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If you could only have one rifle would it be the MVP?

Bathrobeman

.270 WIN
I recently started window shopping for .308's and I stumbled upon the MVP. The carbine size is what caught and that it had iron sights is what caught my eye, the 10 round box mag was secondary. I'm kind of liking the idea of the "compact" size of the MVP. It seems like it would be easier to tote around and climb in and out of trucks and deer stands with.
I read some of the reviews in the sticky and it seems it's an ok to fair rifle. Is this the general consensus? I'm not looking for a 1000yd competition rifle, just a "do it all" gun that's reasonably priced. My "do it all" would be something that would be good out to 300yds for stuff like pigs, deer, coyotes, but the majority of the shots would probably be closer to 100-150 or less.
I can't spend an arm and a leg, but I want and need reliable. Is the MVP for me, or is it just a pretty turd?
 
The MVP .308 has a better bolt stripping design to feed the next round vs. the 5.56mm MVP bolt.

That MVP is NOT a 1,000-yd rifle as I am already sure you are aware.

Personally, I would go with a Savage with at least about an 18" barrel. A .308 can have a helluva blast from even the 16" barrel.
 
I think both are decent guns. I can't really argue against either.

nitesites observation about the 308 having a heckuva bark is also true though. My Fal has a 20 inch barrel, and you can still feel the thump in your chest when you pull the trigger.
 
I have one, an MVP Patrol in 7.62. One reason I chose it over the Savage, which is a great rifle, is that the Mossberg takes 20rd AR magazines. The ten rounders a fine, but for an all rounder rifle being able to take the larger mags is an advantage. I found some cheap steel ones, but prefer Magpul.

The barrel is a bit short and a couple of extra inches would be preferable, but I like the 'carbine' balance and can live with the trade off in range and noise. A short medium range scope, a Athlon 1-6x rounds it off nicely.

As a 'one rifle' it comes as close as any. Nothings going to be perfect.
 
I read some of the reviews in the sticky and it seems it's an ok to fair rifle. Is this the general consensus? I'm not looking for a 1000yd competition rifle, just a "do it all" gun that's reasonably priced.

The MVP Patrol certainly qualifies as a do it all truck gun, and accuracy has been good by most of the stuff I've seen, (and not on some marketing blurb). The iron sights are durable, but the bead size and short sighting plane will limit how well it shoots as is. A scope is worth the money if you want to zap a coyote trying to leave the county much past 75yds-100yds.

My first Mossberg rifle was/is one of the Thunder Ranch models, as I wanted a bit more barrel length than the 16" model. After a really good cleaning, it shot well out of the box with my generic handloads. The junk ammo for cheap, shoots like poo, (and shoots no better in my $1K Hawkeye Predator). Like any rifle or handgun, if you want to be happy with the accuracy, get decent ammo to make the call. Accuracy did improve for the first several trips to the range. Not by a huge amount, but measurable.

Reading through several evaluations of the Mossberg bolt action line, the accuracy is better than most shooters can perform. My MVP is under an inch for 5@100yds with several combinations of powder and bullet, more often than not. I haven't spent the money on premium ammo, as I can handload to equal the best box ammo available, so I can't address that one. My Patriot 7-08 averages an inch +/- for 5 shots, ranging from 0.75"-1.5" from a bench, when I'm doing my part.

There's always somebody with a story, Ruger, Remington, S&W, etc. Most Mossberg owners seem to be happy. I.e., your odds are good.
 
I want to answer this objectively, but I’m not sure I can because I haven’t owned both.

I too wanted “one rifle” and seriously compared and contrasted both savage and Mossberg.

I chose savage. Even without the ability to use standard AR magazines, it seemed the better choice. Top load only in my case kinda sucks. Irons are ok but not awesome. Turns out I don’t use them anyway. Available in a 20” threaded barrel, accuracy with their absolute cheapest stock and factory ammo is excellent for my needs. For me, cold bore shot is for all intents and purposes, center of bull. Three shot group is three rounds touching. Four shots still looks like three. Five shots, for some reason I almost always pull the last shot and while it’s still sub MOA, it opens my group to almost the size of the bull. It’s like a big hole unable to distinguish how many rounds and then a flier.

Having owned the savage, I haven’t ever felt like “I kinda wish I had gone with the Mossberg” or even “I wonder if I could be doing better with the Mossberg?”

I love Mossberg shotguns. To a point. I don’t feel like if I want one rifle, that I’d want that one rifle to be a Mossberg rifle.
 
So which .308 offers the longest barrel . . . and is a long barrel really the key to that thousand yard accuracy?
 
The trigger is ...ok. I can hit MOA with my 5.56 NATO MVP.

I had a good stock of AR mags so I went that route for that reason.

Savage has a better trigger all around for the money.
 
I don’t know what the MVP trigger is like. The savage trigger (accutrigger) has no take up. No creep. I haven’t adjusted it. It isn’t heavy but heavy enough that I have to be deliberate (if that makes sense somehow because of course one needs to be deliberate). Press the center blade to the trigger face, apply pressure, and it breaks. That’s it.

I did shoot a new Ruger American Ranch yesterday in 7.62x39. It has a trigger that resembles the accutrigger. But it isn’t the same. It isn’t bad. It’s not gritty or spongey. But it has some take up and travel before it breaks. I don’t care for that as much. To me, it’s the difference between the trigger on my Kimber 1911 and say something like a decent striker fired double action pistol. But not a Glock. Something decent.
 
Yeah, I didn't think about barrel length and recoil which isn't a deal breaker unless it's so excessive that it takes forever to line back up for a second shot if needed.
Has anyone had any magazine or feeding problems?
@Rossignol Does the mag fit nice and snug in the savage?
 
I want to answer this objectively, but I’m not sure I can because I haven’t owned both.

I too wanted “one rifle” and seriously compared and contrasted both savage and Mossberg.

I chose savage. Even without the ability to use standard AR magazines, it seemed the better choice. Top load only in my case kinda sucks. Irons are ok but not awesome. Turns out I don’t use them anyway. Available in a 20” threaded barrel, accuracy with their absolute cheapest stock and factory ammo is excellent for my needs. For me, cold bore shot is for all intents and purposes, center of bull. Three shot group is three rounds touching. Four shots still looks like three. Five shots, for some reason I almost always pull the last shot and while it’s still sub MOA, it opens my group to almost the size of the bull. It’s like a big hole unable to distinguish how many rounds and then a flier.

Having owned the savage, I haven’t ever felt like “I kinda wish I had gone with the Mossberg” or even “I wonder if I could be doing better with the Mossberg?”

I love Mossberg shotguns. To a point. I don’t feel like if I want one rifle, that I’d want that one rifle to be a Mossberg rifle.
Is this the one you have?
 
I have the hog hunter. It’s a top load only, or blind magazine. Deal breaker for some for sure. Not an issue for me though.

I’m familiar with some of the savages with magazines like the scout, and also the MVPs. None that I’ve seen have been firmly held in place once seated. All have had a little wiggle.
 
I have the hog hunter. It’s a top load only, or blind magazine. Deal breaker for some for sure. Not an issue for me though.

I’m familiar with some of the savages with magazines like the scout, and also the MVPs. None that I’ve seen have been firmly held in place once seated. All have had a little wiggle.
Got ya. Yeah I figured all if not most of the scout style rifles would have some wiggle.
I'm still thinking and browsing. Part of me wants a semi auto .308 but I don't really have the $ for a "good one." There's nothing worse than paying semi auto prices and getting a weapon that has constant feeding problems, which I would assume that the lower end semi's will.
 
I don’t know how much you want to spend but there are AR10s in the 7 to $800 range and probably less with some looking.
 
Not just because it's this forum, but I think the MVP series offer amazing value for money. I have two, (different calibre's), and have no complaints. Sure on the 5.56 the mags are wobbly, a bit. This doesn't cause me any problems, and I use Magpul and USGI 20 rds (slightly modded).

Oddly, speaking as someone who worked in firearm manufacture one time, I am sure that could have been avoided. The mags slide straight in, not tilted like AKs. I am sure an extended shroud, short, would have done the trick. Also, cheap and easy to make.
 
I can't say I agree with the MVP impression on this forum overall. I don't have the .308 Patrol, so my reference comes from the 5.56 patrol.. Mag wobble out of the box is really bad.. For those that are not using it "just for bench shooting" this is a deal breaker. During our testing we had the bolt actually ride over the round on more then 1 occasion. On the flip side.. this can be remedied on the 5.56 patrol with a Tromix Magwell. Now notably the problem does not become pronounced until you use a 30 round magazine.. but it was still there with 20s regardless of Aluminum GI mags or polymer magazines. But the bigger problem is Accuracy.. we used 5.56 as our base since that is what we run on our other patrol carbines.. 3+ moa from a bench @ 100 yards is completely unacceptable. We have used and abused Colt LE6920s that out shoot this rifle with dirty nasty barrels.. not to mention a few older Mini 14GBs with the thinner pencil barrels (never known to be terribly accurate) and they group better as well.

Water Monkey has suggested switching to .223 for better accuracy.. for the bench shooter..great! For Departments use.. not gonna happen. What I really love was Mossberg's response.. (see the MVP troubleshooting thread). But when it's all said and done.. there is nothing this rifle does that an entry level M4 clone does better.

And to make things even better.. Apparently now the bolt is not resetting the firing pin. Now this last one I haven't see myself I am hearing this 2nd or 3rd hand.

just my .02 cents.
 
I agree with Stampeed Valkries points. Accuracy is far from ideal, I attribute this to the 16" barrel. But I wouldn't buy this for long range target work, its supposed to be an all rounder and that includes a short OL. I admit, I want better and continue to try various weights, makes etc. in the search for better groups. I haven't given up yet. The point about missing pick up from the mag. Yes, I have had a couple myself. Again, I am trying to identify why and fix the issue. I stopped using my 'used' USGI mags and went to some 20rd Adventure Mfg USGI I found still in original wraps. Untouched since they were made. I modded the followers and the body slightly, also replaced the springs with new.

Is any of this ideal? No way. But, it is what it is and I am seeing it as a bit of a project. Dont tell Mossberg but I am considering building a shroud extension myself to stop mag wobble. I was a co designer on handgun manufacture in the 80s, so have some idea. Not much, but some.
 
I can't say I agree with the MVP impression on this forum overall. I don't have the .308 Patrol, so my reference comes from the 5.56 patrol.. Mag wobble out of the box is really bad.. For those that are not using it "just for bench shooting" this is a deal breaker. During our testing we had the bolt actually ride over the round on more then 1 occasion. On the flip side.. this can be remedied on the 5.56 patrol with a Tromix Magwell. Now notably the problem does not become pronounced until you use a 30 round magazine.. but it was still there with 20s regardless of Aluminum GI mags or polymer magazines. But the bigger problem is Accuracy.. we used 5.56 as our base since that is what we run on our other patrol carbines.. 3+ moa from a bench @ 100 yards is completely unacceptable. We have used and abused Colt LE6920s that out shoot this rifle with dirty nasty barrels.. not to mention a few older Mini 14GBs with the thinner pencil barrels (never known to be terribly accurate) and they group better as well.

Water Monkey has suggested switching to .223 for better accuracy.. for the bench shooter..great! For Departments use.. not gonna happen. What I really love was Mossberg's response.. (see the MVP troubleshooting thread). But when it's all said and done.. there is nothing this rifle does that an entry level M4 clone does better.

And to make things even better.. Apparently now the bolt is not resetting the firing pin. Now this last one I haven't see myself I am hearing this 2nd or 3rd hand.

just my .02 cents.

Trying to find my boards but it seems I deleted a bunch of old pics on my flickr a while ago and it also effected many posts I had on the ammo thread. I do have a video which shows 100 yards with PMC XTAC M193 ammo used at the range. Both of those shooters were novice but the rifle had solid groups.


But I do agree, Mossberg's response with 5.56 NATO is pretty retarded. I went back and read it just now.

MVP was an option that I had when we (as non LEO shooters) were sorting out the NY SAFE Act and how we can still own AR Rifles. I am now back to ARs and will be building my third by the end of this year.

I haven't seen much of a "significant" wobble in my magazines be it the supplied aluminum mag or my 10 round Pmags. Then again.... Ban state. My only issue I've had was that I've had some light primer strikes on PMC XTAC but never a light primer strike on .223 ammo.
 
If curious, I have a plan I have considered but not done yet to reduce mag wobble on my MVP Patrol. A grub screw into the plastic to the rear of the magazine with a washer which hangs over the well, very slightly. File back the front edge until play between the rear spine of the mag and the washer is reduced enough to eliminate the play, but still allow easy insertion and ejection. I dont think its a long term cure, the screw into the plastic will ease and play develop. Another thought is gluing thin plastic pieces to the inside of the well, same place, rear spine. Also, I considered taking up slack at the back would be better to avoid misfeeds, not stripping a round (Keepin the rear top lower) , however there is less room there as it had the mag release button. Trial and error....

I wonder if the magazine would achieve the same if a thin plastic strip were glued to the rear edge????? No alteration needed to the rifle.. I like guns and shooting.......

A little surprised no one is trying these things out, what with so many 'mag wobble moaners'?
 
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