Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Combination Guns and Drillings Waiting on my Savage 24

Several years ago I picked up a Savage 24 22 mag over 20 gauge with 3" chamber. It had a receiver peep mounted on it.
I finally got around to having choke tubes put It. Looking forward to trying it as an occasional slug gun.
I was pleasantly surprised how well it shoots 22 mag as well as the reduced load 22 mag ammo by Winchester.

By the reduced .22 Mag load, do you mean .22 WRF, or is this a new product for short-barrelled handguns, etc.?

Winchester made a 22 mag load but with reduced charge. So it chambers in 22 mag guns but yields 22 LR ballistics.
Not the 22 WRF which, as I understand, is the round that is longer than LR but shorter than the Mag round.

Interesting. I'd like to try some in my S&W M-48.

An interesting idea on the choke tubes, but did you try it first without getting it threaded? I have the exact same M24 also with a peep sight and it puts a 2 3/4” slug only a couple inches below the .22 Mag bullets. I’ve not ever tried a 3” slug, but suspect that it would be even closer to the rifle barrel. I have an 870 with a slug barrel, but if we had to use slugs to deer hunt, I’d sure be tempted to use that 20 gauge M24. The used market being what it is for those M24’s, I’m not sure the roi on the tubes would be worth it.

My Model 24DL .410/.22 WRM shoots 3-shot .410 slug groups about 3 1/2-4" at 40 yards, and that's with the full choke. Not a sniper rifle but useful for some uses.

A .410 "Foster-type" slug is roughly equivalent to a .44-40 at that range. It WILL kill a meat buck or equivalent-size mammal. Just needs sights, and my 24 has the original Savage open sights and a 2 1/2X scope. (The ".22 Magnumb" barrel is REALLY accurate for some reason).

I was leary of shooting slugs in the full choke. Some say it works others report only moderate groups or leading.
For $125 plus tubes I thought I would try it.

The standard velocity ammo is X22MSUB.
45 grain, 1050 fps. Subsonic lead HP.
Doesn't beat up squirrels like regular 22 mag. Even the FMJ stuff

Tubes allow you to experiment with slugs, which is expensive but fun and sometimes very worth it in results. But the fun is valuable, too. I don't have a choke measuring device that is accurate enough to tell me if my full choke really IS a full choke, and I suspect that various manufacturers have had various standards over the years.

For wingshooting with a .410, I think a full choke isn't the best choice, especially with modern ammo. But many, even most, .410s arent really used for wingshooting that much. The closest they get to a flying bird is a scampering cottontail, and they are excellent for that, partly because rabbits are very easy to kill--even the edge of the pattern usually will put 'em down.

The only .410 I use for wingshooting--and only for quail in heavy cover--is an 870 with a Skeet choked barrel that has been re-chambered for 3" shells. "Shoot quick or not at all."

I gotta get my dealer to order me some X22MSUB--sounds like the old ".22 Special." (Real Winchester lovers hate it when you call it by Remington's name for it).

I am not sure if Winchester even makes the load now.
I found them at Cabela's several years ago and bought 5 boxes. A life-time supply.
My 78 year old uncle used a .22LR o er .410 back in his raccoon hunting days.
I passed on several of those and really wanted the 22LR over 20 but when I found this with the peep, even in 22 mag o er 20, I bought it.
I had previously owned a 223 over 12 but it was so heavy...

I had a box of these I used around close to the house and was pleased with the low report.

https://www.midwayusa.com/ltd/product/?pid=144251

Please show pictures of the receiver peep sight.
What is the make & model # of the peep?
Thanks.

Don't recall ever seeing one with a peep sight.

Sorry but the gun is still at the gunsmith.
It is some model.of a Williams peep. The left side of the receiver was drilled and tapped for it

Factory D&T ?

I doubt it. I have never seen one

Owned the 22/410 when I was a Kid, like the 222/20 much better.

My brother had a 24 DL when we were kids, .22 LR over 20 gauge (full choke.) It would hit to the sights with slugs very consistently, one of the most accurate smoothbore shotguns with slugs I've ever seen.

I was able to get my hands on two boxes of Federal and two boxes of Winchester slugs. I have found that slug guns are individuals so far as ammo preference
Time will tell

My brother gave my daughter a savage 24 (22mg/20g) years ago and she doesn't have any interest in it.
Gonna have to take it out this spring and see how it does