Used Model 12 VLP 223 Remington - Is this a good price?

I stopped by a LGS after work today and discovered a used Savage 12 VLP DBM with the factory laminated stock in 223 Remington. It's very clean, inside and out, and looks new. It also has rings and an inexpensive hunting scope. Tagged price is $549. I think it's a 1:7 twist based on the current Savage product specs but there were no markings on the barrel and I don't know the production history on these guns. I don't need another 223 but, I always wanted one of these and it's beautiful. I thought about offering them $475.

1. What's a good price for one of these in good shape?
2. I have never bought a used firearm. What kinds of things should I look for or be wary of in a used rifle?

I won't be back that way until Monday and have the weekend to mull it over. If it's still there, maybe it was meant to be....

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Originally Posted by Bill2905

I stopped by a LGS after work today and discovered a used Savage 12 VLP DBM with the factory laminated stock in 223 Remington. It's very clean, inside and out, and looks new. It also has rings and an inexpensive hunting scope. Tagged price is $549. I think it's a 1:7 twist based on the current Savage product specs but there were no markings on the barrel and I don't know the production history on these guns. I don't need another 223 but, I always wanted one of these and it's beautiful. I thought about offering them $475.

1. What's a good price for one of these in good shape?
2. I have never bought a used firearm. What kinds of things should I look for or be wary of in a used rifle?

I won't be back that way until Monday and have the weekend to mull it over. If it's still there, maybe it was meant to be....

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Looks like new are around 900.. if it's good shape and depending how much barrel is left, that could be a good price

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bill2905

I stopped by a LGS after work today and discovered a used Savage 12 VLP DBM with the factory laminated stock in 223 Remington. It's very clean, inside and out, and looks new. It also has rings and an inexpensive hunting scope. Tagged price is $549. I think it's a 1:7 twist based on the current Savage product specs but there were no markings on the barrel and I don't know the production history on these guns. I don't need another 223 but, I always wanted one of these and it's beautiful. I thought about offering them $475.

1. What's a good price for one of these in good shape?
2. I have never bought a used firearm. What kinds of things should I look for or be wary of in a used rifle?

I won't be back that way until Monday and have the weekend to mull it over. If it's still there, maybe it was meant to be....

---

If you can, borrow a bore scope, look for erosion, corrosion, cracking, how dull are the edges of the rifling, is the bore smooth or still see tooling Mark's (that can give idea how worn or not the barrel is) how the bolt feels, does bolt sag when open, headspace if you have gauges, find exact serial number and check for any factory recalls

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seems like a good price if you can get it for 475, assuming it is in good condition.

There may be a twist rate marked on the barrel where Savage marks the barrel with the cartridge nomenclature.

Bore scope certainly and as Mr. Hood said, twist should be on the barrel.

I love my 12BVSS so would love to have that rifle as well. Given the long life of .223 barrels I'd buy it. I would try to get it under $500 since a new 12FV can be had for just a bit less than that. The Savage web site shows the 12VLP in .223 to be a 7 twist.

But, if the shop agrees to bore scope and it has little use, then their asking price might be appropriate.

I went back to that shop today and looked at it again, this time with some reading glasses. Could find no markings about twist rate on the barrel. Based on the serial number, it was manufactured around 2007. From a quality and reliability standpoint, how do the guns produced by Savage during that time compare with more recent production of the past several years?

If it's not marked, it's a 1-9" twist. Rifles made from 2010 to the present are all made on the new machinery, and thus are more consistent and held closer to the factory tolerance.