Looking for .308 medium or heavy barrel: want advice

Hello, I'm in the market for a .308 bolt action rifle with either a heavy barrel or medium. I know the Model 11 Hog Hunter is a medium barrel, but I'm having a hard time confirming what the other Savage models have in medium or heavy barrels. It's not very apparent on the website specs.

Does anybody have a Hog Hunter? If so how do you like it?

I'm also considering the Rem 700 Varmint, Mossberg MVP varmint, Weatherby Vanguard H-Bar.

If anybody has any thoughts on those rifles, please let me know.

This rifle will be used mostly at the gun range at about 200 yds, and occasional deer hunting. Also open to other suggestions. Price range $670 max.

Thanks!

I hear you on the Savage site, it simply sucks for the kind of barrel information we want.

I am not familiar with what models have a heavier barrel but not a Varmint. I can tell you the upper two.

Varmint barrel in Savageness is around .860 at 26 inches. Its just a bit lighter than a Bull barrel, so the Varmint is more what everyone else would call a true Heavy barrel.

Bull is very little taper and the Heaviest you can get in Savage (probably other contours by barrel makers but those are the two common ones barrel makers list that match Savage talk)

Your other spec is how long do you want the barrel? Hog hunter is 20 inches so a fair bit shorter.

A Cabella only Savage 10T has a shorter barrel (24 inch) that might suit (Varmint contour so its heavy). Not sure what the diameter of that one is if they cut it back and large than .860 or they taper it the same.

Longer and heaver because of more length but the same classification (Varmint Barrel ) is the Cabala 12FV at 16 (changed to 26 inch) and also Varmint contour.

Doing a bit of sleuthing, it almost seems like the Hog Hunter is a short Varmint barrel.

that could be wrong, but it does look pretty heavy.

The Hog Hunter has a bit of notoriety. Accurate, threaded barrel and inexpensive. The barrel is a light varmint with a fast taper down to a muzzle that is just a bit bigger than a sporter, but large enough to support a brake or a suppressor. It is fast handling with the cheap stock being its only downfall(like so many other savages). You might entertain a Howa(Weatherby Vangaurd maker) Varmint or Tikka Tactical or heavy barrel in your price range if Savage is not your only choice.

The Cabela's 12FV is 26" not 16" barrel as mentioned in a post above. It is a Varmint contour. It was a great deal when on sale with the rebate. I like my .223 quite a bit for the price.

If you have a cabelas around you, check out the model 10T. Bull barrel, 5R rifling. Under 600 bucks. Comes in 6.5 CM or 308. I have both. Nice rifles for the money.

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Originally Posted by indianasavage

The Cabela's 12FV is 26" not 16" barrel as mentioned in a post above. It is a Varmint contour. It was a great deal when on sale with the rebate. I like my .223 quite a bit for the price.

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Saw my typo error and changed length on my post

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Originally Posted by bearcatrp

If you have a cabelas around you, check out the model 10T. Bull barrel, 5R rifling. Under 600 bucks. Comes in 6.5 CM or 308. I have both. Nice rifles for the money.

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What is the muzzle diameter of the 10T?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bearcatrp

If you have a cabelas around you, check out the model 10T. Bull barrel, 5R rifling. Under 600 bucks. Comes in 6.5 CM or 308. I have both. Nice rifles for the money.

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Is the 10T forsure 5R rifled? What about the 10 FCP-SR, the Hog Hunter and the Stealth? Does anyone know how the barrel profiles compare on those 4 rifles compare and which if any are 5R rifled? Thanks

The 10T is 5R rifling. Its a bull barrel. Haven't had a chance to go measure the muzzle yet.

Well, I looked at the Remington 700 varmint. The heavy barrel was great and the action was one of the smoothest I have ever felt. I thought the trigger was a bit light, and the drop plate looked flimsy. I've also heard the weak point on the 700 is the extractor and I just don't want to get into that.
So I'm going to stick with savage. I'm aiming for the Hog Hunter, but it looks like there are non available right now to ship. :( I really like the Cabalea's 10T, and it would be the perfect fit, but we don't have a store here and the nearest is in Augusta GA, too far from me.

I'm assuming the Model 11 Trophy Hunter is a sporter barrel. About how many shots can you get off before it starts to heat up?

There are fixes for the 700 extractor.

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Originally Posted by atomicsmurf

Well, I looked at the Remington 700 varmint. The heavy barrel was great and the action was one of the smoothest I have ever felt. I thought the trigger was a bit light, and the drop plate looked flimsy. I've also heard the weak point on the 700 is the extractor and I just don't want to get into that.
So I'm going to stick with savage. I'm aiming for the Hog Hunter, but it looks like there are non available right now to ship. :( I really like the Cabalea's 10T, and it would be the perfect fit, but we don't have a store here and the nearest is in Augusta GA, too far from me.

I'm assuming the Model 11 Trophy Hunter is a sporter barrel. About how many shots can you get off before it starts to heat up?

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My brother got a 700 at Cabalas (think its another one of their ONLY model), forget what model, it was in 30-06, only Heavy Barrel 06 I know of.

Trigger was poor, he changed right after he got it. The acu trigger was much better.

It also had a very deep throat. Maybe for the ELD bullets, but for regular bullets you had to seat way out. He is mulling a barrel change or a thread cut back and chamber to shallower.

The action was not as good as the Savage (at least the 12FV and 111 BTH (used). Both had the jeweled bolts and good, solid.

The stock was pretty decent.

The 111 BTH came with a pencil barrel, one shot which is ok for hunting, others close enough that not to matter but it had to cool down completely before it repeated a close to the first shot. They may have gotten better, the 111 is a 2008 or so era rifle.

It would be a great Alaska gun with the shorter length and brash handling, but not a target of any type. FWIW

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Originally Posted by bearcatrp

The 10T is 5R rifling. Its a bull barrel. Haven't had a chance to go measure the muzzle yet.

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If you could measure the muzzle. I am starting a table that lists these things. It will take a while

My impression when I handled the 10T was it was a Varmint profile, maybe just shorter not tapered the same.

Otters are frustrated as well in not being able to find out what contour is on any given gun. Doesn't help that Savage calls a Heavy Barrel a Varmint barrel, then others have light varmint and heavy varmint.

Well it might take a while but Bugholes has Bartlein and Kraiger barrels. You could look at the barrel contours on their respective websites and select the contour you want and have bugholes order it and chamber it as a savage prefit. Then you get exactly what you want.

https://www.gunsamerica.com/95077944...1356224422.htm

Found this link, though I'm not exactly sure if it's accurate. It says heavy barrel for the 10FCP-SR. Can anybody confirm?

EDIT: Also just got this reply back from a Savage rep:
"The law enforcement models have the bull barrel. The 10 predator has a bull barrel with a predator tapper and the 11 scout has a bull or heavy barrel also."

Well, I just traded in my .243 for the Savage Hog Hunter. I will let you guys know how I like it when it comes in this week! I'm excited!