Alliant says the last time they had a significant difference in batch to batch manufacturer of the same powder was back in the 70's or 80's. He said otherwise the date and location of manufacture makes almost no difference and any variation would be very slight (at least with the RL22).
 
Setting aside the RL22 issue for now--decided to try my "old reliable" IMR 4831 and it did not disappoint. I shot some 120 gr gamekings at 200 yds, mostly out of curousity since I was really out to test a multi-thousand dollar AR build shooting ultrahigh BC vld bullets.

The lowly axis with it's budget 3 x 9 weaver scope totally blew away my exotic 224 valkyrie build which sports a nikon 6 x 24 FFP scope.


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Even at 8.5 lbs I'm a bit surprised at the kick of this gun--also heats up veery fast--my guess it's a barrel-burner.
 

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Yeah, people don't talk about it much but 25-06 is overbore.


Heck i'm using RL26 in the 257 Roberts with 120gr. Sierra HPBT GameKings. With the case capacity you should be fine with RL22.

Don't forget to tune the action on that Axis. Could possibly half your groups.
 
Heck i'm using RL26 in the 257 Roberts with 120gr. Sierra HPBT GameKings. With the case capacity you should be fine with RL22.

Don't forget to tune the action on that Axis. Could possibly half your groups.
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I ran these up pretty close to max charge with no pressure issues. There appears to be conflicting information on what RL22 loads are suitable--I know mine were consistently blowing the primers out. There is definitely something odd about the way the bolt cycles--haven't figured it out yet.

Overbore--yup--way up there near the top of the list as a matter of fact.: )
 
Yeah, as i said earlier, i'd try getting a new bolt head.
Don't forget the bolt for the Axis is different than the standard model 10,12,16.
Maybe that's the issue??
Model 10 bolt in the Axis?

Alliant's "reloading manual" only shows max load. I do compare loads from the manuals with QL. Surprising how many show as 65-72k psi. Hence why we start at starting loads.

You ought to try the 115gr. Berger VLD Hunting. High BC's ald will definitely get the job done on deer sized game. Just need to be seated out long. My Savages, and Ruger77 like em 0.005" off the lands.
 
I do check my loads with QL--that's how I arrived at 51K +/- for the load that I had done. Somewhere along the way there has been a "disconnect" in data vs actual performance (unless the rifle's configuration is somehow causing this, which I doubt). I've seen this a couple times before for other cartridges (hornady's manual also contains a "over-pressure" recipe for 10mm)--like you say that's why we start low.
 
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