First hunting rifle advice-3 choices
- Thread starter Halkon
- Start date
The 110 is much better than the axis. It also has great aftermarket support should you get more into rifles. The savage 110 isn't the top action by any means but it can get you pretty much anywhere you want to go short of a full custom. New barrels new stocks or chassis systems the 110 can become much more than the factory form offers
I have 2x 783 rifles both in MDT lss chassis systems and they far out shoot my expectations and quite honestly are capable of better accuracy than I can shoot. Both wear decent optics night force and forge both in MDT premium rings. They may be dressed up entry level rigs but they work and shoot. I have yet to shoot an axis that didn't shoot well whereas I've seen and shot a couple Rutgers that no matter what wouldn't group better than 3" at 100 yards
What ever you choose remember you can sell it for 75-80% of retail price to buy another rifle if you change your mind later.
I have 2x 783 rifles both in MDT lss chassis systems and they far out shoot my expectations and quite honestly are capable of better accuracy than I can shoot. Both wear decent optics night force and forge both in MDT premium rings. They may be dressed up entry level rigs but they work and shoot. I have yet to shoot an axis that didn't shoot well whereas I've seen and shot a couple Rutgers that no matter what wouldn't group better than 3" at 100 yards
What ever you choose remember you can sell it for 75-80% of retail price to buy another rifle if you change your mind later.
Feeling like the scope is too far forward on an Axis is not uncommon. IMO that's probably the biggest flaw the rifle has, without a 1 piece rail it's hard to get the scope back far enough.
IMO the value on the Axis is not there anymore. I love mine, but it was $235 like 7-8 years ago. When I bought it a decent used rifle was about $500. Today, a decent used rifle is still about $500...
IMO the value on the Axis is not there anymore. I love mine, but it was $235 like 7-8 years ago. When I bought it a decent used rifle was about $500. Today, a decent used rifle is still about $500...
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I have a trio of cheap Savage short actions that shoot way above their weight. First one I bought was 2nd hand from my cousin, the 10HS version, he said it was the most accurate factory rifle he ever owned, and he wasn't kidding, 308, great stock, drives tacks.
Then I bought a cheapo 12FV in 6.5CM from Cabellas just to be cool, stock it was nothing to brag about, mostly the flimsy all plastic stock...but it was $499, so I bedded it, reinforced the forend, filled the butt with lead wheel weights and caulking, weight was like 13lbs when I was done, tack driver, so it was worthy of an XRS stock on black Friday for $199 or whatever.
Only one I'm having a little trouble with is a 10FP also cheap as #### from Cabellas in 6mmCM, the accustock was lame, got another XRS black Friday special, shoots 87gr BTHP as good as any 243 I got, not that great with the 105+, it's decent, but not what I'm use to with ragged holes, I may have to verify the twist, cuz I bought it solely for the heavy for cal stuff. Still a work in progress.
I dunno. It's nice to be able to get something that's ready to take to the range and sight in. Especially if you're new to all this.
While I agree you'll likely replace the components eventually, it isn't nearly as necessary as some would like to act and it's hardly something unique to package rifles. I know multiple people who still use theirs, and it took me years to replace all components on mine. Hell I'd have put the original scope back on my Axis when I upgraded to my rem700 if I didn't sell it with a different gun before I bought the rem700.
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smokeater40
CGN Regular
- Location
- Southern, Ontario
Have you looked at the Winchester XPR? I have had Savage and Rugers and as mentioned all do what they need to, but I love my XPR Sporter, maybe because it has wood and wood is good..
New owner of a Savage 110 Engage Hunter in .308
Thanks a lot for the advice, this was one of the things that tipped it over in favor of the 110 Hunter, I went to my local Canadian Tire to see what they had in stock and turned out they had the Hunter 110 Engage in .308 ready for me to take home for the same $699 price that was online, so I did
Yeah that's how it felt, also I think the stock was a bit longer and felt awkward I'm glad went to check it out in person and compared it to other ones. I can also see how the value for the Axis is no longer there as I finally understood there are significantly better options for just $100-$200 more that are well worth it.
Yes, this was exactly my train of thought, its my first bolt action and I really wanted something that had everything I needed just to go to the range and have fun without going through the learning curve of installing optics just yet. I'm sure more rifles will come eventually and I will know a bit more of this hobby to better learn that process. Plus I REALLY liked the Bushnell Engage scope, honestly was the one I liked the most from the options I had, I liked it over the Vortex Crossfire II.
I followed your advice and I did, went in to the store and asked to see them all, well actually not the axis again as I already knew I didn't like the wobbly action too much, but did worked the actions on the 110 and the Ruger quite a bit, and honestly I liked the Ruger action better. It felt a bit smoother and tighter, but 2 things made me go for the Savage, one is that they didn't actually had in stock the Ruger in .308 and the guy wasn't entirely sure he could get it as he had to check with his warehouse the next day, it was Easter Sunday; and second is that I really liked the feel of the 110 and the scope while shouldering it, and thanks to this thread I already know the 110 was worth it with the accutrigger and accustock, and of course not having to spend in optics finally made me cave.
Yeah, you definitely can feel the difference over the Axis, more than worth the extra $160.
I tried scoring one during the Calgary Easter gun show last Saturday as they were there but I was too slow and wanted to check out all the tables first, big mistake, an hour later none of the rifles I liked were there, but I feel is for the best because for some reason I really wanted a new rifle and also the ones from Interplus were 30-06 which was my second choice but I wanted a .308.
Once again thanks to everyone that gave me advice, if I didn't reply directly its just that I didn't want to make the post too long, but I considered all the replies when I made the decision to buy my rifle. Like I mentioned before at the end I bought the Savage 110 Engage Hunter in .308, with what it looks like weaver bases and rings and a supposedly boresighted Bushnell Engage 3-9x40mm scope with drop-compensating reticle for $699. According to the Canadian Tire guy this was on sale at their distributor as this version is being discontinued in favor of the one with the Vortex Crossfire II scope that goes for $850.
All in all I feel good with the buy but I guess I won't know for sure until I hit the range. At the same time I'm a bit relieved that I got it locally because if any warranty issues arise I just have to take to the store and they will take care of the shipping to the manufacturer for a whole year, another bonus point compared to a used one.
The scope might not be the best but I'm sure it will be more than enough for a newbie like me, that alone is sold at Canadian Tire for $220, plus lets say $50 of the rings, puts the rifle at $429 which is a killer deal, the Stevens 334 with no optics was going on sale for a bit more than that last week.
My only gripe is that I'm not too fond of the cocking mechanism, it feels a but harder to work the action when you have to #### the firing pin when lifting the bolt handle, but you cant have it all, specially when buying cheap lol.
Besides I wont be needing to work that bolt as fast as if I was fighting in WWI, I mostly will be shooting at the range and maybe trying to get my first deer this fall, hopefully with just one well placed shot.
Thanks a lot for the advice, this was one of the things that tipped it over in favor of the 110 Hunter, I went to my local Canadian Tire to see what they had in stock and turned out they had the Hunter 110 Engage in .308 ready for me to take home for the same $699 price that was online, so I did
Yeah that's how it felt, also I think the stock was a bit longer and felt awkward I'm glad went to check it out in person and compared it to other ones. I can also see how the value for the Axis is no longer there as I finally understood there are significantly better options for just $100-$200 more that are well worth it.
I was already in the process of paying for my rifle when I read your comment, but I did ask the guy to stop for a second and asked him about it, unfortunately my store didn't have a discount in that model, I think the ABolt was around $950.
Yes, this was exactly my train of thought, its my first bolt action and I really wanted something that had everything I needed just to go to the range and have fun without going through the learning curve of installing optics just yet. I'm sure more rifles will come eventually and I will know a bit more of this hobby to better learn that process. Plus I REALLY liked the Bushnell Engage scope, honestly was the one I liked the most from the options I had, I liked it over the Vortex Crossfire II.
I followed your advice and I did, went in to the store and asked to see them all, well actually not the axis again as I already knew I didn't like the wobbly action too much, but did worked the actions on the 110 and the Ruger quite a bit, and honestly I liked the Ruger action better. It felt a bit smoother and tighter, but 2 things made me go for the Savage, one is that they didn't actually had in stock the Ruger in .308 and the guy wasn't entirely sure he could get it as he had to check with his warehouse the next day, it was Easter Sunday; and second is that I really liked the feel of the 110 and the scope while shouldering it, and thanks to this thread I already know the 110 was worth it with the accutrigger and accustock, and of course not having to spend in optics finally made me cave.
Yeah, you definitely can feel the difference over the Axis, more than worth the extra $160.
I tried scoring one during the Calgary Easter gun show last Saturday as they were there but I was too slow and wanted to check out all the tables first, big mistake, an hour later none of the rifles I liked were there, but I feel is for the best because for some reason I really wanted a new rifle and also the ones from Interplus were 30-06 which was my second choice but I wanted a .308.
Once again thanks to everyone that gave me advice, if I didn't reply directly its just that I didn't want to make the post too long, but I considered all the replies when I made the decision to buy my rifle. Like I mentioned before at the end I bought the Savage 110 Engage Hunter in .308, with what it looks like weaver bases and rings and a supposedly boresighted Bushnell Engage 3-9x40mm scope with drop-compensating reticle for $699. According to the Canadian Tire guy this was on sale at their distributor as this version is being discontinued in favor of the one with the Vortex Crossfire II scope that goes for $850.
All in all I feel good with the buy but I guess I won't know for sure until I hit the range. At the same time I'm a bit relieved that I got it locally because if any warranty issues arise I just have to take to the store and they will take care of the shipping to the manufacturer for a whole year, another bonus point compared to a used one.
The scope might not be the best but I'm sure it will be more than enough for a newbie like me, that alone is sold at Canadian Tire for $220, plus lets say $50 of the rings, puts the rifle at $429 which is a killer deal, the Stevens 334 with no optics was going on sale for a bit more than that last week.
My only gripe is that I'm not too fond of the cocking mechanism, it feels a but harder to work the action when you have to #### the firing pin when lifting the bolt handle, but you cant have it all, specially when buying cheap lol.
Besides I wont be needing to work that bolt as fast as if I was fighting in WWI, I mostly will be shooting at the range and maybe trying to get my first deer this fall, hopefully with just one well placed shot.
- Location
- Blaster land, Okanagan BC
Between the Axis and 110, I’d pick the 110. So you made the better choice, the bolt lift on the axis is horrible vs the 110. At least it’s one smooth lift unlike the axis with the firing pin reset/cocking or whatever it is that happens on opening, I handled both in my search for a .223. Savage generally shoot well, they’re just cheap feeling in the stock and trigger I find. Should be fine till you outgrow it or feel the need for a step up in quality.
The heavy bolt lift is the sole reason there is only one Axis in my collection... Sucks too, because otherwise I really like the Axis (price dependent of course) and most other budget actions ignore the lefty market.
