A hunting rifle and its ammunition need be no more accurate than is required to hit the intended target at the intended range. Thus a moose gun need not be as accurate as a prairie dog gun. I've been somewhat surprised on a number of occasions to find that a rifle which produced very good accuracy at 100 yards didn't do so well at longer ranges, in one case a rifle that shot consistent MOA groups at 100 yards would barely hold 4 MOA at 200 yards. It would be interesting to see some 300 yards groups from these rifles. While the group size is not critical to big game hunting, the placement of the first cold bore shot is; that first shot is the most important shot from the rifle. The point of shooting a 300 yard group is to determine if the potential of a first round hit on a big game sized target remains viable at unknown ranges. Although my preference would be to take several cold bore shots at a target over a period of time, not everyone has the luxury of doing so.
If the purpose of the rifle is to provide an inexpensive but accurate platform with which to spend a pleasant day at the range, all is good, but a hunting rifle needs to be more than that. A hunting rifle should first and foremost be reliable under the conditions it will be used. A hunting rifle should instill confidence, therefore it must be accurate (enough) reliable, and easy to use. The hunting rifle should fit the shooter. If you find the stock of your rifle is too long, the felt recoil will be more intense, the eye relief will be more difficult to adjust, and the rifle will be slower and less natural to use under conditions that demand speed. That does not instill confidence. But it might prove difficult to knock an inch off an inexpensive plastic stock. If an aftermarket stock must be installed to allow the rifle to fit the shooter, the cost of the rifle then becomes less attractive.
The hunting rifle should allow itself to quick handling and to quick cycling, as that instills confidence. Some inexpensive rifles have a stiff bolt lift, although I don't know if this applies to the Axis. If you must drop the rifle to waist hight in order to have sufficient leverage to manipulate the action, the increased time it takes to make a follow-up shot might well cost you that animal. That does not instill confidence. IMHO, if the bolt cannot be easily cycled at the shoulder, it needs attention, and this attention comes at a price; about $100/hr for shop time.
What I'm getting at is that big game hunting is a demanding endeavor. Your rifle needs to be up to the task, not only for the game you hunt, but also under the conditions that are typical in your hunting area. Just as you can run the 100 in a pair of work boots, your performance will not be as good as if you ran it in a pair of sneakers, and the amount of effort you put into completing the exercise will be greater. The same applies to the selection of a proper hunting rifle, the bargain basement rifle will be more difficult to use under demanding conditions.
If you purchase a hunting rifle based on price alone, the reduced cost had to come from somewhere. I am under the impression that the typical retail price of a firearm is 6X the cost of manufacturing. If I'm correct, a rifle that retails for $300 therefore costs $50 to produce. What are you willing to do for $50? The chances of taking home a $50 firearm that is suitable to the demands of big game hunting is questionable, particularly if you hunt in tough conditions. A better option is to buy used if you're on a tight budget. Perhaps the litmus test is this: if you could afford to purchase a high end custom rifle, would you base it on an Axis action? Why?
or dropped into a lake. It happens.
