Savage Axis XP 400 Legend 20″ Left Hand Package — Superb Straight-Wall Rifle

Description

Two things make the Savage Axis XP in 400 Legend unusual, and both of them are about who does not normally get served. It is chambered in a straight-wall cartridge, which is what a large number of Midwestern states require for deer, and it is built left handed, which is what roughly one shooter in ten needs and almost nobody manufactures. It comes with a 3-9×40 scope mounted and bore sighted.

Why 400 Legend Matters

Several states — Ohio, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan and others — restrict deer hunting to straight-wall cartridges, which historically meant choosing between a slug gun and something built on a pistol cartridge. 400 Legend was introduced to fix that: a straight-wall round with genuine rifle ballistics, meaningfully more energy downrange than 350 Legend and a flatter trajectory than the traditional options.

For a hunter in one of those states, the Savage Axis XP in 400 Legend is a proper bolt-action deer rifle rather than a compromise. The 20 inch barrel is threaded, so a brake or a thread protector both fit, and the short barrel suits a cartridge that burns its powder quickly.

Specifications

• Model: Savage Axis XP, left hand
• Caliber: 400 Legend
• Barrel: 20 in, threaded
• Action: bolt action, left hand
• Stock: black synthetic
• Finish: black
• Optic: 3-9×40 riflescope, mounted and bore sighted
• Configuration: XP package

A note on straight-wall regulations: they vary considerably between states and sometimes between counties, covering case length, minimum and maximum calibre and whether a cartridge must be a specific listed round. 400 Legend satisfies the common criteria, but check your own state regulations for the current season before buying, because the lists do change and we cannot advise on individual jurisdictions.

Why it is worth considering

• 400 Legend, a straight-wall cartridge legal where rifle cartridges are not
• True left-hand action, not a mirrored stock on a right-hand receiver
• Threaded 20 inch barrel
• 3-9×40 scope mounted and bore sighted at the factory
• Black synthetic stock, built to be used in weather
• One purchase rather than rifle, rings, mount and gunsmith

Who it suits

The Savage Axis XP in 400 Legend is aimed squarely at the left-handed deer hunter in a straight-wall state, which is a group the industry has historically ignored twice over. It is also a sensible first centrefire rifle for anyone in those states: the package price is close to what a rifle alone often costs, and the Axis action has a long record of shooting better than its price suggests.

Ammunition, Optics and Transfer

400 Legend ammunition is available from Winchester and a growing number of other makers, generally in the 190 to 215 grain range. It is a newer cartridge than 350 Legend, so it is worth checking local availability before committing — in straight-wall states the shelves usually carry it, but it is not yet as ubiquitous as 30-30. The threaded muzzle takes a brake if you want one, though recoil in a rifle of this weight is moderate to begin with.

The supplied scope is mounted and bore sighted, not zeroed. Plan a range session before opening day: bore sighting gets you on paper at 25 yards, and from there a proper zero at 100 takes a handful of rounds. Manufacturer information is published by Savage Arms. Browse our full Savage Arms range, the rifle catalog, or the wider firearms selection.

All firearm orders ship to a licensed FFL dealer for transfer, and MAG5 Firearms will coordinate the paperwork with the dealer of your choice.

One practical note on left-hand rifles generally: resale is unusually strong. Because so few are made, a used left-hand bolt gun tends to hold its value better than the equivalent right-hand rifle, simply because the next left-handed buyer has so little to choose from. That is worth knowing if you are buying a first centrefire and wondering whether you will outgrow it.