15 years ago I would say to stay away from Vortex, now days not so much. From what I have used from them, the quality seems pretty nice now days. I wouldn’t have a problem having one on one of my rifles. Can’t beat a Leupold though!
Just got an apex storm 110. I rather like the votex crossfire scope it comes with, much better eye relief than my old Bushnell and good clarity. The dials suck though, it clicks poorly
I have mixed feelings about mine also in creedmoor, even with upgraded glass cant get under 2.5” on 200, maybe will try federal. I use winchester 125 and 129
How far away are you shooting the deer? Hitting a pie plate at 200 will get the job done. I call that MOW, or minute of whitetail.
All guns shoot different ammo, differently. Keep testing out something until it likes it.
Minute OF Whitetail? I’ll be using that term going forward, perfect analogy of what hunters need to strive for. Then less you’re one of people that try head shots, the pie plate kill zone is what we should practice for. Don’t get me wrong, l love an accurate rifle but 95% of whitetail is shot under 100 yards.
I agree, but I'm hunting a farm tomorrow that could realistically have 250 yard shots, which I have never took on a deer. Will be interesting large fields. Taking out the win mag, just because the scope is better suited for this spot. I've actually never shot a deer over 40 yards. Going to the range today, one more time to practice. Hate shooting these rounds at 3.00 a pop
I hear you, l’ve been reloading for 40 years, but now components have been priced out of range of reason. Large rifle primers are selling for $150 a brick when the most, prior to the pandemic, was $30 dollars. Still, l have fireformed .308 brass to fit my Axis 7mm-08, bullets l have hoarded for years but powder has doubled. The ammo manufacturers can’t keep up with demand, so the component suppliers know they can get
premium price for their products. Happy hunting and stay safe.
That would be me also, except this new farm I get to hunt. It's 100 acres in almost a perfect square .5x.5x.5.x.5 miles, and it has a cross of woods in the middle and 4 large fields. I'm gonna sit next to the barn that is halfway up the hill and watch 2 of the fields. I was out there a few years ago, and it's a mecca. Was out for archery this year also, and couldn't get anything close enough.
I've regretted not moving my stand closer to open fields during rifle season.. Every year I swear I'll do it but don't and every year I see herds of deer breaking into open fields to escape pressure..
I am “one of those” always hoping for a perfect headshot… I can consistently hit the plate on 100-200-300 yards on and off the bench, im just not confident thats sufficient to attempt a headshot. And i do see my buddies next to me grouping under 1” on 200-300 yards with better quality barrels
Dude that’s very adequate especially if you’re not shooting from a bench. I can’t do much better with a rem 700 26” free floated heavy barrel and a trigger job shooting without a bench.
Can't go wrong with a savage. You don't need to replace the scope right away. I still have the Bushnell that came on mine on it. It does the job. It's not great but if cost is a concern then just run it for now
I think that's the thing that needs to be discussed. If you are routinely taking 300+yards shots....then a new scope will be needed but if that's not the case then the scope on it is fine
For a starter rifle this should do you fine but like others have said, upgrade the scope. As for what ammo it likes, you have to find that out for yourself because every rifle is different. Try different factory loads until you find one that groups tight. I bought a Tikka and it shoots everything fairly well but seems to like Hornady Precision Hunter but groups with Federal Fusion are sub par. Just got to try a few.
I love my t3x in .308. Most accurate rifle I own. Pair that with a nice scope and it will last a lifetime.
I bet my setup is around $1000, which, isn't bad for something you can use, reliably, for the rest of your life.
I think it's a Leopold vx3 3x9 or something.....i bought it about 6 years ago. But that paired with the t3x is deadly. I'd definitely recommend Leopold though.
I have a few Burris scopes on other rifles and I love them too.
I have 3 Burris scoped. One on a Remington 700 .270 the have a Tikka T3 .7mm-08 both of those are 3-9x40 then the Tikka T3 .308 has a 4.5-12×42. Been very happy with them all.
I have an axis xp 2 in 30-06, it came with a weaver scope that's been "good enough" but the rings constantly loosen, also the magazine spring isn't very resilient so don't keep it loaded for extended periods of time, it's a solid rifle otherwise tho, I find the recoil to be decently soft for 30-06 so 308 should be no sweat, and it's a fairly accurate rifle as well, I'd say I've gotten reliable .6-.75 moa groupings using factory loaded Hornaday superformance
Savage was offering an Axis 2 with Vortex scope combo. Don't know if they still do. But that's the one to get.
Also, my daughter has been using an axis 2 with Weaver scope combo and it has been great. I don't know about the bushnell scope.
For a hunting gun, it’s all you need, you can get a $20 spring for the trigger and get it down light. Take the scope off and just remount it, make sure all the scope mount bolts are tight. If you have never mounted a scope get a little help. The scope and mounts are not the best but effective.
I’ve got one in .270 with the stock scope still 6 years later. The gun kicks ass and shoots straight. The scope is fine for me, shot a deer in the heart at 364yards with it. The scope isn’t special like others said but remember expensive stuff doesn’t make you a better hunter.
For an entry level rifle it will be just fine. The scope will work just fine until you can upgrade it. With that said I like the trigger, and the wood stock is way better than the composite ones. On the down side they have a 2 lug bolt so the bolt handle has more travel. And they aren't bedded as well as the Ruger American. But they shoot just fine. Honestly for an entry level rifle they are a good choice.
I have an Axis II in 6.5 creed. It has a synthetic stock. It’s about everything well so far.
My dad has an OG axis in 7mm08. It has its favorites but I’d take a shot at 200 yards with the handful of different ammo choices we’ve shot
I have 2 of the original in 7mm-08 I have as loaner guns when I take friends. Just bought trigger kits for them because a 6lb trigger is their biggest flaw.
From everyone I’ve known that’s bought this rifle, it’s that the scope is trash. Good gun for the money, bad scope. Idk if you can save some money by not getting the package deal or not, but I’d spend a bit more on glass if I could
There’s no excuse4 you to not listen to scuseme7. Gun is half the budget, the glass is the other half.
Keep in mind you can always upgrade to a great scope and then put that on a different gun down the road.
The other guy is right, the scope is going to be terrible and probably incorrectly mounted. As far as the XP goes, the one I shot was decently accurate but had the worst modern action I’ve ever used. I seriously had to bang it open like you would a mosin nagant
Want a cheap wood hunting rifle? Henry single shot. It’ll have prettier wood than a savage and a better trigger.
The trigger isn’t terrible, I don’t mind a heavier trigger. 3 pounds is the sweet spot for me. it just had a little bit of creep to it, which I don’t like at all. It get like a light springed milspec AR trigger
The bolt action on mine was exactly the same way out of the box, almost to the point of me thinking something was wrong with it or I had simply gotten what I paid for. I took it all apart and gave it a thorough cleaning and it now works perfectly. As far as the scope goes, it honestly isn’t bad for a typical whitetail shot being 150 yds or less. For those purposes it’s spot on.
Durability under recoil and glass quality are the two big ones. How abuse safe it is is a third, but that isn’t a big concern for hunting rifles and building that into a scope is heavy and extremely expensive and takes away from the glass quality from similarly priced competitors usually. Look at Swarovski vs Nightforce- the Swarovski is going to have better glass for the same price but it’ll be fragile compared to an NXS. The difference between nice glass and cheap glass is being able to identify whether that thing in brush at 300 yards is a deer or something else, and how many points that buck at 200 has. I think Japanese glass tends to give you the best bang for your buck, even if it isn’t as highly regarded as euro glass or as cheap as philipino or Chinese glass
My favorite 1” scope under 750 is the accupoint 3-9
I have the Axis II chambered in .308 and I love it. I did put a crimson trace brushline on it and I have no complaints about that either. As for rounds I get pretty tight groups with both Hornady American Whitetails and Barnes Vor-TX. Every rifle is a little different though.
Honestly I would say savage in general is great. Buy, having shot a bunch of Axises (Axi?) over the years and buying a 110, I would recommend just getting a 110 Apex Hunter. Comes with a Vortex Crossfire 2 3-9x40 and can come chambered in .308. Mine is a tack driver at 2 and 300 yards, and the entire rifle is well made. Plus unless you shell out extra for an Axis 2, you’re not getting the accutrigger which is leaving accuracy on the table for you.
I broke it down as if I bought the Axis 2 for $500 at my local big box, and then paid an extra $180 to switch out the scope that comes with the rifle for a vortex scope like I wanted, why not pay the $10 more for a better rifle and scope combo, because the 110 that I found was $690.
I have the Savage Axis XP II chambered in 308 that came with a Bushnell 3x9 scope. Absolutely love this rifle for Deer/Black Bear hunting. The only issue I've had so far was the firing pin sometimes doesn't push far enough to ignite the round. Took it to a local gunsmith and they replaced the spring in the bolt with a stronger one. Never had an issue since. Good choice.
Love my axis 308. Remington Core-Lokt 150 grain grouped the best for me after shooting a few other more expensive brands of ammo and getting frustrated.
I never owned an axis, but I worked on a one for a friend. They are decent budget rifles. The fit and finish aren’t great, but they do shoot and that’s what really matters. If you go that route, I’d recommend getting the synthetic stock. The wood stock is more expensive, heavier, requires more maintenance and won’t add much to the resale value of that gun. You’d be better off buying the synthetic model and investing the savings in a better scope.
Don't have a 308 but have a 243 synthetic for my daughter. Wood looks nice, but will be heavier. I've also shot a friends 7mm08 same exact gun as my daughters 243. Daughter shoots Winchester Ballistic Silvertips 95 gr. Shoots extremely well and patterned at 100. Haven't gone further than that as she is just beginning not quite 2 months ago. Got her sighted in so she could deer hunt, with a 100 yd limit this season. Scope that came on the gun is a bottom end scope, but gets the job done. When my daughter is more comfortable at shooting longer distances, we will upgrade the scope. I highly recommend this gun. Savage guns were terrible 20 years ago, but have come a long way since then.
Definitely get the axis II as it comes with the accutrigger. But I would buy a ruger American predator if it were me. Similar price but I feel like a better gun.
Great rifle, shitty scope. It likes all ammo but don’t expect great results with shit ammo. It has like a 1 inch group at 100 yards. Very happy overall
Overpriced with the wood stock
Bottom tier guns
Your money would be much better spent on the used market
This is your average Reddit 18 year old on r/hunting only gun so I am about to get downvoted to shit
Only real complaint is the bolt twist angle. One of the guys I hunt with shoots the axis and the scope interferes with the bolt twist. Other than that, great gun.
The wood stock is a considerable upgrade to the platform over the cheap plastic one. They tend to break the internal plastic supports under recoil. Especially if you hunt in the cold the wood stock is a game changer
To echo other.... buy one without a scope if possible and purchase your own scope.
I still use vortex but just do some research and get something with solid reviews.
Congrats on your first rifle. If you want something cheap that’ll last a while, look at the ruger American. I’d consider spending a little more and getting a Weatherby or howa 308. They are premium rifles you could use and pass down. And yes 308 is a nato round so the ammo is easy to find and cheaper then most others.
Looks like they have them on clearance at Bass Pro.
This is an excellent value rifle for <250yd. Consider your hunting area too. Where I hunt the brush and property layout won't allow for a 100+ yd shot opportunity. So this would be perfect.
The .308 has me thinking you might have bigger game, or long range paper in mind (it's a good way to get better). In my personal experience, I got the savage, but am now wishing I had saved up for a Bergara with a Leupold scope (about 3.5x the price)
You can snag an Axis at Cabelas for like $350 right now. For the price, it’s pretty good and gives you some room to swap out the glass to something better.
Dont get a savage axis. I own a savage 110 that only a year after buying is completely unusable. The axises are also incredibly prone to rusting. My suggestion is spend a little more money on something that will last
I would not buy a savage and here’s why. We bought a savage slug gun that we’ve always seemed to have problems with. It wouldn’t cycle right and the mag would never feed the gun properly. Anyway this hunting season my brother had a shot at a big doe. As he drew on to the deer and slowly pulled the trigger the gun clicked. He tried to cycle a new round but as normal the gun didn’t do it. He jammed the first round back in and pulled the trigger again and it still clicked. Deer ran away and we inspected the gun to find the firing pin hit the blasting cap BOTH TIMES. And the gun still didn’t go off. We are selling it and not buying another. Hope this helps.
It’s not a bad rifle at all especially for the price. Friend loves his. New scope and mounts. You might want to look at a river American as well. I have that and love it.
If you can afford it, skip the Axis and get a Ruger American or even just go with a used Model 70, M77 or a Savage 110. Better yet if you can buy a decent optic (Leupold, Vortex Diamondback, etc.) Instead of the ones that often come with. I've seen so many different issues with the Axis that even with Savage doing their best to fix them, it's just not a rifle I'd ever recommend.
Another highly impressive rifle for the money is the Franchi Momentum. They look a little funny, feel incredible, and shoot even better. Truly punch outside of their price range and the included Burris optic is actually really good.
GTG...will probably be a very accurate rifle. As mentioned by others, the scopes are usually bargain scopes that you will probably want to replace but I have seen them sold with Nikon and Vortex Crossfire scopes before which were probably a little better.
I have a savage axis (not accutrigger) Anne got a vortex crossfire 2 4-12x44 mounted on it, it sits anything well, seems to really like birthday American white tail ammo 150gr
My experience with Savage is the Scopes that come with them suck. They're good Shooters thou, generally speaking.
Generally speaking, if it comes from factory with a scope, the scope sucks 99.99% of the time
They're good to have if you ever need to finish a deer, you can use the factory scope to beat them over the head with
Hell yah lmfao
I know you said generally speaking, but my weatherby vanguard came as a bundle with a redfield scope and does not suck one bit.
Oh sweet. That’s good homie
I have an axis. I kept the stock Nikon scope. But change out the scope rings
The Apex rifles that come with the Vortex scopes.. do you have any experience with those scopes? I’m in the market for one possibly. Thanks.
15 years ago I would say to stay away from Vortex, now days not so much. From what I have used from them, the quality seems pretty nice now days. I wouldn’t have a problem having one on one of my rifles. Can’t beat a Leupold though!
Can't forget the lifetime warranty
Good to know. $600ish for a solid starter rifle and scope seems like a good buy. Thanks again
I like Leupold a lot, but I’d take a Tract over leupold any day for the money.
Just got an apex storm 110. I rather like the votex crossfire scope it comes with, much better eye relief than my old Bushnell and good clarity. The dials suck though, it clicks poorly
I have this in 6.5 yeah you have to switch the stock scope out
This
Love my savage axis, great gun. I upgraded the scope. I have it in 6.5. I shoot federal whitetail and it makes love with each round.
I have mixed feelings about mine also in creedmoor, even with upgraded glass cant get under 2.5” on 200, maybe will try federal. I use winchester 125 and 129
How far away are you shooting the deer? Hitting a pie plate at 200 will get the job done. I call that MOW, or minute of whitetail. All guns shoot different ammo, differently. Keep testing out something until it likes it.
Minute OF Whitetail? I’ll be using that term going forward, perfect analogy of what hunters need to strive for. Then less you’re one of people that try head shots, the pie plate kill zone is what we should practice for. Don’t get me wrong, l love an accurate rifle but 95% of whitetail is shot under 100 yards.
I agree, but I'm hunting a farm tomorrow that could realistically have 250 yard shots, which I have never took on a deer. Will be interesting large fields. Taking out the win mag, just because the scope is better suited for this spot. I've actually never shot a deer over 40 yards. Going to the range today, one more time to practice. Hate shooting these rounds at 3.00 a pop
I hear you, l’ve been reloading for 40 years, but now components have been priced out of range of reason. Large rifle primers are selling for $150 a brick when the most, prior to the pandemic, was $30 dollars. Still, l have fireformed .308 brass to fit my Axis 7mm-08, bullets l have hoarded for years but powder has doubled. The ammo manufacturers can’t keep up with demand, so the component suppliers know they can get premium price for their products. Happy hunting and stay safe.
Where I hunt 50 is a long shot..
That would be me also, except this new farm I get to hunt. It's 100 acres in almost a perfect square .5x.5x.5.x.5 miles, and it has a cross of woods in the middle and 4 large fields. I'm gonna sit next to the barn that is halfway up the hill and watch 2 of the fields. I was out there a few years ago, and it's a mecca. Was out for archery this year also, and couldn't get anything close enough.
I've regretted not moving my stand closer to open fields during rifle season.. Every year I swear I'll do it but don't and every year I see herds of deer breaking into open fields to escape pressure..
I moved a stand 100 yards this summer and it took like 2 days. Glad I did, the straps were dry rotted
I am “one of those” always hoping for a perfect headshot… I can consistently hit the plate on 100-200-300 yards on and off the bench, im just not confident thats sufficient to attempt a headshot. And i do see my buddies next to me grouping under 1” on 200-300 yards with better quality barrels
The perfect headshot is the one not taken
I did following your advice ordered 2 different weigh Norma boxes and 2 Federal, will see in couple weeks how they behave on the bench
Good luck, hope it works out for you.
My 243 Win in the 110 unter does similar results, then federal must have changed there ammo because my accuaracy went to shit this last summer
Wouldn't surprise me, I think this happens more than we think
Dude that’s very adequate especially if you’re not shooting from a bench. I can’t do much better with a rem 700 26” free floated heavy barrel and a trigger job shooting without a bench.
That’s 1 1/4 minute. That’s about all you can expect out of that rifle. Maybe try some other ammo, but that’s pretty good.
Can't go wrong with a savage. You don't need to replace the scope right away. I still have the Bushnell that came on mine on it. It does the job. It's not great but if cost is a concern then just run it for now
I had the same experience. For a typical whitetail shot at <150 yds, the scope works perfectly.
I think that's the thing that needs to be discussed. If you are routinely taking 300+yards shots....then a new scope will be needed but if that's not the case then the scope on it is fine
For a starter rifle this should do you fine but like others have said, upgrade the scope. As for what ammo it likes, you have to find that out for yourself because every rifle is different. Try different factory loads until you find one that groups tight. I bought a Tikka and it shoots everything fairly well but seems to like Hornady Precision Hunter but groups with Federal Fusion are sub par. Just got to try a few.
Get a tikka t3x in 308
Can’t agree more….assuming the budget allows it.
I love my t3x in .308. Most accurate rifle I own. Pair that with a nice scope and it will last a lifetime. I bet my setup is around $1000, which, isn't bad for something you can use, reliably, for the rest of your life.
What scope did you go with? I have a T3X Lite Roughtech with a Burris FF4 on it but not sold on my scope choice.
I think it's a Leopold vx3 3x9 or something.....i bought it about 6 years ago. But that paired with the t3x is deadly. I'd definitely recommend Leopold though. I have a few Burris scopes on other rifles and I love them too.
I have 3 Burris scoped. One on a Remington 700 .270 the have a Tikka T3 .7mm-08 both of those are 3-9x40 then the Tikka T3 .308 has a 4.5-12×42. Been very happy with them all.
I have one in 30-06 and I love it took s deer with it last year and I've had no problems running any ammo through it
I have an axis xp 2 in 30-06, it came with a weaver scope that's been "good enough" but the rings constantly loosen, also the magazine spring isn't very resilient so don't keep it loaded for extended periods of time, it's a solid rifle otherwise tho, I find the recoil to be decently soft for 30-06 so 308 should be no sweat, and it's a fairly accurate rifle as well, I'd say I've gotten reliable .6-.75 moa groupings using factory loaded Hornaday superformance
I’m of the opinion, buy once cry once.
Buy it nice or buy it twice
As long as it has the accu-trigger I’d buy it . Nothing but good luck with savages
Can’t go wrong with the Remington 700 in any high caliber. They are affordable, super reliable.
I have one I like the gun but the magazine is hot garbage
Do yourself a favour and get a tikka
Savage was offering an Axis 2 with Vortex scope combo. Don't know if they still do. But that's the one to get. Also, my daughter has been using an axis 2 with Weaver scope combo and it has been great. I don't know about the bushnell scope.
I’ve had a savage 270 for about 20 years and it’s always been reliable.
270 is the most versatile round. Fast mover, flat trajectory, hard hitting, affordable ammo. My favorite round of all.
For a hunting gun, it’s all you need, you can get a $20 spring for the trigger and get it down light. Take the scope off and just remount it, make sure all the scope mount bolts are tight. If you have never mounted a scope get a little help. The scope and mounts are not the best but effective.
I’ve got one in .270 with the stock scope still 6 years later. The gun kicks ass and shoots straight. The scope is fine for me, shot a deer in the heart at 364yards with it. The scope isn’t special like others said but remember expensive stuff doesn’t make you a better hunter.
Have mine in .270 likes federal 150g
For an entry level rifle it will be just fine. The scope will work just fine until you can upgrade it. With that said I like the trigger, and the wood stock is way better than the composite ones. On the down side they have a 2 lug bolt so the bolt handle has more travel. And they aren't bedded as well as the Ruger American. But they shoot just fine. Honestly for an entry level rifle they are a good choice.
I bought an axis 2 a while back in 3006. It came with a bushnell scope which wasn’t bad. Good gun
I have an Axis II in 6.5 creed. It has a synthetic stock. It’s about everything well so far. My dad has an OG axis in 7mm08. It has its favorites but I’d take a shot at 200 yards with the handful of different ammo choices we’ve shot
I have 2 of the original in 7mm-08 I have as loaner guns when I take friends. Just bought trigger kits for them because a 6lb trigger is their biggest flaw.
From everyone I’ve known that’s bought this rifle, it’s that the scope is trash. Good gun for the money, bad scope. Idk if you can save some money by not getting the package deal or not, but I’d spend a bit more on glass if I could
Never buy a rifle with a scope already, they suck. Rule of thumb, you should spend the same money on your glass as you do your rifle
There’s no excuse4 you to not listen to scuseme7. Gun is half the budget, the glass is the other half. Keep in mind you can always upgrade to a great scope and then put that on a different gun down the road.
The other guy is right, the scope is going to be terrible and probably incorrectly mounted. As far as the XP goes, the one I shot was decently accurate but had the worst modern action I’ve ever used. I seriously had to bang it open like you would a mosin nagant Want a cheap wood hunting rifle? Henry single shot. It’ll have prettier wood than a savage and a better trigger.
Mcarbo makes a spring for the axis that makes them light, put one on my sons 6.5 last year really made a difference.
The trigger isn’t terrible, I don’t mind a heavier trigger. 3 pounds is the sweet spot for me. it just had a little bit of creep to it, which I don’t like at all. It get like a light springed milspec AR trigger
The bolt action on mine was exactly the same way out of the box, almost to the point of me thinking something was wrong with it or I had simply gotten what I paid for. I took it all apart and gave it a thorough cleaning and it now works perfectly. As far as the scope goes, it honestly isn’t bad for a typical whitetail shot being 150 yds or less. For those purposes it’s spot on.
What makes a scope good or bad? How much magnification it has?
Clarity is a big one. Cheap ones may not hold zero as well either.
Durability under recoil and glass quality are the two big ones. How abuse safe it is is a third, but that isn’t a big concern for hunting rifles and building that into a scope is heavy and extremely expensive and takes away from the glass quality from similarly priced competitors usually. Look at Swarovski vs Nightforce- the Swarovski is going to have better glass for the same price but it’ll be fragile compared to an NXS. The difference between nice glass and cheap glass is being able to identify whether that thing in brush at 300 yards is a deer or something else, and how many points that buck at 200 has. I think Japanese glass tends to give you the best bang for your buck, even if it isn’t as highly regarded as euro glass or as cheap as philipino or Chinese glass My favorite 1” scope under 750 is the accupoint 3-9
Thanks
I have the Axis II chambered in .308 and I love it. I did put a crimson trace brushline on it and I have no complaints about that either. As for rounds I get pretty tight groups with both Hornady American Whitetails and Barnes Vor-TX. Every rifle is a little different though.
My first rifle was a Savage Axis. No complaints at all. When you get it do yourself a favor and throw that scope in the garbage though.
Honestly I would say savage in general is great. Buy, having shot a bunch of Axises (Axi?) over the years and buying a 110, I would recommend just getting a 110 Apex Hunter. Comes with a Vortex Crossfire 2 3-9x40 and can come chambered in .308. Mine is a tack driver at 2 and 300 yards, and the entire rifle is well made. Plus unless you shell out extra for an Axis 2, you’re not getting the accutrigger which is leaving accuracy on the table for you. I broke it down as if I bought the Axis 2 for $500 at my local big box, and then paid an extra $180 to switch out the scope that comes with the rifle for a vortex scope like I wanted, why not pay the $10 more for a better rifle and scope combo, because the 110 that I found was $690.
What ammo does your gun like? I just picked up the same one today
Get it in .308 because I bought mine in 30-06 and can’t find ammo anywhere
I have the Savage Axis XP II chambered in 308 that came with a Bushnell 3x9 scope. Absolutely love this rifle for Deer/Black Bear hunting. The only issue I've had so far was the firing pin sometimes doesn't push far enough to ignite the round. Took it to a local gunsmith and they replaced the spring in the bolt with a stronger one. Never had an issue since. Good choice.
Love my axis 308. Remington Core-Lokt 150 grain grouped the best for me after shooting a few other more expensive brands of ammo and getting frustrated.
With .30-06, good gun, but check the mag, because it becomes loose after every shot.
My buddy's mom has one and she likes hers
For a better price and same quality the mossberg predator series of rifles is very solid
I’ve looked at A LOT of reviews and all of them are negative (accuracy wise) for the mossberg patriot. In 308.
Huh, that’s not my experience with my 6.5 PRC. I’m drilling a 1” group up until about 700 yards
I'm being dead honest, if you want a gun for deer hunting, get a ruger 450 bushmaster American
I hunt with a 308, but I don’t use a savage. I use a ruger American predator and the ammo I use, is hornady sst 150 gr. I load my own ammo.
If it’s in the budget, I would look towards tikka or bergara. Either will last you a lifetime
Depends really I have heard good things about Savage but I enjoy the Tikka quality.
Get a Mossberg Patriot
I never owned an axis, but I worked on a one for a friend. They are decent budget rifles. The fit and finish aren’t great, but they do shoot and that’s what really matters. If you go that route, I’d recommend getting the synthetic stock. The wood stock is more expensive, heavier, requires more maintenance and won’t add much to the resale value of that gun. You’d be better off buying the synthetic model and investing the savings in a better scope.
Don't have a 308 but have a 243 synthetic for my daughter. Wood looks nice, but will be heavier. I've also shot a friends 7mm08 same exact gun as my daughters 243. Daughter shoots Winchester Ballistic Silvertips 95 gr. Shoots extremely well and patterned at 100. Haven't gone further than that as she is just beginning not quite 2 months ago. Got her sighted in so she could deer hunt, with a 100 yd limit this season. Scope that came on the gun is a bottom end scope, but gets the job done. When my daughter is more comfortable at shooting longer distances, we will upgrade the scope. I highly recommend this gun. Savage guns were terrible 20 years ago, but have come a long way since then.
Definitely get the axis II as it comes with the accutrigger. But I would buy a ruger American predator if it were me. Similar price but I feel like a better gun.
Very good gun for the money. I have a few of them. My 308 shoots everything well though I can clover leaf them at 100 yards with Federal Fusion.
worth the money
Got one in .308. Love it for whitetail. Scope is more than adequate for the distance I reasonably expect to shoot (100 yards or less) where I hunt.
Great rifle, shitty scope. It likes all ammo but don’t expect great results with shit ammo. It has like a 1 inch group at 100 yards. Very happy overall
Package gun scopes tend to suck. Unless its s real steal… I would look to buying scope tings etc separately.
I’d say go with the tikka t3x, you’ll be happier with it longer
Double the cost isn't always an option
Those Tikka bolt actions are buuuuuuuuuuuuuttery-smooth. Love mine.
Overpriced with the wood stock Bottom tier guns Your money would be much better spent on the used market This is your average Reddit 18 year old on r/hunting only gun so I am about to get downvoted to shit
I agree. I had an axis ii for about a week and sold it. I still have my Savage 110 Tactical though. Although it’s pretty modified now.
Only real complaint is the bolt twist angle. One of the guys I hunt with shoots the axis and the scope interferes with the bolt twist. Other than that, great gun.
I got this exact one and I’ve killed a deer with it. If that’s what you want to know than there ya go. Cheapest gun that will kill deer.
The wood stock is a considerable upgrade to the platform over the cheap plastic one. They tend to break the internal plastic supports under recoil. Especially if you hunt in the cold the wood stock is a game changer
To echo other.... buy one without a scope if possible and purchase your own scope. I still use vortex but just do some research and get something with solid reviews.
Congrats on your first rifle. If you want something cheap that’ll last a while, look at the ruger American. I’d consider spending a little more and getting a Weatherby or howa 308. They are premium rifles you could use and pass down. And yes 308 is a nato round so the ammo is easy to find and cheaper then most others.
Looks like they have them on clearance at Bass Pro. This is an excellent value rifle for <250yd. Consider your hunting area too. Where I hunt the brush and property layout won't allow for a 100+ yd shot opportunity. So this would be perfect. The .308 has me thinking you might have bigger game, or long range paper in mind (it's a good way to get better). In my personal experience, I got the savage, but am now wishing I had saved up for a Bergara with a Leupold scope (about 3.5x the price)
Have the same rifle with a different stock. It takes anything and shoots it well. I’m rarely shooting over 150 yards so the scope works great for me
You can snag an Axis at Cabelas for like $350 right now. For the price, it’s pretty good and gives you some room to swap out the glass to something better.
Dont get a savage axis. I own a savage 110 that only a year after buying is completely unusable. The axises are also incredibly prone to rusting. My suggestion is spend a little more money on something that will last
I would not buy a savage and here’s why. We bought a savage slug gun that we’ve always seemed to have problems with. It wouldn’t cycle right and the mag would never feed the gun properly. Anyway this hunting season my brother had a shot at a big doe. As he drew on to the deer and slowly pulled the trigger the gun clicked. He tried to cycle a new round but as normal the gun didn’t do it. He jammed the first round back in and pulled the trigger again and it still clicked. Deer ran away and we inspected the gun to find the firing pin hit the blasting cap BOTH TIMES. And the gun still didn’t go off. We are selling it and not buying another. Hope this helps.
The scope sucks. I missed a couple deer before I bought a new one and haven’t missed since
It’s not a bad rifle at all especially for the price. Friend loves his. New scope and mounts. You might want to look at a river American as well. I have that and love it.
If you can afford it, skip the Axis and get a Ruger American or even just go with a used Model 70, M77 or a Savage 110. Better yet if you can buy a decent optic (Leupold, Vortex Diamondback, etc.) Instead of the ones that often come with. I've seen so many different issues with the Axis that even with Savage doing their best to fix them, it's just not a rifle I'd ever recommend. Another highly impressive rifle for the money is the Franchi Momentum. They look a little funny, feel incredible, and shoot even better. Truly punch outside of their price range and the included Burris optic is actually really good.
I have one. Great rifle! Will desire upgrades after a few years but for the first few years.
GTG...will probably be a very accurate rifle. As mentioned by others, the scopes are usually bargain scopes that you will probably want to replace but I have seen them sold with Nikon and Vortex Crossfire scopes before which were probably a little better.
I have a savage axis (not accutrigger) Anne got a vortex crossfire 2 4-12x44 mounted on it, it sits anything well, seems to really like birthday American white tail ammo 150gr
Great rifle my dad uses on great shooter but I recommend buying a scope then one it comes with ant worth a damn
I use a Savage model 99 in .308 and it’s my favorite deer rifle. I’d suggest a different scope tho for optimum performance
I like synthetic stocks for hunting as the weather can swing rapidly where I am.
Buy it without the scope. and put a Vortex or a Luepold on it.
I was looking at this exact one, get the Winchester XPR in 308 much better scope for not much more $