I was just asking the same question a few weeks ago. After gathering a lot of great info from folks on this and other blogs, I went with the Savage Axis XP in .308, last Friday. I paid $379 for mine at Dick's. I am new to hunting, so I wanted something reliable, that wouldn't break the bank, just in case I decided hunting wasn't for me. I went out and fired it yesterday and got it sighted in. I am heading to South Carolina tmw to go on a hog hunt, so I will get to see how it and I perform in a real-time situation. Mine doesn't have the Accutrigger
Same rifle that I grabbed just before Christmas but mines in .223
Did a thread on my "axis project" since then. I found with the cheap plastic stock where you support it will greatly change your POI. I stiffened the stock forend, weighted and foam injected the butt stock, skim bedded the action and bedded chamber area, did a quick stoning of the trigger group (REALLY HELPED), sold the Bushnell on eBay for $40 and put a 4x14x40 Redfield on it. Still working on load development but it likes heavier bullets. It has a long leade, seated at 2.40 they are just off the rifling for a 69g Hornady. At this point I'm getting 5 shot groups just over 1" at 100yds.