Savage Axis negativity?

I like the fact that rifles such as the axxis are available so that young hunted can have an affordable way to get into the sport. I have shot a few of them and I personally find the accuracy is overrated. I make it a point when I go to the range to strike up conversation with the young shooters.... In doing so, they tend to eyeball my rifles and compliment them, and I can remember being that young Hunter eyeballing all of the nice stuff in the catalogues and not having the budget.... What inevitably ensues is a rifle exchange for a few shots.....

I have likely shot over a dozen of these and some hovered around MOA and at least 3 examples couldn't shoot 3 MOA.... All three were due to the flimsy stock touching the barrel... The actions on all but one were very pedestrian and gritty while the one that wasnt had seen a few hundred rounds....

The scopes that come with them are pitiful and should be trashed at time of opening and the rings are junk as well...

But, at the end of the day, it's a $350 rifle with a $350 fit and finish.... Personally, I was brought up taught that quality matters and I would much rather save the little extra money for a vanguard.... But, if that little extra money keeps you from getting into the woods then buy the axxis.
 
My vote would be for a model 70 sporter, it is reasonably priced compared to other models winchester has and there is no question your getting quality.
 
petew said:
It is fashionable to bash the Axis, this shows everyone that you know what you are talking about. Make sure you bash the trigger too, and get in there and improve on it.
Oddly enough they sell a lot of these rifles and they seem to function quite well and account for a lot of dead critters. The knowledgeable predicted it would be discontinued after the first run of production. Not sure what happened with that.
It isn't a high end rifle and personaly I don't like anything with plastic, rough finishes or stainless , but this is just my personal taste, it has nothing to do with function.
As a budget rifle it seems hard to beat . Lots of comments about the clip, but those that load and remove it without force and using a bit of care seem to have no problems. Take it out, put it in, don't rip it out and slam it in seems to work well for most owners.

It's accuracy seems to well documented to the dismay of many, but fact is, the axis shoots despite what the experts say.
Evaluate it for what it is, don't expect to find a thousand dollar rifle in an Axis box. If it was anywhere near as bad as many of the the forums claim it is they would be selling for $75 to $100 .
Botttom line the Axis is a good shooting budget rifle that works as intended.
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Every sporting rifle is a compromise in an attempt to answer multiple questions, but in the case of the Axis, too few questions are answered satisfactorily IMHO. That said, the bolt strips in a nifty fashion, the bolt handle would be impossible to tear off, and Timney provides a decent trigger as they do for many rifles with trigger issues, this one for $114.35 USD. But those are the best characteristics of the entire rifle. The weakness of the silly double striker spring, and a firing pin that feeds through a tiny hole in the bushing builds in a reliability issue that more than makes up for the strength of the striker shroud assembly, as does the marginal magazine retention on a rifle that will surely be exposed to harsh conditions and use due to it's attractive price. So whether or not that price represents good value must be determined by the individual purchaser.
 
A great shooter, sub-MOA with reloads and a Burris Fullfield II scope. I did find the POI varied quite a bit with different factory loads (Winchester 45g, Hornady 55g, Hornady 75g), so I now shoot 55g VMAX reloads in it. The flexi-stock was reinforced with JB Weld, and the barrel channel cleared to ensure free-float, but the magazine catch is a valid weakness that had to be addressed.

I don't get people saying it's ugly although I find the pistol grip area a bit thin-looking. I like synthetic stocks frankly for a hunting gun that will face the rigors of weather and field handling. Can't argue with those suggesting Weatherby Vanguard instead though.
 
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accurate out o the box ,real affordable ,downside plastic mag release,plastic stock,upgrade stock get a few spare mags still 1/3 the price of anything half as accurate big thumbs up
 
Thank you all for your input. I admit that I'm kind of stuck in the past since I've long since acquired all the firearms I'll ever need for hunting & sport shooting. I'm not too familiar with a lot of the new stuff coming out but I talk to fellow shooters who are and I collect information like a sponge. Agree or not, here's what I told the newbies. I suggested that they buy a good used .303 or .308 for several reasons. One, ammo is readily available and reasonably priced so if you wish to spend a day at the range target shooting and getting used to the rifle, you won't break the bank. Though .303 is an obsolete calibre there are so many of them around that you can get ammo at any sporting goods or Canadian Tire store up north. I've seen nice rifles in both calibres at gun shows and on the EE, and either is good for an entry level hunting rifle IMHO. I've been shooting .303 for over 50 yrs. and I reload (like many of us) so I can load good plinking ammo or tweak a hunting load for them if they chip in on the components, or even wish to learn the process, and the same applies to .308. If they take to the sport and wish to upgrade their firearms, fine and dandy. If they decide hunting isn't for them, they're not out a lot of money. I'm pretty sure you'd all agree that you never get back your investment if you try to sell used hunting gear. I can help them customize a rifle to their requirements and assist them in lots of other ways. I've been accused of being an old fuddy duddy and out of touch with the newest bells and whistles. It kind of makes me chuckle when I do a one-shot knock down on my deer with my $150. Lee Enfield sporter or my 25 yr. old Ruger .308.
 
canthitathing said:
My Axis in .223 is now a great shooter, sub-MOA with reloads and a Burris Fastfire scope. I did find the POI varied quite a bit with different factory loads (Winchester 45g, Hornady 55g, Hornady 75g), so I now shoot 55g VMAX reloads in it. This is going to be my coyote gun eventually. The flexi-stock was reinforced with JB Weld, and the barrel channel cleared to ensure free-float, but the magazine catch is a valid weakness that I've had to address.

I don't get people saying it's ugly although I find the pistol grip area a bit thin-looking. I like synthetic stocks frankly for a hunting gun that will face the rigors of weather and field handling. Can't argue with those suggesting Weatherby Vanguard instead though.
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This is a very good and objective post and has been my experince as well..... I think it's important to point out that the love / hate for the axxis goes both ways..... It seems o. Here that anyone who doesn't like them is automatically labelled a "rifle snob"...
 
Much better budget rifles out there for very little more money. At this time of year one should be able to find a good used 308 like a husky or bsa for about $400 on the EE. Not sure if there would be any still around but 1st gen Vanguards were clearing about a year ago for the same.

Axis are a budget rifle from a budget rifle company. Nothing wrong per say with Savage, but get a 110 based rifle.....again for not much more money.

Yes there are "deals" on Axis on the EE. Ask yourself why. I owned a 223 axis, would never buy one again.
 
It's ugly, corners cut everywhere in the design and manufacture, it's a sub $300 gun because it's cheaply made out of cheap materials.
They do shoot OK.
 
I have one in .308 with the cheap bushnell that came with it. If you want a bolt action with good accuracy, stout action, a stock you don't have to care about, and room to buy lots of practice ammo, the axis is really the only choice for a new Hunter. I love mine and will keep it.
 
I have one in 223. I love it for what I do with it, and that is drag it through the woods, take it on the quad to camp in case we have nuisance animals and on the few times I actually get out coyote hunting. Should I feel the need to upgrade then I likley won't take much of a loss (paid about $340 a few years ago) the only thing that bugs me so far is the mag catch but I can live with that for what it's worth
 
llcwalsh said:
I have one in .308 with the cheap bushnell that came with it. If you want a bolt action with good accuracy, stout action, a stock you don't have to care about, and room to buy lots of practice ammo, the axis is really the only choice for a new Hunter. I love mine and will keep it.
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Droopy78 said:
I have one in 223. I love it for what I do with it, and that is drag it through the woods, take it on the quad to camp in case we have nuisance animals and on the few times I actually get out coyote hunting. Should I feel the need to upgrade then I likley won't take much of a loss (paid about $340 a few years ago) the only thing that bugs me so far is the mag catch but I can live with that for what it's worth
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Nice to see a couple of guys like these, buy it, use it for what it was made for and get out there! Sure beats the Boyd's stock timney trigger stuff....
 
I was always of the thought to use budget minded things in budget ways. There's no point in putting a big block in a Chevette. Guys do it, but that doesn't make it any less silly.
 
The axis IMO is a fantastic gun for the money.... It shoots very accurately if you consider that, many much more pricey guns don't. They can be upgraded ie) scopes, triggers, stocks, bolts etc...just as many guys do to higher end rifles. If you want a more fit and finished rifle they are out there to be had. But if you are the budget minded guy that wants an accurate rifle for a week or 2 of deer hunting or a coyote hunter the gets out 8-10 times a winter, like the majority of hunters do. The axis allows you to do it at a very reasonable price and is accurate enough to to get the task accomplished. If you have the disposable income to get a rifle with a bit more finish or if you aren't satisfied with the feel and fit of the axis by all means buy what feels right to you. But the Savage axis is far from what many describe as junk.
 
OP, take a good peruse through the Tradex sight here on CGN. One can, many times, find rifles like Husqvarnas in 30-06 for the same or less money than the Axis, and you have an honest to God quality rifle. Sure it's used and might have a few scars on it but you are truly starting with quality. A fiberglass stock may be purchased down the road to assist with weather resistance if a person wants, and there are no end of upgrades and accessories for the 98 Mauser. But let me assure you these rifles come ready to shoot (I have a couple) and they generally shoot quite good.
I dislike the Savage on many levels and believe those who purchase them are throwing money away, but that is just my opinion. They have considerable issues, not all, but more than the norm. Seriously have your young followers take a good look at the Tradex sight and get into a real rifle which if they like can upgrade and keep for a lifetime of service and PRIDE
 
I have had 3 savage axis a 270, 243 and a 223.

The 270 I sold to a co-worker as a favour so he could get out deer hunting on a budget his wife would approve of, it is 5 years later and it still wears the "cheap" Bushnell scope that is completely useless and breaks after the first shot.

The 243 I gave to my brother to make room in my gun safe and yeah its still all original as well

The 223 was my truck gun, is my truck gun except I have fewer trucks and more guns, it will never belong to another


Does anybody remember what they were called before they became Axis?
 
1. I previously said I put on a Burris FastFire scope, wrong! I've been looking at the FastFire recently for a different boom stick and had a brain cramp when typing my previous post. It was a Burris Fullfield 4.5-14x42.

2. Against previously read advice, I tried to pry the tab on the back of the mag and the hook snapped off, very brittle! Anyway, I made another piece with the hook being a tad longer and a tad more protruding away from the mag body so as to raise the mag a tiny bit when inserted and pressing against the back wall of the magwell. I originally found that the bolt would sometimes just skim over the cartridge and fail to push it forward and the mag rattled around a bit in the magwell. With my "MacGyver fix" the mag now sits firmly and the bolt catches the cartridge well.

I can get .6-.7 MOA at 100 yards with my reloads. The rifle may be capable of better, but with my old hammering heart, I can watch the crosshairs rhythmically pulse across the bullseye in time with my heartbeat. If it ever steadies right on the bull, I better pull the trigger fast, as I think I may have just died, lol.
 
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