Savage Axis trigger

[rickjames80]

I picked up an Axis in 223 for plinking. The trigger is pretty terrible. Not so much creep, but heavy. Have guys been happy changing the spring, or should I look at an aftermarket solution?

 

[gumbl3]

Get a Rifle Basix.. Didn't see any improvement going with a different spring

 

[Hudge]

I just started playing with changing the spring in guns recently. I did notice a lighter trigger pull, but I can't say better trigger from the trigger spring other than on a Rem. 742 that was my dad's. I will be changing out trigger springs on my shotguns now, but for rifles, I am sticking to changing out the triggers. I've had good luck with Rifle Basix and Timeny triggers.

 

[stank.243]

I ended up just cutting about 1.5 "loops" off of the spring that is on the trigger and it made a major difference. Cheap, simple and effective for what I needed. There are some videos on youtube of the process

 

[Texasbuckeye]

I got a timney for my savage axis. Very easy install and a HUGE difference.

Agree the stock trigger is garbage, but the timney made it a sweet shooting rifle

 

[rickjames80]

Thanks guys, I might try cutting the spring just to see if it makes a difference. If not then a new trigger it is.

 

[Cdroot89]

I 2nd just cutting the spring. I cut about the same amount off as stank.243 and thought that it made it better too. I have a 243 heavy barrel and it shoots touching holes at 100 yards but I can’t get over how cheap the stock feels.

 

[Cant hit em]

I cut the spring on an Axis 223 and its much better

 

[Ndbowhunter]

Cut it.

 

[Cng]

For those of you that bought Timney’s, didn’t you spend almost as much on the trigger as you did on the Axis rifle? I’ve always wanted to try a nice aftermarket trigger but had a hard time justifying the cost in relation to my budget firearms.

Not to derail the thread, but I guess my question is whether a $350 rifle with a $250 aftermarket trigger will perform better than if I had just bought a $600 rifle?

 

[Texasbuckeye]

my timney was around 100 bucks. So not bad, but you are correct about a third of the price of the gun.

I have bought other savages, but made sure they had the accu-trigger on them, huge difference as well form the stock axis trigger.

 

[16Bore]

I just use two fingers.

 

[rickjames80]

For those of you that bought Timney’s, didn’t you spend almost as much on the trigger as you did on the Axis rifle? I’ve always wanted to try a nice aftermarket trigger but had a hard time justifying the cost in relation to my budget firearms.

Not to derail the thread, but I guess my question is whether a $350 rifle with a $250 aftermarket trigger will perform better than if I had just bought a $600 rifle?

I was having the same thought. I got the gun when Cabela's was having a sale plus a rebate so I got a pretty good deal. If the spring makes an improvement, I will just leave it in. If it is still terrible and I can find a good alternative for around $100. I will do that, but no way am I going to put a Jewel in a sub two hundred dollar gun

 

[robtattoo]

If you're any kind of competent with a diamond stone, edm stones or fine wet & dry, you can do a really simple, really quick bit of work yourself.
Have a look on eBay for 'Axis trigger' and you should pull up quite a few 'screw & spring' kits. These allow you to tune your overtravel down to zero, whilst dropping the return spring down to around 2lb. With judicious polishing of the trigger/sear mating surfaces, you can achieve a 2lb trigger fairly easily.
Initial creep is harder to work out & involves shimming the sear resting surface of the sear. I've done it several times, but it's fiddly, time consuming & is generally not really worth the hassle.

The polishing & overtravel, however, is a 30 minute job if you've never been inside a gun before.

I've probably done 20+ Axis triggers for a local shop & friends & honestly, it's so simple it's not even funny.