Savage 11 Trophy Hunter Xp 65 Creedmoor Review

Savage Axis XP Review

The Savage Axis is a relatively new aspirant into the bargain rifle category. Previously called the Barbarous Edge, the Axis is a modernization of the Fell 110 bolt action burglarize in order to reduce costs while maintaining the generally excellent accuracy that Savage rifles are known for. It's also a difference from the previous strategy of using the Stevens proper noun as a "fighting make" that sells the most discounted goods and is slightly disassociated with the chief make. The Savage Axis XP makes for a great beginner or backup hunting rifle, merely is quickly seeing competition catching upwardly. At around $400 in Canada, and $350 in the US, they're a very inexpensive rifle. If yous go an Axis ane instead of an Axis 2, become an One thousand*Carbo spring kit! Brownells also has some Savage Axis parts.

**Update: Check out my review on the Axis II**

Savage Axis Video Review

The Market: Inexpensive, standard quotient, synthetic stock, commodities action rifles

Whew, isn't that a mouthful? Put simply, these rifles are designed for beginner hunters or those who need an inexpensive backup rifle. Modern machining methods combined with designs that are made to those capabilities take resulted in a whole slew of accurate, dependable, cheap rifles. Compared with a lever action rifle, which would cost more and certainly be less accurate, or a complex semi-machine, or a very limited single shot, the inexpensive bolt action rifles seem like the obvious choice. And while the Barbarous Axis had nearly no competition in this category when launched, it now has a few. It competes slightly with the similarly priced Stevens 200 and Savage xi/111 Hunter XP, and more straight with the Remington 770 and new Remington 783. I personally see the 770 as a bit of an experiment, and the 783 as the merely real competition to the Axis, and so I've added comments throughout this review on how the Remington 783 compares with the Savage Axis. If y'all're interested in seeing what accessories are bachelor, checkout my post on Savage Axis accessories.

Vicious Axis Trigger

Rifle Basix left, Savage right

I don't detest the Savage Axis trigger, only I certainly don't dearest it. Out of the 4 models I've fired, all have had a flake more trigger creep than I'd intendance to take, and all were a touch heavy. Y'all could cut the trigger spring to get rid of a chip of the weight, but you'd still have that creep congenital in. I'd really dearest if Brutal used their Accutrigger in this rifle, but and then I guess there'd exist no reason to purchase one of their more expensive rifles. In any instance, I decided to mount a Burglarize Basix SAV-1 trigger in my Stainless Axis. With tune-able sear engagement, I was able to eliminate the ugly creep in the standard trigger and get a great feeling trigger for about $80. If you lot're mechanically handy, you could do your own trigger job for a lot less. Nigh of Savage's competitors are on-par here except the Remington 783. It's using what looks like Marlin'due south Pro-burn down trigger system, itself heavily inspired past Savage's Accutrigger. Remington calls it their "Crossfire" trigger system. While I haven't laid my hands on a Remington 783, the trigger will undoubtedly exist amend than the i on an Centrality.

Cruel Axis Mag

The Fell Axis XP magazine is a combination of a metal body and feed lips and a plastic bottom with congenital in magazine catch. Vicious's heart feed magazines are fine, but I wasn't a huge fan of the plastic mag catch at the front end. Again, this is i of the costs of making a sub $300 rifle and if y'all dislike plastic catches, you'll have to move upwardly to a more expensive model. From images of the Remington 783, it looks to do the same affair. Loading and unloading the middle feed Fell magazines isn't quite equally fast equally their older open double stack blueprint, simply it isn't too far off either. The feed lips on the middle feed mags too let you "snap in" rounds from the top very easily, so loading isn't all that bad. Throwing the mag into the magwellisn't a slam dunk, and y'all can hear a click, but not have it in all the way. It also has plastic catches on the rear of the mag that hold the metallic body. Non a very proficient idea, mine broke and I've seen lots of threads online where others have too. The magazine on the Remington 783 is better, and the 783'southward retention mechanism is meliorate likewise.

Usability & Ergonomics

I experienced no issues with general use, merely had a few things I ran into that I didn't really similar. The grip felt a bit long, and I found that I had to re-position my hand in order to reach the tang safety. The safety itself is fine, a big no-nonsense unit with 2 settings, but the fact I had to re-position to access it with my thumb was a bit of a pain. The commodities is similar to other Savage bolt actions; they're incredibly like shooting fish in a barrel to use and never really jam, and are smoother than the bolts on the Ruger American or Remington 783. I really like the 1 sided ejection port design of the Axis action, because it only makes sense to me and seems stiffer/improve than the open meridian deportment. It should also exercise a better job of keeping dirt/debris/crap out of the more sensitive parts of the action. The stock. . .I wish they hadn't changed. The molding on the grip and forearm look tacky and the stock really makes this burglarize look worse than it should. Thankfully, Boyd's now makes aftermarket stocks for the Barbarous Axis.

The buttpad material on the Stevens 200 is somewhere between car tire and hockey puck, and then I was pleasantly surprised past the squishy ventilated buttpad on the Axis XP. The design of the slots in the buttpad makes for a rigid middle spine and squishy outsides. Non the best buttpad, but not terrible either. Remington did bring their 'A' game on this part though, equipping their 783 with their SuperCell buttpad.

The Scope

Allow's see, they're selling a consummate bolt activity burglarize with bases, rings, and a scope for mid-$200. How good do you lot recollect the scope is? If you guessed "awful", you lot win! If you're on a budget, yous could lock-tite the bases and rings and merely shoot the scope it comes with, but I'd really strongly recommend upgrading the rings and telescopic. The 1 that came with my rifle looks like shit when zoomed in at anything beyond 7X. It makes for a dynamite petty .22 scope though. Keep in mind that the action length is long, so if your scope isn't really long (ie: Redfield revolution) you may likewise need to supercede the bases with something that gives yous more mounting options.

Savage Axis XP Accuracy

What can I say, it'due south a Fell. Even with a recoil lug that sits in the rifle instead of the activity, these rifles produce fantastic groups. All 4 rifles I've laid my hands on volition do 0.75-ane.25″ groups at 100 yards all day long. There are plenty of rifles in the $1000 range that tin't print groups like this, and the Savage will do information technology out of the box, with manufacturing plant ammo. There is nothing left to say here, Savage rifles are the about accurate for the coin. For an in-depth review of accurateness with manufactory ammo in the Axis, check out the keen 130 grain 270 winchester shootout.

Brutal Axis Ii

The Roughshod Axis Two is but like the Savage Axis I, except it comes with an Accutrigger from the factory. IMO, it's worth the extra money because the trigger is a big comeback. Cabela's US has Axis II's for around $400, whereas they're in the mid $400's in Canada. Check out my review on the Axis Two.

Conclusion

The Axis gives up a few points to the Remington 783, specially on the trigger and mag. A decent trigger makes a big difference in the field, and I think Savage has to play catch upwards here. The Centrality II is definitely what the Axis I needed, and I'm glad Savage upped their game. While Savage had no reason to exercise so in the past, they're now existence forced to compete with Remington. Otherwise, this is afantastic rifle for a beginner or depression use user. Someone who hunts a lot might appreciate the metal magazine of a higher model Savage, or the fantastic composite i in a Browning X-bolt, but as a beginner or back-upward rifle, the plastic fantastic mag is fine. This rifle gives up very niggling else in terms of being used as a hunting tool. The deer certainly won't be able to tell the divergence between being hit by a Savage Axis or a $k "premium" factory burglarize and that'southward all that should thing, right?

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Source: https://www.huntinggearguy.com/rifle-reviews/savage-axis-review/