The Savage Axis and Ruger American both are low cost shooters.
Are they more trouble then they or worth or worth having?

Can't comment on the axis, but I did buy a Ruger American in .308 and it is accurate and reliable. Shoots 165gr SSTs into a bit over an inch at 300yds!

Inexpensive yes, cheap no, I think Ruger got it right on this one.

Bought a Ruger 243 as a truck gun several years ago. Not pretty but surprisingly accurate and trouble free.

If you're after function over form...

Cheap is a relative term. Like cars, it depends on what you're gonna use them for. I can't see the rational of owning a Labrigini to drive to your job as Asst Night Manager at a 7/11. By the same token, if you're interested in taking your rifle out of the closet once or twice a year to kill something, I can't see having one that cost as much as a small car.
If pride of ownership or braggin' rights are what you're interested in, that's another whole story.

I helped a young man get his 7mm-08 AXIS-II set up. We sold the cheap scope on E-Bay & mounted a Leupold 3-9x40 VX-II on the factory bases/rings.



The magazine/throat allows COAL of 2.878" W/Nosler 140gr BTs.

Careful load development achieved 1/2" groups @ 100yds W/slightly over 2900 fps.

quote:

I helped a young man get his 7mm-08 AXIS-II set up

A lot of critters could die with that set up

ive got axis in .223, 22-250, 243, 25-06, 7-08,.308 and 30-06
.. for $300 each, or less plus a decent simmons aetec scope and weaver pitcanny rail.. they are well-made, decent triggers, synthetic stock, removeable magazine... great starter rifles, or pickup guns....

Have 2 RARs, one in 223, and the other in 17HMR. No complaints, both shoot very well. Great rifles for the price.

I have a Stevens 200 in .223 Rem. It's fun to shoot and very accurate. I did not break the bank to obtain it . . .

True, the Tupperware stock does not look very good or fit very well (other than, evidently, the bedding). But I'm more interested in accuracy and reliability than I am in appearance. And this inexpensive rifle provides me both . . . in spades.

cheap (cheep) adj.

among the definitions:

of poor quality; inferior

I think some of us have seen offerings from Remington, Winchester (and others) that might fit the definition. I know I have.

Helped a friend and his grandson with a couple entry level rifles. Checked the Savage 110 and the Axis, The Ruger American and the Rem 783. The Axis was the first they eliminated. It came down to the best deal between the Ruger and the Rem 783. They bought the 783's and are very happy. They like the detachable magazine with the metal lips on the Rem. Feeds smoothly and positively. Both shoot under 1 inch (243's).

I bought a Ruger American Predator in 6.5 Creedmoor a few months ago. Got about 400 rounds through it so far with no malfunctions. It shoots well under 1" 5 shot groups at 200 yards.
It is the most accurate unaltered factory rifle I've bought since my Remington 788 .308 35 years ago.

I have less in this rifle than I have in the barrel for the custom 6.5 I'm building and I doubt the custom will shoot that much better than the "Economy" rifle to justify the expense.

I believe I have 7 Mod. 200s. For switching barrels and building wild cats they've served me just fine. Done the same with a Plethora of inexpensive Mod. 98s through the years, not to mention a number of Carcanos Arasakas that were rebuilt and used in the field. You don't have to spend a lot of money to get a decent hunting rifle. Many of these put together rifles shot MOA and still do plus they give you the oppertunity to make something that is really hard to get( Like a long throated 250-3000 or a fast twist 22-250 long throated). Insted of cheep maybe the term should be Utilitarian. roger

Both are good rifles. I have an American in 30-06 and it is an excellent shooter. Have not had a chance to kill anything with it but have taken much game with other 30-06 rifles. Some not as accurate as the Ruger.

I'm glad that so many Ruger Americans are proving themselves accurate. It bothers me that so many I've picked up have been drilled
and tapped off center so the bases lean over to the right. I went to the DSC show to talk to them about it. For the first time since I've been going to the show, Ruger didn't show
up.

As has been said, cheap is a variable term. I have bought quite a few Remington 700s from pawn shops and other secondary markets, paid mid-threes to mid-fours, scoped them, and with handloads had one hole rifles.

I still think that Remington 700s (and I don't know about the new ones with the Tupperware stocks) are as accurate out of the box as any rifle made. But I handload for all mine, so I am somewhat biased. I find something that shoots, and shoots well.

Nothing wrong with owning an inexpensive gun, and I'm sure these all work OK.

But why buy one of these new plastic things when you can get something like a JC Higgens FN mauser for the same price? Or even used Husqvarnas, old Rem 721s, used 700s, push feed Win 70s, Marlin 336s, and on and on..

quote:

Originally posted by dean119:
Nothing wrong with owning an inexpensive gun, and I'm sure these all work OK.

But why buy one of these new plastic things when you can get something like a JC Higgens FN mauser for the same price? Or even used Husqvarnas, old Rem 721s, used 700s, push feed Win 70s, Marlin 336s, and on and on..

^^^^^ this ^^^^

My wife's Ruger American in 7-08 easily out shoots her Kimber 84M in 7-08

I have 2 Savage rifles and they are the most accurate rifles I own right out of the box. Mine aren't the low end models but the barrel nut/accutrigger features that have been adopted by other manufacturers in their budget rifles really seem to work.

You don't get any pride of ownership with the cheap guns but some them can shoot;

I worked up loads for a friend's Savage Axis in 243 and it turned in 1/2" groups.

And some of the Winchester XPR's are appearing at the ranges here in Australia and I haven't seen a single one that wasn't a tack driver!

Ugly? Yes. Accurate? Yes!

There is no pride in an elegant rifle with perfectly fitted parts that doesn't shoot accurately

I love fine wood and deep blue........I prefer composites and matte coatings

quote:

Originally posted by ted thorn:
There is no pride in an elegant rifle with perfectly fitted parts that doesn't shoot accurately

I love fine wood and deep blue........I prefer composites and matte coatings

Yeah . . . accuracy. For me, accuracy is king (as you point out).

quote:

Originally posted by loiblb:
The Savage Axis and Ruger American both are low cost shooters.
Are they more trouble then they or worth or worth having?

I HATE the ergs on the Axis stock, so that wouldn't work for me, but might work for you

I have 9 Ruger American Rifles in the Predators style, the 5 that I've shot are all sub-MOA shooters, with the 22-250 being the poorest of the bunch. I really like them, but have restocked 3 of them with Boyds laminated Heritage style stocks.

IMO, the best buy today, 03/10/16, are the Marlin XS7s in 243, 7mm-08, and 308 that CDNN is closing out for $250. The Marlin X guns have nearly the same barrel shank specs as the Savage 110 series, so there are lots of used and new after-market barrels available to those of us who must tinker.

With Whittaker's selling Howa 1500s for $330, it is hard to pick an RAR or Axis if relative value/quality is factored in.