Savage Arms has donated five Axis 2 Pro 250th Edition rifles to the International Hunter Education Association–USA (IHEA-USA) in recognition of the 250th anniversary of American independence. Only 60 of the rifles were produced.
Chambered in .308 Win, the 250th Edition was built as a commemorative rifle marking 1776 to 2026. The five donated to IHEA-USA will be used to support hunter education nationwide, with proceeds directed to programs, instructors, agencies, and educational initiatives across the country.
The first of the rifles will be offered through a raffle opening October 1, with a requested donation of $25 per entry and two entries for the same donation for IHEA-USA members. Additional opportunities involving the remaining rifles will be announced in the months ahead. Entries and raffle rules are available at https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/ihea-usa-savage-250th-anniversary-axis-rifle-raffle--2026.
Industry support of this kind allows IHEA-USA to invest directly in the people who carry hunter education in every state, including the more than 32,000 instructors, many of them volunteers, who teach hunters to be safe, responsible, and ethical in the field.
"Savage Arms is proud to be a long-term supporter of IHEA. As we celebrate 250 years of American heritage, it is about more than looking back, it's about recognizing the people and organizations that continue to shape our future. We're proud to commemorate this milestone by donating these one-of-a-kind 250th Anniversary custom rifles to organizations like IHEA that share our commitment to conservation, community and the outdoor traditions we all value. It's an honor to use this historic occasion to give something meaningful back to the people who help keep those traditions alive," said Beth Shimanski, VP of Marketing, Savage Arms.
"A rifle like this doesn't get donated by accident," said Alex Baer, Executive Director of IHEA-USA. "Savage had 60 of them and chose to put five toward hunter education. That's a statement about where they think this work matters, and it turns into real support for the instructors and agencies doing it."
Through this donation, Savage Arms continues its support of the people and programs working to ensure hunting traditions continue safely and responsibly for future generations.
About IHEA-USA: The International Hunter Education Association–USA is the professional organization for hunter education instructors and agencies in the United States. IHEA-USA works to ensure the continuation of the hunting tradition through safe, ethical, and responsible hunting practices.
About Savage Arms: Founded in 1894 by Arthur Savage and headquartered in Westfield, Massachusetts, Savage Arms builds rifles, shotguns, and handguns for hunters, competitive shooters, and sport shooters. The company has a long record of accuracy-driven engineering, including the Model 110 bolt-action rifle introduced in 1957 and the AccuTrigger system introduced in 2002. Savage continues to develop firearms in collaboration with hunters and shooters, with an emphasis on real-world performance over features for their own sake.