Loose scope base / rail - savage axis precision ii

[high_revs]

i noticed an ever so slight play on the scope base / raiil of my savage axis precision ii. maybe 1/2 a mm but noticeable enough. range didn't have the right allen and i wasn't sure if it was english or metric (i figured the former). got the weaver torque wrench out to discover there was nothing small enough to fit. got out the english allen wrenches and none fit (surprised). got the metric out and one fit. i thought being american made, it'll use an english bolt. also surprised it only took 130'ish shots before it got loose. they don't locktite these things at the factory?

rear most bolt was loose. just had to hand tighen for now until i can get the right attachment. i think a 2mm? smaller than my ducati's fairing bolts that are normally 3mm.

Questions:
* is blue loctite too much for these small screws in case i need to loosen in the future?
* was surprised the savage website says it has a 20moa base. is that normal for a 223 in stock form?
* i can't find if this is a weaver or picatinny. most of what i have is picatinny though i read that picatinny should fit weaver rails. the base doesn't have full length sized slots and just the edges (pic below). i thought normally most weaver bases don't have full slots.



what i meant by full slots for picatinny

[high_revs]

oddly enough i noticed also on the precision 2, my scope rings are too low. i find having to hunch down. and i my rings and scope are from one of the ARs (ADF 1pc scope mount). i was surprised as i thought it'll be to high compared to when i used the same on the 5r while waiting for proper rings

[n8vrmind]

I fixed loose tolerance on my savage rifle scope rail this way...

https://youtu.be/v8qsrDiraBU?si=pO7nqMO-WETXIWGv

Sent from my Pixel 6 Pro using Tapatalk

[baih777]

Savage scope bases are not tight from the factory.
Remove your bolt.
Remove scope rail.
Clean scope threads. Tap works best. 6-48.
Clean screws and screw holes with brake cleaner.
Let all.dry

Use blue loctite.
Reinstall scope rail.
Torque to 18-20 inch lbs.
Let dry for 24 hrs.

20MOA rail will work fine.
I have the same rifle.

[ShaunBrady]

i noticed an ever so slight play on the scope base / raiil of my savage axis precision ii. maybe 1/2 a mm but noticeable enough.

Any play is too much for a scope rail and that's a ton on its way to becoming a lot more.

range didn't have the right allen and i wasn't sure if it was english or metric (i figured the former). got the weaver torque wrench out to discover there was nothing small enough to fit. got out the english allen wrenches and none fit (surprised). got the metric out and one fit. i thought being american made, it'll use an english bolt.

It's probably a Torx and not an Allen. According to the Savage promo photo you attached, its size T10. You may find a bit was included with the gun. If not, they're cheap at the hardware store.

also surprised it only took 130'ish shots before it got loose. they don't locktite these things at the factory?

I've haven't bought an Axis, but the 110 pattern guns I bought were frequently covered in shipping oil. It wicks out, gets washed out with cleaning solvents, or turns to varnish and the preload on the screw is lost.

This isn't uncommon with factory guns. It's a good practice to remove the rail and clean everything with a solvent that doesn't leave a residue. Then loctite and torque the screws. Bedding the scope rail is a good idea, but I'd wait until I'd shot the gun a few times to make sure it wasn't going back to Savage.

Questions:
* is blue loctite too much for these small screws in case i need to loosen in the future?

There is purple thats even softer than blue, but blue is fine. Cleaning solvents will eventually degrade loctite. If you need to remove it and it won't come off easily, heat helps. Blue is soft when spit just boils.

* was surprised the savage website says it has a 20moa base. is that normal for a 223 in stock form?

The effective range of a 1:7 223 that can be loaded longer than AR mag length is not what most people picture for 223.

Coming at it from a different angle, if there isn't much likelihood of somebody installing a scope with a 1" tube and 50 moa of travel, a 20 moa base makes a lot of sense on a gun marketed for long range shooting.

But no, it won't do you a bit of good with 55 grain blaster ammo.

* i can't find if this is a weaver or picatinny. most of what i have is picatinny though i read that picatinny should fit weaver rails. the base doesn't have full length sized slots and just the edges (pic below). i thought normally most weaver bases don't have full slots.

It's picatinny. You can confirm that by measuring the slots. 5mm for picatinny, just under 4 for weaver.

[high_revs]

I fixed loose tolerance on my savage rifle scope rail this way...

https://youtu.be/v8qsrDiraBU?si=pO7nqMO-WETXIWGv

Sent from my Pixel 6 Pro using Tapatalk

Savage scope bases are not tight from the factory.
Remove your bolt.
Remove scope rail.
Clean scope threads. Tap works best. 6-48.
Clean screws and screw holes with brake cleaner.
Let all.dry

Use blue loctite.
Reinstall scope rail.
Torque to 18-20 inch lbs.
Let dry for 24 hrs.

20MOA rail will work fine.
I have the same rifle.

thanks. will check out the youtube and just do this. have to get a proper driver for the weaver torque wrench.

It's probably a Torx and not an Allen. According to the Savage promo photo you attached, its size T10. You may find a bit was included with the gun. If not, they're cheap at the hardware store.



I've haven't bought an Axis, but the 110 pattern guns I bought were frequently covered in shipping oil. It wicks out, gets washed out with cleaning solvents, or turns to varnish and the preload on the screw is lost.

This isn't uncommon with factory guns. It's a good practice to remove the rail and clean everything with a solvent that doesn't leave a residue. Then loctite and torque the screws. Bedding the scope rail is a good idea, but I'd wait until I'd shot the gun a few times to make sure it wasn't going back to Savage.

There is purple thats even softer than blue, but blue is fine. Cleaning solvents will eventually degrade loctite. If you need to remove it and it won't come off easily, heat helps. Blue is soft when spit just boils.

The effective range of a 1:7 223 that can be loaded longer than AR mag length is not what most people picture for 223.

Coming at it from a different angle, if there isn't much likelihood of somebody installing a scope with a 1" tube and 50 moa of travel, a 20 moa base makes a lot of sense on a gun marketed for long range shooting.

But no, it won't do you a bit of good with 55 grain blaster ammo.

It's picatinny. You can confirm that by measuring the slots. 5mm for picatinny, just under 4 for weaver.

i managed to eek some time to go to sacramento valley range. for sure, the setup i had on the ar10 doesn't work on the axis precision 2. rings are too low but oddly enough and unsure if it's age, i struggled on the 5r also today just on cheek weld. i don't recall having an issue last time but to be fair, it's been a while since i used the 5r also.

the pic of the rail i shown earlier was just from a aftermarket egw. it was just a search result trying to look for the size of the bolt. i took photos from my oneplus and iphone.. i thought for a while i phone would be shaper (on the mobile screen) but looks like oneplus did better. it does look like allen.

i did email savage to be safe. maybe i should've just called while driving. hmmm. sorry didn't get to resize em.

[ar15barrels]

Those are 5/64" which also happens to fit a 2mm wrench.

2mm is 0.07874"
5/64" is 0.07812"

[ShaunBrady]

Two points for Randall.

I remember those tiny hex screws and drilling out a few of them. Gunsmithing SAE hex key sets would have the wrench. Hardware store sets probably wouldn't.

EGW switched to Torx ages ago so I'm surprised they're on a new Axis.

This is an EGW rail I bought directly from them around 2014.



The updated screws are ~$5 from EGW. The OP could save some trouble by replacing the Savage supplied screws.

[ar15barrels]

I have drilled out a bunch of those 5/64" allen screws because they are so soft that the hex socket will strip out before you can remove one that was blue loctited.
If you heat them up first, they usually will come out.

Two points for Randall.

I remember those tiny hex screws and drilling out a few of them.

[high_revs]

Two points for Randall.

I remember those tiny hex screws and drilling out a few of them. Gunsmithing SAE hex key sets would have the wrench. Hardware store sets probably wouldn't.

EGW switched to Torx ages ago so I'm surprised they're on a new Axis.




The updated screws are ~$5 from EGW. The OP could save some trouble by replacing the Savage supplied screws.

I have drilled out a bunch of those 5/64" allen screws because they are so soft that the hex socket will strip out before you can remove one that was blue loctited.
If you heat them up first, they usually will come out.

is there a particular hardness i should look or ask for to replace? or just eqw, install with locktite and forget about it.

[ar15barrels]

is there a particular hardness i should look or ask for to replace? or just eqw, install with locktite and forget about it.

I have not run into bad torx screws.
Get some Torx screws from EGW if you have an EGW rail with the old 5/64" allen screws that always strip out.

[high_revs]

will just do that. thanks Randall.