Meet The Axis
The Savage Axis is a light, compact hunting rifle made with a long pedigree of accurate rifle building. My high-end Savage Axis II Precision rifle and this Savage Axis have something in common: they both use the Savage shank barrel lock nut to fasten the barrel to the receiver.
This device is as simple as it is precise. It locks the barrel straight to the receiver, which is crucial for accuracy. Any variance in the joining point will cause the cartridge to bend slightly and send its bullet down the barrel inaccurately.
Hunting deer or elk involves long treks over uneven ground and hill climbing, and the Axis’ stock and barrel keep its weight manageable. The synthetic stock is light and well designed, with a soft rubber recoil pad, extended check rest, swelled pistol grip, camouflage pattern, and recessed sling swivel studs. The pistol grip aids natural pointing, and the cheek piece helps me follow through on the shot.
The Barrel
With its tapered design and unique twisted, fluted surface, the Axis barrel is an amazing weight-saving feature. It is also the heart of an accurate rifle. The Axis avoids overheating with associated warping by heavily fluting the barrel, which increases surface area to rid the barrel of accuracy-destroying heat and lighten the barrel. Free-floating the barrel allows best accuracy.
Did I mention that Savage hand-tunes its barrels? On a recent tour of the Savage factory in Westfield, Massachusetts, the Guns.com crew learned how Savage firearms are built. Although a modern facility, Savage still employs old-school attention to detail. Each rifle barrel is checked by an experienced technician that bends and tunes each barrel to ensure that it is straight. Only accurate rifles leave the Savage factory. I like that!
Under the Hood
My favorite feature of the Axis is the Savage AccuTrigger. It is precise, adjustable, and builds confidence. Although adjustable to below 2 pounds, I shot the rifle with the factory setting of over 4 pounds to showcase the trigger’s potential.
The two-stage, two-part trigger leaves no doubt as to when it will break the shot. When I compress the forward leaf to the rear and feel the second stage, I know that the rifle is ready to break the shot. This precision helps my confidence. My Savage Axis II Precision uses the same trigger, and that rifle is very accurate.
Savage understands that a bolt-action rifle can be slow to operate and has improved the bolt handle to a large triangular shape. It is intuitive to grasp easily and operates smoothly. Note that the bolt has two locking lugs on front that can withstand the pressure of high-powered cartridges.
Savage rifles use a tang-mounted safety that is ambidextrous, easy to locate, and displays a red dot when ready to fire. The receiver-mounted Picatinny rail is long enough to add any modern riflescope or red dot optic.
Accessories
Any rifle will benefit from good optics. The Zeiss Conquest HD5 3-15 variable power riflescope has a large 50mm front objective lens with great light-gathering ability. Mounted to the rifle with the Leopold single-piece mount, I can be sure of precise adjustments and a clear sight picture.
The Savage Axis rifle barrel comes standard with a 5/8X24 threaded muzzle. Allowed for hunting game in most states and finally deregulated and faster to obtain than ever, no rifle test is complete without a suppressor. The SilencerCo Hybrid 46 is robust and capable of containing the exhaust from the .308 Winchester cartridge. Testing will be conducted both with the suppressor on and unsuppressed.
SPECIFICATIONS
- Caliber: .308 Winchester
- Barrel Length: 20 inches
- Weight: 7 pounds, 8.5 pounds with scope
- Length: 40.5 inches
- Length of Pull: 13.5 inches
- Trigger: Adjustable AccuTrigger set at 4 pounds, 3 ounces
- Finish: Gunmetal bronze Cerakote
- Magazine: Detachable four-shot polymer
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MOA rail: Picatinny style, 7.5 inches
WILL IT SHOOT STRAIGHT?
My favorite location to shoot for bench-rest accuracy is the famous Tucson Rifle club. Located southwest of Tucson, Arizona, it has the needed distance and shaded facilities to put the Savage on paper. My simple test was to put three shots on paper at 100 yards unsuppressed and with my SilencerCo Hybrid 46 attached. Next, three shots suppressed at 200 yards, and finally two shots offhand at 100 yards. Ammunition was PMC Bronze 150-grain jacketed soft point bullets.
The lightweight rifle bucks and is very loud unsuppressed, but recoil is softened by the butt plate and naturally shaped stock. Group size at 100 yards was 2 inches, including one wide shot.
Next, I fired three shots suppressed at 100 yards slowly and deliberately. The rifle stock is textured with a nice pistol grip swell that helps me pull the rifle in firmly and reduce shaking. The 100-yard suppressed group measured just under 2 inches. I wonder if suppressors really do help with accuracy?
Long Range
For a long-range test at 200 yards. I increased my Zeiss scope magnification power to near max. This time, each shot gives a bell-like “ding” on steel. I feel confident at this longer range in hitting reliably. Although the three-shot group was 5 inches, the first two shots were nearly touching at 2 inches.
Finally, no test is complete without some offhand shooting. The lightweight Savage comes up quickly, fits my medium frame, and balances well despite the attached suppressor. Two deliberate shots were rewarded by two “dings” on steel at 100 yards. In my “silhouette” stance, my left arm rests against my ribcage to support the rifle just forward of the trigger guard, allowing me to control my breathing and use my torso to steady the rifle.
Remember, this test rifle is a new, off-the-shelf firearm with less than 20 rounds fired. Any new rifle should have more than 100 rounds fired to properly season the barrel. Also, some rifles shoot better with one type of ammunition.
PROS & CONS
