Targeting the young and novice shooters, the Savage Axis II XP Youth combines excellent accuracy, high performance, light weight, superb durability, and value for money all in one package. The rifle is an upgrade of the Savage Axis Youth, with enhancements like the patented AccuTrigger and a factory-mounted and boresighted Weaver Kaspa 3-9x40mm scope. The Savage Axis II XP Youth also comes in a Muddy Girl camo variant to cater to young female gun enthusiasts.

 Basic specifications 

• Length – 40”
• Barrel Length – 20”
• Weight – 6.2 lbs.
• Range of Twist – 1 in 9.25”
• Magazine Capacity – 4 rounds in detachable magazine

The Savage Axis II XP Youth is an entry-level centrefire bolt-action rifle that is an upgraded version of the Savage Axis Youth. This firearm caters to young and novice shooters who want an accurate and high-performance rifle for their first gun without having to shell out a lot of money.

Developed primarily to introduce young people to the pleasures and responsibilities of shooting, the Savage Axis II XP Youth boasts features that are the same as its predecessor’s. For one, it has a short overall length of just 40”. The weight is also a little lighter than other Savage rifles — at 6.2 lbs. — mainly because of its stock that is made of matte black synthetic material. The short carbon steel free-floating barrel, which is 20” in length, also contributes to the nimbleness of the rifle. All these characteristics make the Savage Axis II XP Youth ideal for the younger or smaller user.

The Savage Axis II XP Youth also has a recoil lug arrangement wherein the steel lug is fitted into the stock that locks up into the cut-out of the action face. Together with the dual pillar-bedded action and free-floating barrel, it provides superb accuracy at all times. A fluted recoil pad lessens the impact of felt recoil during used — definitely a plus for first-time shooters. The 4-shot detachable magazine feeds in line with the chamber, as opposed to the usual staggered left-right feeding of conventional Savage magazines. The rifle also comes with a large sliding tang safety that even younger users will find easy to operate.

What sets it apart from its earlier version, however, is the inclusion of a few notable enhancements. The first of which is Savage’s patented AccuTrigger that comes as a stock trigger option. This is a welcome feature that deviates from factory triggers that are usually heavy and hard to pull. The AccuTrigger is a unique system with a trigger pull that is adjustable from 1.5 to 6 lbs. It comes with what Savage calls the AccuRelease, a silver-coloured bar or lever that extends in front of the actual trigger blade. The AccuRelease serves as a sort of safety, as it blocks the sear from releasing the firing pin when it is not fully depressed. This feature lowers the risk of accidental discharge by trigger jerking and offers a consistent trigger pull.

Another improvement to the Savage Axis II XP Youth is the Weaver Kaspa 3-9×40 scope that is mounted and bore-sighted out of the box. This waterproof and shockproof scope is a nitrogen-purged one-piece tube construction that is 1” in diameter and has 40mm fully multi-coated objective lens. It may not the best scope in the market, as some shooters have commented that it either over-corrects or under-corrects at point-of-aim. Still, one cannot beat a rifle-and-scope package that comes at great value for money. Moreover, it has Weaver’s limited lifetime guarantee.

While targeted to the younger market, the Savage Axis Youth XP II can also be used by adults and experienced shooters. The light weight of the rifle, mainly due to its synthetic stock, may turn off the pros, but its durability and out-of-the-box accuracy make it a great hunting rifle that performs excellently on the field. And with features such as the AccuTrigger and Weaver scope in the package, this rifle proves to be of great value for its price.

The Savage Axis Youth XP II has a Muddy Girl camo version that is aimed at young girls. Both the Muddy Girl and black synthetic stock varieties are available in the 243 Win calibre.