Lee Loader

I picked up a left hand Savage Axis in 223 for my girls.
I don't have many new in box anything . I shot 30 rounds of cast ........ Yeah well that's on me so I've got a box or 2 of Factory ammo to start over .
The intended idea was a light PB 22 mag type load . Well the NOE 225-37 doesn't look like the answer there ......I guess I'll have to run the checked 225-55 .
At 1800 fps it's still a pretty quiet load , it just doesn't carry enough lube to make it to the muzzle . I will have to spring for some of that blue stuff that comes from the 2500 guy .

Back to the rifle . I ran a couple of brushes and patches with some Hoppes down the bore after the receiver got a quick bath in WD-40 and a fat mop in the chamber . Although it's marked 223 Rem , but it's fired brass lends itself to being 556 comparable .

The mounts seem to be drilled parallel to the bore . I find the stock ugly and plastic but it is comfortable . The trigger isn't match grade but it is pretty good , probably about 5-5.5# and no real movement .

The short 39 gr bullet I believe is the bug with the feeding studder . The removable box mag is a center feed . The bolt is smooth and quiet . Aesthetically I don't care for the bolt shroud and more so the cocking indicator sticking out the back .

As another negative , neither the long action nor short action 1 piece mount seem to fit so buy the 2 piece mounts for faster mounting of optics . These come slick bbl'd with sling studs .

All and all the price and accuracy offered out weigh the aesthetic whining I might do . At least as far as a fall in mud youth rifle goes it's a bargain . I've seen package guns at Walmart from $289 to the big sports stores at $349 . I gave right at $333 Tax , tile , doc .
The mounts run about $8 and the scope is a Tasco pronghorn that lived on my 06' for about 20 yr . It fogged at deer camp about 3 yr ago and I replaced it . I don't foresee the oldest girl running out hunting with me in teens weather in Arkansas so that scope should hold her over for a couple of years .

Of course the real value of rifle is that for the cost of a new bolt head and an appropriate magazine it can go from the lowly 223 to a 308 , 7x57 or 06' having those bbls on hand unless I steal the 7x57 for myself .

The failure ammo .
I have 20 loaded with the 225-55 @ 62 gr to try with the factory ammo .
The 225-55 is the NOE version of the RCBS and Lee 22-55 or 224-55 FP .

Great report!

Love that can of Unique!

Love the can. Hate the contents so far. Sounds like a winner in the making.

Nice write up and that's a sexy can

The last 14 from a very hot unhappy rifle .
50 yd . I may steal an AR mag and try the full house load . The temp was almost 90° when I left the house , barely a wisp of clouds and a high quality truck hood for a rest .

The load .
223 R-P
CCI 400
Unique 5.5
NOE 225-55 @ 62 gr .

I'm thinking on trying the 37 again with Red Dot .

If you were shooting at a coyote, I think you would hit it!

A jack rabbit would probably be in a lot of trouble . That's a 2" circle and 1" grid.

There's no cooling out when it's that hot and of course the black makes for a heat sink too so the bbl was probably 140-60° , to hot to hang on to for any length of time for sure .

It had a couple of light strikes and misfires actually a complete failure to fire . If it is ammo , which I will pull down tonight it will be a relief . If not then I have a head space issue . Not a big deal I have a Savage bbl nut wrench and a bbl vice , but not part of my happy place . Where will I be with the bbl markings all hidden or upside down ?

After considerable fussing around , cussing, measures , more measures , I've definitely decided there's no need for adjustment . Tha Agulia ammo is just way down at minimum cartridge spec and I have a chamber that is pretty close to a Wylde .

I was out again yesterday afternoon with a few more of the 225-37 PB as cast . I dropped it down to 3.0 gr of Unique and got a good rest with a hard point on both ends .
Wow 1600 fps ! 5 in about an inch . Still with the sonic crack but probably hearing safe .

I guess that puts them into the top end of 22 WM . Which is more or less where I wanted to be .
The 5.5 under the 62.5 gr 225-55 was run over the Chrony and gave 1250 fps . I don't know what that works out to in rim fires but it's the same speed as most of the 40 gr 22LR and 42-3 gr heavier . I think this will be excellent for the girls to get started with .