Savage Axis rifle in .243 is a GOOD deal!

[Double Tap 45]

My FDNY cuz gets little time to hunt with his boys but he bought them a Savage Axis in .243 for $399 WITH a scope and in camo from Bud's!! The local gun shop commando who received it for him (NY) tried to get him to send it back as he had "real" deer rifles in .270 and .308!!

I wrote to Tom Gresham and he assured my cousin that in NY State any deer that you are likely to actually SHOOT AT will not know the difference between a .243 and the others. GUESS what calibers he had up the wazoo, BTW? For Christmas I bought each boy 40 rounds of Winchester 100 grain flat base to get used to the gun and for all three of them 40 round of Hornady Superformance with the 95 gr. SST bullets. Gotta start the kids off right you know.

Ray from Bloombergia

 

[MrMajestic]

Any chance of him adopting me? Good job, they are our future! The .243 is an excellent choice for Whitetail and the Savage a great platform.

 

[Catfish]

I bought one at a local gun show last month and it`s a tack driver. The triggers on them are crap with just a spring under the trigger, but I did cut some of it off and got the trigger to 1/2 way ok. The other thing I noticed that struck me as a bad idea was that there in no recoil lug on the barrel. Instead they cut a Noach out of the front of the receiver leaveing a grove between it and the barrel nut and they have the lug molded into the stock, looks funky to me, but the way it shoots it`s definately a keeper.

 

[sdneil]

I bought one in 243 shoots very well, trimmed on the spring a little( or more ) was so darn ugly I almost took it back the very first day I bought it, took my time and did the stock in camo so I could live with it, Its OK now, Mine was called the EDGE

 

[Double Tap 45]

@Mr. Majestic, I always hear gun store commandos and the hangers on opine that a .243 is not a deer rifle. It's in the power range of the .250 Savage, .300 Savage and .257 Roberts. If all the deer killed with those four in the Northeast ever came back we'd need a 5 month season to clear them out. ;D

Ray from Bloombergia

 

[BigDMT]

The other thing I noticed that struck me as a bad idea was that there in no recoil lug on the barrel. Instead they cut a Noach out of the front of the receiver leaveing a grove between it and the barrel nut and they have the lug molded into the stock, looks funky to me, but the way it shoots it`s definately a keeper.

That's actually how many high end custom benchrest actions are fashioned. BAT Machine, who makes one of the best actions in the world for building an ultra accurate rifle, machines many of their models that way. It's not a "bad idea". It actually works very well when bedded properly. That's probably a good part of the reason your rifle shoots so well : )

 

[Keith Glasscock]

I agree, 243 kills deer just fine provided a decently placed shot. On the other hand, a poorly placed shot even with a whiz-bang super mag isn't going to get the animal on the ground! Inside of 200 yards, I wouldn't hesitate to use a 223 *if* I pick my shot and had reasonable bullets loaded (not varmint types).

I saw what a 243 could do to a 4x4 mule deer buck (a big-bodied monster at that) and was so impressed that I had to reevaluate the "information" I had gotten in the past.

I don't think overkill is bad, mind you. I just recognize it for what it is.

 

[kochie]

I agree, 243 kills deer just fine provided a decently placed shot. On the other hand, a poorly placed shot even with a whiz-bang super mag isn't going to get the animal on the ground! Inside of 200 yards, I wouldn't hesitate to use a 223 *if* I pick my shot and had reasonable bullets loaded (not varmint types).

I saw what a 243 could do to a 4x4 mule deer buck (a big-bodied monster at that) and was so impressed that I had to reevaluate the "information" I had gotten in the past.

I don't think overkill is bad, mind you. I just recognize it for what it is.

i got one of the old axis 243s trigger was trouble i had a gunsmith put a good trigger in it and wow it made all the difference in the world.

 

[snert]

2011 thread. Isn't the 243 now totally defunct due to the 6mm Creed?

Just stirring an old pot...

 

[DShortt]

Guess it depends on if you can place a shot where you need to, when you need to.

Same can be said for any other caliber.

 

[RegionRat]

My guess is that there are a good number of 243 out there that will stay in folk's hands for a long time.

It has been popular in the Rockies for mule deer and elk in the hands of kids and small frame folks.

 

[searcher]

I have an older .243 that I bought back in the early 80's and have shot a number of blacktail and mule deer with it. With the popular bullets I was using, performance was what I'd have considered "marginal", especially on the heavier animals. I quit using it for many years, favoring my 7 MM Rem. Mag until better bullets were tried in it. I'd not hesitate to feel confident using it again - though now using something like a Barnes TSX or a more modern bonded bullet. Now, we have good penetration, controlled expansion, good weight retention AND accuracy with a lot of the newer bullets. That is a big revival for some of the cartridges previously thought too light, assuming one still keeps within reasonable range and does his part.

Those Savages tend to shoot pretty well for their cost - and better than a lot of rifles that cost a whole lot more. A little bedding tweak and trigger work are usually all one might want to do to get the best improvement for little dough.

 

[DShortt]

Those Savages tend to shoot pretty well for their cost - and better than a lot of rifles that cost a whole lot more. A little bedding tweak and trigger work are usually all one might want to do to get the best improvement for little dough.

They have 'opened the eyes' of many people. Shoot great for their cost as you mentioned. Myself included.