Savage Axis XP 6.5 CM 20" 4rd 3-9x40 Scope Rifle

Savage sends the Axis XP out with a 3-9x40 scope already mounted and boresighted, which removes the two steps that keep most new rifles from reaching the range the same week they are bought. This one is chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor and wears a 20" threaded barrel. Short barrels and 6.5 Creedmoor get along better than most pairings, because the round was built around an efficient powder burn rather than raw case capacity, so a shorter tube costs less than it would on a magnum.

Under the stock, the Axis uses a button rifled barrel and a thread-in barrel nut for headspacing, the same manufacturing approach Savage applies several rungs up its own ladder. The reshaped bolt handle is easier to run in a hurry. Feeding is from a 4rd detachable box magazine that seats with a click. The muzzle is threaded, so a can or a brake goes on directly. The black synthetic stock is plain and durable, with sling swivel studs and molded texture at the grip and forend. As a package it covers deer at sensible ranges and gives a newer shooter room to grow into longer shots without buying a second rifle.