Savage 24

[MT Gianni]

Anyone ever play with the older ones? Is accuracy good, fair, poor or ok? I have a line on 1, a 22lr over 20 gauge for $125 with the ugliest stock I have ever seen and a chinese red dot scope. Gianni.

[krag35]

Dad has had one for as long as I can remember, it's a 22lr over 410. I seen him head shoot squriels and rabbits with it. Saw my Mom pepper the neibour's cows a few times when they got thru the fence and into her garden. I had a 30-30 over 20gauge, that I really regret selling. I cut a dovetail in the scope rail, for a second rear flip up sight to use with RB 20 gauge loads. Probably won't win no matches with it, but they make a damn fine truck gun.
krag35

[crazy mark]

Gianni,
I just picked up a Stevens 22-410 this week-end for about that much. Mine needs a buttplate but has a real nice patina to the barrel. I haven't shot it yet however but I do have a 30/30 over 20 and a 222 over 20 that shoot decent 3 shot groups at 100 yds. They are nice dual purpose combo guns. Great house rifles and truck guns. Mark

[oksmle]

Gianni .... I've been messing around with the Mod. 24 in .22/410 for 50 years. Even shoot in 100 .22 competition occasionally. Both of the ones I presently own are the older models with the side selector modified to the hammer selector. The older ones will "take" a trigger job that is impressive. On one I replaced the front sight with a 1/16" ivory bead & a Lyman receiver sight. The trigger breaks right at 22 ozs. At 50 yds from a rest 10 shots of CCI Standard velocity long rifle ammo will make one ragged hole. I use this almost exclusively for target work & still squirrel hunting.
The second one is modified just like the first one except I cut 2" off the barrel to get rid of the choke & the trigger breaks at about 28 ozs. I took the insert out of the receiver sight & just use the outer ring. This is used for rabbit hunting. It's not quite as accurate as gun #1. About 1" groups at 50 yds.
Both have leather quick release carrying slings which come in real handy.
I use CCI Standard velocity, long rifle ammo in both rifles, & load .444 Marlin cases fireformed in their chambers loaded with #4 shot. Works real good. Also in gun #2 I have shot at lot of "three ball loads" & "single ball" loads along with a 200 grain hollow base "minie style" bullet.
oksmle

[David R]

I have an OLD 22/410 that shoots pretty good. I don't use it much, its a great squirrel gun. I don't load 410. I also have a 222/20 ga, that I love except the 222 barrel is rough as can be. The chamber is so long and big that I was considoring making it a 223. I did find a cast boolit that will shoot unsized lubed with liquid ear wax. I can shoot good groups at 50 yards, but won't even attempt 100. Its my Meat Gun. Responsable for many grouse, rabbits, squirrels, ducks, varmints and one deer (with a J boolit). I took a straight reamer to the choke and just took off that final 1/8" of the choke. It shoots nice consistant modafied patterns now. This gun was purchased new after one of the times Savage went belly up. The first one had a crack in the 222 chamber and would open the action every time you fired a 222. I sent it back twice before they sent me another gun. I have had it for over 20 years and still shoot and hunt with it regularly. This gun has a reciever site with no insert. Works best for all situations for me. I shot jacketed only in it up until I joined this silly board. Now it shoots cast like the rest of my rifles. I remember the gun smith I bought it from saying "It shoots much better than it should". This was after he peered down the bore. I did my own trigger job, and it works quite well. It has a silly safty that goes through the frame. I hate it. You don't need no steenkin safty on a hammer Gun! Its so easy to cock it as you pull it up and select the barrel if you need to. I keep it on shotgun, and can pull it to rifle when I cock it if needed.

I hunt in rifle zone. I am not much of a deer hunter so I take that gun and drive all day for the guys that like to sit. They like It, I like it and some times even get a few grouse.

David

[versifier]

I have owned two M24's over the years, a .22lr over 20G and a .30-30 over 20G, both of which are still in the family. The .22 will keep MOA all day with its preferred ammo, and the .30-30 is without question the most accurate 30 caliber barrel I have ever owned (out of more than 50). With its favorite handloads it shoots between 1/2 and 3/4 MOA, and it's favorite cast load averages just under MOA. I'm talking 5shot groups at 100yds, and yes I shot the .22 at that range for testing. The stocks aren't the most beautiful examples of woodworking that I have ever seen, but these are designed as hunting rifles and the game in the freezer has never been known to bemoan the esthetics. That's too good a price to pass up.

[MT Gianni]

Thanks guys, This stock has been lattice checkered with 1/4" lattice run over it and a red dyed background. It's nickname is the "Cherry pie special". Boyd's has blanks at a fair price though. Info is what I hoped for and it should make a great grouse or cottontail gun. Gianni.

[David R]

If you replace the stock, I would like to see this "cherry pie special"

My stock is plain ugly. I stripped it a few years ago only to find it was basicly painted brown. The wood underneath has some black, almost rotted looking spots. The rest looks like a cheap 2X6 from Mr. Seconds. I tried a little cherry stain on it. No hope. I can't make chicken salad out of chicken sh*t.

David

[MT Gianni]

Took it to the range today. It shoots 1/2 " groups at 25 yds over a rest and the shot gun shoots to the red dot also at 25 yds. I will probably keep the stock as is for a while but Boyds had inletted 85% finished blanks for $39 forend and stock as I read their ads. Gianni.