Low Cost Target Savage FV 308 Varmint

R

RC20

New member
I have been working at this for some time. Budge limited, I like shooting the 30-06 calibers and had hoped to find a 30-06 in a Heavy Barrel but that goal (short of a high cost) is not going to happen.

308 heavy barrels are readily available though most are pretty costly.

I looked at the Savage FV today. Overall pretty impressive for a low cost rifle . Synthetic stock not impressive but I understand you don't get something for nothing and down the road that could be replaced.

Curious about opinions of those who have owned it, how accurate?

I am just a weekend target shooter, no plan on matches, not likely to see anything over 300 yds and that rarely.

I would like to get a gun that can shoot a sub 3/4 inch group with handloads.

Not looking for opinions to buy a different rifle, just the views on that one for the above criteria.
 
I think that's what I got for my Daughter. The bore was pretty rough out of the box but after using it to send a few hundred dead tracers downrange, it smoothed up into a reasonable shooter. No way to really tell until you shoot and clean it.
 
I have 2 FV, Mine are FVSS. 308 and 223. Both are tack drivers. I put a Long Range Thumb Hole stock on both. Really made no difference in shooting, but sure is nicer for shooting. I would very much recommend them, but then I am a Die Hard Savage guy.:D Won't buy anything else. Very accurate rifles.
 
Picked up all mine from Scheels. They can order them in. Fast and free shipping too. Got all 9 of my Savages from Scheels. I would never replace mine. All I do is order a new barrel for them. My 6MMBR is on it's 4th barrel already. One a year.
 
How are they for 5 shot groups?

ie. does the barrel hold up to accurate slow fire bench shooting?
 
I have a 12FV in .204 Ruger; it's very accurate and has been from day one although it smoothed out and became quicker to clean after a few hundred rounds. I can shoot half MOA 5 shot groups all day long, many even a little better. I did change the stock to a B&C Duramaxx and I like the feel of it better but honestly it shot just as well with the flimsy tupperware it came with.
 
My model 10 FCP-SR will put 5 rounds inside a dime at 100 yardd repeatedly if I do my part. Kind of hard to argue with that. Oh and only paid $650 and got a $100 rebate to boot.
 
5 shot groups are always tight. I play tic tac toe with 9MM cases at 100 yards with the 223. The 308 will hold 10 shot groups at 300 yards that can be covered with a quarter.
 
I can't speak about the particular model Savage the OP mentioned, except to say that virtually all of the Savage models are essentially the same rifle, with minor differences. The original Savage bolt-action was the 110, designed in 1957. Every bolt-action Savage produced since is a close derivative of the 110.

I have two Savages myself, an older (late 1970's or 1980's I think) model 110FP....and a model 10P-SR, which I purchased new a couple of months ago. They are both in .308. The 110 wears the original 26" heavy barrel and the 10 has a short (18") heavy barrel. Both 1 in 10" twist.

Both are wonderful shooters - easily 1/2 MOA with the right loads. I normally practice at 200 and 300 yards.....and both rifles will group into less than 1.5" (even at 300), with good handloads.

The new rifle has the "accustock" and "accutrigger". The accustock has an aluminum bedding "chassis" molded into the plastic stock.....and the barrel is free-floated. It is so good that I've decided not to change anything, even though I don't like plastic stocks. The older 110 has a not-so-great plastic stock, but nevertheless it shoots like wildfire with a pressure point added at the tip of the forearm (to keep the stock from touching the barrel except at that one spot). The 110 is waiting on a laminated stock I have ordered for it, into which I will glass-bed the action and free-float the barrel.

Further, I have a good friend who bought a used 110, in 30-06, from a pawn shop, a few years ago. That one has a standard sporter barrel and wears a factory wood stock. I KNOW that rifle is 1970's vintage. It, too, is an excellent shooter. I refinished the stock for him and checked the bedding of the action. All I did regarding the bedding was to add a shim behind the recoil lug. That rifle also will do better than 1 moa, easily. We haven't really worked too much on loads for it, but even so, it has produced 1/2" groups at the local indoor range.

As I said, I cannot specifically comment about the "FV" model - but it IS, just like all of the others, a close relative of the original 110. So, overall, I'd have to say, barring any specific problems related to the stock, etc.... it is likely to be a great rifle. If it matters, I'd pretty much recommend any Savage that strikes your fancy.
 
Thank you all for the comments, picked it up this AM, have to get my drivers license updated (two days expired) to pick it up.

If anything I have posted is wrong please feel free to correct, this is all new to me.

TopNpr

I did a lot of research last night on it, its a Sports Store special, Cabelles, Dicks and others.

Keeping in mind this is all new to me, its a paired down Savage Varmint.

Basic receiver and barrel so its up to the normal Savage standards, where they save the money is its got a blind magazine (fine for me and hunting, I never wanted a magazine to hunt with anyway) and a very basic stock.

Order in bulk and you get what looks to be the good Savage action and barrel for a real nice price (barrel being a heavy one) you want to target shooting and holding good 5 shot groups.

It does have the Acu Trigger which I tried and its very very nice.

As noted if the stock does not suit you can get another one. Will try the one they have and see. At $380 it looks to be just what I wanted.

Keep in mind no iron sights so you have scope, scope bases and mounts to get.

Long term if I wear the barrel out then its easily replaced.

The separate bolt head looks to be a good feature in that you don't have to do a bolt alignment head bore job to get that all lined up (new to me as well but my brother had it done on a gun he put together). Getting all the parts line up helps the accuracy. This allows the bolt head to float and do or come close to doing the same thing.
 
tobnpr-I don't think they have offered it in a few years now. It was the Model 12 FV and FVSS. I see they still offer the Model 12 BVSS. Another awesome set up.
Pretty much same thing, just a very nice wood stock.
 
Keep in mind that a blind magazine is actually an ADVANTAGE....in the sense that, with no big hole in the bottom of the stock, the whole structure is stiffer and more stable. Blind magazine rifles are often the best shooters of the lot, in terms of unmodified standard rifles.

So, just as well that you don't care about having a removable magazine. I PREFER blind magazine rifles, myself. My old 110FP (described in my previous post) has a blind magazine. I actually wish that my 10P-SR was the same. If I ever do replace the stock on that rifle, it will be for one with a blind magazine.
 
Blind mag in a wood stock is stronger,but almost all aftermarket composite stocks have an aluminum bedding block made into them,so they are actually just as good either with a blind magazine or a DBM.
 
Groves: Does the Savage Varmint have 6 groves? Just curious, I only find hints it is, not sure I can count them down in the recess.

Seems a bit odd its not part of the specs.

Action Beef UP:

Also the trigger guard has a lot to do with it deponent on if its stamped or milled.

For me I just don't have any use for a drop out magazine, some do but I single load and my hunting days are done and even then 4 shots is more than enough (one way or the other, you have it, it has you or you plain missed!)

I am not into tacticool and appearance is not an issue, if it shoots I am fine.
 
I bought one for my son for his birthday from Cabelas. Cheap, somewhat flimsy stock, blind magazine, a little cumbersome with the 26" barrel, but shoots great, easily under 3/4" for 5 shots at 100 yards with handloads using Sierra MKHP or Nosler Custom Competition bullets, either 168 gr or 175 gr. Not quite as nice as my Model 10T from Cabelas with the Accustock and the 24" 5R rifled barrel, but both are excellent bargain rifles for long range target shooting on a budget. I got my 10T for $439 after rebate, and the FV for $379. We paid a lot more for the scopes we put on them.
 
Its been an interesting couple of weeks with the Savage.

I had looked at them but nothing I had seen or heard of was anywhere near the low cost let alone it being on sale.

The first thing that was refuted was Savage having rough barrels.

I don't know if that is hunting guns, occasional bad ones (my nephew got a Sig with a real ugly chamber so it can happen). Do they work the heavy barrels more than the hunting guns? Internet myth?

Regardless, the barrel is smooth. I cleaned it before I shot it and other than the proof round crud (or rounds) it was smooth and a polished sheen looking down it both ways.

Shooting wise its very nice, far nicer than the prices. The AccuTrigger is just great. I may lighten up the tension a bit but as advertised its a clean neat let off with no creep or grit of any kind. Very well done.

Shooting I am getting the desired sub moa groups, not all the time and I am working on loads. Mostly using Hornady 168 match.

The vaunted Varget is not one of the better ones. I tried hopping it up to close to maximum the second times and still nothing all that good. TAC does not shoot all that great either

IMR 4895 did very good as did Accurate 4064. I am getting used to the gun and the conditions are less than ideal. Wind and not a lot of good daylight. Both times I gave up when it just got too dark.

The stock as noted is not anything special but if I had to give something up the stock is it, good trigger and good barrel are a musty for target shooting and it has that in spades./ It does have a lot of range on the cheek weld so I am good for getting the scope right without having to fiddle the scope around.

I think once I refine the loads and adjust to the gun its good for sub 5/8 (or I am, I suspect its probably good for 1/2 in a machine rest.



Given the choice I would still go with 30-06. I think with using R17 in the mid range bullets you could equal a 300 WM safely. Lot of latitude in the case for filling in 06, the 308 tends to be maxed out and looks like the upper speeds are all pretty much compressed loads.
 
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