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Should I cut my Savage 24 DL down from 24"? I'm a believer in lighter is better; not to mention handier.

It's in .22 mag / 20 ga. It's scoped and I use it for, in this order, grouse, squirrels, rabbits, fall turkey, and yotes. No wingshooting.

Can think of any reason *not* to cut it down to at least 20", other than the cost of doing so (including front sight setback), and the reduction of collector value, which is the biggest concern.

.22 mag maxes out velocity around 18"-19" or so, and 20 ga isn't gaining anything either. It's a cylinder bore I think, and I doubt the shotgun will pattern any differently being cut back, but I could be mistaken about this. ??

I guess the big question is, if I cut it is, which length? 20, 19.5, 19, or 18.5" ?

Last edited by DannyLandrum; 05/08/19.
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I would for sure. I did and it made it much handier.

I had mine cut back to 20". I also had colonial chokes put in the shotgun barrel, The front sight was changed to a firesight and a peep sight installed on the receiver.I st the irons to work with 40 grain .22 WMR. This leaves slugs shooting about 3" left of POA at 50 yards. I just use the left side of the front sight for an aiming point when I use them.

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Originally Posted by DannyLandrum
Should I cut my Savage 24 DL down from 24"? I'm a believer in lighter is better; not to mention handier.

It's in .22 mag / 20 ga. It's scoped and I use it for, in this order, grouse, squirrels, rabbits, fall turkey, and yotes. No wingshooting.

Can think of any reason *not* to cut it down to at least 20", other than the cost of doing so (including front sight setback), and the reduction of collector value, which is the biggest concern.

.22 mag maxes out velocity around 18"-19" or so, and 20 ga isn't gaining anything either. It's a cylinder bore I think, and I doubt the shotgun will pattern any differently being cut back, but I could be mistaken about this. ??

I guess the big question is, if I cut it is, which length? 20, 19.5, 19, or 18.5" ?



If you such a pussey that 4 inches mean a lot to you, go ahead and butcher it.


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It’s your gun.


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Quote
If you such a pussey that 4 inches mean a lot to you, go ahead and butcher it.


Lol. ok then. What kind of forum is this?

Last edited by DannyLandrum; 05/09/19.
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I've always wanted a combo SBR / SBS... cut a Savge 24 down to 12-14"



But it's a non starter where I live. frown

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I've got 11 Savage 24s and have probably owned a dozen more since 1964, but of all that I've owned, the style that I liked the very least was the short 24C Camper's Companion.

That said, it is your firearm, so you should do to it whatever makes you happy.

Have you read Marshall Stanton's 06/10/2000 piece on the Savage 24 in the Tech Note section at www.beartoothbullets.com? Probably the best piece ever written about the Savage 24.

Don't you think that it is rather odd that hardly anyone cared about the Savage 24 until they'd been discontinued?

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Hold the hacksaw! I've got the same .22 Mag./3" 20 gauge M24H-DL and if there is a more practical walking around rambling rifle, I've yet to find it. First off, unless your M24 is different than mine, there is some choke construction in the end of the barrel likely around modified. I had a 20 gauge pump cut down once and that straight cylinder bore made the thing nearly useless until I fixed it with a Polychoke. I think that I remember that the camper specials didn't have much choke in them and were shorter, but I sure wouldn't trade or try to make my DL into one. I had a scope on mine for a time and it made the shotgun barrel nearly worthless. The .22 Magnum isn't a long range cartridge in the first place, so if you want the gun to lose some weight here is what you do: Remove the scope and the rear iron sight. Get a Williams peep sight on it and gain 6.5" in the sighting radius. That makes it lighter than it was with the scope, better balanced, usable with both barrels, increased sighting radius, retain the choke in the shotgun barrel and don't screw up the resale value with a barrel butcher, save the money to make a sows ear out of an existing silk purse. The Savage factory made it right to start with.


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One of my favorite woods loafing rifles is a Savage 24 in 22M/410. Slimmer and lighter than the 20 gauge version, but the 410 bore isn't quite as versatile/useful as those with the 20 gauge barrel.

My most unusual Savage 24 is a 22/20 that appears to have been a wedding gift, as it is engraved with their names and wedding date. I bought in Missouri.

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I wouldn't but it's your gun . I've got a few 24s and they're a pretty handy size the way they are.

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Cutting a shotgun down seldom makes it handle any better for true shotgun style shooting.


Mathew 22: 37-39



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Aside from the Camper model, most 24s are choked. You don't want cylinder choke for the uses you mentioned.

Besides 24s are becoming collector's items and cutting it will ruin its value.

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I would seriously think twice about doing this. First off, they aren't making them anymore. And the "DL"s are the most desirable of the bunch in the rimfire arena. 24 "DL"s in good condition sell for upwards of over $500. Here is a pair of 1967 24J "DL"s that I've been offered more than $500 for, even the one that isn't completely original due to the aftermarket steel triggerguard and recoil pad and I've just laughed at the offers because the value will always keep going up. This, for a gun that sold for $68.50 as per a Savage add I have from 1967.
[Linked Image]

I'm also inclined to agree with 260Remguy in that I like the way the gun with a 24 inch barrels handles versus the Camper model with 20 inch barrels. I would highly recommend that you handle a 24 Camper with the 20 inch before making such a decision.

As far as choking in the shotgun barrels, if you were to go to www.Savage24.com and go to the photo gallery section of savage catalogs I have there which were put up on that site by Cas6969 from here, you will find in the detailed specs there that every Savage 24 other than the camper models were choked full while all the Camper models were cylinder bore.

Again, they aren't making them anymore and the "DL" models are getting harder and harder to find, hence increasing value. Good luck with whatever decision you make.


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I have so wanted a 22Mag/410.

I have often thought of just re chambering my LR/410.

I agree 1005 the 20 is just larger and often times not needed.

I feel the 22M/410 would be about as perfect a loafin gun as I could ever build for myself.

But they are hens teeth here abouts. I have never ever seen one.

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Originally Posted by cwlongshot
I have so wanted a 22Mag/410.

I have often thought of just re chambering my LR/410.

I agree 1005 the 20 is just larger and often times not needed.

I feel the 22M/410 would be about as perfect a loafin gun as I could ever build for myself.

But they are hens teeth here abouts. I have never ever seen one.

CW

There was a local GS here that would rechamber a 22 LR to 22 mag on savage 24s he recently passed away. but I am sure you could find some one that would do one for you. he never had any trouble with the conversion, and did a lot of 22lr/ 410 to 22 mag 410.


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Man... I've spent the last 37 years wishing my 22 mag wasn't.

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Danny,

Agree w/ some of the comments here, disagree w/ others.

I have the 24 Camper carbine and love it just because of its "handiness" in the short package... great for a 4-wheeler, back of truck, or back of airplane! Throw a slug or buck in it and defend your house... point and shoot! The barrel is still grooved for a scope and is plenty accurate for 50-75 yard use. 22LR is cheap and does not tear up grouse, etc.

I did have a "blued" 24-DL in 22Mag/20g that I liked but found it a little more "clunky" than the 24-C. The 22Mag, while a little more potent than the 22LR, was no more accurate than the 22LR and just costs more to shoot and is louder. It was certainly a nice gun but I did not need two so I sold it to a friend and kept the 24-C! Neither are going to be your most accurate rimfire!

Where I do agree with some of the others is not cutting your barrels, mostly for collector value to others. IIRC, the 24-DL's barrels are soldered together possibly creating other issues AND you have to reattach the front sight. Like others have said, it is your rifle and do what you want for sure, BUT I would consider selling it "original" to someone who will pay you what they are selling for these days and put the $ back in to a 24-C for its shorter barrels... I think you will be ahead in the end if you ever decide to get rid of the gun in the future. Just my opinion!

Great guns and glad I have mine.

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Personally I would not. I would be afraid it would greatly affect the accuracy based on a lot of factors.

I agree with lundtroller. Keep this one as is and put the money you would use to modify it into a 24c. Then you have 2 collectible guns.

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I have one. I has accounted for a a lot of coyotes fox, ducks , quail. and turkey including a Goulds turkey. I would not cut mine. cutting it would remove the choke. mine is a full.

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I have a 24DL. It is the type that has the barrels soldered together. I don't think I would cut down one that has space between the barrels, It would likely shoot to two different POI.

I had mine cut back to 20 in. I put a Williams peep rear on it at the same time. It is still a bit heavy. It is much handier this way. I carry it on my MT bike and it is much easier to get it out of the scabbard now.

I sight it in for the .22WMR 40 grain loads,1 in high at 100 yds. The 20 gauge barrel hits about 6 in left at 100 yds with the same sight in. Out to 100yds I just hold on the edge of the front sight.

While I had it out of service I sent the barrels to Mr. Orlen and he put in threading for the Colonial chokes I use in my Ithacas, installed a modified choke and sent it back.

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