HatchieLuvr

So my huntin bud wants to start bustin yotes on my place after deer season with me. I have a Savage 22-250 that LOVES yotes and whatever else runs into its bullets! But for him, rather than buy a new rifle he brought me an old one of his deceased father-in-laws. It's an old Savage that is a 222 on top and a 20ga on the bottom. It's a Savage 24 I think? It's drilled and tapped and I can still get a Weaver base for it and he'll put a decent scope on it. But before all of that, I'm wondering were these guns typically accurate enough to warrant all of that? I know the 222 will be a great yote/varmint caliber and the 20ga with buckshot will be great as well for when/if yotes sneak in up close and are "moving in your face".

It wont win any beauty contests but I told him I liked the general idea of that gun as he wants to use it... assuming it's accurate enough. (I also think Savage is once again building these old drilling guns?)

Oldtimr

A drilling is 2 barrels over one barrel, or one barrel over two, pronounced drelling, from the german word drei, meaning three. The savage over under is not a drilling. Just saying.

Big Uncle

I had a Model 24 years ago. It was not what you would call an accurate rifle, nor was it a well balanced shotgun but it took plenty of small game. The rifle barrel tended to wander around as it heated up, but if I took the time to let it cool completely between shots it was useful. The manner in which the barrels are joined is probably the reason for the heat issue. The trigger was fine for a shotgun but not the best for rifle shooting.

There are some guys that collect these rifles (http://www.savage24.com/) and the prices are getting much higher than they should. If I could find an older 24 in great shape at a good price I would buy one again.

Bbj270

Have 4 savage 24, 22 magnum /20ga and one 222/12. The rifles on all of them are extremely accurate. Luckily all mine both barrels shoot the same place some of the newer ones I seen where they shoot way off. The 222 shoots MOA at 100 yards all day at the range. The 20ga/ 22 magnum is one of my favorit squirrel guns of all. They are the only savage guns I will ever own. Savage makes the model 42 22/410 now. That is an ugly duckling.
http://savagearms.com/firearms/model/Model42

Sheridan

Good to know - Thanks for sharin' !

Nomercy448

It might not be a drilling, but it's not an "Over under" either. It's a "Combo gun". Just saying...

I used to have the same weapon, an old Savage 24. The combo guns seem like a great idea in theory, but their usefulness in application is limited. The rifle was "huntable," but far from 'extremely accurate'. Mine wasn't regulated properly when I first received it, but a trip to the smith had it shooting a 100yrd zero on the rifle and a 50yrd with the shotgun well enough.

It's great that you have the option of throwing shot on a close coyote, or reach out a bit on a long range coyote - and only have to carry one gun to do so - but the lack of follow up shots for either case is what crippled it for me.

It's more versatile than a single shot rifle alone, or than a single shot shotgun alone, but beyond that, it's just not great. The "ideal" scenario for it is if you clip one up close with the shotgun barrel, then anchor it as it tries to run away with the rifle. Call in a double at 100yrds, or wing one at 100yrds that needs a follow-up shot, and you'll kick yourself that you don't have a repeating rifle. Call in a close double, smoke the first one with the shotgun barrel, and miss the second one on the run with the single shot rifle and you'll kick yourself again.

It's a great choice if you have a calling partner that plans on doing the shooting, and you're doing the calling. When I go with a partner, I usually do the calling, and I carry a shotgun. But there's been plenty of sets where I can see the dog long range, and my partner just can't see it. That's when the Savage Combo Gun was handy. I sold mine because I was calling alone all the time, and find that I'm kicking myself these days since I'm calling with partners more often than not.

I often carry two weapons when I call alone, a shot barreled Super Nova and an AR-15. The AR is up on jacks beside me, the shotgun in my lap. I can switch easy enough for long shots, and if I need to switch after hitting one close, then I have access fast follow-up repeater for the runner(s), 'cuz the truth of it is that most of us miss most of our runners.

The Savage is definitely something different. When calling with a partner, I'd carry one again if I still had it.

SecondChance

I have always wanted one of those Savages in tha exact combo or .223/20ga would be a deadly combo. My brothers buddy has one and we have killed many yotes at night with it. Put the scope on low power and let er eat!! Federal 3" #2 buck is a beast on yotes in close!!!

HatchieLuvr

Well then I reckon I'll order a Weaver base & tell him to slap a scope on it. I gotta say, the trigger is HEAVY! But it should still be workable.

redgreen

Played with one many moons ago. It was 22 magnum 20 guage. It was as ugly as you can get, but it shot well. If I could find one in 30 30 20 ga, I'd probably grab it.