Savage Axis Misfiring

I have a Savage Axis chambered in 243 Win. Cheap rifle but I won it off a $10 raffle ticket so I kept it and put a new stock, scope, and trigger on it. I’m very surprised how well it shoots. It has always worked fine until this year. Opening weekend i went to shoot at a deer and, click. Chambered a new round and it fired. The primer was dimpled a bit so i thought maybe fluke with the ammo. The next day a buck walks out and the exact same thing happened. This time the first primer didn’t even have a dimple. I took the bolt apart and cleaned it. The firing pin and springs all looked good to me. But… I took my model 700 with me after that just because I couldn’t trust it.

So this past weekend i was out coyote hunting. new box of shells, just in case that was the issue. First coyote i see, click. pulled the bolt handle up and closed it again, and bang. The customer service rep at Savage that I had was zero help. Case of the Mondays I think.

Any ideas? Anyone else have this happen with their Axis?

What aftermarket trigger did you install?
I would start there.

I would agree with starting with the trigger. Maybe reinstall the old one and see if the issues continue.

I had the same problem with my Savage 30-06 and I sent it back to Savage. Once I got it back the problem was fixed. All they said they did was put a new firing pin in….

Timney trigger. I shot it for a year without any issues. I’ll try it if I can remember where I put the old trigger.

Not disagreeing with the idea of it possibly being the trigger, because I have been wondering that myself. And the reason I haven’t is thinking of what with a trigger would cause the firing pin to not hit, or not hit hard enough? That trigger is super simple.

I have 2 Axis rifles, one of which I’ve had since the month after they were introduced. I’ve never experienced similar issues to yours and I have several thousand rounds through these 2 rifles. Both have aftermarket triggers.

Here’s my list of things for you to try:

First off, give me the honest truth here. How many times have you cleaned and lubricated the rifle and the bolt specifically?

My #1 suspect is either the bolt, spring, firing pin is dirty, OR the more likely is that you applied too much oil, grease, or other lube and some of it is turning to gel in cold weather and slowing your firing pin travel. This is common with all types of rifles. And it doesn’t take much! I once went CRAZY with a Contender pistol that had this exact issue, it went bang 300+ times in a row in the summer, in the hunting season it went click on the first try.

You say you took the bolt apart but did you clean the spring and internals of the bolt?

Shooters are always worried about not using enough lube, but in truth the most common issue is too MUCH lube. When I did the IDO review on the Axis rifles when they first came out, I noted specifically that the first thing I had to do is strip the gun and remove the 12.7 ounces of grease, oil, and preserative goo that the factory applied. IIRC, the bolt had grease applied. Which is sure to produce a failure anywhere north of Alabama.

If you did not already do so, I would strip and clean the bolt again. Degrease it completely including inside the bolt itself. Then apply a spray rust preventative lube and wipe it clean so only the metal surfaces are shiny, there should be no drops or excess liquid lube anywhere. You are only putting preservative on as a rust-preventer, this area does not need lube and certainly NOT grease. Make sure the bolt face and firing pin hole are clean and clear of debris.

Strip the bolt all the way including using the Allen screw to remove the bolt head itself, so you can clean inside the bolt face on the inside of the passage where the firing pin passes through to the bolt face. Degrease all these parts. Leave no oil or grease.

Also, look up a diagram and make absolutely sure you have reassembled all parts in the correct sequence. From the firing pin, there is a spring and a washer. Make sure those parts are present and in the right order.

Additional question: Have you replaced the stock? If yes, there is another Axis specific issue you need to check, but I won’t detail it here unless you say you’ve replaced.

Even though you are using an aftermarket trigger, that is not my #1 suspect IF it is installed correctly. I strongly suspect an over-lubed/greased bolt is the issue here.

Grouse

Grouse – I believe the original post did say that he replaced the stock.

fishthumper wrote:

Grouse – I believe the original post did say that he replaced the stock.

Ooops. Missed that.

OK, here’s another one to try.

If you see the bolt release button/lever.

Some aftermarket stocks rub against this release and do not allow it to travel freely. Make absolutely certain that the release has enough room inside the stock to function freely without the stock rubbing against the lower release mechanism

I HAVE had to take a rotary tool and create more space in an aftermarket stock from Boyds. The stock was laminate and it pressed against the release so the release would not return to the up / locked position. I noticed this on initial installation, so I never fired a round with this condition.

I can’t recall for sure, is the bolt release on the Savage linked to the trigger so the trigger has to be depressed to release to bolt? I believe it is so this just jumped to mind as a possible source. Worth checking.

Grouse

Grouse-

The first 2 misfires were with a bolt that I had never taken apart, maybe 3 boxes of shells through it. I put the gun away when it happened during rifle season. I was heading out for a coyote hunt so I completely stripped down the bolt. They are very simple with not many parts. Every piece of the bolt was scrubbed down. When i reassembled the bolt I gave the firing pin an extremely light coat of oil. yes, it was very, very light. I went out hunting with it 3 days later. first round clicked, as quiet as possible lifted the bolt handle until it cocked, closed it, pulled the trigger again. bang.

It does have a Boyd’s stock, but the bolt release has always worked easily. I do not believe that it is rubbing, but I will be checking it. I could see that being an issue since it does move during a shot. It presses down pretty easy, but will check for rubbing. And, Yes, the trigger does need to be pulled back at the same time as the bolt release it pressed.

I’m going to try everyone’s suggestions, but this thing has me confused. The bolt lifts pretty easy at first and I was thinking maybe that was the case because it will slam shut when the trigger is pulled (thinking it could slow the firing pin down) but I’m having a hard time with that happening all 3 times. especially deer hunting out of a box.

If you’re sure the bolt is clean and goo-free, then I’d move on to the release.

But I’m still concerned there’s something we’re missing with the bolt and firing pin…

I’d like to say it’s the trigger, but I just can’t think specifically of what it might be. The sear is releasing. Why isn’t the pin whacking the primer? Does anyone out there have any ideas about how the trigger can be to blame here?

I guess the one thing I’d try is to put the stock trigger back, get the gun good and cold, and try it.

The cold factor has to be part of the equation here.

Grouse

I plan on stripping the bolt down again. Double check it. Set the rifle outside for a good while and then try shooting it.

Also, find that really good spot that I put the original trigger. You know, the one that I’ll remember…

Just curious but you suggested you parked it in a closet for a couple years. Was the gun cocked the whole while? This sounds like you have a weak firing pin spring. I’d be looking hard at that if the gun was stored cocked.

Hello, I hope that I can help. I am an accredited gunsmith in southern Alberta. A client brought me an Axis in .223 Rem with exactly the same problem. Inconsistent firing pin indents on the primer, thus misfires. Upon very close inspection of the bolt fully disassembled, I notice drag marks on the firing pin at the point where it passes through the 1/4″ cross pin which secures the rotating and fixed bolt heads. I checked firing pin runout on my lathe at the point where is passes though the cross pin. This measured 0.095″. The hole through the pin measures 0.105″ this allowing a 0.010″ clearance. The firing pin runout measured 0.013″ with a digital dial indicator. This would then mean a 0.003″ interference which can cause the drag marks and restrict proper striking. I opened up the cross pin hole from 0.105″ to 0.147″ using a carbide #26 drill bit. The client has reported back to me and indicated that a dozen rounds did not show any more problems. The cross pin is actually a very loose fit. When pressure is relieve from the wave washer, the pin can drop out on it’s own. As such, if the pin is not perfectly lined up center of bore, it can cause interference with such a small clearance of 0.010″. Furthermore, the pin being such a loose fit, can rotate again causing interference. As a side note and warning to do it yourself guys. The drill MUST be carbide as the pin is hard, standard tool steel bits may not cut it. And it’s a precision job, the original hole must be perfectly centered in the vice jaws. I use a milling machine to do this job and not a drill press and certainly not a cordless. Good luck.

Here is a cheap fix to repair spring bind caused by 3 piece spring. This piece goes where the spacer washer sits between the two springs and guides the springs
Added .060 to preload and stops the deflection of the firing pin guiding spring on firing pin. It can’t touch inside bolt. Any machine shop can make you one
Just discard the round wire washer when you install..

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Shouldn’t have anything to do with the trigger. The trigger has absolutely nothing to do with how hard the firing pin hits the primer. It either let’s the firing pin trip, or it doesn’t. I would disassemble the bolt, clean it out good, and not just drip oil in it. Gun oil will gum up over time, especially in cold weather. Putting oil on the bolt and firing pin assembly should be avoided in cold weather, instead, when you disassemble the bolt to clean, just wipe down with a oiled rag.

I got rid of it and purchased a rifle I really wanted. No offense to anyone shooting an Axis, but it was never a gun I would have bought. I won it and stuck some money into because it was free. After the Timney trigger and better stock, it shot great. Just didn’t want to spend anymore time and money on it figuring out why it misfired. It was a hunting rifle and I didn’t want it to happen when the deer of a lifetime gave me a chance.

What did you make this spacer out of?

Kevin Moses wrote:

What did you make this spacer out of?

I am guessing Brass since the second pic says “Brass Spacer” in it.

Yeah. I saw that when I went back and looked. That’s what I get for not looking close before asking