Agreed that the 'fluting' is cosmetic. My FVSR came with a picatinny rail, too, which saved a bit of cash. I 'think' that the finish on the FVSR is rougher than on the FV, but I never had them side by side to compare.

I found that the oversize bolt knob was much more likely to catch and drag itself open while shoulder carrying. Maybe not an issue for your purposes, but I didn't like that at all. I might have been able to tweak it so as to increase the friction holding the bolt in place, but I sold the rifle before getting around to it.

I think the FVSR is a lot of fun, and easily worth the additional cost over the FV (especially if you are using the threaded muzzle). It's only $20 difference where I live.