Ruger American vs. TC Compass vs. Savage Axis

[bpatterson84]

I don't have experience with the Thompson model, but I do with the Axis and American. I can say with complete conviction that the Axis I had was hot garbage. It was a .223, and tried 7 loads, couldnt group with it(best was 1.8"/100m, it was a fluke, most were in the 4-5" range) trigger was atrocious, stock was among the worst Ive ever felt and working the bolt made me hate it more, as it was a .223 in a receiver that could take a 30/06, another cost cutting measure. The American, for a cheap budget rifle, really surprised me. It was in 308, and shot 1-1.5"? Trigger was nice, receiver was proper short action(They have a micro action too for 556/7.62x39) which for me says you're making a rifle and putting care into design vs stamping together more things that don't make sense like Salvage. The action of the bolt and 60* throw feel nice, and is easily actuated quickly, stock feels nicer and more rigid and the magazine design is MUCH improved.

[Elroy]

I don't have experience with the Thompson model, but I do with the Axis and American. I can say with complete conviction that the Axis I had was hot garbage. It was a .223, and tried 7 loads, couldnt group with it(best was 1.8"/100m, it was a fluke, most were in the 4-5" range) trigger was atrocious, stock was among the worst Ive ever felt and working the bolt made me hate it more, as it was a .223 in a receiver that could take a 30/06, another cost cutting measure. The American, for a cheap budget rifle, really surprised me. It was in 308, and shot 1-1.5"? Trigger was nice, receiver was proper short action(They have a micro action too for 556/7.62x39) which for me says you're making a rifle and putting care into design vs stamping together more things that don't make sense like Salvage. The action of the bolt and 60* throw feel nice, and is easily actuated quickly, stock feels nicer and more rigid and the magazine design is MUCH improved.

A lot of budget rifles these days use the same receiver with all their offerings.I have two Axis, one in 223,and 7mm08..My 223 happens to be very accurate,and not at all picky .I do realize it is a 1-9 twist,and the heaviest bullet I have ever tried is a stubby for weight Speer 70gr flatbase semi Spitzer. My 7mm08 is a 20" ,and I have never found it to be impressive on accuracy it is accurate enough for the role it fills for me.I could probably squeeze out a little better load for it,but it is one of those rifles that shoot the first couple shots from a dead cold barrel in one spot,and then the shots start going low,and left a little.I have still killed several deer with it though.I did have a tab to break off on the bottom of my mag were the plastic bottom attaches to the metal.I fixed it with a piece of wire.I think all the manufacturers went too cheap on their budget rifles.I don't see how they save $50 bucks producing the Axis over the 110,or the 783 over the 700ADL.In the case of Savage they were already using the same barrel nut system.How much could they actually save by going cheap on recoil lugs,or by saving a little steel for the tang,and giving the customer a more conventional cheap ,but ridged synthetic stock.The Stevens 200 is a good example of what a budget rifles should be.The manufacturers got into a price war,and we all encouraged them by buying them up as fast as they could make them.

[richhodg66]

Went in a local shop yesterday after I RSOd at the range. New Howa there for less than $100 more than the retail cost of a Ruger American. Seemed to be a more solid proposition, quite frankly. Certainly was more aesthetically pleasing than any of the mentioned ones.

I think I'm still bound to get a Ruger American more because I'm curious than anything else. There are good rifles out there used and new. Same shop had a Remington 788 in .308, I was very tempted to walk out of there with it, but I really don't need another one at the moment.

[Shawlerbrook]

The Ruger American ( especially the Predator) is a little more expensive than the TC Compass and the Winchester XPR. To me the Ruger seems like a little better rifle. My wife has an XPR and yes, they are not an heirloom, but they function and shoot great. That said, from all reports, all these “budget” rifles seem to outshoot their price point. I think it’s just a matter of personal preference.

[bpatterson84]

Well, they're clearly designed from a manufacturing perspective. Examples for Ruger would be the bolt design, and the V bedding system. Savage decided on economies of scale on using the same receiver for everything, which assaults the sensibilities.

Depending on the model, the American and Howa are really close in preference for me. Example of what Americans I like more would be the Ranch rifles, otherwise, I like those Howas.

[charlie b]

And I like that my .223 Axis has a long action. That way when I rebarrel it I can choose a longer cartridge.

The 1:9 twist does not limit me much. I use the Sierra 77gn match kings and it is accurate well past 600yd.

Is it a cheap rifle? Yep. I like the trigger on it. Breaks crisp at just over 2lb. I also like the safety blades. Probably cause I adapted to those in my pistols as well.

Do the other brands do as well? Yep. Go to a shop and try them all. Choose the one you want.

[dverna]

A shooter for sure and it can’t shoot any better than the bargain rifles my friends and family have been buying and the entry level Savage I picked up for under $200 shoots just as good and this favorite rifle I’m speaking of I have counting optics and mount and sling and Hill County Rifles “custom” package over a $1000 invested, it’s pretty, it’s accurate, it’s wood stocked and weights 8 pounds and I have a soft spot for it, but I’ve had my eye on a T/C compass in .308 and I I wouldn’t feel bad leaving it at the cabin or dropping it in the water or rolling down a mountain with it, and I’d not be giving anything meaningful up in terms of field accuracy on game.

I have over $1200 in my M70...$650 into my Compass. BTW, the scope on the Compass is nearly twice the cost of the rifle. I hunt with the Compass and it is more accurate than the M70. Both in .308.

I have thought about putting a nice stock on the Compass....but there is a perverse pleasure in outshooting all of my buddies with my cheap gun.

[murf205]

That would be a good one. I haven't loaded for and shot a .22-250 in quite a while. Good cartridge and legal for deer here the past few years.

The obvious thing would be .30-06, but I already have three .30-06 bolt action sporters.

Will probably catch flak for this in this group, but I was kinda leaning towards a 6.5 Creedmoor one to see what the hype is all about. I figure if I'm gonna buy a new rifle (which I have almost never done) might as well go all out. I'm set up to cast for it, all I'd need is some dies and brass. I really need to pare down the number of calibers I reload for, though, not add another one to the list.

Count me in for a 22-250 Ruger American. My shooting buddy has one and they have a 1-10" twist. His shoots Barnes TSX and 60 gr Nosler partitions into bughole groups (5 shot) @ 100 yds. It makes a great little deer rifle for a youngster or an old geezer with an prosthetic shoulder joint. We shot some 70 gr Speers into about 1" as well. His feeds a round from the magazine so smooth You have to peek to see if it really loaded a round.

[sonoransixgun]

Can't speak for the other rifles, but I have a Ruger American and yes, it's ugly and all, but a real tack driver.....I'm happy I got it....It's 30.06 by the way...Did quite a bit of research ahead of time, and this seemed like the best choice. Not disappointed.....

[richhodg66]

Well, have a Ruger American Predator on its way, guess I'll get a chance to figure out what the hype is about, I doubt it will really move me and I'll keep hunting and shooting my vintage guns, but I am curious about them.

[Texas by God]

I’ve had a Ruger American and Stevens 200 .243, and a Remington 710 .270. All were accurate; the 710 was cheaper feeling but it worked. The Stevens is still here in a Boyd’s Sky laminate stock. I shot an Axis .223 and it worked ok as did a couple of Rem.770 .243s belonging to friends. I think I like the Ruger the best of the economy rifles that I’ve actually used.

[rintinglen]

I have two left hand Ruger Americans and my sons each have a Compass if the Compass came left hand that's what I'd have.The bolts on the American don't just open bump them a little and they pop open the whole way.Hunting out of a blind or stand it doesn't matter but going thru the brush its a PITA.When I reload for them I size the case so the bolt works a hard it helps but doesn't cure it.As far as fit and finish and accuracy no difference.Both of my Rugers are early guns both had magazine issues Ruger sent new magazines work fine.You don't hear anything about problem magazine with them now.They seem to have fixed that.




CW

[/QUOTE]

Exactly my experience. I hunt with mine, a .308, which will put three shots in an inch and an eighth, using Nosler E-tips, but the bolt opens too easily. Other than that, I have no complaints and it was cheap. I have no TC experience to compare it with, but my Ruger is more accurate than my brother’s
.243 Savage.

[oneofthose]

Son shoots a Savage Axis youth in 223. The trigger was crunchy, replaced with a Timney. Now it's an absolute tack driver with a variety of bullets. It particularly likes 69 sierras or 68 Hornady, easily holding the 10 ring at 500 yards.

Looking at a Ruger American in 223 for myself, probably the predator.

[jonp]

I have no experience with the Ruger but have both T/C and Axis's in various calibers. All shoot MOA with handloads. I like steel and wood but you can't argue with accuracy and I wouldn't hesitate to take any of them on a hunt or for the price worry about breaking them through hard use.

[Lloyd Smale]

no tc experience but do have americans and axis's. To me the major factor in my choice here is triggers. The American is fair to good the axis is poor to terrible. Sure you can stick a timney in one but theres another 120 bucks your adding on to the price. Now that accu trigger savage make is a decent as the rugers. Buy the 3 axis's I bought for grandkids have the terrible ones. I had to cut springs and stone parts to get them down to 5lbs which is still on the high side a for a 12 year old kid. One thing I will say though is both of them will many times embarrass my 1000 dollar rifles when it comes to group sizes. I come from a time when if you bought a over the counter gun from any manufacture and its shot moa you were at the range bragging. Today 300 bucks will buy you that and its a rare gun that wont.

[richhodg66]

Thus far, the biggest gripe I'm hearing about the Ruger is that the safety doesn't lock the bolt, which is a valid concern on a hunting rifle. FWIW, my son's Remington Model 7 doesn't either, found that out the hard way once when he was small. If I hunt with this Ruger, I'll have to figure something out.

[Lloyd Smale]

I guess for me id rather if there not going to use a 3 *** safety that the safety not block the bolt so it can be enguaged so that some kid unloading his gun isn't doing it with the safety off.

[cwlongshot]

I agree. Thankfully, many guns that have a locking bolt use a three position safety, so loading and unloading can be done with or with out the safety. But even without that only time its a issue is if its a blind magazine.
The option of not chambering a round greatly reduces the bolt ability to open.

CW

[dverna]

When I got the Compass, I was pleasantly surprised it had a three position safety. I ordered it online without ever seeing one. At $200 each, I figured I could not go wrong...and I was correct. It is one of the most accurate rifles I have ever owned and I have owned a number. I cannot get the trigger below 5 lbs but that is fine on a hunting rifle. I looked at cutting or changing springs but decided to leave it as is.

IMHO, guys (especially preppers) buying Mil-surp bolt actions are nuts when guns like this are available.

[jonp]

IMHO, guys (especially preppers) buying Mil-surp bolt actions are nuts when guns like this are available

Got that right. The value of rifles today are amazing.