Savage Axis XP Youth Rifle - Thoughts? Reviews? Suggestions?

My girlfriend is looking for a new deer rifle for this hunting season.

This will only be her second season hunting, so we are looking for something on a budget/beginners rifle.

She has a Marlin Glenfield .30-30 that she got from her uncle which she used last year. She want to upgrade to something a little newer, safer - she doesnt like the idea of a lever action, hammer, and no safety - and with a scope.

We were at the local Field and Stream the other day looking at rifles. They didnt have a huge selection of youth rifles - Did I mention shes only 5 ft tall? She needs a youth rifle.

But out of the few they did have, she really liked the Savage Axis XP in 243 WIN.

It has a synthetic stock (seems like all rifles do now a days). Its light. It has a short barrel and stock. It has a scope. Its cheap - 429$, but currently on sale for 350$. And its in our budget for a beginner's rifle

More details - http://www.savagearms.com/firearms/model/axisxpyouth.

It seems like its a pretty decent rifle at a very decent cost. I spent the evening reading reviews and it seems to be a nice starter / 2nd rifle. The only complaint I can find about the rifle is the trigger is kind of heavy (easy fix) and the scope isnt the best.

I have a Savage model 99 chambered in .300 Savage that I use for deer hunting. I love the rifle. It shoots super nice and is super reliable.


I was wondering if anyone on here has any experience with any new Savage rifles? Especially the Axis XPs? Are they still built as well as the older models? Any issues? Thoughts? Comments?


Thanks :beer:

 

I suspect I will be a minority but, I am no fan of Savage. In fact, I think I still have the replacement bolt action .243 synthetic they sent me to replace the one I sent back due to inferior steel and imo shifty craftsmanship.
I bought it for my oldest daughter and regret it.
Imo there are so many better choices.
Nothing more true than, you get what you pay for in the gun industry.
At the very least buy her a Remington ADL.
Good luck .

 

I've heard good things about the savage axis and ruger american rifle.

 

No experience with Savage at all. FWIW, I'm a fan of this forum though and it might be worth a read.

http://www.thehighroad.org/archive/index.php/t-661154.html

 

Good read brother.
Funny, every article I read tells the tale of track driving accuracy while in the same breath how cheaply made they are.

 

I find that hard to believe, gun magazines and their website counterparts are completely objective and truth telling.

I think the only gun article I ever read that was actually negative was on a Hi-Point 9mm. And they still said it was worth buying.

 

Thanks for the heads up and super fast responses guys. :thumbup:

Those reviews on "The High Road" seem to match what Ive been reading. Accurate, but "cheap" feeling.

All synthetic stock'd rifles feel cheap to me as I've always shot rifles that were older w/ wooden stocks. Its a weird transition.

:beer:

 

A friend of mine bought a Remmy 770 as his first rifle in .30-06, I've not touched it since we sighted it in before first season, but for what he paid it wasn't terrible. Certainly not a 700 BDL/ADL, but significantly cheaper.

Not sure how it compares to the Savage, but might be in your budget and maybe you can fondle it locally.

http://www.remington.com/products/firearms/centerfire/model-770/model-770.aspx

 

Personally, if budget is issue, it may be a good choice. I am not that guy to say Chevy and Ford's blow goats because I love Toyota's.
I will say having an FFL, I did appreciate their service from a business standpoint.

If she likes it and it shoots for her, BOOM, done deal.
Happy wife, Happy life.
* ordering Highpoint on Pee's recommendation now.

 

My dad has had his Savage Axis for two years now and he likes it a lot. I don't remember the actual model off the top of my head but it's in .30-06 and he's had no issues.

My brother got a Ruger All American in .308 and he likes it a lot maybe check one out and see if she likes it.

 

I am also Remington fan with many off the shelf and custom. My favorites also include Weatherby and Sako.
My new thing is Kimber rifles. I just found a used Kimber 8400 Classic in .270 recently in perfect condition and a steal imo.

 

Not really dicked around with their rifles at all, have had several of their 1911s before I wised up a bit.

 

No likey?

 

Mine all shot great, in fact I have one fresh from a warranty repair that I still need to unwrap and test fire which was very accurate, but they don't offer enough value for the price, IMO.

 

I bought a Savage 111 (without the accutrigger) a couple of years ago. It has given no problems. I did change the sear to improve the trigger.

Savages have a great reputation for accuracy out of the box. My only concern with the Axis is the retention spring on the magazine is plastic--That sounds like a potential reliability problem in a few years.

 

You're talking about the magazine spring for the ammunition, or a spring that keeps pressure on the mag release so it doesn't fall out?

 

Must be mag clip spring for ammo. Interesting, much like back in the day when manufacturers told us to not store ammo in the mags. But, plastic? wow.

 

The tab that keeps the magazine in the stock.

 

That's a magazine release and magazine release spring, hence the confusion on "tab that keeps magazine in the stock" and "magazine retention spring."

Are metal springs not available for replacement of the plastic for $3 like every other manufacturer? Just don't follow why a budget built rifle like the Axis and Remington 770 and similar builds are good to go, except [insert part here] is made of plastic. Lot of cheaper materials on those guns, that's why they're priced low. Gun springs need to be changed regularly anyway, so this is why I'm not sure I get it.

 

Same gun my little brother uses in .243. Great rifle IMO! Lightweight, feels solid,