I think Im going to buy an Axis

[chavo360]

I always wanted a .308 bolt rifle for hunting but kept on putting it on the back burner. So I guess I started the whole research the rifle options to death and I pretty much narrowed my choices to 4; Savage Axis, Stevens 200, Ruger American, Marlin XL7. I am leaning towards the Savage as its the cheapest of the 4 and all I have been reading have been mostly positive with the few negatives I read about easy to mod like the trigger and stock. I can buy one for around $50-$90 less than the Ruger and Marlin. I really like the Ruger American as it borrowed alot of good features from other rifles(Ruger borrowing designs from other companies, what a shocker right:rolleyes:) but its like $90 over the Axis and I feel that money can be used towards the scope( I decided on a Nikon 3-9x40mm Prostaff BTW). To tell you the truth I am alittle wishy-washy on the Marlin, its on my list as its been recommended by many but that's about it. If the Stevens had a detachable mag I would be all over it. So my choices seem to be the Axis and the American with the Axis edging(no pun intended) out the Ruger due to price. I just need a no frills, no holds bar hunting rifle that I will use maybe once every year or so and I think the Axis fits the bill.

[wbm]

The Axis gets good reviews overall. Noticed that bud's gun shop has them for $267 shipped. http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/products_id/70946

[chavo360]

The Axis gets good reviews overall. Noticed that bud's gun shop has them for $267 shipped. http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/products_id/70946

Yes, I've seen that and it looks like the best price around. I have bought 4 guns from Buds and they are outstanding. I might just save money and buy this one locally though. I want to help the local guys on this one. Now if I cant get a good deal on them locally, buds will get my business again.

[handsomerob]

I have an Axis in 308 Win. I shoots very well, .585 to .75 MOA if I do my part with my hand loads. I your looking for an great hunting rifle I don't think you can go wrong with the Axis. I bought mind for the same reason. If your fine with the stock I say go for it!! If not I would go with the Stevens 200.

[big honkin jeep]

I believe I would shop for a used model 10/110 before buying an Axis/Edge.
If they are hit and miss then the 2 I have experience with were misses. 7-08 for me and 270 for my brother. Even after getting the triggers lightened up and installing very good optics and trying several different load combos they just wouldn't group. He had a shot on a deer at 200 yds last year with all the time in the world to set up, a steady rest inside a shoot house and felt the shot break perfectly. The deer folded up immediately, because he hit it in the head a good 2 1/2 feet from the point of aim.
The Marlin is a hum dinger for the money if you have to have a brand new rifle, and also borrows many features from other designs.
If you want something that will probably shoot the lights out I think a used 10/110 is the way to go on a tight budget.
I love Savages and I hope the new economy offerings don't damage their reputation like the 710 and 770 has for Remington. They have spent too much good effort since the mid 90s rebuilding their image with great products.

[M.O.A.]

plus 1 for B H J look for a used 10/110. i just dont like the fit anf feel of the axis stock and the fact you cant get one hurts it

[chavo360]

I was thinking of checking out some pawn shops for some used rifles but as stupid as this may sound I have a no used gun policy. I know its dumb but I had a few bad experiences in the past with used guns, granted most were semi-autos and this is a bolt action which is totally different but I rather spend my hard earned money on something new that I know I will take care of right and have the backing of a warranty then waste money on a gun with a "mysterious" past. I know people who use and abuse their guns and when they get sick of them they sell them off to a sucker.

[dacaur]

RE: post #5...... If your shot at 200 yards its 2 1/2 FEET off, thats not the fault of the rifle....

ALL brands have lemons now and then, (though not as often as people think). But the new breed of budget rifles that have come out in the last few years are so much better than what was avalable in the past its pretty unbelievable.... If a savage axis, ruger american, etc groups "as well" out of the box as a remington 700 out of the box, you got a lemon, they are that good. Sub MOA is the norm, not the exception like it used to be.

That said, you cannot expect ANY gun to group well with the first or even the 5th load you try. Before I started handloading, my first load tried was remington cor-lockt, which grouped about 2 1/2 inches (which wouldn't have been bad for an out of the box rifle when my dad was my age) I got lucky on the second try with federal vital-shock, which grouped just under an inch (now I handload, and average around .75inch) .... Sometimes people find the one their gun likes on the first try, sometimes they need to try 5 different off the shelf loads. Sometimes people give up before they find the "magic bullet" and call the gun a lemon. If you couldn't find anything that groups acceptably, but have tried less than 5 different factory loads, you didnt give it a fair shake. Handloaders have it much easier since once you pick your bullet and powder, you can almost always get a great grouping load once you get the charge right....

I do like my edge, but If I was buying my hunting rifle today, I believe I would get the ruger because of the adjustable trigger. I have modified my edge trigger, but its still not as nice as a real adjustable trigger.... In the long run, than $90 isnt going to mean a thing in 5 years.....

[chavo360]

I do like my edge, but If I was buying my hunting rifle today, I believe I would get the ruger because of the adjustable trigger. I have modified my edge trigger, but its still not as nice as a real adjustable trigger.... In the long run, than $90 isnt going to mean a thing in 5 years.....

That's why I was thinking about the Ruger. The adjustable trigger is the main feature I like about it. AHHHHHH its so hard to decide. I need to go to my LGS to see which one feels better in my hands.

[handsomerob]

That's why I was thinking about the Ruger. The adjustable trigger is the main feature I like about it. AHHHHHH its so hard to decide. I need to go to my LGS to see which one feels better in my hands.

Also consider this, for that same $90 you could buy a aftermarket adjustable trigger like a Rifle Basix or Timney, maybe the one from SSS might fit too. I'm not sure if I'm right but using one of those I don't think will would void the warranty. Now you have everything you like in the Ruger and down the road if you feel like you can change the barrels out yourself (cheaper).

Just some more food for thought.

[fgw_in_fla]

I would look to the local pawn shops first. As much as I don't like to hit someone when they're down on their luck, there are many real good deals at pawn shops these days. When it comes to owning a gun or paying the rent, the smart guy knows he can always pick up another gun. Check you local pawn shops & find out when they put the new stuff out. Most of them do it around the first to third of every month.

A good example - I bought a Savage Edge 3 months ago. I paid around 2 beans for it & found out (by the serial number) it's barely a year old.

Turns out to be the most accurate Savage I own, too.

Good luck & let us know how you make out.

Frank in Windy, Rainy Fla.

[chavo360]

I would look to the local pawn shops first. As much as I don't like to hit someone when they're down on their luck, there are many real good deals at pawn shops these days. When it comes to owning a gun or paying the rent, the smart guy knows he can always pick up another gun. Check you local pawn shops & find out when they put the new stuff out. Most of them do it around the first to third of every month.

A good example - I bought a Savage Edge 3 months ago. I paid around 2 beans for it & found out (by the serial number) it's barely a year old.

Turns out to be the most accurate Savage I own, too.

Good luck & let us know how you make out.

Frank in Windy, Rainy Fla.

I think I was going to break my no used gun rule on this one as I figured a used bolt gun will see less use and abuse then a semi-auto would(I could be wrong on this one). Before I hit the pawnshops I decided to visit my LGS to handle a few rifles and low and behold there was an Axis in .308 sitting in a corner. I asked to look at it and the owner of the shop told me it was his last one for now and he would give me a good deal on it so I bit the bullet and put it on layaway. I'm in no rush to have it now as I still have a hunter safety course coming up in Oct.