Sorry to run across this thread a little late, but my brother in law has had a couple of these rifles, and both had to go back to Savage. These were guns bought early in 2016. One was in .243, and the other a .270 if I recall. The .243 could not shoot a decent group no matter what was tried, ammo, scope etc. So it was sent back to Savage, it turns out, about halfway down the barrel, there was a gap of no rifling, about an inch or two in length, and then it was rifled again. It was like the reamer skipped and missed that section and then kept going.
With the .270 I believe he never got that one corrected, I am not sure if he still owns it or what he did, but I know it would not shoot very well or consistently with a variety of loads.
He now either hunts with a Browning .243 or his Mossberg Patriot in .300 Win Mag. He won't buy another Savage Axis. Never owned one myself, but I have had a Ruger American and they seem like a very good gun for the money.