Savage Arms has been in the gun business for a long time. Founded by Arthur Savage in 1894, the company has had a long and illustrious history. Many shooters only think of them as building rifles… their Model 99 lever gun is a classic… but they also build handguns and shotguns. Actually, I’ve got their micro-9mm pistol, the Stance XR, on my table now. It’s in line for review. I like it, but stay tuned for that write-up later.
A lesser-known fact is that the company’s entry into our military sidearm trials in 1910-1911 was the only other gun left to compete with what became the Colt M1911. It lost only after a 6,000-round endurance test – it had 37 stoppages, while the Colt had none. So, the company built good guns then, and has continued that tradition to the present.
Speaking of Savage rifles, I wanted to get an updated Axis 2 to try in .243. I had one before, and I gave it to one of our sons. I wanted to see what they had done to improve it. Consequently, I ordered one for review. This one shows one glaring difference between it and my older model… its bolt is on the wrong side. Well… wrong side, if you’re right-handed. I find it interesting that you can sort firearms on their website by eight criteria, one of which is “Left Handed”.
They make several models for us southpaws, which is refreshing. My left-handedness has had to adapt to a right-handed world… finding a left-handed desk in most of my college classrooms back in the day was mostly an exercise in futility. And so it goes, except where this rifle is concerned.
This Rifle
(I know. The bolt’s on the wrong side! Know that Savage likes we lefties. They make 79 left-handed products.)
Specifications
- Product Family/Group AXIS 2 XP
- Caliber 243 Win
- Purpose Big Game Hunting, Hog Hunting, Predator Hunting
- Handed Left
- Availability North America
- Barrel Color Black
- Barrel Contour Sporter
- Barrel Finish Matte
- Barrel Length 22″ (55.88 cm)
- Barrel Material Carbon Steel
- Rate of Twist 1:9.25″
- Barrel Threaded No
- Bolt Release Side
- Pistol Grip No
- Interchangeable Grip Panel No
- Magazine Capacity 4
- Magazine Quantity Included 1
- Magazine Release Ambidextrous
- Receiver Color Black
- Receiver Finish Matte
- Receiver Material Carbon Steel
- Feed Type Detachable Box Magazine
- Scope Bases 2 Piece, Weaver Style
- Scope Mounted and Sighted Yes
- Scope Power 3-9×40
- Scope Rings Weaver Style, Medium
- AccuStock No
- AccuFit No
- Stock Butt Color Black
- Stock Butt Type Recoil Pad
- Stock Color OD Green
- Stock Finish Matte
- Stock Fixed Yes
- Stock Pull Length – Min. 13.75″ (34.93 cm)
- Stock Pull Length – Max. 13.75″ (34.93 cm)
- Stock Material Synthetic
- Stock QD Studs Color Black
- Stock QD Studs Quantity 2
- Stock Thumbhole No
- Stock Type Sporter
- AccuTrigger Yes
- Trigger Adjustable Yes
- Trigger Pull Force – Min. 2.5 lbs (40 ounces)
- Trigger Pull Force – Max. 6 lbs (96 ounces)
- Length 42.5″ (107.95 cm)
- Weight 7.7 lbs (3.49 kg)
- Price $549
Where To Buy
After my experience with the earlier .243 Axis 2, one of the most important specifications listed above is “AccuTrigger: Yes.” This trigger is amazing on a $500 rifle. You can adjust it to 2 ½ pounds or up to 6 pounds. This allows you to set it very light for target and competition work, and maybe a bit heavier for hunting. It’s easily adjusted. Other changes that I noticed were that the stock was a bit more ergonomic – it fit a little better than the original, and the grip had a noticeable palm swell.
Also, another plus is the scope. Savage has evidently forged a relationship with Viridian, which came as a surprise to me, as my older .243 had a Bushnell 3-9×40 on it. Here we have an Eon 3-9×40. It came bore-sighted, which saved me some time and ammo as I shot for this review. It wasn’t exactly in the bullseye center, but it will do. If I were to keep the rifle, it would be quick work to center the crosshairs. This is a decent scope, to be sure.
Shooting The Rifle
After a recent storm, my 100-yard target location had been pretty well obliterated – it was next to a huge tree that gave up the ghost. So, I went to 75 yards. I know… that isn’t 100, but it’s about as close as I could get. Plus, what the rifle does at 75 yards is going to hold up pretty well at 100. Again, I fall back on my experience with the older .243 from Savage. That rifle accounted for deer past 100 yards, and there’s no reason to think that this one wouldn’t do that, as well.
I broke with tradition and shot a 10-shot, rambling group since the rifle was so fun to shoot. I figured that, out of 10, at least three would be making a good group… It’s my logic, and I’m sticking to it.
It hit a bit low and right, but like I said, that could be easily fixed. I shot the only .243 load I had on hand, Hornady’s American Whitetail 100-grain JSP. It seems that the more I shot, the more it drifted down and right – that’s probably more me than the gun, as I am not the best rifle shot… I spend too much time with handguns.
As you can see, the load is average in accuracy — not exactly a ragged hole — but it’s a great way to start. If I were to take this rifle into the deer woods, I would reload it. When I had the older one, I came up with a load that shot into under a half-inch at 100 yards. I gave the gun and all my ammo to my son, so I didn’t have it handy. This target is a good starting point in the search for a tack-driving load. I believe the rifle would be up to it once it’s broken in and the barrel conditioned.
One Glitch
The only glitch I ran across concerned the 4-round magazine that came with the rifle. It flat didn’t work. I loaded four rounds into it, inserted it into the magazine well, and ran the bolt home. It pushed the rounds up so hard that you couldn’t chamber a round, as the top cartridge was bumping up against the top of the receiver. It worked great if I loaded just one round at a time. At least the magazine is an easy and inexpensive fix.
One bright spot was the trigger.
Savage’s AccuTrigger has proven itself over and over and is one of the better stock factory triggers out there. I did not adjust it out of the box. They typically ship rifles with triggers set towards the middle of the 2.5-6 pound adjustment range, so I probably could have improved it. However, it would still be me pressing it… I am not the best shot with a rifle, as I mentioned earlier, but I do enjoy them and own several.
Also obvious in the above photo is the grip. Savage redesigned its stocks a while back, and they work very well. This one came in green, but other colors are available. Sling swivel studs are included as well. You can check out the rifle here.
Another bright spot was the rifle rest I used. Caldwell introduced four new Lead Sled rests this year – look for a review on this site soon. I used the most minimal LS I’d ever used, the Solo 2. It is easily moved, adjusts both coarsely and finely, and has a tray for a weight bag.
It worked very well.
Summing Up
The Savage Axis II Hunter is quite a deal. For $480 (street price), you get a rifle that includes a great trigger, thread-in headspacing, improved bolt handle, and a redesigned, ergonomic stock – not to mention a Viridian Eon 3-9×40 scope. That is hard to beat in today’s economy.
For folks like me, who occasionally shoot rifles or are searching for a great rifle to take to both the deer stand and the varmint field, this .243 is hard to beat. Is it perfect? Nope, but it’s close enough. I will be able to take advantage of its feature set and put holes closer together in the target. Another plus for this caliber is recoil… There isn’t much to be had with a .243.
I’ve owned Savages over the years, and they have always performed well. But maybe you want more in a .243 Win-chambered rifle. If so, know that Savage makes .243 Win in 40 different platforms. Their 110 series is a step up, for example. But… If you’re looking to enter the long gun market and want a rifle that is versatile, accurate, and offers good value, consider the Axis 2.
Links To Items Used In This Review:
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