Savage Axis worth the money?

[galamb]

The Axis, 783 et al are "great guns" for the guy/gal who takes it to the range before deer season, fires three shots to make sure that the scope is "still on", then spends a week in the woods with "the gang" drinking more beer than sitting a stand.

That's what these were designed for and marketed to.

Yes, they shoot fine - quite accurate in many cases, but if you have to drop 300 or 400 bucks worth of upgrades into them so you will be happy with them, why not just start out with a better finished rifle in the first place?

Even if all you would do is replace the trigger on the Axis, why not move up to a model 11/111 which "has" a nice trigger? The cost of that model is less than the cost of an Axis plus an after market trigger.

Not wanting to spend more than 300 bucks for a rifle doesn't make that 300 dollar rifle any better than what it is - it's an entry level rifle for someone who doesn't plan on hunting it too hard - and if that's your motivation, the rifle is fine - it's just NEVER going to be anything more than that in the state it comes from factory...

 

[burnt_servo]

300 to 400 dollars ?????

your on crack

hone the sear and adjust the spring tension and your off to the races . nothing more is needed .

it is actually a very well built action . it is easy to work on , solid and very stiff .

in less than 5 minutes a guy can take one apart and put it back together and be firing a different cartridge .

these are not cheap rifles , they are inexpensive rifles .

 

[Hitzy]

The Axis, 783 et al are "great guns" for the guy/gal who takes it to the range before deer season, fires three shots to make sure that the scope is "still on", then spends a week in the woods with "the gang" drinking more beer than sitting a stand.

That's what these were designed for and marketed to.

Yes, they shoot fine - quite accurate in many cases, but if you have to drop 300 or 400 bucks worth of upgrades into them so you will be happy with them, why not just start out with a better finished rifle in the first place?

Even if all you would do is replace the trigger on the Axis, why not move up to a model 11/111 which "has" a nice trigger? The cost of that model is less than the cost of an Axis plus an after market trigger.

Not wanting to spend more than 300 bucks for a rifle doesn't make that 300 dollar rifle any better than what it is - it's an entry level rifle for someone who doesn't plan on hunting it too hard - and if that's your motivation, the rifle is fine - it's just NEVER going to be anything more than that in the state it comes from factory...

Not sure I agree..... There really is nothing you can upgrade on the 783, no aftermarket support....other then Boyds makes a stock, so you are pretty much stuck with it as is.
The trigger on mine is fine....adjusted down to 3lbs and breaks clean, the stock is stiff enough, good recoil pad, action is smooth, good mags, and is quite accurate with 110gr-180gr bullets I've loaded for it. Biggest knock is the molded in sling swivel holes....they may break at some point but I'll just install a stud if that ever happens, and the trigger guard is plastic...
I also got 2 $50 Rem gift cards with the 700 trigger recall, so I got 2 spare mags and the Talley type Rem base-rings for free. Mounted a new old stock 3-9x40 Legend I picked up for $130 which has been fine for several hundred rounds...I shoot this thing a lot because I want to make sure it's up to the task when it's game time. I can't really ask for much more out of a $400 rig. I also have no worries about dragging this thing through the bush because it is only a $400 rig. I have much nicer (and much more expensive) range toys that I baby and I get pretty bummed when they get dinged or scuffed up. I actually feel much more relaxed hunting with this cheap gun in the bush....no stress of smacking it up lol

 

[sunnovagun]

Lighter, sure, but the creep... Over .050" of sear engagement isn't my cup of tea.

My buddy bought one new - horrible trigger out of the box, mostly from the creep. I scored a SAV-1 trigger for $40, and bought him a Boyds laminate stock off the EE here, it's pretty decent now, and shoots great. Could have bought a model 11 with accutrigger for less than we spent all told, but the boyds laminate stock beats the model 11 syn stocks for what he wants by a long shot too.

Another five minutes with some fine grit sandpaper while you already have the trigger group out gets rid of most of the creep.

I personally wouldn't spend an extra dime on one. As others have said it's a good gun for the money, spending extra on it is akin to putting lipstick on a pig. A few minutes of elbow grease makes the trigger more than acceptable for a $300 gun.

 

[ShawnC6]

The savage axis was the worst firearm I've every owned...

 

[Hitzy]

The savage axis was the worst firearm I've every owned...

I can see how people get turned off, these are made on the cheap. Even the first Savage I bought (model 12 in 22-250) which was $650 at the time I though was a total POS. Pre-accutrigger was terrible, worst rubbery plastic stock ever, and a magnum length action for a short action cartridge. It shot OK, but I sold it and I would never buy another one....especially for the price now.
The $300 Axis has it's short comings, but is priced accordingly at least.

 

[phin11]

Like others in this thread I got one on sale a few years back at wholesale sports . with rebate and wholesale $50 off , rifle ended up being $230ish . did not like the scope but sold it for $30 on EE. Got a redfield revenge 3-9x40. Did the youtube trigger mod. Excellent shooter . Liked the rifle so much decided last nov. to get a boyds thumbhole stock on it.

 

[DAJA]

.............I can't really ask for much more out of a $400 rig. I also have no worries about dragging this thing through the bush because it is only a $400 rig. I have much nicer (and much more expensive) range toys that I baby and I get pretty bummed when they get dinged or scuffed up. I actually feel much more relaxed hunting with this cheap gun in the bush....no stress of smacking it up lol

And this is the appeal of a gun like the Axis, right there.

I wish the Hog Hunter were closer to the Axis pricing. It would be perfect for a truck gun.... don't really care about it banging around.

 

[Segue2002]

Pretty easy to see a common trend here. Most people who have spent a little extra time and money on a stock and a trigger job then say it is a good rifle. I tend to lean more to the side of, well if you're putting more money into it, why not just buy a bit better rifle in the first place. That being said, if all you have is $300 to get a rifle, this thing will certainly work as it does have a few redeeming qualities.

 

[ShawnC6]

My scope literally fell apart on mine and the bolt cracked.

 

[hawk-i]

My scope literally fell apart on mine and the bolt cracked.

yeah right....I call bs on that one!

 

[landphil]

Maybe so, I'm just not comfortable with modifying a trigger like that, so jumped at the SAV-1for $40 - great deal for a great trigger.

Edit - tried to qoute Sunnovagun from the previous page, and the quote didn't work.

 

[burnt_servo]

yeah right....I call bs on that one!

I was thinking the same thing ....... but for the benefit of the doubt , pictures would work .

 

[Segue2002]

My scope literally fell apart on mine and the bolt cracked.

Wow, I'm not suprised about the scope falling apart as they generally slap on a #### scope to any cheap rifle... But the bolt cracking, that's very odd. Not something I've ever heard of happening before

 

[sunnovagun]

Maybe so, I'm just not comfortable with modifying a trigger like that, so jumped at the SAV-1for $40 - great deal for a great trigger.

Fair enough. $40 for a decent trigger is hard to beat, I think the Timneys are somewhere around $130.

 

[Edzzed]

I bought a Savage Axis in .270 and changed quite a few things on it. The only original parts left would be the rings, barrel and action. I swapped out the scope for a Bushnell Trophy XLT 4-12x40 DOA. Put a Boyds thumb hole stock on it, Stainless trigger guard, Sav-1 trigger, Glades armory tactical bolt handle. I got tired of hitting my knuckle on the scope. I can easily hit a pop can at 400 feet. I probably could have bought a used built gun for the money I have put into it but I did it my way.

 

[ShawnC6]

yeah right....I call bs on that one!

 

[hawk-i]

I take my comment back....looks strange, now whats the complete story?? Savage sells thousands of axis rifles to happy customers with zero product issues after years of use. And if there is a issue they also have something that is known as a warranty to address a product flaw.

However, warranties don't cover abuse....if you reef on something hard enough it will break!

 

[ShawnC6]

I take my comment back....looks strange, now whats the complete story?? Savage sells thousands of axis rifles to happy customers with zero product issues after years of use. And if there is a issue they also have something that is known as a warranty to address a product flaw.

However, warranties don't cover abuse....if you reef on something hard enough it will break!

Iunno I put probably 300 rounds through it. After a few times out and probably 100 rounds the scope fell apart. Took it out a few more times and was spending a lot shooting .308 so I went to sell it not knowing anything was wrong with the bolt. The guy looking at it noticed the crack so I never sold it.

Oh also the plastic lip on the magazine to hold it in broke too. And magazines are like $80

Only gun I've ever had anything break on.

 

[Hitzy]

At least it wasn't the bolt head that cracked..... You should be able to get a new bolt body from Savage.