# Savage 12FV or Savage Axis?



## RG the OG (Oct 31, 2016)

Savage is having a 100 dollar mail in rebate offer, and I'm looking to buy a 22-250 for under 300 dollars. The axis is 229 after the rebate, and the 12FV is 269 after the rebate. Is the heavy barrel worth the little extra money? I want to use this gun for bench shooting and coyote hunting. Here is a link to them on Cabela's.
Axis- http://www.cabelas.com/catalog/prod....z_btnclk=YMAL-1960563&WT.z_pg_ref=prd1960563

12FV- http://www.cabelas.com/catalog/prod...&type=product&MDK=dynbanP_TR&MDC=cat105523380


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Yes, get the heavy barrel. Its more accurate and can take a few more shots before overheating.


-DallanC


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

Get the heavier barrel!

It will provide a little more stability for accurate shooting like Dallan mentioned and I think it is a little better rifle than the Axis as well.


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## Al Hansen (Sep 7, 2007)

Absolutely buy the 12 FV. It is a wonderful rifle out of the box. It is also the donor rifle we use to build wildcat calibers off of. Best deal on the planet at $269.00.


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## KineKilla (Jan 28, 2011)

Axis is fine but the stocks are flimsy...I’d pay a little more for something else.


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

Al Hansen said:


> Absolutely buy the 12 FV. It is a wonderful rifle out of the box. It is also the donor rifle we use to build wildcat calibers off of. Best deal on the planet at $269.00.


Good point! About half of the price of my last donor.


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

For the two uses you listed, a little extra weight should not be a detriment while providing much more accuracy. I would go 12FV. Best of luck.

Well, Dang...since they have a Creedmoor, I may just have finally found a use for all of my Cabela's credits from my Visa. Pretty solid deal there.


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

As I look at the rebate form I dont see the 12FV model listed, yet the link for the form is on the page for the 12FV???


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## RG the OG (Oct 31, 2016)

Thanks guys, definitely what I was thinking. I’m pretty sure it’s a Cabela’s exclusive, could explain not being on the mail in rebate?


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## Cooky (Apr 25, 2011)

The rebate is available through the Cabelas web site. I'm pretty sure the FV is a Cabelas exclusive. I'd buy it on the internet rather than hope to find one in stock after today (hint hint).


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## Al Hansen (Sep 7, 2007)

Cooky said:


> The rebate is available through the Cabelas web site. I'm pretty sure the FV is a Cabelas exclusive. I'd buy it on the internet rather than hope to find one in stock after today (hint hint).


It is a Cabelas only rifle. They went to them a couple of years ago. You can find used ones but they want as much or more for them. Buy it on line if the store doesn't have it. That may freeze the price. Ships free to the store.


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## AF CYN (Mar 19, 2009)

I must be looking at the same Cabela's add right now because I was intrigued by the same sale. I'm also interested in the Remington 783. I've been in the market for a .223, which is offered in both of these rifles....hmmmm.....


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## muddydogs (Oct 7, 2007)

Be aware that the AXIS does not have the Accutrigger and the factory trigger is not very good so the first thing you will end up doing is dropping another $100 on a Timney trigger. Other then that the Axis is a fine shooting rifle, the stock is a little soft and will probably be an issue with an attached bipod. I have the Axis in 25-06 and find it a fine hunting rifle with the factory stock but I don't use a bipod, I did install a Timney trigger as well which turned it into a fine shooting rifle off the bench bunching clover leaf hole at 100 yards.


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

AF CYN said:


> I must be looking at the same Cabela's add right now because I was intrigued by the same sale. I'm also interested in the Remington 783. I've been in the market for a .223, which is offered in both of these rifles....hmmmm.....


Having owned a few Remingtons and Savages, there is no comparison at any price for out of the box, the Rem doesnt stand a chance.


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## RG the OG (Oct 31, 2016)

Well I decided to buy it on Black Friday, and the price actually went down to 319! May be the best deal I’ve ever seen on a gun. The Lehi store was out of 22-250 so I went with the 223. Very excited to see how it shoots!


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

RG the OG said:


> Well I decided to buy it on Black Friday, and the price actually went down to 319! May be the best deal I've ever seen on a gun. The Lehi store was out of 22-250 so I went with the 223. Very excited to see how it shoots!


I noticed that, so I got one too, I thought it was a deal before the additional 50 off. I got the Creedmoor and going to try the CAbela's covenant glass, looks like a hit and miss quality, but they were also 25% off...on backorder, so Im sure it will be a month or more before arriving.


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## Al Hansen (Sep 7, 2007)

RG the OG said:


> Well I decided to buy it on Black Friday, and the price actually went down to 319! May be the best deal I've ever seen on a gun. The Lehi store was out of 22-250 so I went with the 223. Very excited to see how it shoots!


You'll love it. And if you get bored with the .223 just switch the barrel out to a .204 or 20 Practical or ???????? . I'm pretty sure I have a un-used .204 barrel laying around somewhere.


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## dumafotch1 (Nov 8, 2010)

You guys are a bad influence, 6.5 creed ordered. I will second everything good said about the accuracy of savage also.


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## LostLouisianian (Oct 11, 2010)

dumafotch1 said:


> You guys are a bad influence, 6.5 creed ordered. I will second everything good said about the accuracy of savage also.


I was sooooo tempted to get a creed but I have too many other things going on right now so I foolishly passed.


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## RG the OG (Oct 31, 2016)

Wow this gun is so fun to shoot! I have a home made gong that was out at 200 yards and I could hit it every time! Very accurate I’ll need to find somewhere I can shoot a little farther!


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## moabxjeeper (Dec 18, 2012)

RG the OG said:


> Wow this gun is so fun to shoot! I have a home made gong that was out at 200 yards and I could hit it every time! Very accurate I'll need to find somewhere I can shoot a little farther!


Not sure where you're located but my go-to place for long range practice is the PMAA range up Parley's Canyon. It's been a while since I've been there but they have metal silhouette targets all the way out to 800 yards or so.


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

I got my call on Wednesday that it has arrived; headed to pick it up Monday or Tuesday.


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

I picked it up last week, got the rings all lapped and assembled and today was the range. I was a bit concerned with 2 of the first 3 shots hitting the primer, but not firing. The next 12 went off just fine. I think I will clean out the channel for the pin, looks like it wasnt extending quite far enough.
Otherwise, I thought it shot pretty well for a first time out on a rifle of this price. Chrono showed pretty consistent speeds. Certainly not a rifle to pack all over teh mountain as she is a bit like Dolly, a bit top heavy, would be awkward on shoulder and a bit heavy. I cranked off all 15 shots in a matter of 30 minutes and it absorbed the heat quite well. I think it would be a nice unit for coyotes. 
I got the Cabelas Covenant in 6-24x50. My first FFP, which I really like, I was really impressed with this for the $230 price point. I probably liked the scope way more than the rifle. So, overall I was very impressed. Thinking of bedding the stock as that should help with the accuracy a fair amount. The target was at 100 yards and were shots like 9-15 or so with some scope adjustments for the last three. I certainly like it better than any of the two Remington 700's I have owned.


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## Al Hansen (Sep 7, 2007)

There is a couple of things you can do to lighten up the trigger to 1.5 lbs or a little less without messing with the springs. If you have any mollycoat put a little on a toothpick and put it on the sear that will take about .25 +/- off the trigger. Also play with the trigger adjustment spring at the base/ rear of the trigger. Or if ya want watch some video and put in the Rifle Basix trigger you can dial it down to Oz's. I just did one and it's set at 4.5 oz. You're going to break it in and love that rifle.:grin:


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

Al Hansen said:


> There is a couple of things you can do to lighten up the trigger to 1.5 lbs or a little less without messing with the springs. If you have any mollycoat put a little on a toothpick and put it on the sear that will take about .25 +/- off the trigger. Also play with the trigger adjustment spring at the base/ rear of the trigger. Or if ya want watch some video and put in the Rifle Basix trigger you can dial it down to Oz's. I just did one and it's set at 4.5 oz. You're going to break it in and love that rifle.:grin:


I put the meter on it today and it came in at 2lbs, which works pretty well for my purposes. I cleaned it up really well and shot three groups, not nearly as good of patterns as the first day out...not sure what is going on there as all three were poor. I think I am going to work on glass bedding it, assuming that can be done on a synthetic??


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