The 4 Best Savage Axis Upgrades — Accessories & Mods Review 2023

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Photo by Jun Wang / CC BY

The Savage Axis series of rifles are great firearms for the money. The rifle is chambered in a variety of powerful rounds so any accessories need to be able to withstand the recoil. The accessories also need to actually add something to the rifle, and need to improve on the rifle’s few shortcomings. Lastly, the accessories shouldn’t weigh the rifle down, and every ounce should be there for a reason.

The Savage Axis has a few faults, and luckily accessories can fill these gaps. Below are our recommendations for the 4 best Savage Axis upgrades and our reasons for their selection.

Blackhawk Sportster Bipod

Blackhawk, or BLACKHAWK!, if you go by their trademark has produced hundreds of different pieces of gear for rifles, tactical gear, boots, backpacks, and of course bipods. Blackhawk bipods present user with a quality option for your Savage Axis, without paying a small fortune. The product combines the best features of hunting and tactical bipods to deliver what they define as a Sportster bipod.

The Sportster has a number of attractive features that work well when combined with the Savage Axis, including an affordable price tag. The overall benefits of a bipod are a more stable shooting position anywhere you can carry your weapon. The bipod can adjust the length of each leg independently, meaning it can easily be used across uneven ground. The bipod legs adjust from 6 inches to 9 inches in total.

A major consideration for your Savage rifle is the fact the bipod doesn’t require a Picatinny mount. The Blackhawk bipod attaches to the swing swivel and locks down tight once it’s attached. The bipod is made entirely from high quality, aircraft grade aluminum, and attaches with ease. The bipod folds up and out of the way when it’s not needed. The bipod is also nice and light, keeping the weapon balanced for offhand shooting. The Blackhawk Sportster bipod is one of the best Savage Axis upgrades you can buy.

Nikon P-308 and P-Tactical

One of the main strengths of a bolt action platform like the Savage Axis series is their inherent accuracy and precision. The platform also doesn’t come with a set of iron sights, so an optic is necessary. The Nikon P308 or P-Tactical fit the platform perfectly when used with the two most popular calibers of the Savage Axis–the .308 and .223 (hence, the names P308 and P-Tactical .223 model; yes, we’re very discerning, we know). The Nikon brand is one well known in the optic’s world, not only with hunters and shooters, but with camera enthusiasts, nature enthusiasts, and anyone who’s watched a movie.

The Nikon P-308 (see full specs) is a 4 to 16 power optic that capitalizes on the long range potential of the .308 Winchester cartridges. The P-Tactical is a more traditional 3-9 power optic that suits the .223 round. The 42mm and 40mm objective lenses respectively on both scopes provide users with a light gathering objective lens that remains small enough to be mounted at a low or medium height on a Savage rifle. Lower-mounted scopes are more precise, and tend to be less stressed, making them last longer. The Nikon P308 and P-Tactical feature resettable target turrets that are fingertip-adjustable and fully multicoated lenses.

What gives the Nikon P308 and P-Tactical an added boost is their BDC: the bullet drop compensator. These are equipped with a series of drop marks dialed specifically to match the drop of the .308 and .223 round over hundreds of yards.. The Nikon P series is perfectly paired with your rifle series and remains some of the best Savage Axis upgrades you can buy.

Nikon P223 3-9x40mm The Budget AR Optic

DNZ Savage Scope mount

We’ve covered the fact that the Savage Axis doesn’t come with a set of sights out of the box, so a scope is required. The Savage Axis does come drilled and tapped for a scope mount, but a scope mount isn’t included, and neither are scope rings. Unfortunately, purchasing the Axis, a scope, a mount, and then rings is rather expensive. Well, simplify your life with the DNZ Savage scope mount.

Machined with precision from high quality, top grade billet aluminum this mount takes care of two birds with one stone. Made specifically for the Savage Axis, the DNZ products scout mount comes fitted with a set of rings, and is mounted at a medium height to accommodate most scopes. Unless you are going massive on your objective lens, this mount is high enough for you. Coincidentally this mount will work hand in hand with the Nikon M and P series.

The DNZ Savage scope mount is custom made to fit the Savage Axis rifles, and mounts crisp and clean without issue. This mount keeps the scope hanging tight to the rifle, and keeps your scope in place round after round. The mount is also superbly light, but still well made and durable. The one piece nature makes this possible. The best advantage is the fact there is no moving parts between the scope and the rifle, so fail points are reduced to nearly zero. Without a doubt, attaching this scope mount is one of the best Savage Axis mods you can make.

Voodoo Tactical Buttstock Cheek Rest

Due the nature of bolt action rifles like the Savage Axis, it’s not expected to fire hundreds of rounds in one session. With this in mind it’s not necessary to carry a heavy bandolier of a hundred rounds, but you still want to have some extra ammo on you.

The Voodoo Tactical butt stock offers users the ability to carry 7 rounds of ammunition in a series of elastic bands. These bands are specially fitted for the .308 Winchester round, but will stretch to fit any modern centerfire round. The rounds will stay secure, and nice and tight. This is important for field use, especially when it comes to moving over rough terrain.

The Voodoo Tactical butt stock is more than that though. The butt stock offers a soft and comfortable cheek rest that mounts the shooter’s eye directly behind the scope. The cheek rest is removable if you prefer a stock cheek weld. However, the scope does offer a lot of comfort when facing down the recoil of the some of the more powerful calibers the Axis is chambered in.

The Voodoo Tactical has a set of straps that lock the butt stock down in place to keep it from slipping and sliding. The straps are adjustable, so it fits well with the Savage Axis, and a variety of different rifles, so you can move it around to different rifles. This butt stock certainly adds to the rifle’s effectiveness and is one of the best Savage Axis upgrades for the money.

Voodoo tactical cheek rest

Savage

Out of the box, the Savage Axis is an excellent platform, but it is certainly missing a few factors that make it an overall perfect rifle. Luckily, the aftermarket support is massive, and you can tune the Savage Axis to your will, and really accessorize it any way you see fit. Avoid the cheap stuff though; buy quality and outfit your rifle to succeed.

  • Owner of Reloaderaddict.com, Boyd Smith is a major handgun enthusiast, and although he owns Glocks, he prefers the revolving wheel type. His go-to guns are a Smith & Wesson 642 Performance Center for carry and a Ruger GP100 in the nightstand biometric safe (he has kids). He loads both revolvers with old-school 148-grain Federal Gold Medal .38 wadcutters. It’s OK if you think he’s a wimp. Email him.

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