How good is the bushnell 3-9 scope that comes on some savage axis rifle packages? If I bought a 308 would I need to change out the scope?
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How good is the bushnell 3-9 scope that comes on some savage axis rifle packages? If I bought a 308 would I need to change out the scope?
It's a low end basic scope. What do you want to do with the rifle?
I've taken deer in PA (PA=short ranges) with similar scopes. If you want to shoot 1000 yards, it's probably not the scope for you.
What do you want to do with the rifle?
It would be a hunting rifle nothing long range
It is most likely a entry level Bushnell Sharpshooter. I would sell it as a new take-off to get the most value out of it (around $50). Then use the money on a little better scope.
^^^ what he said. Last bushnell I got in a package with a savage was a joke, given it was over 10 years ago.... good luck!
Try it out. Odds are you will find it unspectacular but perfectly adequate for your purposes.
The one that came on my axis .223 does just fine in that caliber but I would limit it to 22 or 223 rifles.
The fact that you are in this forum may mean you are not in the intended market the package rifle was designed for as your interest in rifles and scopes may be too advanced. Package rifles are not built for scope snobs. LOL
The one on my 308 works fine. If you desire a better scope after you shoot it, by all means change it. I like the Nikon pro staff for its price
For hunting the scope is fine. Beware people who bash low end scopes and recommend a $200+ scope. They tend to not factor in the reason why we purchased a low price rifle package in the first place. Consider an axis package is approx $400. If we had an extra $200 for a new scope we would have probably just purchased a Savage Hunter XP package in the first place. It's a better gun and better scope (Nikon(Canada) or Weaver(States)) for an extra $100.
Does anyone know if Savage puts loctite (blue), on the base screws for those rifles which come with either a scope package or scope bases?
Neither of the 2 110 I have had any but they were made in around 1998 so who knows what they do now. I seriously doubt it.
Never hand any loctite on my axis, my hunter xp or my fathers 111. I read a few times not to use loctite, the threads are to delicate and may strip etc if you ever have to remove the screws again. A few places recommend a few drops of oil on the screws.
Loctite is no more a danger to use of firearms than it is to use on engines. Naturally if you slop Loctite accidentally onto a carb jet you will mess up engine operation. When you remove Loctited screws just touch the tip of a solder iron to them to soften it up. However if you overtightened the screws in the first place don't blame it on the Loctite if the threads strip. Learning to be a home gunsmith is basically brain over brawn: neat over sloppy. Why do you think Loctite comes in tiny tubes
(hint hint)?
And generally on rifles/scopes you use blue loctite, not red loctite. Guess I'll have to remove the scope I just mounted on my Max 1 so I can put blue loctite on the base screws which came with the gun.
So santas helpers gnomes can use it with their little hands?Quote:
Originally Posted by Mach2
My Axis is in .270 and the sharpshooter that came with it had the crosshair ring drop on round 38. I'm of the opinion that it is dog****. When I looked into sending it back for repairs (I had it a week) I had to pay shipping both ways as well as a $10 "processing" fee. Total was about $40 on a $50 scope that I didn't trust anyway. In hindsight I would have bought her naked and just bought a better scope. Fortunately I had a connection at leupold who hooked me up with a vx-3l with the 56mm objective for free just had to pay for the rings and mounts. God bless good buddies in high places. :usa2:
So how does it feel having a $300 rifle on your $600 scope?
Scopes normally out price the rifle they sit on in most builds I've seen. At least builds of serious comp shooters or long range rigs. Or come close to doing so.
Somewhere between silly and awesome depending on how busy the range is.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dirtydeeds
in case your curious..
http://i1320.photobucket.com/albums/...ps4cde85d0.jpg
Yeah but an axis (which I'm not knocking as I own one in a .270 and like very much)Quote:
Originally Posted by LoneWolf
Quote:
Originally Posted by afartinthewind
No that's all awesome no matter how bust the range is. :) I like the camo, looks sharp.
Thanks man. Keep in mind it's not like I'm out 600 bucks, it was only 40 out of pocket. Had I paid full price I'd absolutely agree that it's ridiculous on my stock axis, I'm sure it will seem a bit less silly on the axis once I get a new wooden stock (fingers crossed) and barrel like Wolf's sexy little rifle.
I dont understand the mind frame here that if it is not an expensive rifle it dont deserve to have a decent or great scope. As long as the gun/scope are matching the user needs you get the best glass you can afford.
I think what he was getting at is the fact that the scope exceeds the capabilities of the rifle. Although it will put rounds on target the scope would be more useful on a rifle with more capability. I did the math on my build and I'm at the $1300 dollar mark on it. Hopefully by the end of the week I will have the rest of the parts I have ordered and be able to custom fit it to myself aswell.
Anyways, it's one of those things that you can do it and it will definitely work, but is it a little over kill at the moment. Nothing "wrong" with it, just something most would do naturally.
But hey if I had a free Night Force Scope and all I had was an Axis you better believe I'd throw it on there!
The Leupold needs to be on a Savage Classic but for now the Axis should be very happy dating a Leupold. It's sorta like the waterboy dating the head cheerleader. LOL!
I watch Jeff Quinn over at Gunblast.com. He switches Leupolds around on different rifles as need be. I saw him move a VX-3 onto a Savage with a Creedmore barrel. Hmm, you don't suppose your Leupold may end up on a..............nah.
I %100 agree with you "As long as the gun/scope are matching the user needs you get the best glass you can afford". The part that amused me ( and made me somewhat envious) was the fact he got a Leupold VX3. Again I'm not knocking the axis but I think most would agree it is a budget rifle. It's a bit unusual to find this type of higher end scope on what could easily be considered a budget rifle.Quote:
Originally Posted by Nandy
Now just because I say budget rifle does not mean I am saying the rifle is no good. I very much enjoy shooting mine. I have a black and stainless axis in a .270 which I put an older version Leupold VX2. I personally think it's a decent match. If I had a VX3 I'd probably put that on there instead.
Please keep in mind post like this do not always convey some of our light hearted comments and we are often left at the mercy of the person's interpretation who is reading it. I admit, lol my laziness while typing some of these post may very well have contributed to this but I meant no disrespect. I actually do like the scope and rifle.
http://www.sunsetdj.ca/hunting/axisleupoldvx2.jpg
Thanks everyone for the kind words. The main reason I posted was to add that the sharpshooter that came with my axis failed miserably in my case. I add the bit about the vx3 only to brag (ugh) about getting a $1000 scope for $40 because I'm VERY exited about it. I definitely wouldn't have considered purchasing it at MSRP for an entry level rifle no more than I'd put a $2000 intake/exhaust on a dodge neon. However if said intake/exhaust came to me at say $80 I'd absolutely pull the trigger. Pun intended :)
I should add that I found the comment about the 300 rifle on the 600 scope highly amusing. I did indeed Lolz.
My axis 308 has a 4 x 12 leupold rifleman which I scored someplace for somewhere around $250. Even the crap 3 x 9's which almost every package deal has are in the mid to upper $100 class but generally are useless to me. My axis with the very basic and light-weight leupold has produced ragged one-hole groups. Good glass is going to make any rifle shoot better.
I wonder if Savage did that on purpose...Budget rifle so you can afford to put high end glass on it? :pQuote:
Originally Posted by Dirtydeeds
Of course--this raises the question--why not slap on a good pair iron sites and see what you can do? : )
To start let me just say I was not offended, heck, I dont even own an Axis YET...
My point was that an Axis can shoot as good as any stock 110/10 action and if you do upgrades it will shoot as good as any upgraded 110/10 gun so there should be no shame in adding good glass to a good gun no matter if the good gun was a budget gun.
Group hug!!!! lol!
My theory has always been package guns come with factory seconds/refurbisheds from the scope makers. Can't prove it of course. : ) Maybe ammo manufacturers subsidize them--it might take a 100 rounds to zero and you might still be scratching your head wondering why you can't get that sub-MOA : )Quote:
Originally Posted by fla9-40
Just want to throw in my 2 cents about the bushnell scope that come with the axis rifles,
In a word terrible.
Just yesterday I was down the range breaking in the barrel on my new axis 270 and sighting it in, after 30 rounds I was happy. After the 31st the reticule detached itself from the inside of the scope. I took it back to the store and they gave me $50 credit back and I bought a redfield scope to replace it.
I'm just happy that it happened at the range and not on the first shot on a weekend away hunting.
My advise, is to do it right the first time and spend as mush on your scope as you do your rifle. In the long run you won't regret it.
Sounds like a proper break-in--you fired, it broke. : ) Package scopes are like going out on a blind date. : )
And for all those who claim we are just a bunch of "scope snobs" and "package scope bashers", I rest my case. You'll spend more time and waste more ammo trying to sight-in and keep these bargin scopes zeroed than they are worth. Sell it as a new take-off on Ebay and someone will most likely take it off your hands for more than it's worth. Take the cash and what you are going to waste on ammo and get yourself a decent scope backed by a no hassel manufacture warranty. You will be money ahead in the long run.
My .243 has one. It's been great, considering its price point and all. Not as clear as the Nikon 3-9x40 (which I actually like a lot) that came on my 111, but it get's the job done. It has been on the rifle for about a year, and is only going to come off when it either shatters, or I get an SWFA.
For what it's worth, though, the only reason I bought the packages was because they were on sale, and comparable to the non-package options. The other Savages I have were bought naked. I would rather not spend extra for a package, when I'm just going to replace the scope anyway.
I just got one of the Axis XP packages in .223 for my grandson , as an entry level rifle he will most likely still be shooting years from now . It was a great deal at 329$ nib on sale and I reload .223 for several rifles of my own (which he is learning how ) . It is a great entry level rifle and one should not expect Savage to put a wonderful scope on such a package . When grandson some day will be buying his own and he will never forget the first time with this rifle . He is a good shot and I expect he will be buying more Savages ( not to mention inheriting many of my guns and rifles ) as he gets older. He is a great shooting partner and his Grandmother and I felt he deserved a good start. So if you have someone in your life that you want to do something good for, get 'em to church .... and Get 'em an Axis XP !!! Nope, I don't own any stock or any way have a financial intrest in Savage...
My shooting buddy has a $1500 Swarovski on his .270 Axis! We laugh about it every time we shoot that rifle. Another buddy gave him the scope. Luckily his Axis is more accurate than a high dollar rifle that would usually wear a scope like that. Like they say "you can't hit what you can't see".Quote:
Originally Posted by Dirtydeeds
My axis .223 has a 400 dollar scope on it. Gen1 night vision to be exact. Armasight 3x. It is set up for hog hunting at night. Darn fog is hampering me right now, but on a clear night I can keep the bullet holes in a 2 in bull at 100 yards. The light weight of the axis is welcome to me because of the weight of the scope. I happen to like the trigger that is on it as it came out of the box. A lot better than my budget ar-15 which my son uses with the same type of scope. The rifle is used as I intended when I bought it. If I wanted a 2000 dollar bench rest rifle I would have bought one and used a night force scope on it like my neighbor who can consistently put 10 rounds under a quarter at 200 yards. For a hog hunting rifle, the axis is perfect for me.
A man after my own heart! Some folks bemoan the Axis stock, trigger, etc., etc. because they are not equal to features on rifles that cost twice as much or more. I have to ask -- what were you wanting to buy? If what you want is a very inexpensive, light, handy, superbly accurate hunting rifle, you'll hardly find better than the Axis. If you are wanting a $1000 rifle, you will be disappointed -- except with the accuracy. In value-per-dollar, they can't be beat.Quote:
Originally Posted by greybeard43
Hi, I'm pretty new here but thought I'd throw in my .02 of experience. I posted in decisions area a little while back and decided to go with a new axis vs used 11. I got the axis package with bushnel scope mainly because I wanted the stainless barrel and action and I liked the camo pattern, but only the package came in that. I had wanted to get a better scope before deer season, but I figured I'd use the one on there until I saved up a little more.
That scope on my rifle was terrible, I shot two brands of ammo about 10 shots each over 2 days before I wised up and went in the house and grabbed my older winchester 7 mag shot three shots, then I could say ok it's not me. I don't shoot year round and wanted to be sure it wasn't me. When I started getting 14" spacing a I was pretty sure it was the scope. Took it back to the retailer and when he took it out of the mounts and shook it, you could here broken stuff inside, but to look through it, it was fine. The man said well the scope is definitely bad. That was 20 round in 308 caliber and it was junked. They offered me another one or $50 off any other scope. They had a nikon buckmaster with bdc on sale so with an extra 50 off I got it for $139.00, shot yesterday first two shots 3/4" apart. And was easy to zero in from there.
I'm sure there not all bad but I wasn't spending another $25 in ammo and $30 in gas to the store and back, not to mention time and aggravation, to find out if I lucked in to a good one. I haven't had any over $100 scopes before ( all my others are early 1980's Tasco world class and they still work so I use them) but so far I really like the nikon and feel it was well worth the money, definitely the nicest one I've used in my budget/ price range.
I had always said that the package scope was decent. This past weekend we were sighting in our rifles for deer season and after shooting the axis I picked up another rifle with a Nikon Monarch on it and I can't even describe how good it felt to my eye compared to the Bushnell package scope. The Bushnell made me feel like I got smoke in my eyes and the Nikon made me feel like having a smoke...lol
That crappy scope keeps putting them into an inch however...
BTW, I have a Nikon Monarch 3 2.5x10x42 due in any day now....:)
I'm sure you will love the monarc, I really like the buckmaster and yours is a definite step up from that. Glad to here your package scope worked, even if its not the clearest.