Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Combination Guns and Drillings Savage 24V Trigger and choke "issues"

24V-A, .222/20g

I took it to the range for the first time today. Brought up a couple of questions;

Full choke no doubt, based on 25 yd pattern with #8 and #6 game loads. Very few (<10) pellets off the sheet of moving paper I used on the target backer. Apologies for the crappy phone pic.



Question #1, can that barrel be threaded for interchangeable chokes? I'd like more versatility.

The 222 shot OK for my first time with the gun. The trigger was "stiff" to say the least, heavier than the S&W M&P Shield 45 I took to the range today. Upper group is 50 gr SP Privi, lower one is Fiocchi 50 grBT (I think I have that right), both at 25 yds from a cheesy front rest only.



Question #2, can that trigger be worked on to make it more suitable for rifle shooting? I believe I can live with it as it stands now, with practice I can probably get it to minute of coyote at 150 yds or so. But I've got a few rifles with nice triggers and this one felt like moving a brick in the mud with one finger. My plans are for this to be my poking around the BLM land behind the house for quail and rabbits, with the ability to take an opportunistic shot at a 'yote perhaps. I'd really like a nicer trigger feel, as I'm planning on working up a low power load, with a "non-toxic" bullet of some flavor and try for head shots on rabbits. I'd like to hit a bunny head at 50 yds or so with it.

If you "experts" think this is better posted in the gunsmithing or other forum, let me know.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Geno

Go to Savage24.com
That site has instructions on doing a trigger job

Mike Orlen can do the chokes for you and any gunsmith that does alot of cowboy action triggers seem to know their stuff with exposed hammer trigger geometry. I had a 24 that came down to a very crisp 5# trigger. What ever don't try cutting the mainspring to lower the trigger weight as it will get unreliable before you get much lower trigger weight(the previouse owner did that to the 24 I bought). I ran that 24 for a couple of years and it was such an awkward gun that I sold it off and bought a REAL combo gun, two triggers and a safety.

A little on Mike Orlen and his price list.

http://randywakeman.com/shotgunMikeOrlen.htm

Thanks for the info guys.

I'll check into both. I saw the Savage 24.com site the other day when I was looking to see if it's safe to use steel shot in it. It's all we'll be allowed to use for hunting in this state soon, even for upland stuff and 'yotes.

Geno

The way to replace the trigger group after working on the trigger is to use a made up slave pin. Took me a while to figure out how to put it back together. As you know, the gun is heavy and the trigger is MORE THAN HEAVY.

Sakoluvr,

that comment on the trigger may be an understatement.

I don't worry about the weight of guns much, even a light one with a scope weighs as much as a gallon of water. On some hunts I'd rather carry the water I think, it gets lighter as you use it!

Had I known the trigger was as bad as it is, I may have passed on this idea. It was an attractive price and I'll get some use, even if it sits in the corner for varmint control around our place.

Thanks for the advice about the pin.

Geno

Geno, my 20 ga / .22 magnum has a permanent spot on my 4wheeler when I do work at the farm that I hunt on. A few times I had to check if I cocked the hammer when I was about to shoot a critter. The trigger is that heavy. I did clean it up some and now it's crisper but you can't do anything about the heavy pull.

If I can find someone to get it down to near what Erich says, about 5lb and crisp I could live with that.

I don't have a trigger scale (I know, what kind of rifle loony am I? ) but I'd be scared to put one on this unit and find out what it really pulls.

Geno

A trigger shoe can help with a heavy trigger as it spreads the pressure across the finger making it feel less.

http://www.t-grips.com/MiscellaneousSR.html

Something that you might think about is adding a Williams peep sight to your 24V in place of the factory barrel mounted rear sight. I did that to my 24DL .22 mag/20 gauge and it nearly doubled the sighting radius. I tried a scope for a time, but it really limited using the shotgun barrel. The peep increased my rifle accuracy and didn't affect using the shotgun barrel.

ercih,
thanks for that link. I'll look thru it and see if he carries one that will fit.

Windfall, do you remember the model number for that peep. I love peeps and agree the scope that's on it now interferes with the usefulness of the SG barrel.

Geno

I just pulled my Savage M24H-DL .22 Magnum / 20 gauge out of the safe and the only markings on that Williams peep sight are ".22 410" stamped into the bottom of the left side of that sight. Your .222 / 20 gauge might have a larger receiver to accommodate that larger .222 round. In your place I think that I would check with Brownells or Williams directly. My peep sight sits very low over the receiver to use the stock front sight.

The last M24 that I owned had a heavy trigger pull. Took it to a gunsmith for tuning. When it came back it was down to a 9 lb. pull. Don't know whether it was an incompetent gunsmith or a gun that can't be fixed. Anyway the gun went down the road. (There were other problems in addition to the trigger pull weight.)
Jim

I have had a bunch of work done by Mike Orlen, but never again!!!!!!!!!!!

Since I made this sort of post a few times a bunch of people have contacted me about their little horror stories. When he does good work fast it is very good and very fast. When he doesn't, he sucks. I have had him do well over a dozen barrels.

He did a forcing cone for me in a benelli M1. When i got it back it had not been polished. That's half the job, you gotta polish them.

From what I've seen all 24's except the 24C Camper Special are full choke. The 24C was imp cyl. Put a scope on there and that 222 will shoot one hole groups at that range. Heck mine has taken woodchucks easily at 200 yards.

None of the dozen or so 24Vs that I've owned have been as accurate as your's once the barrel got warm. A combination gun without any mechanism to regulate the rifle barrel is unlikely to be as accurate as one that does, that is why Savage 24s and Winchester 101s are generally looked down upon by serious combination gun users.