Why all the hate for the Axis/Edge vs the Stevens 200?

[777funk]

I saw a few years ago you could get a Stevens 200 for under $200 on sale at Academy and Dicks (maybe a few others)... now I can't find one used at a Pawn shop for under $400! What in the world happened to pricing these days. It's only been a few years.

Anyways, an Axis can be had under $300 used and maybe even under $250 but it seems like there's not a lot of love for these things.

Why is that?

 

[scythefwd]

Word got out that the stevens was just a savage 110 so folks decided to ask savage prices.

The axis has a different trigger that some folks consider inferior to the 3 screw savage trigger and the accutrigger. The axis also has a very flimsy stock that generally requires some stiffening in the forearm or it makes contact with the barrel (lots of folks use carbon fiber arrows epoxied into the forearm.

The axis is a much more budget build than the 200 in all reality. The smaller after market support doesn't help it either.

 

[777funk]

I've heard the 200 was a 10/110 with less finishing work done to it. That makes good sense for a guy wanting a budget rifle with accuracy.

scythefwd, you mention the trigger stinking on the Axis, I've read that the Stevens also has a poor trigger out of the box. Is there a difference? Also it seems like the 200 was an upgrade platform in most cases so the stock may be negligible in the case that just the action was used. Could the Axis be used in a similar fashion? Maybe it's action isn't worth much?

I'm curious how deficient the Axis is to the previous Stevens line.

I wish the 200's were still around.

 

[mshootnit]

The axis stock is ugly and the trigger is too far back. With the 200 I wish they never came out with the axis. The trend toward cheaper rifles sucks. It means less nice models for display at sporting goods stores and some nice old models go out of production. The stainless synthetic m77 for example. I will not own an axis.

 

[rodregier]

Ironically I have a Savage 110 and a Ruger stainless synthetic stock M77 acquired in the past. Both have since been reconfigured to support DBM usage

 

[Panzerschwein]

I'd love a Stevens rifle, if it were cheaper than the Axis!

Been looking for a good .30-06 hog gun for some time now.

 

[scythefwd]

777
The stock savage trigger on the 200 was a 2 screw trigger. It was adjustable. Taking a 1000 grit file to the sear mating surface was enough to clean it up in a couple swipes. The trigger return spring was easily replaceable by the owner. The axis trigger required a bit more work. It was a total redesign.

The 200 had less finish work, but at the heart of it, its still a 110. I can generally take a stock 3 screw trigger (only difference between the 2 screw and the 3 is a set screw for adjusting sear interface) in about 1/2 an hour with a lot of testing down into the 2.5 lb range (safely). As far as I'm aware, and this may have changed a lot since I last looked into it, the axis required cutting coils on the trigger return spring and it wasn't as adjustable.

If you're going for straight upgrades, anything used for a 110 can be used on the 200. The axis requires a different stock inlet, and I'm not sure you get the same selection of stocks. You could probably drop 900 on a custom inlet stock from manners and the like though.

I dont see a reason at all that you couldnt use the axis as a base for a build, especially if a good aftermarket trigger is available (look towards the rifle basix or timney there). With the stevens, it usually came with a pretty flimsy stock as well, but you could use any take off stock for a long action, stagger feed savage. Folks sell the take-offs cheap. I'm not really sure how much aftermarket stock support is out there for the axis. Last time I looked into it, the axis had only been out about 6 months.

I know there are aftermarket triggers for the 110 that get it measured in oz, not lbs. There are plenty of aftermarket stocks for the 110, triggers, drop in barrels (different thread on the axis), recoil lugs, trued barrel nuts, and action truing services out there for the 110. Been a LONG time since I checked on the axis. If you hop over to savageshooters.com, you will probably find all sorts of info for accurizing and improving the axis out of the box that will be MUCH more up to date than what I could give you.

I do know that converting from 223 to something like 308 is a traipse with the 110, its a bolt face swap and a barrel swap. I dont know if the axis has the same floating bolt face design that makes that swap so easy.

Also, looking at pics, it appears the axis doesnt use a sandwiched recoil lug like the 110, it uses an insert in the stock more like the ruger american (except 1 vs 2 of them, and not a v-block design)

 

[243winxb]

Savage Axis 223

The AXIS II XP has the Adjustable AccuTrigger. I have the early Axis with 6lb non-adjustable trigger, in 223. I see nothing wrong shooting it as it came from the factory. Did the break in as per Savage instruction. It now as over 1400 round down the barrel, mostly shooting at steel. Benchrest accurace is ok.

[/URL][/IMG]The Stevens 200 is a different rifle, dont have one.

 

[MondronT]

Well the folks I know that shoot the Edge/Axis love them and I R 1.
Mine is an Edge. In a past life I owned a M77 in 7mm-08 that was very accurate , then a Mark V Deluxe in 7mag that was awesome. Years later when i thought about shooting again, my hunting days are long over, I just wanted something cheap to fart around with. I chose the Edge because everyone said the Rem 770 was even more a piece of junk. I've have a rifle basix trigger in now and it can shoot .25 and my best was 0.192 which was just this Sunday. I also now own a vanguard in .223 and a savage 10 in .223 I guess I'm just lucky because after tweaking they all can shoot quarter inch at 100 or less on good days. I shoot from sandbags. I am hoping Santa will bring me a heavy barrel Axis this year. I know what to do now to get um shooting good.

 

[godale]

i wish they would have kept the stevens 200 too. just dont like the plastic magazine assembly on the axis...

 

[scythefwd]

Now if you look hard enough, you can grab a savage 110 (in 30-06 for the specific example I'm thinking of) for 350 with accutrigger, and what looked like an acccustock. Its on a local board I'm on right now and I'd do that over the axis at 300 new...

 

[Hookeye]

Axis is a long action, even when using short cartridges.
The stock sucks (flex, and cheek height).
Trigger is cheap to make decent.
Rifle is ugly.
Usually shoots pretty with tweaks.

 

[777funk]

Just saw some of these on sale at a popular outdoors chain for $200. Look pretty similar to the 110's. The bolts even almost fit. There's an extra groove in the receiver on the 110 and a ridge that matches on the bolt.

The rest also looks pretty similar. I don't see a problem. Looks like the triggers are easy to improve as well. Seem like a steal for $200.

 

[KansasSasquatch]

I never gave much thought to the Axis until my dad bought one in .30-06. I shot it a few times and was pretty impressed with it for a $300 rifle. A couple years later I found a used Edge in .223 for $225. The previous owner had installed an optics rail and a Rifle Basix trigger. Then I found a dang near NIB Nikon 2-9x40 scope ($150 new) for $40, and a set of Burris rings for $40. $305 and I have a rifle that shoots 1" to 1.25" groups at 100 yards, .75" with handloads. I threw a Blackhawk bipod on it for grins. So a grand total of under $400 and I have a rifle that shoots great. The stock flex doesn't bother it one bit when using the bipod. The lightweight barrel doesn't lend itself to shooting more than 10 rounds before the rifle needs to cool down a little, otherwise the group sizes do open up a bit

I wouldn't claim that they're the smoothest, or the most precise or accurate, or the best at anything. But for a cheap rifle they can be hard to beat. They can certainly put meat on the table if you're on a budget.

 

[likesguns]

I just bought the Axis xp scoped in .308 from Dicks for $200,at that price I was willing to accept the cheapness in the quality of the rifle.
The stock is flimsy for sure and the trigger is heavy but a quick spring swap helped that out,I took it out yesterday and even wearing the cheap Bushnell 3-9 it shot fine,Im sure with a bipod it could do pretty acceptable groups.
All around Im very happy with it,it will make a great woods gun.

 

[HOWARD J]

I have a Savage Edge
With a 3-9 scope a very accurate rifle
Now that I can't hunt anymore I am stuck shooting on the bench
I like the Edge but the barrel heats up too quickly for bench shooting
Nice hunting rifle

 

[The Alaskan]

Kind of a shame to hear all these negative commentaries, or mediocre (it's a good gun IF you do these 5 different things to it to get it to shoot.)

I have an older 110 in 243 and man it's a terrific gun, and it was a "cheap" "hunting package" gun in its day as well. Bedded the stock and lightened the trigger (pre accu trigger) and with handloads it's 1/4 moa off the bench.

Nice solid wood stock. Yeah, it's a long action even with the short 243 case.

I think this is part of what some folks here were meaning when they were discussing "sub standard modern hunting rifles" (before that thread got closed down).

Sounds to me like, compared to a Savage from 20 years ago, a modern Savage is "substandard."

 

[Davek1977]

Alakan, that may be true is the "Axis" series was marketed as the top-tier savage rifle. Quite simply, it is not, it is their economy rifle just like Ruger has the American, Marlin has the X7, Remington has the 883, etc. Its commonplace, almost expected, for a company to produce a line of "econo-rifles", but few companies promote them as being their "top-tier" offerings. Savage still markets the "110" series as well, in many, many configurations. While your 110 may not compare favorably to the Axis, its real competition....apples to apples....the modern 110 series is still thought of to be a quality rifle to many shooters.

 

[godale]

just saw a heavy barrel 223 at a big box store for 319.00

 

[mshootnit]

They are cheap and they shoot good. Just be ready for the day when big green shuts down the 700, ruger shuts down the m77, and winchester shuts down the model 70. Cause the cheap ones are all you will have to choose from.
I was at a Scheels sporting goods (large midwest sporting good chain) and there were almost no ruger m77's at all. Just a couple scout models. I don't recall seeing a 70 either. The savage 110's I saw were the cheap package model with daylight between the receiver and the stock. That was a wake up call

 

[Bird Dog II]

I own one of each. The Stevens is the better rifle. It's rock solid and has a better safety IMO. Being a .30-06 with that lite carbon stock, it kicked like two mules, so a put a heavier Hogue stock on it. After a reasonable break-in period, it shot sub MOA with the original stock and still shoots that way now if I do my part. I got it for $199 at Bass Pro when they first came out. I wish I'd bought 5 of them!

The Edge/Axis I have is in 7-08. The jointed stock is really not well designed. You can fix that easily though by epoxying the two pieces together. The fore-end is too flimsy, but you can fill the channel cells in with epoxy as well. I think Boyds makes an aftermarket stock for this gun as well if you're not handy with such things, or just want a better looking gun and less trouble. The action itself is solid, the trigger was very heavy (8lbs), but crisp and of decent design. I was not difficult to get to a reasonable weight for hunting (4lbs). The safety thumb tang is plastic and functions not as stiffly as I would like, but it works. My gun is finicky, but for $260 and a little work, it will put 3 rounds from its pet load within an inch.

 

[delrom418]

Sure the Axis is cheap, and others consider it ugly, myself included. I think any rifle with a plastic stock is ugly, but I bought one anyway because it was cheap! (chambered in .243) Then I took it to the local range for their "Hunter Rifle Silhouette" shooting match and shot my best score ever with it. I'm keeping mine!