new Axis

[stagpanther]

I just took apart my latest "Tupperware" Axis 2 and am extremely impressed with just how far Savage has come with this basic entry-level design--I still have a few of the original Tupperware models and they are nowhere near in the same league. decided to do a little extra work on the stock to get the barrel free-floated better and stiffen it up just a bit, though it probably doesn't need it (considering it's a 350 legend).

 

[mxsailor803]

Nice. Did Savage just release the Axis in .350 Legend? Didn’t know they had one.

 

[stagpanther]

The 350 legend Axis 2 has been out for about a year I think. Mine came with what looks like an Hbar profile barrel which is contacting the channel so I'm going to do a little work on it.

 

[stagpanther]

Sorry--I meant Axis 2--I'm getting too old and senile.

 

[mxsailor803]

We call that CRS where I’m from. (Can’t remember S!$?) lol

 

[stagpanther]

Here's my 350 legend about half way through my "frigging" process. I guess the barrel resembles an HBAR because maybe they took a sporter and simply cut it off--I don't know but it definitely filled the barrel channel so I cut the barrel channel back. I decided to put a base coat of sand color paint down cause--why not? I'll probably finish with some kind of cammo pattern once I figure that out. the stock actually has some resemblance of bedding molded into it--but doesn't have any in the magazine inlet area so I'm going to add some there. The one irritating thing I encountered was the accutrigger couldn't be set at anything lower than 3 lbs; the first time I've ever encountered that in the otherwise excellent trigger--I have them on numerous Savage rifles. Had to trim back the spring a bit to get under that.

 

[stagpanther]

Everything is pretty much done, just got to wait for this weekend to test fire. Gonna load some new cartridges though in general I'm not a big fan of the 350 legend concept.

 

[stagpanther]

Snuck out late this afternoon (weather looks bad for the weekend, might snow) Improvement is quite noticeable, here's a load @ 102 yds using 180 gr PowerPoints and AA1680 which previously grouped about twice the size. (the bottommost shot was a previously fired 6mm predator cartridge that was covered with a target dot which blew off when one of the 4 .355 bullets impacted).

 

[stagpanther]

tried some more groups using 180 powerpoints driven by AA1680 (my "going off the reservation" experiment with a different powder). Learning a few things about this cartridge. It is, after all, really a pistol cartridge. how you seat the bullet is a tricky thing, too narrow at the mouth and the case may leak gas throwing consistency in pressures. I also found with this particular bullet it does well very close to the lands.

For the very first time ever with the 350 legend--I felt I was up against my limits as a shooter as the determining factor of what kind of results I was getting. Here's a nice group--once again it was very close to being a 1-holer but I pulled a shot. Even the groups which didn't have especially good SD consistency still were generally within an inch of the point of aim. That's what I like to see in a hunting rifle.