22-250 Savage Axis I decided to buy a new rifle in 2017, it was about 13 years ago when I last bought a rifle, so after all the red tape that goes with it, and tactics to slow down the process by specific people in power I got the rifle, and it was well worth the wait. Loaded indicator VORTEX 4-12 x 50 Crossfire EGW TACTICAL MOUNT 41800 After operating this rifle for the first time what struck me was just how solid the lock up is on the action one very strong action. It has a protruding pin when loaded so you can feel if it s loaded or not, lovely well made rifle. After reading and watching a lot of bullshit on YTB mostly people talking crap and all giving reviews and UN BOXING mostly because they like the sound of their own voice, I decided on a 22-250, amazing how many people love to spin angles about a simple thing. The rifle was a bargain in today s standards, R7000 for a rifle, scope and mounts, the rings and mounts are crap and so too is the scope, it comes with a cheap American scope, toss them away, I then bought good solid quality rings, mount (ONE PIECE) and a good scope. I purchased the well-known branded scope VORTEX CROSSFIRE in configuration 4-12 x 50. This is a quality rifle, Savage don t make junk, and accuracy made great with the AXIS accu - trigger. The only difference I made was fill the stock with a few items to increase weight as the gun is light with a hollow stock. But am I happy... o yes! It has a free floated barrel as STD. When I collected the rifle and went to the range I cleaned the barrel many times, then fired one shot and cleaned it, did this about 35 times, if this helps break in a barrel, who knows, but it is a good shooter now and that s what counts!
www.africanpredator.com My main reason for buying this rifle was to upgrade and to sell a few other weapons I don t need anymore, and to buy a dedicated long range jackal calling killing rifle, a rifle specially adapted to kill jackal, so spending money on good scope, mounts, and rings is well worth it. I fitted the rifle with my own hunting light and mounts, the bipod is good on the rifle as it helps anchor down the rifle on the chair. Solid shooting platform with a good rifle, what else do you need! As standard practice I use this small light to shoot with BUT have a 12v light on the chair in case as back up, it runs on a small 12v security gate battery but just as a back-up. Ready to rock and roll, a solid stable platform, good spots and a lovely evening below the stars. I am 100% satisfied with load development I did, and achieving good groups - with my load that the rifle likes it allows me to get good accuracy all around on crows, cats and jackal. africanpredator.laubscher@gmail.com www.africanpredator.com
A called jackal that never knew he was dead, he also never felt a thing! LOAD DEVELOPMENT I ONLY use LEE COLLET DIES, ONLY THIS MAKE NEVER OTHER DIES. After 3 trips to the range and reloading sessions of 5 different loads each time, I settled for a load that now allows me the same accuracy that my 222 Remington gives me, I am 100% happy so far, here is my diet I use in the 22-250. Factory ammunition PPC 55 grain groups at 21mm this load I zeroed DEAD ON at 120m. My pet load is V - Max 55 grain bullet / 30,9grains S335 Powder. Impact is 1 inch high at 120m. This is my hunting load. Allows me long range at night. Another load that is VERY GOOD, the gun loves it; Sierra Varminter 55 grain #1330 Stock number 8mm groups / S335 with 30, 5 grains powder. 120m. www.africanpredator.com //////// africanpredator.laubscher@gmail.com
RELOADING I use ONLY LEE COLLET DIES in all my rifles, and have done so for many years, they offer awesome accuracy. The reason I like them is that after you fire a new cartridge in the rifle it is then fire formed to your rifles chamber, it won t fit in another rifle, well just about never. Then when using a COLLET die, it ONLY resizes that neck to seat a bullet again and DOES NOT touch the side walls at all, it leaves that case fire formed to fit your chamber like a glove. Just keep an eye on bullet overall length after you fire it twice or more, if it gets long you need to trim your cases. I keep a case as an example of overall length, and measure all reloaded cases. Because all bullets have different ogive shapes, I have an example of all reloaded cases, and for each different bullet head I use I have a dummy round to show me the seating depths. The closer to the lands and that initial jump into the barrel the better for accuracy. I also keep a record of all cases so they match each other with the same batch numbers, as different cases will have thicker or thinner side walls causing different pressure even from the same load and will effect accuracy. So, keep cases marked and noted how many times they got fired and how many times they are trimmed etc. Clean primer flash holes well, and make sure all bullets weigh the same even if they say its 55 grains..check them all. Weigh your cleaned cases so you have a batch all the same weight, the more detail you pay to the reloads the more accuracy you will achieve. For every jackal hunt I have 10 rounds I load, all are loaded under the strictest attention to every detail, and it also brings more personal achievement when you complete a calling stand with a home load you designed, loaded and prepared yourself. I even clean my finished rounds with Brasso and have 10 flashy new cartridges on my hunt waiting, I always have a box of 20 on standby, BUT take critical care and pay attention to the 10 custom reloads.
Perfect shot placement, the bullet blows up inside, and gives a perfect pelt, no damage at all, but any mistake on the shooters side and it will blow a jackal apart, just about cuts it in two pieces, as long as the bullet hits that solid area if not it will be blown apart. www.africanpredator.com One really fine well priced rifle, deadly accurate out of the box. africanpredator.laubscher@gmail.com
Home load with the Collet die and usual 30,9grains S335. Deadly accurate all bullets through the same hole, this target was peeled off the box so some edges seem sharp, but all bullets went through the same hole. Slight wind to the right, I zero one inch high. Savage Axis 22-250