Upgrading target rifle

[u/NoGrapefruit1213]

I’m looking for some recommendations I currently have a savage axis in .308win it’s in a mdt field stock. Had an older tasco 4-16 scope. It works it great but I want something different/better/tacticool. I’m considering 3 options.
I plan on upgrading to an Arken epl4 6-25x50 scope regardless of what I do

Option 1 buy a new axis 2 with the fluted and treaded barrel so I can add a brake and what not then swap my feild stock out and list the old axis to recoupe some

Option 2 utas straight pull .308

Option 3 (leaning this way, just most expensive by far) savage 110 precision also in .308

I do mostly bench shooting and have targets currently out to 500 yards. I think the 110 is my best option. The axis2 would by far be the cheapest upgrade and the utas just looks cool and they claim to be accurate plus I like straight pulls. Is there something else I should be looking at? I’d like to stay under/around that 2k and only consider .308 as I have a good stock of ammo and I grew up shooting with that. I like it okay.

[u/alexorange178]

T3X ace target is also a good option. Probably more accurate than all your options that you’ve listed. Also maybe upgrade your caliber to 6.5cm.

[u/NoGrapefruit1213 → u/alexorange178]

I see the benefits of 6.5 but I’m just a 308 fan boy and I’ve got ample stock pile of ammo

[u/alexorange178 → u/NoGrapefruit1213]

Yeah 308 is fine if you only plan on shooting to 500yds.

[u/NoGrapefruit1213 → u/alexorange178]

Consistently yes 500 probably the max from the house to rock pile where I have the gong set up is 500 yards beyond that is over hills my current set up I’m holding over half way down the cross hairs and can hit a 17” plate somewhere on the plate most 8/10 I do t know if I’m crazy but I’d like to be able to get a bit more accurate at that distance and I’m hoping something like the 110 precision and better glass will help

[u/Standard_Custard2338 → u/NoGrapefruit1213]

At that range benched, with some practice you should be able to hit it 10 out of 10. The Axis might have something to do with it. I had an Axis II that I liked until the springs crapped out in the bolt and I had to replace them. It was definitely no tack driver either. The only rifle I've ever had to fix and that's really saying something because some of my rifles have decades and many thousands of rounds through them. I got rid of it because of that issue.

I'm a Tikka lover but if you want great performance at a price lower than Tikka I highly recommend looking at a Howa. They are great and more accurate than an Axis. I have two and have no complaints.

[u/NoGrapefruit1213 → u/Standard_Custard2338]

Honestly if I had a clearer scope and something I didn’t have to do hold overs with I think I could do 10/10 all my other rifles have much better scopes and I have no issues with them and at 100 or 200 yards the axis is fine it’s just at 500yards 16x and having to guess where to hold everytime through a slightly blurry slightly yellow scope is definitely making things challenging. Maybe that’s a good thing maybe it’s not lol

[u/Standard_Custard2338 → u/NoGrapefruit1213]

Optics are definitely a major part of the equation. I used to shoot silhouette out to 500 meters using hold over with an old Bushnell 3-9. Times are definitely better these days in terms of options for optics.

These days I look for quality in a rifle more than I did in my younger days. That's why I love Tikka. Bang for buck they are hard to beat. Cadex is great but I still have limits on what I will spend. I suggested Howa because it has a lot of quality for the money. If you prowl around the long range forum you'll see them mentioned frequently as a budget friendly long range build. I'm not trying to diss Savage too badly but you can do better.