Yes, but I wouldn't know a well treated example from a bad one, so I'm wary.
If it was through a dealer I'd be more confident. Even a decent sized operation with a table at a local gun show I'd likely be happy to give it a go, but I found my local shows seem to all be about 20% over-price compared to the rest of the country. Actually overheard a guy at the last one telling his GF this was all "Covid Pricing"!
And I haven't found many examples of the 12 FV being given up by owners - which is another sign that it's a good choice.
Ross.
Genuine question because I do not know the answer and it would helpful to learn: What is the likelihood that a rifle found in a pawn shop will have been treated well? Are we talking 50/50? Better? Worse?
And are there any immediate give-aways that a newbie like me could spot to indicate a rifle has not been treated well?
This is Florida so guns are popular and lots of people use pawn shops all the time, so its probably worth me trawling a few of my local stores to see if there's anything interesting. Knowing their other stocks of computer games and music gear, I'm not all that hopeful to see much in the way of good prices around here though.
Ross.
^^^
Mostly irrelevant.
I think most likely it would fall outside your budget by a bit, but we refer to pawnshop pick-ups as "donor" rifles.
You would be purchasing first for the completed action. Retail, 4 bills plus for a new one. Second, perhaps the stock- if it serves your purpose. The barrel is considered a throwaway, since you don't know it's condition. If it happens to be a chambering and contour you could/would use, then it may be worth a quick borescope inspection by a local smith.
There are often NTO (new take-off) barrels for sale- from newly purchased rifles that are upgraded with better quality barrels out of the box, and they can be picked up inexpensively- although popular/high demand chamberings like the 6.5 Creed less so.
It's worth a look at your local pawn shops to see what might be there. If the stock fits your needs, and you can pick it up for a couple bills (none around here are ever that cheap)- you can rebarrel with a higher quality aftermarket prefit for similar cost as a new factory stick.
My take is that you're probably best off as a new shooter to stick with a new factory rifle at first- you can always upgrade it down the road should you choose to do so, esp if you stick with the 10 line as there's a lot more aftermarket support.
It’s the MDT TAC21...same brand as your LSS chassis. The buttstock, I thought up & machined myself.
What tobnpr said is correct. You’re only concerned with overall condition. Honestly, just take a look on G.broker. It’s easy to find them in good condition. A used model 10 and new 6.5CM barrel of your choice will run approximately what a NEW rifle runs. And you were planning on a new stock anyway, right? I always recommend this to people with any basic ability.
I'll take a look on GB now, thanks for pointing me in the right direction.
And yes, the stock will get replaced. I'm planning to use the basic stock initially, just practice with that at first to get used to the rifle, and use that time to start figuring out what I actually want from a replacement stock - then I can search for the right bits for me.
Oh, my earlier comment about the 12 FV being on sale for Black Friday might not be correct. The site I was looking at was advertising a brochure as 2020's, but a closer look confirms it was actually last years So I don't know what, if any, deals they might have this year. But I have still made contact with my local Bass Pro store manager and when we get a bit closer to the time, he seems willing to try to help me.
Ross.
Cabelas lists the Model 12FV in 6.5CM for $419.99. I still think that is an outstanding deal. Depending on your starting budget, this option may very well be your best bet. Only you can decide that. Overall, buying used & building will save you money overall...and you will have a premium match, super high quality barrel. But it will require a slight bit more in the beginning.
And don't forget you can get Cabela's gift cards for 14%+ off all over the internet. You will be well under $400 even with tax...
Are you saying that if I buy a whole bunch of these: https://www.giftcardwiki.com/gift-cards/Cabela%27s I can use them all on a single purchase to save 14.5% off the total? And I can combine them with special shop sales prices and any suitable Savage rebates that are running, all at the same time?
Hmmm, I'm so glad I joined this forum!
Ross.
Back in the golden days of Cabela's sales and Savage rebates I bought several 12FVs for $219... Hell ya you can use the gift cards.
Okay, so I'm taking the plunge on a 12FV at a local BassPro!
I've never used the discount gift cards before so I have a question: Do I need to go get a physical card from BassPro to put in my pocket, so that it can be 'charged up' when I buy those discounted egifts? Or can I just buy a bunch of the egifts and I'll be able to print something that can be used at the checkout? Or do these need to get physically shipped to me?
Ross.
I have a bizarre follow-up.
I'm getting a 6.5 Creedmoor 12 FV this weekend, but a friend just offered me a brand new Axis (not II) .270 he doesn't want, for just $50! I think I'd be crazy not to take it!
What I'm wondering is this: Eventually I plan to re-barrel the 12 FV with something like a 30" Shilen, and re-stock at the same time. But could I then go and fit the 12 FV barrel to the Axis and turn it into a 6.5 Creedmoor with a monster 26" heavy barrel?
And to swap all these over what will I need? Barrel wrench, go-no-go gauges, cleaner and lubricant. Maybe some bedding materials. Anything else?
Ross.
Yes, that will work, I’d add an action wrench since the axis barrel will be a bear to get off. The sand blasting grit left on the barrel threads acts as a loc-tite and can be hard to break loose. After the barrel is removed it cleans off and is not a problem I’ve done 4 axis builds and only had one that was a real PITA.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Yes, that Axis is a steel. Not an accutrigger so that will be a place you can do something too.
I would look for a basic trigger, like a Basix. Don't know where you would find an Accutrigger.
i have had a basix really bad and refund took months
went with a timney
I thought Basix was the only choice for an Axis.
PS I was wrong.
https://timneytriggers.com/axis-edge-trigger/
Since they were mentioned in this thread...looks like 12FV's in .308 are "on sale".
My wholesaler just emailed me that they're priced under $300- which means you should be able to find them street priced at around $350 or less.
Hmmm. I was about to buy my Creedmore tomorrow. Sounds like it might be worth waiting another week on this, especially as the next Savage rebate should come out next weekend. And Black Friday isn't all that far way either...
I can shoot the Axis 270 for a few weeks while I wait :)
Ross.
So I finally caught a glimpse of the next Savage Rebate, which is only for Axis and Trophy Hunter models during the Black Friday week, and as the 12 FV isn't included I decided not to wait any longer. I bought a 12 FV in 6.5 Creedmoor at Bass Pro in Orlando :) As I'm a Green Card holder and my concealed permit is still in process right now, I have to wait four business days to pick it up, so I can actually get it next Thursday. I did go ahead and bought a 6-24x50 scope, bipod, 20 MOA rail and some cleaning gear too. I'll grab a basic hard case when I go back to the store next week, and a rear bag rest.
I also need to find a shooting mat from somewhere, as BP didn't have any. On that score, my local 1 mile range (Volusia County Gun & Hunt Club) is having an ELR event on Halloween, so I'm going to go check that out and see what the pro's are using for mats :) Is anyone on here planning to go to that?
BP were out of 6.5 CM ammo, so I grabbed two cheap packs of Winchester 130gr 6.5CM at my local Walmart on the way home, just to get me started. I think I'm going to buy 40 of this, 40 of that and 40 of something else - just to give me some variety to try out, as I start to get used to the rifle.
I've been looking up the way folk do their break in's and while some say it isn't necessary, I intend to see what Savage recommends in the manual. I think I want to break mine in, even if they don't recommend it. I figure it can't do any harm, and just might improve my groupings a tiny bit (uh huh!) and maybe even extend the life of the barrel a bit too. Living in the hot, humid, salt-rich air of Florida's Space Coast, keeping the rifle extra clean should surely help prevent corrosion issues.
I know it's nothing you guys haven't seen a thousand times before, but I'll share some pics when I get it home next week!
Ross.
midway and champions choice for mats.
if you stick to a single maker you MAY end up with brass you can shoot.
mixed brass sucks
mixed lots from the same maker is not much better
buy 5 boxes from a better maker from their top line
or just buy 100 plus from a premium brass maker
i don't shoot 6.5 so no suggestions.
BP had no Creedmoor at all and Walmart only had these 40 rounds, so it was take-it or leave-it.
I'm realistic: My first shots will be lucky to all be heading towards the same compass point! :) I don't want to burn expensive rounds until I'm more confident and capable. It'll probably happen fairly quickly, but this really is my first real venture into firearms and I need to get that basic familiarity down first, before I try to do anything adventurous, like getting a decent grouping!
S&B do some inexpensive Creedmoors that people who give them a try actually seem to like, so those look like an option for general plinking but I'd really like to try some Hornady 140gr ELD's, and it looks like Nosler and Berger do good ones too. I don't know about any of the various Federal offerings, but I want to give them a go too. Right now all of the good brands are hard to find at anything like a reasonable price. The Walmart specials were less than $1 each - the others I mentioned all start at nearly twice that price and I just don't think I'm going to be good enough - yet - to actually see a difference. The more expensive ammo makes sense as soon as I feel ready to change up a gear, but these first shots will be mostly used for breaking in the barrel and then seeing where I am.
I'd also quite like a variety of different brass supplies to examine and experiment with, for when I get around to trying my hand at reloading.
I would quite like to cut up and measure a variety of once-fired brass cartridges to help me learn who makes thicker or thinner casings. And when I do eventually start reloading, I'll be able to measure how each of those different casings stretch, and how they also hold-up to repeated use too. I figure that building a library of my own measurements - and my general understanding - will ultimately put me ahead of simply relying on second- and third-hand sources of information. I'll gradually be able to confirm other people's findings, and that will help me choose which of those sources I can really depend upon in the future.
Well, that's my thinking *today*. All subject to change :)
Ross.
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