Are the claims of 150-200 yd. MOA accuracy with the Savage 220 slug gun true? I am thinking of retiring my 870 slug gun and going with the Savage. I would like the ability to make 100+ yd. shots with rifle like accuracy. Does anyone have experience with the Savage 220?

I've had 2 and both proved to be extremely accurate. My current one shoots 2 3/4" accutips into 2" groups at 150 yards and requires no hold over or under out to 160 yards.

Mine is now in a McMillan HTG (M40) stock that will be getting bedded so it may even see a slight improvemnt in accuracy over the factory plastic stock. For the money I doubt you could beat the rifle like feel and accuracy of the 220F.

You'll never look back after getting the Savage. I could not be happier with mine, and it shoots better than you would believe. Once you understand the trajectory curve-and it is dramatic at 200 and beyond-it will stay "in there" long after the energy of the projectile is gone. Mine shoots both the Barnes tipped and the Rem Accutip very well.

Thanks for those two replies. I read some articles and it is good to get this feedback. The old 870 just seems like yesteryear's technology, as reliable as it has been. I made one 100+ yd. shot on a deer a few years ago using Buckhammer ammo. I think it was a pretty lucky shot. The local shop has a $500 price on the 220. Sounds like a very good deal. I guess the Accutips will make up for the low price on the gun.

I think it would make you happy with the set up

I think it would make you happy with the set up

I picked mine up last fall, just prior to deer season. Shoots as well as some center fires at 100 yards. Haven't tried any farther cause don't need to where I hunt. Absolutely no regrets.

Both the gun I have and the one my Dad has shoot just under 2" at 100 yards. I have ran almost every sabot slug through both and the Accutips and Barnes are the most accurate in each. My old 212 and my brother's 212 were closer to 1 moa guns but the recoil is brutal compared to the 220. I really like the accutriggers as well. All of these guns are 200 yard capable. Ballistically, the 220 is very similar to my T/C Omega with a 100 grain charge and a 250 grain bullet. With practice, the 220 should be a 250 yard gun. I would recommend taking the range finder along if you plan to shoot beyond 200 yards IMO.

Had one that fired now and then when I pulled the trigger and jammed just about everytime I worked the bolt slowly. Shot pretty good but not as accurate as my H&R single shot. Sold it with full disclosure, but I seem to have that kind of luck with guns.

Funny you should mention that. Not your fault but a weak trigger spring that Savage will replace if you send the gun back. I had such a gun and so did a friend of mine. Both guns cost each of us deer. After some point Savage did address the problem. I am a Savage fan and in no way mean to speak poorly of them but they really blew this one. The customer service rep basically said the problem was my fault and that I was either wearing too heavy of gloves, wasn't pulling straight back on the trigger or I wasn't completely closing the bolt. I basically told him he was full of [bleep] and they had a serious problem with the Accutrigger. That was when he finally acknowledged the spring issue. They paid for my shipping and the gun has been dead nuts reliable since then. I told him they should have been more honest and sent out recall notices. I know lots of guys had to go through the pain of missing on deer as we did.

Mind sharing the powder type and charge you are shooting in your guns?

Tx

Hawkeye how long have you had your gun? I bought one last yr and it worked well. But you really have to rack the bolt back hard to eject the plastic casing. I hope mine is not going to cost me a deer. I had mine shooting 2 3/4 in Acc.tips 3" high a 100 yds and was right on at 150 yds really started to drop at 175yds like 7-9 in. I tested this at this range with a deer size target. I don't think you can really count on thisgun over 200 yds?

Sept '10. Your trajectory sounds right. The gun is plenty accurate but things really slow down after 150. I always carry a rangefinder. A couple other good options would be a shotgun BDC reticle or a scope with a custom elevation knob.

If you do not work the bolt decisively the spent will jam but not badly. The clip is challenging to load. But the price is right and the accuracy is exceptional.

I took the plunge and went down to my local dealer, intending to make a deposit on a slug gun. It turns out they had the 220 in stock, so I had them mount my old scope on a rail and I was out of there with the 220 in no time.




I went out to the range this afternoon and shot up four boxes of 3" 20 ga. Remington Accutips. It was bore sighted at the shop and I got it on target at 50 yds. Then I moved it out to 100 yds. The last target of the day had all 5 rounds in the 10 ring. It is a great shooter!



So I am very happy and deer season is only 7 months away. This really is a 20 ga. rifle.

E blair I don't know if you noticed this but these guns heat up quick and if you want real good groups shoot 3 then let cool for 15 minutes or so. Looking at your target did the last 2 shots open a bit? Also you have to keep them some what clean. If I shoot over 10 shots I run a snake or rod thru it and it shoots alot better but I do have to shoot a couple just to foul the barrel and blow out the oil. Good luck.

This was my first time out with the gun, so I will look for that heating up being a problem. I was just getting a zero. But I am very impressed with this gun's accuracy.

plastic sabots in a heated barrel = bad accuracy
It only takes a couple shots before accuracy will start to drop off due to barrel heat

I don't own a Savage 220 (I shoot a Remington 11 87 slug gun) but here in New Jersey people are buying a lot of 220's. Apparently the accuracy is outstanding and I've yet to hear anyone complain about it, ejecting the shells is another issue.

I don't think barrel heating is a big problem, as I shot the last box of slugs in about 10 minutes time. All the shots were in the ten ring.

Has Remington put out the trajectory and othere ballistic data on the Accutip slugs? I have been looking at their website but have not found this information.

I haven't looked for any trajectory data from Remington, but in my 220F using 2 3/4" Accutips I sight in 3" high at 80 yards which puts me 3" low at 160 yards. This works perfectly for me to get the MPBR out of my 220F.

I am also shooting the 2 3/4" Accutip. I don't care for the recoil from the 3" and they shoot the same. I zero at 100 and get about 6-7" drop at 150. If anyone gets the trajectory data I would interested to see what the drop is each 25 yards out to 225.

Best and only accurate way to know is shoot the distances yourself

Hawkeye I shot mine alot last yr and I also use he Acc tip 2 3/4 slugs. I have mine 3 in high at 100 yds and it is right on at 150yds. It does start to fall fast after that. At 175yds you will be at least 6" low. But what I did was get a deer size archery target and use your range finder and set out the target to the distance you want to try. I don't think I would shoot over 200 yds with mine. I just hate to chase wounded deer or have them get away. I bought about every sabot I could get my hands on and spent about 2 hundred bucks and the Accutip 2 3/4 shot the best. Like I stated I would only shoot 2-3 then let cool and then run a rod or snake after 10 rounds and it did seem to keep the gun very accurate. Good luck just remember all you need to buy are the Accutips 2 3/4 and save yourself money by not trying all the others.

Thanks for info on drop. I don't believe I have shot mine past 150 on my range and the few deer I have shot have all been close to 50 yards. I like the idea of having a 150 yard zero. I have shot lots of does with my TCs over the years between 100-150 yards. It's nice to NOT have to set up so close to bedding areas on evening hunts, especially later in the season when they are spooky after shotgun season anyway.

does anyone know where you can buy a mold for casting sabot 12 ga slugs and purchase matching shot cups or sabot cushions
or what ever its called specifically designed to work with them

and IVE already got the lyman version, IM looking for something better, its certainly accurate enough for hunting (3" 75 yard groups are common)but I know I can do better

http://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/product/productId/10029

340,

BPI used to sell 50cal sabots and you could just use the .50 pistol bullets, but I believe there were several problems and they pulled them from the line.

I've tried the Lymans and some of the Buckhammer styles for reloading. The Lymans did best, but 3-4" at 100 was a good group with them. Nothing like the multiple available factory sabots on the market. Hopefully someone will release a good 50 cal 12ga sabot before long.

Picked two up last January. Mounted a VX3 2.5-8 in February. I'm now sitting on fifteen boxes of various slugs for testing this week.

]

Start with the 3 inch Accutips and save yourself some money if possible. Additionally, firmly tighten up both action screws. Initially I treated the 220 as I did all my rifles (tight front action screw and just snug the rear) � It shot MUCH better with both action screws tight.

Oh, don�t get too firm with the �wrench� when trying to adjust the Accutrigger, it will come to stop and then just bend. Mine only got down to about 4 lbs but is serviceable.

My main gripes about the 220 are the spotty ejection and I prefer a more traditional trigger. Longer windage caps on a low mounted scope will bounce shells back into the action and jam the works occasionally. The ejection is anything but brisk to begin with. Luckily, it shoots well enough that one shot will suffice if the operator does his part.

All in all it still is a great improvement over what we have had available and it actually feels like a rifle.

Dad got one. FAnstastic trigger, makes range-shooting so much easier with a shotgun.

amo too expensive to be a fun-gun, but if you practice at distance these are pretty sweet.

Jams unless you really hammer the bolt back. Consider the clip a place to store shells. Best shooting slug gun I've fired, and to teh OP, a BIG step above the 970/1187/500 pump slug routine.

My 220F with the McMillan HTG stock:





Weight ready to hunt

I love that set up but it weighs a bit more than I thought it would. I added some "stuff" to stiffen up the factory plastic stock and with a 3-9X40 Minox in Weaver rings mine goes 8lb 2oz w/o ammo.

What does that McMillan weigh?

Damn. Why did you have to post those pics. That is going to cost me some money.

Without the ammo and sling the gun weights exactly 8lbs 5oz. The McMillan weighs 31oz.

Very sharp! Glass bedded? What kind of groups are you getting at 100 yards?

It will be getting bedded shortly. No groups with the new stock yet but last year in the factory stock it shot right around 1" with Accutips.

Do you guys grip the forend when shooting on the bench for groups?

Cool, guess it isn't an lightweight fill. Of course you weren't going for a "mountain shotgun" build

Yes, I personally lightly hold the foreend on all bigger kickers.

It is the standard fill. Not sure if you can get this stock as an EDGE but that would save some weight. Plus there isn't to many Mountains around Rochester to worry about hauling this thing up

Now did you use refit the magazine well hardware from the original stock to the new McMillan? Or does the McMillan come with the necessary equipment? I am just wondering how much work is involved with fitting the McMillan stock???

The McMillan is a drop in fit. Just pull the trigger guard and bottom metal off the factory stock and lay it in the McMillan. They even install a pillar and provide a screw to replace the factory rear screw for the trigger guard.

This is the response I got from McMillan about a replacement stock for my 220:

"{There is}only have one stock option at this time. Stocks for the new Savages with the factory detachable box magazine floorplates must have a molded in recess in the bottom of the stock to accommodate this floorplate. In a sporting/hunting type stock we only have a version of the HTG stock for this purpose. We do inlet for the Model 220 slug gun. It is fitted for the standard factory DBM floorplate, and we do suggest you send in your barreled action for fitting as we do not have one for this purpose."

Just wondered if it was easy enough to do yourself or if you sent in the barreled action for fitting. It does look great!

It seems clear from your message you just dropped it in and there was no problem. I'm thinking, why do they recommend sending the action in for fitting? Maybe just CYA for them.

do they make the 220 in a 16 ga?

BETTER NEVER LOOK AT THE PLAYBOY FOLD OUTS, if every time you see something really nice to play with you need to rush out and purchase one

No. 12 ga. or 20 ga. only.

I bought a new 220 last year. The trigger is fantastic compared to an average shotgun trigger but the bolt throw is long and hard to get good ejection.

I tried several brands and types of slugs and in all honesty I didn't find that the gun was that much more accurate or superior to several of my other slug guns. My Benelli M2 and SBE II slug guns are a tad more acurate than my 220.

Before my 212 I shot an 11-87 SPD w/ a fully rifled cantilever barrel that wore a 10x Luepold. I ran every box of slugs on the market through it and it never did better than 3" at 50 yards. I switched to a Hastings barrel that was no better. The worst 212 or 220 I have seen shoots 1 3/4" at 100 yards and the best shoots genuinely 1". I haven't personally seen any brand of slug gun outshoot a Savage but that's just my experience.

I bought a 220F in fall of 2010. Didn't get a shot at a deer that year (no one did in my whole party. First year that has ever happened). last year I practiced with it a lot. Shot good out to 200 yards with 2 3/4" accutips. And I was rewarded by killing my biggest buck ever!....at less than 5 yards. I love the gun. Love the trigger. You do have to cycle the bolt hard but I do that anyway incase I need a followup shot. I still hate shotgun hunting but this makes it MUCH more tolerable.