Are savage axis any good?
- Thread starter Jdiep
- Start date
Caveat: I don't own one.
I almost bought one, but ended up going with a Savage 110 in .243 for my son. The reason was fit and finish, and a thin, grabby bolt on the Axis. The stock felt small and thin in my medium sized meat hooks.
Accuracy wise, they have a pretty good rep, but I can't speak to it personally.
I picked up one on the EE in .223 to replace a faulty Ruger that was giving me ftf issues. Needed something accurate and cheap enough because it would bounce around and live on my golf cart for varmints around the property. Clunky bolt throw but works well and is very accurate.
- Location
- Blaster land, Okanagan BC
Savage generally are accurate shooting, the axis is pretty bottom tier though. Horrible bolt lift, clunky. Stock is cheap and flimsy, some people hate the trigger and others like it.
If your looking for a cheap beater rifle you don’t care about then maybe it’s for you, personally if I had to buy a savage I’d be buying a 110, but I’d rather spend a bit more and get something nicer or buy on the used market. The bolt lift on the axis alone was a deal breaker for me.
If your looking for a cheap beater rifle you don’t care about then maybe it’s for you, personally if I had to buy a savage I’d be buying a 110, but I’d rather spend a bit more and get something nicer or buy on the used market. The bolt lift on the axis alone was a deal breaker for me.
I have an Axis 2 camo stock in 223 and it shoots bug hole groups with 25gr of H335 with 50gr Hornady ZombieMax bullets at 3200fps . It is quite literally the most accurate gun I have ever owned. I fixed the trigger by taking 1/4of a curl off the main trigger spring , dropped it to 2.5lbs pull weight. There are kits available. Yes, I made a silk purse out of a cow's ear but I can smack gophers and coyotes at any distance out to 500yds with no problem.
I had one in 223. Definitely accurate, but pretty much as everyone else has noted the stock sucks and the bolt isn’t smooth.
I wouldn’t get one in the bigger centerfires just because of the recoil lug arrangement. I know that other manufacturers use the little piece of steel that slides into the action and the stock, but other manufacturers aren’t putting the rifle into Tupperware with no other support. I like a proper recoil lug like you find on the 10, 110, 111 models for larger calibers.
I wouldn’t get one in the bigger centerfires just because of the recoil lug arrangement. I know that other manufacturers use the little piece of steel that slides into the action and the stock, but other manufacturers aren’t putting the rifle into Tupperware with no other support. I like a proper recoil lug like you find on the 10, 110, 111 models for larger calibers.
I have over 4500 rounds of 223 out of mine - it started giving me extraction issues after 2k rounds - replaced the springs / extractor a couple times then finally bought a new bolt head from the states and it has not given me any problems. I can regularly get 1 1/2 inch 5 shot groups at 200 yards. I didn't do anything to the factory stock - I sold my Tikka T3 because it wasn't as accurate as my Savage Axis. To me they are the Toyota Corolla's of firearms.
I'd get a used rifle over an Axis these days. Bolt lift on the Axis is just too damn heavy. All the other little issues like trigger pull and various issues people have with the stock can be addressed with a bit of work, but nothing can be done about the bolt lift.
I love my Axis for what it was - a $235 gun when a used Husqvarna or Parker Hale was $500. Now that the Axis is $500 and a used Husqvarna is also $500 there's no value in the Axis IMO.
The one cartridge I MIGHT make an exception is for a 223, 223 was never popular in the European countries where we've been getting a large percentage of our used Husqvarnas etc from, and most of the other rifles in the super- budget category that the Axis is in aren't made in lefty.
I love my Axis for what it was - a $235 gun when a used Husqvarna or Parker Hale was $500. Now that the Axis is $500 and a used Husqvarna is also $500 there's no value in the Axis IMO.
The one cartridge I MIGHT make an exception is for a 223, 223 was never popular in the European countries where we've been getting a large percentage of our used Husqvarnas etc from, and most of the other rifles in the super- budget category that the Axis is in aren't made in lefty.
2nd what others have said. It is accurate rifle, but has many finish issues. The finish issues aren't a major issue, but do set it apart from a more expensive rifle, also the stock is is terrible. My thoughts on rifle prices is "dated" (so grain of salt) several years ago they were a $300 rifle, which I though was a good price, as a $500 rifle I'm harder press to feel like it is a budget, but everything cost more these days.
Have two of them in Axis I, both shoot MOA with reloads out to 500 yrds. With factory fmj they shot crap. They are very light which is a bonus carry gun, truck gun. Look and feel is what cheep. Like it in smaller cartridge. Have a friend that uses one in 243 and gets all there big game regularly, close range.
