Savage 24F Combo gun?

[Dr45ACP]

Is anybody familiar with it? Is it any good?

It occurred to me that it might be nice to have one in 30-30 over 12 gauge. It would work for turkeys, and if a deer or hog happened to wander by instead you could get them too.

Or is a combo gun a bad idea? Never had or even fired one. Are there any others?

 

[4V50 Gary]

My Savage is an earlier version with a 22 LR upper and a 20 ga lower. It's a handy gun and nifty if you're restricted in the number of guns you can own. Like all things in life, it's a compromise. It's not the best shotgun you can ever have (it doesn't swing as nice) and it's not the best rifle you can get either. Darn if I don't like mine though.

My friend has a .223 over 12 ga version sitting in my safe. If he ever needs the cash, I'd buy it.

 

[MP Freeman]

I've got a .22/20 as well. It was my very first long gun. The .22 is rather accurate. .22 is cheaper than 20ga shells, so I would shoot thousands of .22. I recommend the gun. Cheap and versitile. And it breaks down easily. I would suggest that a stone be put to the trigger though.

Regards,
MP

 

[Dave McC]

Had a 22/20 ga combo, excellent gun. Fiited with a peepsight, the 22 accounted for amessa squirrels, and the shotgun bbl for pheasant, rabbits, a mallard or two, and maybe two deer with Rottweil Brenneke slugs. Happily, these grouped at POA at 40 yards with the peep dialed in for the 22. As all compromises go, this is better than most, but not perfect.

The trigger was also excellent. It took a good smith to get it there, though.

 

[Hot Core]

Hey Dr45ACP, I've got no idea what the "Letter" designator was on the first M24 I had. It was a 22S,L,LR/.410ga with a plastic stock that was a mottled brown and black.

It was used, but I got it for my 6th Christmas along with two other firearms. (Didn't get bullets and shells until the next year.)

That particular M24 absolutely wore-out the Squirrel population when I was growing up. The 22 rifle barrel was great when the leaves were off, when a Squirrel would be sitting on the ground or hanging on the side of a trunk. Leaves on the trees just meant that you slip the selector "down" (it was on the right side of the receiver back then) and have at them with a 3" .410 and 3/4oz of #7 1/2 shot.

I can think of lots of situations I've been in where the 30-30/12ga would have made an excellent choice for Deer. Now, I do think it would be a "miracle" to find a 30-30 load that would provide similar grouping position on a target with a 12ga "Slug". Not saying it is impossible, just that it would surprise "me". However, running some 3" 00Buckshot or 000Buckshot in a 12ga barrel has put a lot of Deer in the freezer for me in the past.

Excellent performance from a nice light package.

Good hunting and clean 1-shot kills, Hot Core

 

[RJ McCormack]

Dr45ACP, beartoothbullets.com has an excellent article regarding the Savage line of combo guns. I don't remember the author though. I've been itchin' to pick up a 22LR/20gauge Camper version for a while now.

 

[Bulldog]

Gotta love the Camper:

My first rifle/shotgun.

 

[Nightcrawler]

European American Armory...

...makes an over-and-under combo gun, their model IZH-94. Saw an add for it in my NRA magazine. It's got dual triggers, a screw-in choke on the shotgun barrel, and is available in 12 gauge 3" (top barrel) and the following rifle calibers for the lower barrel.

.222 Remmington
5.6x50R (never heard of this one)
6.5x55E (this one either)
7x57R
7x65R
7.62x39 (this ammo is really inexpensive, if you're looking for value)
7.62x54 (isn't that a rimmed cartridge? My Nagant 44 is 7.62x54R)
7.62x53R (never heard of this one, either)
.30-'06 Springfield
.308 Winchester (oddly enough, in the add they list .308 and 7.62x51mm as two different cartridges)

It weighs 7.28lbs and has a 24" barrel.

I think this gun, with a 12-ga barrel over and a .308 under would make a handy addition to your gun collection.

 

[griz]

I have a camper too. The 22 barrel has the same POI as a slug from the 20 gage. Great for squirrels and OK for our small deer. I also have the 24T, with a 223 over a 12 gage. The 223 is accurate but the shotgun barrel hits low when the scope is zeroed for the rifle. Had to work on the trigger to make it bearable. It’s heavier than I like but is still my favorite turkey gun. Neither one is pretty but they are good useful utility guns.