SmallCaliberCentral

yep , i bought a Savage model 12 FV . 204
i must admit ......its ugly
i didn't want to invest alot in a new rifle and wanted a project rifle . i guess this one fits the bill. ( for some reason i've had this irresistable urge to own a 204 , the Lord knows i don't NEED another toy , i'll blame this on UFO's and or the misallignment of some star or something like that )
putting two kids thru college puts a crimp on everything . so next year a new stock ( Glenn Asher turned me on to the idea of a B & C duramaxx ) i kinda liked the looks of the ''stockys'' laminate thumbhole stocks , don't know anything about them though .
so next i'll need to find some dies and brass and go on from there . more concerned about getting a few rounds through it , and i realize that we are just starting our winter and time on the range will be considerably brisk .

so here's to having some fun and play time

I have a Savage on the way. Don't really understand what's so ugly about them. "Pretty" is about the last thing on my list when purchasing any firearm, and the accuracy reputation precedes the Savage. So much I could say about the decline of Winchester and Remington, but I think anyone here has seen it the same as I. In a world where where too many things are sold on their "bling" potential, in the world of firearms, performance must be #1.

Is it the action design that makes the Savage ugly to some? The barrel nut? What's the big deal?

I relate the comparison of Savage and other rifles to the 2 Geo Metro hatchbacks I put maybe 80,000 miles on in my 20's. I think I spent $200 on one, and $300 on the other. All I ever replaced in them were tires and brakes, and I drove them HARD. They weren't too good looking, but they went 80 mph if needed, and as long as there was a radio and heat, I was happy. Sometimes I wished I could drive something "cool"', but I always came back to the fact that it was paid for, and I was getting 35+mpg trying to squeeze every ounce of power out of it. I hit a deer with one going 60 with the brakes locked up. Pushed the hood up and back so I only had 5" to see out the windshield. I knew the radiator was messed up, but I had 35 miles left to get to work. I never stopped, and it somehow made it the rest of the way, even after losing all it's water within 10 miles. That car ran when I sold it for $100.

I don't know that any rifle could give me the bang for the buck those Geo cars did, but dead is dead. I bet Savage rifles do their job just fine.

BabaOriley wrote:I have a Savage on the way. Don't really understand what's so ugly about them. "Pretty" is about the last thing on my list when purchasing any firearm, and the accuracy reputation precedes the Savage. So much I could say about the decline of Winchester and Remington, but I think anyone here has seen it the same as I. In a world where where too many things are sold on their "bling" potential, in the world of firearms, performance must be #1.

Is it the action design that makes the Savage ugly to some? The barrel nut? What's the big deal?

I relate the comparison of Savage and other rifles to the 2 Geo Metro hatchbacks I put maybe 80,000 miles on in my 20's. I think I spent $200 on one, and $300 on the other. All I ever replaced in them were tires and brakes, and I drove them HARD. They weren't too good looking, but they went 80 mph if needed, and as long as there was a radio and heat, I was happy. Sometimes I wished I could drive something "cool"', but I always came back to the fact that it was paid for, and I was getting 35+mpg trying to squeeze every ounce of power out of it. I hit a deer with one going 60 with the brakes locked up. Pushed the hood up and back so I only had 5" to see out the windshield. I knew the radiator was messed up, but I had 35 miles left to get to work. I never stopped, and it somehow made it the rest of the way, even after losing all it's water within 10 miles. That car ran when I sold it for $100.

I don't know that any rifle could give me the bang for the buck those Geo cars did, but dead is dead. I bet Savage rifles do their job just fine.

wwhhooaa there , YOU are taking this as a personal attack upon youself .
first off i like BLING , second off i like sleek guns , slow cars and fast women . the post was written with a little humor intended and if you find offense YOU don't need to respond , THANK YOU
and yes its the first gun i have ever owned with a bolt handle as big as a toilet plunger .

Doobie:

I really don't think he was taking it as a personal attack or was personally attacking you...I think you kinda misunderstood him. I kinda feel the same as he does...what is so ugly about them? I am a "Savage NUT" and really don't think there is anything ugly about them, IMHO! I find it odd that most people think they are ugly!

Either way, congrats on your purchase! I am SURE you will be COMPLETELY SATISFIED with that purchase! As for the bolt handle...it can be changed! I do like your comparison though!

As for a stock...go with a Stockade P-Dog Tactical...that should "bling" it up a bit for ya! Kevin at Stockade also makes bolt handles to replace the "plunger"!

That's the same model I have been looking at over at our local sporting goods store Good starter Savage and at the right price too.

I have an FV myself but mine is in .223 . I haven't shot it yet though.

My .204 is a Savage VLP.

doobie wrote:wwhhooaa there , YOU are taking this as a personal attack upon youself .
first off i like BLING , second off i like sleek guns , slow cars and fast women . the post was written with a little humor intended and if you find offense YOU don't need to respond , THANK YOU
and yes its the first gun i have ever owned with a bolt handle as big as a toilet plunger .

Nooooo, I didn't take it as an attack in any way. And I did get the humor. Like I said, I have one on the way. I don't even have it yet. I can only go by what I've heard and read on the "ugly Savage"' debate. Most seem to think they're butt ugly, and I've never understood why they're so terrible. People talk about many rimfire guns made of cheap metal, and not finished so well, like they're really beautiful. Not so with Savage bolt actions.

Sorry I came across as offended. I know I may have gone on a little rant.

Maybe we can start a SAVAGE ONLY picture thread titled "The Horror..."?

Sorry guys but, I do think the Savage is butt ugly! The barrel nut, shroudless bolt and bolt handle all contribute. But I also know that it is a well made gun and one of the most accurate factory guns going. I even owned a 110 in .338 win. mag. once. It kicked like a gov't mule. All the time I owned it I had magnum eyebrow. Finally sold it to my brother and he loves it, shoots it like I shoot my .270. Guess it was all in the stock, I don't know. Anyway, I would own another Savage in a varmint cartridge/cal. just because of the accuracy issue. Oh and another thing, I do not like that new trigger. It's ugly and reminds me of a two stage trigger, I just can't get used to it. I like 'em clean and crisp from the get go. Just my thoughts and opinions, not saying I'm right and anybody else is wrong.

absolutely nothing wrong with the Savage, my last 3 new purchases have been 2 Model 12 VLP's and a Model 12 F/TR. The price has always been right to invest in a good scope and a after market trigger... They are easy enouhgt for me do do my own Smithing thanks to the Barrel nut......... Now if i could find a lefty thumbhole i like (get off my can and order one)

the next pawn shop find will turn into a nice light 204

"I like big bolts and I cannot lie" or something like that


I actually prefer the large bolt handles compared to the smaller ones. When you're P-Doggin', you do a lot of bolt lifting, and the bigger bolt handles give you more leverage (it SEEMS easier, if nothing else )

Savages are good rifles, but some of them ARE challenged in the appearance areas, especially those with the old birch stocks (like the one that came on my .25/06 ) I swapped it out for a Tupperware stock I already had laying around (that oughta tell you how ugly it was! ) That was an improvement.

I don't know anything at all about Stocky's stocks. I have heard that he had an arrangement with Boyd's that fell through, and he was less than candid about that situation with a feller that had ordered a Boyd's through him, but I can't relate anything else about it. That's literally ALL I know about that. He made good on a refund, eventually.


I don't know if doobie got the newest FV or not, but the last one I saw, had a stock that was similarly shaped to the VLP, in hard plastic, complete with a beavertail forearm. Or, at least it was a tad wider than the typical Tupperware, maybe it's one of the Accustocks, though it didn't have an Accustock sticker on it. It also seemed to be an improvement over the older stock, but time will tell on that.

Doobie, clean that rascal really well, get some glass on it, and let us know how it shoots. I'll bet you'll like it.

hey baba , no harm , no foul . may be i over re-acted to your comments .
and as far as a savage being ugly ...... sorry i have to stick to it.
i broke it down last night to give it a good cleaning , no its not an accustock and there isn't any kind of pillars or other bedding , the fore end is very flexable and can be pushed around side to side and squeezed up and pulled down very easly . it does seem to have a small beaver swell to the fore end . it was extremely hard to get clean , i then put some kroil in the barrel . i was wondering if there is any kind of barrel treatment that is available ( there are so many things available since i was into shooting so if there is a product please let me know ) , it seems but i don't know yet ( indication of how hard to get fouling and dirt out from the factory ) is this barrel will foul easily until its broke in . i pllayed with the accu trigger and kept checking it with my trigger scale , its breaking just a tad under two pounds . i feel it will smooth out even more .
so until we have a beautiful day on the edge of beatiful lake erie , i won't know any more of its performance .
i put a leupold one piece mount and a leupold 6.5-20 40mm scope on it .
a good night to all , dan

I prefer the B & C tactical medalist stock. Still light enough to carry easily as well.

You in PA. doobie?

Also, if your looking to replace that stock, take a long look at the stockade stocks.

http://www.stockadegunstocks.com/stocks.html

Also, the one acloco pointed out is a good one too. I have one on my Remmy and I like it!.

One other question; the stock that is on there now...does it have a real soft recoil pad?