Savage is a gunmaker that has been on the scene for years. Throughout its history it has had several industry changing innovations. Their Savage 99 was an excellent magazine fed lever action far ahead of its time. They also were the first to push a factory cartridge past 3000fps with their 250-3000. However, most recently they’ve initiated a different kind of innovation by introducing the Savage Axis, thereby creating possibly the most popular class of rifles on the market today.
History
A recent design, Savage originally introduced the rifle as the Savage Edge in 2010. Fundamentally, the rifles were essentially modified versions of the Savage 110 that had been optimized for cheap manufacture. The Savage Axis ended up being a huge success, starting the release of many similar budget oriented rifles.
Later, Savage updated the Axis to the Axis II. The main difference between the two is the addition of an AccuTrigger. Apart from the trigger the rifle remains mostly unchanged.
Specifications
The Axis is a bolt action rifle that feeds from detachable box magazines. The magazines hold four rounds in standard calibers. The trigger on the older Axis is okay, while the new Axis II features the Savage AccuTrigger, which is excellent. As far as size and weight, the Axis has a 22 inch barrel and weighs a trim 6.3lbs. The ergonomics of the rifle are standard, with a plastic two position tang safety.
As stated above, the Axis is based off the Model 110. Like the 110, the Axis uses Savages barrel nut system which is easily head spaced. Also, the Axis makes use of the floating bolt head design. The floating bolt head allows for good bolt head to barrel fitment even with looser tolerances in the action.
Strengths
Firstly, the Axis is very accurate. Both of the copies we tested shot sub-MOA with cheap Federal Powershok ammunition. Given the price of the rifles this is exceptional. From our testing it appears that the Axis shoots just as accurately as its more expensive cousin the Savage Model 110.
Also, the rifles are an incredible value. We purchased a test copy for only 385 CAD in 2018. This is far below other budget guns that we have tested, like the Ruger American. In addition, the Savage Axis shot as good or better than the Ruger. The ability to get a functional hunting rifle for such low prices is incredible.
Another strength of the rifle is the ergonomics. Admittedly, it is not quite as intuitive to remove the bolt on Savages than on many other designs. However, removing the bolt is rarely done in the field. Concerning practical use, the detachable magazine and tang safety make an easy, comfortable rifle to hunt with.
Finally, the Axis II has a fantastic trigger. Oftentimes, the trigger is a fit and finish aspect that neglected on budget rifles. Not so with the Savage Axis II. The AccuTrigger is a solid trigger that is plenty light and crisp for most peoples hunting uses. While some competitors may want a lighter trigger for PRS style competitions, most of that share of the market will have opted for a more expensive rifle in the first place.
Weaknesses
While the Savage Axis excels in many areas, it is certainly built to a price point. First of all, The materials feel cheap and flimsy. The stocks are not very stiff and can bend and contact the barrel under load. The safety selector, while functional, does not feel sturdy or positive and causes one to worry if it might break in extreme cold or after a tumble in the field.
Another issue we encountered with the Axis was a failure to feed. With one of the copies we tested we found that the magazine didn’t always sit high enough in the magazine well for the bolt to pick up a round. Apparently Savage modified the magazine design in the last few years, hopefully eliminating this issue. This was initially noticed at the range, but it’s importance was emphasized while hunting black bears on Vancouver Island.
My brother, who carries his hunting rifles with the safety off and the chamber empty, treed a boar. Racking the action and leveling his rifle, he took a deep breath and pulled the trigger. The gun went click instead of bang and the boar, having had enough of our antics, ran off into the woods. The rifle had failed to chamber the round at the top of the magazine.
Finally, removing the bolt is an awkward ordeal. In order to take the bolt out of the rifle, the user needs to push down the bolt release, hold back the trigger, and pull on the bolt handle simultaneously. This is difficult because like most people I only have two hands. It is not a detractor in the field but does make cleaning the rifle a hassle.
Competition
While the Savage Axis is the first in its class of rifle, it certainly isn’t the last. The Ruger American, Mossberg Patriot, T/C Compass, and the Remington 783 are all options on the budget rifle market. Still, the Savage tends to be cheaper than all of them. While the Remington 783 and Mossberg Patriot can be very accurate, there are some reports of poor quality control, leading to some being excellent examples while others are lemons.
The Ruger American is another competitive option. From my experience the Axis is a little bit more accurate than the Ruger, but the safety, bolt release, and smaller bolt throw are better on the Ruger. The Savage has a polymer and steel magazine while the Ruger’s is all polymer. In our testing both rifles had feeding problems related to the magazines, although for different reasons.
Closing Thoughts
In conclusion the Savage Axis helps get hunters into the field on a barebones budget. Despite the Axis not being an heirloom gun, it will outshoot many competitors that cost much more. It’s excellent accuracy makes it a good selection for a myriad of purposes. The Savage would make a solid general purpose hunting rifle, although not reliable enough for dangerous game such as large brown bears. In an appropriate cartridge it can be an excellent predator control or ranch rifle. In addition, the tinkerer could build off of an Axis action and assemble a low cost precision rifle.
The Savage Axis is built to a price point, and there are plenty of drawbacks that come with it. However, Savage made sure to deliver where it is most important and have created a fabulously accurate rifle with a good trigger at prices that competitors can’t seem to match. Once again Savage lives up to it’s reputation of bringing an incredible value to its customers.