|
Joined: Mar 2022
Posts: 19
New Member
|
OP
New Member
Joined: Mar 2022
Posts: 19 |
What does everybody about a savage axis ii in 223 for coyotes, my price limit is low and it seems like one of the few options a for a college kid to get into predator hunting.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 3,741
Campfire Tracker
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 3,741 |
300 yards and in it would be effective. Buy a few different boxes of ammo and find which one it likes. Edk
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 30,784 Likes: 9
Campfire 'Bwana
|
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 30,784 Likes: 9 |
What does everybody about a savage axis ii in 223 for coyotes, my price limit is low and it seems like one of the few options a for a college kid to get into predator hunting. Like this one ?? Budget entry.....don't expect much from the scope/mounts Factory ammo ?? Or look for a used Tikka...........(: https://gunzonedeals.com/product/SAV-57256-AXIS-XP-223-REM-WEAVER#product_detail
T R U M P W O N !
U L T R A M A G A !
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 6,378 Likes: 1
Campfire Tracker
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 6,378 Likes: 1 |
Keep your eyes on sales from Cabelas and Sportsmans Warehouse if you have either near you, they often have the Axis for around that price and it would save you having to find and pay a FFL to receive one shipped from a dealer.
drover
223 Rem, my favorite cartridge - you can't argue with truckloads of dead PD's and gophers.
24hourcampfire.com - The site where there is a problem for every solution.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 6,378 Likes: 1
Campfire Tracker
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 6,378 Likes: 1 |
A Savage Axis in 223 will serve you just fine for an inexpensive coyote rifle.
Keep your eyes on sales from Cabelas and Sportsmans Warehouse if you have either near you, they often have the Axis for around that price and it would save you having to find and pay a FFL to receive one shipped from a dealer.
drover
223 Rem, my favorite cartridge - you can't argue with truckloads of dead PD's and gophers.
24hourcampfire.com - The site where there is a problem for every solution.
|
|
|
|
Joined: May 2022
Posts: 22
New Member
|
New Member
Joined: May 2022
Posts: 22 |
The cheap rifles kill coyotes just as good as an expensive one. And with today's quality issues you may have just as good a chance at getting a good one. Money doesn't buy quality too often now days. Nothing wrong with the caliber, I've been using that caliber over 45 years. I even download it for certain areas. It will get it done, if you do your part.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 3,167
Campfire Tracker
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 3,167 |
I have the Axis in 22/250 for the same purpose and have been mostly satisfied. It replaced a Remington 700 as the Axis is more accurate with 52/53 gr polymer tipped bullets. If I can find an left hand Axis in 223 I'll snap it up for a loaner.
My only gripes regarding the Axis are the trigger and the stock. The trigger was rather heavy at well over 6 #. I slowly cut a half coil off the trigger spring until I got the trigger down to roughly 3.5#. I tried this first rather than replace the trigger to save money. I had nothing to lose as I was going to replace the trigger anyways. It is still a little gritty but I can live with it.
The stock is pretty flimsy and I was experiencing random fliers. I discovered on this site (thanks to Mule Deer) this was likely due to the stock flexing and contacting the barrel. I did the cheap route again by shimming the barrel at the tip of the forearm. This has worked well but I want to put in a rod the length of the forearm and epoxy it in to float the barrel as well as add a little weight to the gun. If it doesn't work out I'll probably learn something and it gives me a reason to get a better looking stock.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 17,246
Campfire Ranger
|
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 17,246 |
Savage Axis ergonomics are rather subjective. I'm not a fan overall. I'd rather have a Ruger American if going budget-ish.
Now with even more aplomb
|
|
|
|
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 4,079
Campfire Tracker
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 4,079 |
They are decent rifles, the stocks can be flimsy but you can take an assortment of deep sockets, coarse sand paper and open the barrel channel so it doesn't touch the barrel when sitting on a rest or sticks and save yourself a bunch of money. I've found that that works pretty much as well as a new stock, put your money into decent glass.
As far as glass for it, my favorite scopes coyote calling rifles are the Leupold Vx-2 1-4, Vx-3 1.5-5, Freedom 1.5-4 with PigPlex. Sightron S1G2 1.75-5, Athlon Argos 2-12 and assortment of 1,5-6x40(most discontinued) note all have very large FOV for fast acquisition and being able to track moving coyotes in the brush. I killed three coyotes in ÀZ and NM this past week with a little 20Practical with the Leupold Freedom. Coyote hung scopes don't need to be expensive just reliable rarely will you need to dial to kill called coyotes.
The 223 is one of the greats as far as predator hunting. Good bullets are the key to killing coyotes. If I have a choice between 1/2" poor bullet and a 1"good one I'll take the less accurate one as it will work as far as I'm going to shoot. The choice in bullets is subjective. Bullets that others have found great don't work for me so you'll just have to experiment.
Good luck and have fun.
After the first shot the rest are just noise.
Make mine a Minaska
Heaven has walls and rules, H-ll has open borders
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 1,078
Campfire Regular
|
Campfire Regular
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 1,078 |
It’ll work just fine. 223 is a great coyote caliber. As EdK mentioned, buy a few different kinds of ammo and let the rifle tell you what it likes. I personally like 50 and 55gr ballistic tips. But any 40-55gr bullet will dispatch a yotie very well to about as far as you can hit them. Stay away from the fmj ammo though. Good luck on your hunting.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 2,934
Campfire Regular
|
Campfire Regular
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 2,934 |
.223 has to be one of my favorite calibers. It's inexpensive and effective. This will allow you to shoot in volume unlike a .22-250 or .243. Most anything in the 40+ gr weight range will hammer a coyote. If you want to use it as a deer round, I'd step up to the 64+ grain bullet. You'll be well-equipped with a .223.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Nov 2019
Posts: 611
Campfire Regular
|
Campfire Regular
Joined: Nov 2019
Posts: 611 |
Savage Model 14 American Classic .223-Shoot 50-55 grain bullets, mostly Win 748, Varget, and CFE223 powders. Great rifle and reloads. Even shooting over the counter 52 HP and 55 FMJ ammo is accurate in that rifle. Leupold 3.5x10 scope mounted. Coyote killer.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 11,952
Campfire Outfitter
|
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 11,952 |
I wanted a budget 223 as well but never did like the Axis. Went with a used Savage Model 11 instead. Better stock. Gave me a 1" group with cheapo sighter loads I used getting the scope lined up 1st time out. I like it.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 48,078 Likes: 5
Campfire 'Bwana
|
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 48,078 Likes: 5 |
I wanted a budget 223 as well but never did like the Axis. Went with a used Savage Model 11 instead. Better stock. Gave me a 1" group with cheapo sighter loads I used getting the scope lined up 1st time out. I like it. I don't like the Axis either. A step up to the model 10 or 11 would be what I'd do. Even if I had to buy used. The Trophy hunter, as shown above is a great rifle. Generally shooting way above their price point. A used Steven's 200 would be a prime candidate as well, if the op can find one. Something some guys shy away from is used rifles. A lot of times you can find ones that have not been used at all, or barely used. That gets my vote. The Stevens 200 I bought a while back was a great rifle, but I put it in a trophy hunter stock and upgraded the trigger. All that can be done, when on a budget. They will be a lot easier to sell than an Axis model, too, if you ever need to sell it down the road. Let that one go to my buddy, that was looking for a good yote rifle.
I try to stick with the basics, they do so well. Nothing fancy mind you, just plain jane will get it done with style. You want to see an animal drop right now? Shoot him in the ear hole. BSA MAGA
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 2,063 Likes: 1
Campfire Regular
|
Campfire Regular
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 2,063 Likes: 1 |
I have a wood stock axis 223 that is plenty accurate for my hunting which is usually sub 200yds and has killed some predators. Also have an Axis 2 22-250 that shoots great groups off the bench with factory ammo and often gets the nod when targeting yotes.
Keep your shots to responsible ranges and an Axis 223 will kill yotes no problem if you do your part.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 17,101
Campfire Ranger
|
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 17,101 |
I don't care for the Axis, but everyone I have been around has been superbly accurate and would fit your needs well.
The government plans these shootings by targeting kids from kindergarten that the government thinks they can control with drugs until the appropriate time--DerbyDude
Whatever. Tell the oompa loompa's hey for me. [/quote]. LtPPowell
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2020
Posts: 734
Campfire Regular
|
Campfire Regular
Joined: Dec 2020
Posts: 734 |
I don't like em either. Not a fan of the long action or the air rifle stock. But people that get em like em. So, buy it & be happy.
I would have got him too but a Dad Blam snow flake hit me in da eye....
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 42,801 Likes: 1
Campfire 'Bwana
|
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 42,801 Likes: 1 |
What does everybody about a savage axis ii in 223 for coyotes, my price limit is low and it seems like one of the few options a for a college kid to get into predator hunting. i have plenty of 223s... to include the Axxis 2.... Got it on Walmart close out when they are getting out of the gun business here in Oregon. Think I paid $200 for it... too cheap to pass by. its a solid platform, a very accurate barrel... synthetic stock lets everything bounce off of it. I just put a lot better scope on top, instead of what came on it from the factory... I handload all of my ammo, instead of using store bought stuff. I haven't fed it anything that didn't turn out to be accurate enough for a coyote at a couple hundred yards. 40 grain to 80 grain bullets.. reduced loads to full power loads... don't let a cheap price make you think they are selling you a piece of junk rifle.
"Minus the killings, Washington has one of the lowest crime rates in the Country" Marion Barry, Mayor of Wash DC
“Owning guns is not a right. If it were a right, it would be in the Constitution.” ~Alexandria Ocasio Cortez
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,140
Campfire Regular
|
Campfire Regular
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,140 |
Don't feel bad about using a budget rifle! I think I had more fun when I was young, broke, and using what I could afford. A .223 is a fine coyote rifle inside of 300 yards, and most of those cheap Savage rifles shoot well.
Edit, see the original post is old. If the OP sees this, tell us about your rifle and experiences with it. Let us old timers feel young again.
Last edited by 300_savage; 11/08/23.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2022
Posts: 19
New Member
|
OP
New Member
Joined: Mar 2022
Posts: 19 |
Rifle shoots like a dream, just under an half inch, and have it consistent at 600! Couldn’t be happier, topped with a Burris fullfield 6.5-20 I got at a fun show for $115
|
|
|
|
246 members (1minute, 204guy, 24HourCampFireGuy50, 16penny, 257_X_50, 1beaver_shooter, 32 invisible),
2,279
guests, and
1,309
robots. |
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
Forums81
Topics1,192,113
Posts18,483,440
Members73,966
|
Most Online11,491 Jul 7th, 2023
|
|
|
|