You should be able to swap a scope in, if the tube diameter of the included scope is the same as the new scope you want to drop in (industry standard is 30mm, but there are other scopes in 34mm, 35mm, 1" etc...Bigger tube means more elevation/windage adjustment and is supposedly more robust).
I did some quick digging, looks like you can swap in the mount base and rings too (Savage 110 mount base? May have to search to confirm).
Here's a review of the Axis in .243....
New Savage Axis 243 Winchester Bolt-Action Rifle
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Walt pointed me to an article that suggested an accurized .22LR for shooting fundamentals at 50Y. But, that's more money and accessories.