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anyone have luck adjusting a savage axis trigger?
- Thread starter 188MULE
- Start date
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sniper58
New Member
I just bought a Savage package rifle in .30-06. It has the Axis trigger on it.
The scope is a $50 Bushnell, so it will be going soon.
I did some trigger work on the rifle yesterday. The only part that I had to remove from the rifle was the trigger itself.
I soaked the trigger in nail polish remover for 10 minutes to soften the yellow guck on it. Removed the factory spring and placed it in a bag for replacement later if desired. Cleaned out the hole with dental picks and Q-tips.
My next step was to go to the bag of springs that I bought 5 years ago for $8 (about 500 springs in it) and find a spring close to the original diameter. I cut the spring to the same length as the fat part of the factory spring.
Next step was to hit the "junk drawer" to find a machine screw with the same thread pitch as the trigger. Found one and screwed it into the trigger with a lot left hanging out. I screwed it back and forth, cocking the action and pulling the trigger to eliminate some of the massive over travel in the factory trigger.
Once I had the length correct, I marked the length with a piece of tape, removed the screw, cut it off, and cut a slot in it for my screwdriver to fit.
Installing the new screw, I compressed the new spring and slipped it over the screw. Once I got the screw back to where over travel was minimal, I got the trigger-pull guage out and tested the pull...................about 3.5 lb.
Backed the screw out, removed the spring and cut 1 more coil off of it. Reinstalled and tested the pull weight again...............averaging right around 3 lb with about 0.010" of over travel.
Everything was sealed up again with white nail polish. Shouldn't move.
NOTE: Make sure the safety works properly after doing this. I had backed out the safety engagement screw and ended up without a functioning safety. Screwed it back down and it's working properly again.
Hope this helps somebody.
My total cost for the trigger work was 30 minutes of time and about $.02 for the spring. (actually, about 1 cent for the spring as I only used half of it)
The scope is a $50 Bushnell, so it will be going soon.
I did some trigger work on the rifle yesterday. The only part that I had to remove from the rifle was the trigger itself.
I soaked the trigger in nail polish remover for 10 minutes to soften the yellow guck on it. Removed the factory spring and placed it in a bag for replacement later if desired. Cleaned out the hole with dental picks and Q-tips.
My next step was to go to the bag of springs that I bought 5 years ago for $8 (about 500 springs in it) and find a spring close to the original diameter. I cut the spring to the same length as the fat part of the factory spring.
Next step was to hit the "junk drawer" to find a machine screw with the same thread pitch as the trigger. Found one and screwed it into the trigger with a lot left hanging out. I screwed it back and forth, cocking the action and pulling the trigger to eliminate some of the massive over travel in the factory trigger.
Once I had the length correct, I marked the length with a piece of tape, removed the screw, cut it off, and cut a slot in it for my screwdriver to fit.
Installing the new screw, I compressed the new spring and slipped it over the screw. Once I got the screw back to where over travel was minimal, I got the trigger-pull guage out and tested the pull...................about 3.5 lb.
Backed the screw out, removed the spring and cut 1 more coil off of it. Reinstalled and tested the pull weight again...............averaging right around 3 lb with about 0.010" of over travel.
Everything was sealed up again with white nail polish. Shouldn't move.
NOTE: Make sure the safety works properly after doing this. I had backed out the safety engagement screw and ended up without a functioning safety. Screwed it back down and it's working properly again.
Hope this helps somebody.
My total cost for the trigger work was 30 minutes of time and about $.02 for the spring. (actually, about 1 cent for the spring as I only used half of it)
You can buy a new trigger spring for the axis and replace the old one. I did this and it really helped the gun a bunch. I don't remember where I bought it now but it was very inexpensive. Took just a couple of minutes to change and lightened the pull almost in half. Very smooth and lighter now than it was.
LoneTraveler
Well-Known Member
First, I have never worked on a Savage Axis Trigger. But the thing I have found on every trigger is polish the sear contacts first. I have seen sears that have grooves ground in them like miniature pipe wrench jaws. I have some good stones, The best are a set of 4, 8000 grit finish stones from Wood Craft of Parkersburg WV. They polish to mirror finish. Have not cut a spring or replaced a spring since I got them. Had to stretch one spring to get 3 lb. on a hunting rifle.
Holy smoked paprika
New Member
Got a stainless 308 on sale. All parts I got from Amazon or home - Compression Springs Assortment Kit, Thrust Ball Bearings Small FM Series Pack 2 Set F6-12M - 6x12x4.5mm (if you can find 6x11mm will be better). Screw from the light box - one holding the bar you mount the fixture to the box. turned to be a matching ). Old credit card. Drill. Sandpaper. Epoxy (don't use tabletop cause way too long drying time). Bondo.Adjustable Cheek Rest Riser .125".
All in spent 16 CAD for trigger job parts and probably all 100 CAD for check raiser, bondo, epoxy, recoil eraser etc. Epoxy and bondo do cost quite a bit but you use only a little and I ll use it around the house.
Stock:
step 1: Shaved stock (super easy with a decent knife) to improve clearance for free-floating as one side was a little warped.
step 2: Used a hot screw to mark the inside the stock and drilled small holes through the reinforcement ribs... put about halfway bbs to the portion closer to magweld 1/3 starting from a little further away and closer to where you hold it a bit more. poured epoxy.
step 3: I messed it up a little. Unscrew the recoil pad. Took a plastic bag, and put inside, poor epoxy. I did not fill in in full. you can do it in stages putting little to the bottom half of the stock first to maintain the balance you'd like. I used Bondo to put it into the stock spacer portion making the balance move to the shoulder a bit as the rifle becomes heavier
step 4: used JB weld to skim bed stock.
step 5: drilled holes and installed riser.
Action:
Bolt - I have 2 spring designs on the firing pin, so green spring no touch, and the spacer comes out. carefully cut about 4mm of the second spring which has the tail. Try to cut it in a way where it will hold the ball bearing closer to 90 degrees to the firing pin once installed. Put back together. Used the opportunity to give a bit of the polish to where I found things can use it.
Personally, I have removed 1 more coil and did not put any spacers... Much better and smoother bolt operation and you can do it while on target with a bit of practice.... Stock one you had to really bump it or get the rifle down from the shoulder..
If you have a washer which can do as a spacer for a bolt handle I'd suggest doing that rather than spring mode. just so you can always go back and just washers where you adjust so you can have light bolt without light strikes.. some reported having light strikes on stock (!!!) bolt .. I never had it myself .. but better safe then sorry.
Trigger job:
Stock spring goes out. The screw goes in perfectly .. Adjust it to the desired overtravel. Mark the screw. I left about 2 mm for future adjustment and cut the rest off. then used Dremel to cut for a flat screwdriver from 1 side. Measure the portion which will be outside of the trigger where the spring is. Put it into the drill and use sandpaper or a file, to create a "post" for the spring to be on. polish so spring does not touch/interfere and if it is it's smooth. Loctite.. screw in to desired overtravel. Use an old credit card - cut out the washer to eliminate trigger side-to-side movement. Put the trigger spring - my kid had a length just enough as I wanted to (don't go too long cause it makes the pull inconsistent when the spring is fully collapsed). My trigger pool is 2.7 pounds. Bump test - no issues. (rubber mallet and then I did a full-on drop test).
Conclusion:
Trigger is crisp and no overtravel.
I can cycle bolt while holding on target
Recoil change from throwing barrel up to fairly straight into the shoulder.
Total weight ~ 8.6 pounds with stock scope installed. (I know on the heavy side, but I wanted a better manageable recoil rather than a super light setup)
Last addition:
We're not able to find the Picatinny base so had to use Dremel and file to modify the Weaver base set which came with a rifle to fit the rings I had.
Installed burris 3-12x56 Ballistic E3
All in spent 16 CAD for trigger job parts and probably all 100 CAD for check raiser, bondo, epoxy, recoil eraser etc. Epoxy and bondo do cost quite a bit but you use only a little and I ll use it around the house.
Stock:
step 1: Shaved stock (super easy with a decent knife) to improve clearance for free-floating as one side was a little warped.
step 2: Used a hot screw to mark the inside the stock and drilled small holes through the reinforcement ribs... put about halfway bbs to the portion closer to magweld 1/3 starting from a little further away and closer to where you hold it a bit more. poured epoxy.
step 3: I messed it up a little. Unscrew the recoil pad. Took a plastic bag, and put inside, poor epoxy. I did not fill in in full. you can do it in stages putting little to the bottom half of the stock first to maintain the balance you'd like. I used Bondo to put it into the stock spacer portion making the balance move to the shoulder a bit as the rifle becomes heavier
step 4: used JB weld to skim bed stock.
step 5: drilled holes and installed riser.
Action:
Bolt - I have 2 spring designs on the firing pin, so green spring no touch, and the spacer comes out. carefully cut about 4mm of the second spring which has the tail. Try to cut it in a way where it will hold the ball bearing closer to 90 degrees to the firing pin once installed. Put back together. Used the opportunity to give a bit of the polish to where I found things can use it.
Personally, I have removed 1 more coil and did not put any spacers... Much better and smoother bolt operation and you can do it while on target with a bit of practice.... Stock one you had to really bump it or get the rifle down from the shoulder..
If you have a washer which can do as a spacer for a bolt handle I'd suggest doing that rather than spring mode. just so you can always go back and just washers where you adjust so you can have light bolt without light strikes.. some reported having light strikes on stock (!!!) bolt .. I never had it myself .. but better safe then sorry.
Trigger job:
Stock spring goes out. The screw goes in perfectly .. Adjust it to the desired overtravel. Mark the screw. I left about 2 mm for future adjustment and cut the rest off. then used Dremel to cut for a flat screwdriver from 1 side. Measure the portion which will be outside of the trigger where the spring is. Put it into the drill and use sandpaper or a file, to create a "post" for the spring to be on. polish so spring does not touch/interfere and if it is it's smooth. Loctite.. screw in to desired overtravel. Use an old credit card - cut out the washer to eliminate trigger side-to-side movement. Put the trigger spring - my kid had a length just enough as I wanted to (don't go too long cause it makes the pull inconsistent when the spring is fully collapsed). My trigger pool is 2.7 pounds. Bump test - no issues. (rubber mallet and then I did a full-on drop test).
Conclusion:
Trigger is crisp and no overtravel.
I can cycle bolt while holding on target
Recoil change from throwing barrel up to fairly straight into the shoulder.
Total weight ~ 8.6 pounds with stock scope installed. (I know on the heavy side, but I wanted a better manageable recoil rather than a super light setup)
Last addition:
We're not able to find the Picatinny base so had to use Dremel and file to modify the Weaver base set which came with a rifle to fit the rings I had.
Installed burris 3-12x56 Ballistic E3
