Savage 24

fishiker · Dec 10, 2010

I have the opportunity to buy a Savage 24 O/U, in .357/20. I do handload so I feel comfortable with the 357 magnum. I think it would make a great woodsbumming gun though it is a bit heavy. Can anyone give me input good or bad? Does anyone have one with a red-dot scope or low power scope mounted? Thanks in advance.

Unk · Dec 10, 2010

Had an old 24[.22 mag/20 ga 3"]..gave to my son many years ago. It was heavy for a squirrel gun, my intended purpose at purchase.

Recall a caveat about NOT shooting the shotgun portion using a scope. I did not have a scope but can't visualize mounting optics on that .22 mag barrel now. Oh and it did have shotgun trigger pull..rough and heavy but not horrible.

I would not bad rap or recommend but wasn't for me at the time. My son still has it.

kvaughn · Dec 10, 2010

I had one in .22 mag/20 and couldnt hit anything on the wing with the 20 and Im a pretty good wing shot with my 870. Like you said,heavy.--KV

Sidehill Gouger · Dec 11, 2010

I bought one of the 357/20's back when they first came out. My thought was I could use .38 specials for small game and maybe handloaded .357's for deer. Never could get the .38's point of impact close enough to the .357's to be practical. You could sight it in with one or the other but either way one round was going to be way off. Wouldn't have been a bad gun if I had been willing to stick to .357's.

Loosearrow · Dec 11, 2010

I think it would be a great gun. I would just sight it in with a magnum load. You could use it deer hunting in Kansas and squirrel hunt when bored. I have the camper 22/20 and a 22/410. Good game getter. The 223/20 has a has a holosite red dot on it. The 357 would be great. Could match a pistol. As long as you only had to site the rifle for elevation between the 38 and the 357, you could remember where you needed to move the sight. Right to left would be a problem. You could have 2 leaf sights that folded down for each. You would need to have it dovetailed. Would decrease the value, but so what. Would be a nice gun to have and hard to find.

fishiker · Dec 12, 2010

Thanks for the input so far to everyone. I'm going to let the seller think for a couple more days then make him an offer. The gun has been used but is in probably 75-80% or better condition. What would be a fair price?

dipbait · Dec 13, 2010

I had the 22 / 410 that I bought at a gun show. It didnt work. Both barrels would go off at the same time. I sold it at a big loss.

Loosearrow · Dec 13, 2010

dipbait said:
I had the 22 / 410 that I bought at a gun show. It didnt work. Both barrels would go off at the same time. I sold it at a big loss.

I don't understand that one. Did it have a button selector on the side? Or, did it have the selector on the hammer. If on the side, you could have replaced the hammer with one with a selector.

Loosearrow · Dec 13, 2010

fishiker said:
Thanks for the input so far to everyone. I'm going to let the seller think for a couple more days then make him an offer. The gun has been used but is in probably 75-80% or better condition. What would be a fair price?

I would pay 350.

dipbait · Dec 14, 2010

Loosearrow said:
I don't understand that one. Did it have a button selector on the side? Or, did it have the selector on the hammer. If on the side, you could have replaced the hammer with one with a selector.

It had one on the side.A gunsmith told me who could put a newer style on, but I didnt want it.

Loosearrow · Dec 15, 2010

dipbait said:
It had one on the side.A gunsmith told me who could put a newer style on, but I didnt want it.

You can still get parts if you check around. There is not much to fixing them. Google Savage 24 and there is a forum out there. Not too long ago a friend gave me a 22/20 without a firing pin, rear and front sight. Got the parts and it works great. Have fun.

2manyknives · Dec 15, 2010

I don't think combo guns are as versatile as many people expect. Never owned a Savage but I had a Brno 7x57R/12g many years ago. It was not a particularly good rifle or shotgun and I would prefer one or the other. I think they are niche rather than generalist guns.

Phil in Alabama · Dec 15, 2010

I had a Savage 24D several years ago, in .22 WMR/20 gauge. Scoping the gun wasn't a real problem, as good steel rings held fine under the recoil of the shotgun barrel. What I was looking for was one gun to handle long range and short range shots on squirrels and rabbits. I put a Leupold 4x shotgun scope on it. What I found with use was too much magnification for the shotgun and not enough for the rifle. It may have worked better with a 2-7 scope, but I was disappointed in the actual field performance and ended up selling the gun. The combination of being a single shot rifle along with a heavy trigger pull plus lack of magnification hurt the rifle barrels usage, then the scope hurt the shotgun barrels usage. With some trigger work and a more appropriate scope, it might have worked out better.

runninmike · Dec 22, 2010

I have one since 1978- my 1st gun when I turned 12. Learned to hunt huns (birds not Germans) and pheasants with it in Montana. I also took a coyote and 1 badger with it. Will shoot 3" mags and patterns well.
I had a crappy .22 scope on it for a short while, but never considered this my primary gopher gun so ditched the scope. Used for more of an upland bird gun with the .22 bbl being handy once in awhile.