Savage bolt-action shotguns

ebranger · Feb 5, 2014

Looking to get set up with a nice slug gun for deer season next year. Anyone have any experience and opinion on the Savage bolt-action shotguns?

What would be the advantage over, say, a Remington 870 or 11-87 with a rifled barrel?

Biggfoot44 · Feb 5, 2014

At least in theory , the bbl and action are stiffer with no play like a removable bbl shotgun. Extreme accuraccy slug shooters will use various methods to permenently attach bbl to an 870 or whatever . A one piece "rifle style" stock can give better stability than typical two piece stock.

My Marlin 512 can put 3 shots touching at 50yds.

That said , the usual suspects of pump and semiauto slug gun are nearly all capable of two minutes of whitetail.

Heck , for the best accuraccy for minimal $ , the H&R UltraSlugs give excellent accuraccy for about the price of Remington accesory rifled bbl alone.

K31 · Feb 5, 2014

ebranger said:
Looking to get set up with a nice slug gun for deer season next year. Anyone have any experience and opinion on the Savage bolt-action shotguns?

What would be the advantage over, say, a Remington 870 or 11-87 with a rifled barrel?

The price, weight. I'm not sure about the Savage but some bolt action shotguns come with a rear sight.

lax · Feb 5, 2014

I owned a 212, it was very accurate off the bench but since it was a tupperware stock it was far to light for 12 gauge recoil.

I had a H&R slug ultra and it was every bit as accurate, but between the weight of the stock and barrel it was a light shooter. If you want to go lighter I am sure the H&R 20 or savage 220 are lighter recoiling flatter shooting guns.

If I were to build a purpose built shotgun today I would look for a cheap older 1100 or 11-87 get a slug barrel and have it permanently attached to the receiver and put a saddle type scope mount. A slug gun is only a 200 yard gun on a good day.

Another option would be to stick with your ML through gun season.

ebranger · Feb 5, 2014

lax, how would you go about having a barrel permanently attached to the receiver?

And don't ever tell my wife that shooting a ML is legal during regular firearm season. That would prevent me from buying a new gun!!

tosainu1 · Feb 5, 2014

savage 220f is the bee's knees

Ever since I got it my Thompson Center Omega and Knight sit in the corner of the safe, never to see the light of day. Where I hunt, a 100 yard shot is a LONG way and the Savage is light years better than the H&R Slug Hunter 20ga i had before it. I could shoot the Savage more accurately at 100 yards than i could with the H&R at 75 plus it's alot lighter and has the accutrigger and the follow up shot capability....I use the recomended 2 3/4 or 3in. Remington Accutips or my precious stash of 3 in. Federal 209 XT1's if i'm feeling frisky.

ebranger · Feb 5, 2014

Thanks tosainu1. It looks like the Savage only comes in 20ga. Assume since you have a 20ga H&R that the 20ga is plenty of power?

tosainu1 · Feb 5, 2014

20 gauge slug hits with the force of 2 44 magnums at once

It has plenty of power, it makes tracking very easy, and the recoil is so low i have been able to put 2 in deer on a couple of occasions just to make sure...I have never lost a deer because of the 20 gauge and i'm pretty sure I have over 100 deer under my belt at least with my Savage 220F and H&R. I bought the Savage the first year it came out and I have a low serial number one and I'm looking for a stainless camo one but that's like trying to find a needle in a haystack..Get yourself one, the rail that they recommend for it and a Zeiss Conquest 3x9x40 or Leupold vx111 2.5x8x36 and go to town on those deer..One less I will hit with my truck... There is no need for a 12gauge slug gun when you have a .61 caliber bullet moving 1900-2000fps but there is a 12 gauge Savage bolt action slug gun called the Savage 212 if you enjoy pain and flinching..

lax · Feb 5, 2014

he is info on pinning.
http://www.shotgunsportsmagazine.com/archive/jan11/story0111.html

I personally have gotten away from shotguns and have moved to smokeless ML. I had a 50cal savage last year and I am in the process of building a 45cal smokeless on an encore frame. It should be a legitimate 300yd + gun.

Billman · Feb 5, 2014

ebranger said:
Thanks tosainu1. It looks like the Savage only comes in 20ga. Assume since you have a 20ga H&R that the 20ga is plenty of power?

Savage makes a model 212 (12 gauge) and a 220 (20 gauge). The 20 gauge is more than enough for deer, but both are available.

BlackBart · Feb 5, 2014

Bolt action shotgun....... WORST pos I ever owned, no real sense in them. Id even take a Mossberg 500 over one. :puke:

tosainu1 · Feb 5, 2014

I love the Savage smokeless ML option..

But with the amount of deer available in Central Md, I would be at a serious handicap if i was limited to only one shot. I have on many occasions dropped multiple deer because at the sound of the shot, others become available and since alot of times they don't know what direction the sound came from, they freeze and I get 2nd and even 3rd shot opportunities... As far as pinning a Remington 870, i think it's a waster of time. You have to invest the original cost of the firearm which has a more awkward safety position to begin with, crappy finish, then upgrade the trigger to a Timney, spend the money to pin the barrel and at the end of the day you have gained nothing on a factory stainless, Savage 220f..That is, if you can find one...

54rndball · Feb 7, 2014

I got a Savage 220 and it is a tack driver at 100 yds. I use 20 ga. 3" Rem Accutips and it puts them all in the black. Before that I used a Rem 870 12 ga. with a rifled barrel and cantilever scope mount. I killed a few deer with it up to 100 yds. or so. But the Savage is much more accurate.

ebranger · Feb 7, 2014

tosainu1 said:
But with the amount of deer available in Central Md, I would be at a serious handicap if i was limited to only one shot. I have on many occasions dropped multiple deer because at the sound of the shot, others become available and since alot of times they don't know what direction the sound came from, they freeze and I get 2nd and even 3rd shot opportunities... As far as pinning a Remington 870, i think it's a waster of time. You have to invest the original cost of the firearm which has a more awkward safety position to begin with, crappy finish, then upgrade the trigger to a Timney, spend the money to pin the barrel and at the end of the day you have gained nothing on a factory stainless, Savage 220f..That is, if you can find one...

That is the one major drawback I see to a bolt action or pump. I could see some opportunities lost that wouldn't happen with a semi-auto.

JB62 · Dec 18, 2014

Love my 220, like others have said it is a tack driver. Feed it 3" accutips and had not let me down. Have practiced with quick work of the action and either follow up shots if needed or shot on another deer is possible. It takes practice as my action requires some effort but has loosened up with rounds.

Chris · Dec 18, 2014

I have hunted for a few years with a Savage 210 with a scope, super nice shooter loves Remington copper sabots. Killed many a deer with this gun. Chris

outrider58 · Dec 18, 2014

I have a Savage 220 and it's accurate as hell but, the plastic mags suck! If you have the moolah for the 1187 20ga. they're real nice once you have the barrel pinned, that would be my first choice (the Rem).

joemac · Dec 18, 2014

tosainu1 said:
Ever since I got it my Thompson Center Omega and Knight sit in the corner of the safe, never to see the light of day. Where I hunt, a 100 yard shot is a LONG way and the Savage is light years better than the H&R Slug Hunter 20ga i had before it. I could shoot the Savage more accurately at 100 yards than i could with the H&R at 75 plus it's alot lighter and has the accutrigger and the follow up shot capability....I use the recomended 2 3/4 or 3in. Remington Accutips or my precious stash of 3 in. Federal 209 XT1's if i'm feeling frisky.

You're the first I ever heard say that the H&R wont keep up with the best slug guns out there. Every other account I've heard is that the H&R is one of the most accurate slug guns available. But it is one of the ugliest guns I've ever seen I will admit that.

traveller · Dec 18, 2014

outrider58 said:
I have a Savage 220 and it's accurate as hell but, the plastic mags suck! If you have the moolah for the 1187 20ga. they're real nice once you have the barrel pinned, that would be my first choice (the Rem).

For about $150 more, you can get a Browning A-bolt shotgun. Very similar to the Savage. I believe it was available in 20Ga at some point, right now I only see it in 12Ga. Also available in a very nice walnut stock for those who prefer the classic look.

Vandy · Dec 19, 2014

I have an H&R Ultra Slug Hunter in 20 gauge and am also soon getting a Savage 220. The H&R is very accurate, but in my experience, is very picky on slugs. It is heavy, but that means recoil is slight. In terms of losing shots because of a bolt, I do not think I agree with that. I keep a shell holder on the stock of my single shot H&R. On several occasions, and once this year, I have been able to take two deer within seconds with the H&R. Once, a few years ago, I managed to get off four shots at a group of deer running by and managed to drop 3 of the 4. I do not believe I would do any better with even a semi-auto.

Single shot, pump, bolt, semi-auto...it doesn't matter. If you practice with the gun and become familiar with it, you will be able to get multiple shots. If you shoot it 5 times a year (3 shots to check zero and 2 shots at deer) then you will have different results.

Savage bolt-action shotguns

The #1 community for Gun Owners of the Northeast

Member Benefits:

Active Member

Ultimate Member

"Part of that Ultra MAGA Crowd"

Ultimate Member

Active Member

Active Member

Active Member

Active Member

Ultimate Member

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot?

Banned

Active Member

take to the hills

Active Member

Ultimate Member

Ultimate Member

Cold Damp Spaces

Ultimate Member

The one with two L

Active Member

Users who are viewing this thread

Log in

Forum statistics