Hello,

If anyone is using a Savage Axis Bolt-Action Rifle to hunt (deer and hog in Texas) with may I please have your review of how you like the rifle? I am thinking of buying a Savage Axis Bolt-Action Rifle Combo package with scope already mounted on sale for $299. This is a decent price for me. My first time shooting rifle.

Thanks,

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I have seen my friend take several deer and many hogs with his in 30-06. It is an inexpensive rifle that can kill within its range. The scope that comes on it works, but sucks compared to others that can be had for $200-300. Not as many aftermarket products for the Axis are available as are for the Savage 10 series or other manufacturers. If you just want to take deer and kill hogs, the price can't be beat. If you want to shoot targets occasionally or might want to customize over time, get something else.

I have a savage axis in .243 that I had my kids learn on. I found some ammo that the barrel likes and switched out the trigger for a timber trigger (did the job myself, super easy and can find lots of videos online on how to do that) and it is a sweet shooting rig. I haven’t taken it out pst 100 yards but if I do my part it will make a 5 shot group inside a quarter and almost inside a dime. Was my favorite rifle for a while until I got my cooper 25-06.

It is a cheap beater gun, and in a heavy load I would imagine it has some pretty good felt recoil due to its weight, but I would have no trouble taking it stalk hunting due to weight and size.

It has killed everything it has hit. Hogs, deer, it will do the job just fine.

The stock trigger was heavy and I was still able to shoot it well with the stock trigger, but I realized how much a difference the trigger made on sub-MOA shooting when I switched it out. That’s the only mod I have done on my axis.

This is exactly the rifle I suggested for you in your long running "first-timer" post. garyrapp55 has offered that the scope "sucks" with NO explanation. Perhaps he is an elitist who thinks that it is necessary to put a $300 scope on a $300 rifle. He is absolutely incorrect when he suggest not many mods are available for the Axis. Think Boyd's adjustable gunstocks, trigger kits on Ebay, etc.,etc.

The comment about "within it's range" is ludicrous. What exactly is the range of a 6.5 Creedoor, regardless of the rifle used??
I suggested the Savage Axis to you because it is available, the price is right and it is a good fit for a first time hunter.

You DO NOT have to spend big bucks to get an accurate rifle hat will humanely kill any deer that walks the earth.

See a pic of the target I shot yesterday with my Axis 6.5 Creedmoor..I am still developing loads for this rifle...

I have an Axis II with accu trigger and heavy barrel in 6.5 cm. Just started loading for it and had one load shoot a .45 group at 200 yds. Loaded 140 ELDM with 42.6gr of H4350. Gun shoots factory Hornady Match and Black great. Ran both of those to 900 yds shooting steel.

You obviously did not read my posts correctly. I have never suggested a load of 43 grains H4350 to ANYONE. As a matter of fact, I solidly opposed it, you need to stop sleeping thru reading classes bro. BTW, you wrote 143 GRAINS...that was the bullet weight, my friend. It would be a miracle to try to stuff a Creedmoor case with that amount of ANY powder. Try to redline your way out of this goof..

Gary & DH3, you two need to get back on topic

Take a look at my posts to see what really was written, please.

I read your last post before you edited. Keep it on topic instead of a measuring contest.

I have had an Axis in 25-06 for several years and it is quite accurate out of the box for hunting, good enough that that I haven't even reloaded for it. I put a Nikon scope on it before I ever shot it. My only other mod is an extended magazine that I found online being made by an individual mating an Axis mag to a BAR mag. This rifle has replaced my long time deer rifle for regular use.

yes sir, my apologies

Thank you garyrapp55,

I just want to shoot hog and deer accurately. I may upgrade the scope and trigger only for an easy pull. Also, I will add a Bipod and that's it.

sounds good to me, and like I said earlier, can't beat that price

Why would anyone buy a $300 rifle and fit it with:
1.A $300 scope
2.A $225 aftermarket stock
3.A $125 trigger
Make sense to you?? me neither.
I bought a $300 Savage rifle for a beater. The price is right it works fine, end of story.
The O.P., on another thread, opined that he could afford $700. He is new to the game. I gave him an option that will save him some money.
IMO, he can take some of the money saved, buy some ammo and get good with his shooting ability..Make sense to you??

Why not save a little more and get the 11/111 Trophy Hunter XP combo or a Remington 700 ADL combo or a Weatherby Vanguard combo? Those will run you in the $450-650 range, but you'll be getting better quality equipment.

Also, if your credit is at all decent, Carter's Country (where the ad is from) will finance you 6 months interest free. They also run 12 months 0% financing once a year; my dad has bought all of his Texas guns from them and has taken advantage of the 12 month payment option.

Thank you for the review.

Did you upgrade the scope?

Also what does "sub-MOA shooting" means?

Thank you for the comments. Good comments.

questions:

1. why do you not recommend changing out scope? I was thinking of changing the scope to a Nikon ProStaff 3 - 9 x 50 Riflescope. I like how these look in the store
2. Do you think this Savage rifle with the scope already mounted is enough for me? I hear too many stock scope break.

Thank you DH3,

I can definitely save the money for ammo, and shooting range cost. Saving money is pretty good these days. And that ammo for is not cheap considering I need to try different brands to see which round the rifle likes.

So you think the scope that comes with the $299 Savage Axis is good enough?

Thank you bronco71 for the review.

What type of Nikon scope are you using?

The Axis will do fine, especially since they’ve started putting the accu-trigger in those rifles.

You gotta ask yourself: do you want a family heirloom now, or something that will get the job done cheaply and effectively?

The Axis trigger is very poor in my opinion. I bought one on a whim for a beater. Got it new for an absurdly cheap price (200 after a rebate?) but it does need the timney upgrade.

Pictured are the components for my Axis trigger job, the components installed and the trigger pull gauge (2# indicated) Cost?? less than $6 and 30 minutes of my time. Not sure the O.P. is ready for this step but there are video's on U Tube showing the "How-to".

Scope was stock for a while, then threw on a Nikon scope that is a little better but not much. It isn’t needed but put it on there just to see and haven’t taken it off yet, but that’s me being lazy. So the answer is yes, I did change out the scope but it is absolutely not necessary.

Sub-moa means shooting less than a minute of angle (MOA). It’s terminology that is used with shooting, and roughly equates to 1” at 100 yards. That works for most people, but there are way better explanations on the internet. It’s all about optics and having 60 minutes in a degree, and when applied to shooting it is roughly 1” at 100 yards, 2” at 200, 3” at 300 and so forth. A lot of times you will need to figure out what ammo your rifle “likes” before you can shoot tight groups, and I would recommend getting several factory loads of different manufacturers and trying each in your rifle to see which shoots best. There’s a lot to go into breaking in your gun and testing loads, so once you get your rifle picked out and bought and are ready to start shooting it, put up another post about breaking it in and there will be plenty of responses.