Rem 783 vs Savage Axis - my experience

[weedcatcher]

This is not intended to be a comprehensive review. I just thought I’d share my experience with the above names rifles in case anyone was interested.
I bought a 783 compact in .243 for my daughter. It came with the scope package. Initially I was able to sight the package in with only 4 shots and was very impressed. A WT doe was harvested by my daughter without issue. The rifle/ scope combo weighed about 8 lbs, which was heavier than I’d like, but it shot factory ammo easily MOA or better.
The next season I had another daughter of age to go hunting so I bought a Axis XP package in 6.5CM. It also sighted in quickly with a Bushnell Banner scope. Groups were more like 1-1.5 MOA. Adequate for its purpose.

Upon rechecking the 783 before a new season, it seemed like it wouldn’t hold zero. Scope was switched out to a Redfield Revolution I had on hand. Another trip out to check resulted in a broken scope ring. I’ve never seen a scope ring break. I’m not really sure how it happened. It’s not like a 243 has a lot of recoil or anything. Rings were switched out. And I ended up putting the bushnell banner on the 783 and a Burris FFII on the savage mentioned above.

The 783 in this configuration harvested a Mule Doe in some -20C weather at 280 yards.
The 783 is still almost 8 lbs but now shoots at 0.6 MOA regularly when I do my part. That’s even with the compact stock that doesn’t fit me. It seems like a great rifle, but definitely don’t pay for the scope package. The scope and rings suck. But the rifle is great. A bit heavy is my only complaint.

The Axis I bought has a modular stock, so I can shorten it for my daughter but have it longer when i shoot it. I’ve only tried a couple of factory loads through it so far. With the Bushnell Banner or the Burris FFII the groups seem to be the same. Best groups have been 0.9 MOA and worst have been at 1.4Moa. The rifle is lighter at 7.4 lbs with scope. This doesn’t seem like a big difference, but I feel the difference on my shoulder when hunting, and my small framed daughters definitely feel the difference.

I have several other lightweight rifles. My lightest rifles weigh in at 6.9 lbs with scope. I can get them to shoot consistently under MOA, so its not that I don’t know how to shoot lighter weight rifles. However, I have handloads for those rifles, and I haven’t had time to find this rifle’s pet load yet. It was just that the 783 shoots so well with a few different factory loads that the Axis is looking worse.

I also recently picked up a used Axis I Stainless in .308. I put the Revolution on that rifle. It weighs the same as the 6.5CM spoken of above. The trigger has like a 7lb pull, so I clipped the spring. The accutrigger of the Axis XP is sooo much better, even with the clipped spring. The trigger now is more like 3.5 lbs. a bit of creep. With cheap herters ammo I shot a few 0.75” groups at 100yds. So far I really like this 308. I will likely take it out when conditions are miserable.

The 783 is such a pleasure to shoot I’d kind of like to get an inexpensive full sized factory takeoff stock for it some day. That’d make it even better than shooting with the short stock.

So this is the experience I’ve had with a couple of the economy rifles that are on the market. Maybe this can help someone if they’re trying to make a decision.

[Redneck 7]

Great write up and read, I’ll share my experience with my wife’s 783 in 22-250. First time shooting paper at 100 yards she shot a 1” group. I was very happy and proud, but it didn’t come without a little work. I noticed the rings were garbage so I replaced them with a pair of Leupold prw rings I had extra. When I bought her this rifle for Christmas a few years ago, I put on a Nikon scope 3-9x40 prostaff, so that was an upgrade.

But after shooting a bunch of reloads through it I noticed the stock touched the barrel. I was surprised to find the 783 had aluminum pillars in the stock, so I just used my dremel to remove some stock material down the one side. It shoots great now. One thing I don’t like it’s the trigger pull, but most of my 700’s have trigger techs or tuned triggers, it seems to be on the heavy side, I’m guessing around 4lbs. I keep my 700 triggers around 1.5-2 lbs.

I kinda want to buy one in .270 for a loaner rifle, only because it’s a caliber I don’t have, good loaner to lend out, and I got like 400 .270 brass from the brother in law. I mostly have 700’s and lots of spare rings and bases but I wouldn’t have a problem steering newer hunters towards the 783.

[hawk-i]

I agree on the 783's being great little rifles.

A few years ago one of the local shops had a 783 7rem mag on for 350.00 then the next year Clay had the Boyds thumbhole stock on sale for 175.00

Bedding the rifle into that stock shooting 140 TTSX's with H4831sc gives 1/2 MOA groups on a regular bases

[WildBillG]

I have a friend with the 783 compact in 243. The rings were garbage and changed as was the scope After trying 3 different powders to shoot 95 grn bullets we had a load. I really dislike the sling mounting system Remington used. They should have stayed with studs.
One thing I learned with package guns is you take every thing scope related off and clean it all. The factories seem to have a thing that rings and bases should be oiled up when installed. It is a little bit of fiddling but you usually saved money that is why you bought it.

[weedcatcher]

That is true about the sling mounting. I’m afraid the moulded plastic tabs will break in cold weather.

[DanBanks]

Unfortunately I don't have any experience with the 783 to make a comparison, but I do have a well-used Savage Axis Stainless in 270 Win so I fingered I might as well contribute my experience with it for the benefit of anyone who comes across this thread in the future.

I would consider my Savage Axis "the best crappy purchase I've ever made". And I mean this as a compliment; almost everything about it is cheap, but the rifle still delivers excellent results. I've sanded down the stock to free float the barrel, but the stock is still made out of rubber and warrants a bit of extra care during load development to make sure the fore-end doesn't touch barrel. I also gave it a DIY trigger job by replacing the spring to lighten the trigger pull. Oh, and I also added a kydex comb riser to get a better cheek weld. I even kept the crappy rings and 3-9 scope that came with the package to preserve the "shintegrity" of the setup.

After experimenting with several different loads, my go-to is the 130gr SGK over H4831SC. The 130gr Pro-Hunter has also produced several remarkably small groups. My best load uses 140gr AccuBonds and I load those for hunting, but they're too expensive for target shooting. It also shoots Federal blue box 130gr (PowerShok) pretty well. I feel like the accuracy that most guys report is likely different from the accuracy that they can repeatedly achieve, so take my results with a grain of salt, but in the name of science I'll claim that my Axis frequently produces 3-shot groups under 0.75 MOA with my preferred loads. I can't claim it does this "all day every day" but it's accuracy is reliable enough that when it punches holes further than ~1" apart (at 100 yards), I get flustered. I've shot about 1500 rounds through the tube by now and the rifle currently serves as my loaner since I'm trying to get more of my friends into hunting and shooting; it's still good enough for the girls I go with. I'm glad I got the stainless model since I'm not afraid to treat it like a tool while we're out in the woods.

My Axis was my first centre fire rifle and it was a good purchase since it got me into shooting and reloading. Now it pales in comparison to the quality and accuracy of my "target rifle" (a Tikka CTR in 6.5CM), but it did set my standards high enough that when I upgraded my hunting rifle to a Tikka T3x Lite Stainless in 308 Win, the accuracy of the Tikka has been underwhelming compared to my Axis... I can't necessarily recommend the Axis over the 783 but I do think the Axis is a pretty dang decent rifle and I don't think anyone would go wrong with buying one.