Cheap guns

[BUSTINDOGS]

Wanted to make a trip to the range this last Friday and asked my dad to come along to spot for me. So he comes with, and brings his savage axis compact .243 with him. I shoot my new 6,5-.284 Norma with a brux barrel out to 600 to confirm drops. After I finish I have four rounds left so we go over to the 100 yard range to shoot his rifle and check my 100 yard zero to make sure the scope repeats. I take his rifle and shoot a very nice little tight group with his hand loads out of the savage. Now I have to shoot my expensive rifle and of course his cheap-o savage out shoots my gun. With all these cheap guns that shoot lights out why do we still build custom rifles? Because a custom is supposed to be consistent right... My dad shoots light bullets because he likes fast and flat and doesn't shoot very far. I'm going to get some heavy bullets to shoot out of this gun and see what it can do it has a 9.25 twist so I'm thinking I will try the Sierra game Kings 100 grain so they can also be used for deer hunting. I sure hope I can prove that my custom will out shot his savage because I payed more for my barrel than he did for the entire gun.

 

[FEENIX]

Savage rocks! gun)

 

[ntg]

I had a Marlin X7, 7mm-08 and it was very accurate...still not sure why I let it go....

 

[HARPERC]

I've had success and failure going both ways.

I just got rid of a Howa that needed help in a variety of ways, traded it for A Savage 93 heavy barrel .17 HMR that has not impressed me yet LOL!

The other 3 Savage .17's bolt guns I have are rat killing machines. The A-17 is another story.

Sometimes the magic works sometimes it doesn't.

Overall I have had better luck with top end equipment, than I have with lower cost options. Plus I usually want something unavailable over the counter.

 

[Waynzee]

Hard to beat a Savage these days, especially if you load for it. I'm in the process of finishing a Savage mod. 111 in 338/06. All I did was true up and epoxy bed the action, Timney trigger and added a Hart 24 inch barrel. So, we'll see if this will out shoot some of other stock Savage Rifles. hahaha

 

[gohring3006]

Tag...
This might get interesting...

 

[FEENIX]

Tag...
This might get interesting...

LL!

 

[gohring3006]

Just to keep the conversation going, I have worked up loads for several Savage rifles including the Axis. If the trigger on the Axis is worked down to 3# or lighter, and the barrel channel is open enough not to touch the barrel. I have come to expect 1 MOA or better out of these rifles. The 10/110 rifles are always sub MOA. But back to the Axis, if I can't get 1 MOA or better, then I'm pretty confident it's the load not the rifle...

 

[snox801]

Hahahahahah I did the same thing a few years ago. I had a hart custom .257 Roy. Same deal, I invited my tend who just bought the axis .243 with redfield 6-18 scope. Same story I was able to get .75 out of mine but got 5 shots covered by a Nickel out of the savage on the third type of ammo. He still reminds me to this day of how his $600 rig out shot mine. I just shake my head now. Although at 300 yards mine shots much better so now I make him shoot at least 300 when he comes out.

 

[jammer300]

I have 2 Savage Axis rifles. 1 in 22-250 and the other is a 7mm-08. Both were good shooters out of the box, but after I floated the barrels and lightened the trigger pull they became two of my most accurate rifles. Now that I think about it, my top 3 most accurate rifles are Savages.

 

[BUSTINDOGS]

Hahahahahah I did the same thing a few years ago. I had a hart custom .257 Roy. Same deal, I invited my tend who just bought the axis .243 with redfield 6-18 scope. Same story I was able to get .75 out of mine but got 5 shots covered by a Nickel out of the savage on the third type of ammo. He still reminds me to this day of how his $600 rig out shot mine. I just shake my head now. Although at 300 yards mine shots much better so now I make him shoot at least 300 when he comes out.

I shot both rifles so next time I will shoot mine first to be sure his doesn't out shoot mine.

 

[BUSTINDOGS]

I will try and keep this going might take a few months to put it all together as I'm waiting for my stock to show up so right now I'm using the factor SPS stock not really a good comparison until I have the new stock fitted and bedded should have this complete by mid June I hope. Meanwhile I will work up a load for the savage with a heavier higher BC bullet then the 55 grain noslers we are using now. anyone have a pet load for the axis they would like to share?
plan is to use the sierra 100gr game king SPBT, with H4350, win brass and BR-2's.
once the loads are complete for each rifle should be able to test on a few different range trips to see which one will come out on top.

 

[snox801]

Don't have a pet load. When shooting my buddies. We started with hornady superformance. Held .75" groups. Then we tried winchester combined tech 95 bt.
Printed several five shot groups that could be covered by a nickel. Needless to say we never opened the dies to even start reloading he just bought the entire case he got the first boxes from. It shots so good had another friend just build one with stock and trigger I'll have to wait and see if his will also shoot that good.

 

[thatguyshm]

That's funny because although not a custom, I have much more in my 700P in 308 then my 700 sps Tact in 223, but this past weekend, the soon to be wife had to show me up at 300 yards with the 223. It even has a cheapo scope, but in heavy wind she was knocking down the clay's, while it took me several shots to get on target. I will say, my target was the clay that was on its side, with barely any orange showing, but she definitely showed me up. Second shot put it within half an inch from center. Just took a chunk out, we wouldn't let her finish it off, just so she could show it off.

Glad I'm building her a SAVAGE 6BR for the wedding. It will be my third Savage build, and the first one I did was a 338-06 that shoots bug holes at 100 with a 225 grain AB. I can't get enough of the Savage builds.

SHM