12 FV or 11 VT .308

Hey everyone, new to the forum here. Iv been reading review after review on the 12 fv and 11 vt but I was looking for opinions on how they stack up against eachother for a budget long range shooter.

Id like to get into some medium range shooting (local range only goes out to 300yards) lol and hopefully I can eventually cut out a range at my parents farm to go further. Im not a hunter so really all it will be used for is punching holes in paper and ringing steel. Most of my shooting is done off a bipod from a table or prone from the bed of my truck, so Im sure on both Ill have to swap out the stock to get rid of the forend flex.

Reason Im leaning towards .308 is 6.5creedmore seems to be kind of hard to get at a half decent price up here in Canada and I dont have the time, knowledge or set up for reloading. Seems like theres enough decent factory ammo for .308

The fact that the 12fv has a blind mag dosent bother me all that much, I can see myself single loading most of the time and becasue Im not using it for hunting its not like I need to have follow up shot. Also in Canada we are restricted to 5 round mags. The only time I see the blind mag being a pain is in a misfeed situation possibly having to remove the action.

On the other hand the 11 vt runs axis mags if Im not mistaken and Im assuming they're not the greatest. So if I were to swap the stock on either Id get a bottom metal to run acis pattern mags.

Right now the 12 fv is going for $549 and the 11 vt is $499 with a scope that Id take off and reuse on a rimfire probably. My local cabelas doesnt have the 11 vt in stock so I cant go in and compare the 2 side by side. Is the 12 fv worth the extra money?

Thanks in advance.

If you are buying ammo have you thought about a .223 instead? Very accurate at medium ranges and much cheaper to shoot. If I were limited to less than 600yd that would be my main rifle, maybe my only rifle. I can shoot to 1000 so I have a .308 for the longer ranges.

My 12BVSS (.308) has a blind mag but I never use it, just single load by dropping the round in the action. The Axis in .223 does not feed well just by dropping a round in so I load up the box mag. And, no, the Axis mags are not the greatest, but, it works.

Between the two models I'd be hard pressed to make a choice. Maybe the one with the heavier barrel?

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Originally Posted by charlie b

If you are buying ammo have you thought about a .223 instead? Very accurate at medium ranges and much cheaper to shoot. If I were limited to less than 600yd that would be my main rifle, maybe my only rifle. I can shoot to 1000 so I have a .308 for the longer ranges.

My 12BVSS (.308) has a blind mag but I never use it, just single load by dropping the round in the action. The Axis in .223 does not feed well just by dropping a round in so I load up the box mag. And, no, the Axis mags are not the greatest, but, it works.

Between the two models I'd be hard pressed to make a choice. Maybe the one with the heavier barrel?

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Thanks for the reply charlie b.

The 12fv from cabelas Canada is only offered in .308 and 6.5creedmore and the 11 vt is only offered in .308. That was part of the reason for thinking of going with .308 ihad been thinking about other rifles offered in .223. For the range thats available to me it wouldnt be a problem and the further out I go the more challenging and fun it would be however I dont want to be kicking myself later wishing I had a little more if ever i can get out further.

I think cabelas only offering in a savage chambered in .223 with a varmint barrel is a model 10T-SR and at $849 I can buy a few rounds of .308 with price difference of the 12fv. that being said Id imagine the 10t-sr is a better quality rifle.

I cant compare the barrel thickness between the 2 as the local cabelas only has the 12fv in stock.

Sorry, didn't know the limitations on those rifles.

I got my heavy barrel Axis at Walmart :) Sometimes it shoots better than the 12BVSS :)

It seems we dont get much up here compared to you guys. Iv never seen a HB axis in a gun shop around here. Our dollar is also shit so a $219 12 fv is $549 where I am. SUCKS!

If you just want to punch paper and hit steel then the .223 is a LOT softer to shoot all day long. I have taken my 12FV .223 up to 600 yards where it has worked extremely well. .308 can be fun, and it really makes the steel sing, but I just find it's not fun to shoot more than 20 rounds at a time. In reality my current fav is a .243...Still makes the steel move and does not beat you up.

Using that logic the 6.5 would be the ticket, but ammo is still very limited and $$$. But these are Savages, if you grow out of a caliber, just throw on another barrel.

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Originally Posted by RN923

It seems we dont get much up here compared to you guys. Iv never seen a HB axis in a gun shop around here. Our dollar is also shit so a $219 12 fv is $549 where I am. SUCKS!

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Yep, the heavy barrel Axis was a one off made for Walmart of all places. Doesn't show up in the Savage catalog anywhere. I have no idea how many different calibers it was made in. I know it came in .22-250 and I think 6.5CM