picked up a nice looking savage 24v in .222 Remington over a 20 ga shotgun at a gunshow couple weeks back.... this is one that's has been on my bucket list for some time... like 20 yrs.... ordered a weaver one piece scope base, got it, installed it... mounted a good, older, redfield scope with weaver QRW rings... boresighted it as usual... tried some of the pet loads I have for my sako rhimakki, and had a scattered group , about 14" at 50 yds... all of the stuff that shoots great in the sako just scatters in the savage... an older friend that's a better shot than I am reloads for me... we've tried several of his pet loads also... and about the same... tried another scope... same results..shot it open sights, still have poor results... jimmy (my friend) has cleaned the barrel and it looks great... no visible damage to the crown, and the barrels are tight together... funny thing is that the shotgun barrel shoots slugs great, about 3" at 5o yds, with the scope....but the .222 just scatters... I know the .222 is an extremely light barrel, but something ought to shoot good for the first cold shot.... what am I missing???... advice??... thanks, jim

A Savage 24V has a couple of limitations, but works well enough within them. A 24V is good for two or maybe three shots before upper barrel heating over a cold lower barrel starts to force point of impact lower. When adjusting sights this is important to note. Shoot from a cold barrel each time while adjusting sights, and keep in mind the effect of a clean versus fouled barrel. I don't know what twist they have, that may be another variable to investigate vs bullet weight. I had a 24V in 223/20 gauge rebored to 6x45mm with a 9.5:1 twist and now shoot 85 grain Partition bullets. Mine did not like bare copper Barnes bullets either, they shoot thataway from the Partition bullet's point of impact. The ones with the blue dry lubricant were better. Mine also came with the admonition not to shoot the shotgun barrel with a scope attached, I was never sure whether they meant that the recoil was bad for the scope or that it might imprint the scope on the shooter's forehead. I adapted a quick-release mount and added a peep sight on the barrel. One more thought, check the locking action for looseness. I dunno.

I had a 24V which I gave to my son in law. Had a Leupold 1x-4x on it. Figured the 1x would be good for the shotgun. The .222 was very accurate--another son in law got a turkey with it (head shot). But the shotgun and rifle were not regulated as they printed in different spot.

I guess I lucked out on my 24V 222/20 gauge as I never had any issues with it scattering shots. It seemed to want to shoot 1.25-1.5" with most everything with the occasional group going under an inch.

TomP is giving you good advice. I've seen other 24's do just as yours is and need to be shot from a cold barrel. I have a Franz Jaeger drilling in 16x16x222 Rimmed that will shoot a 1.5" group to the POA as long as I do it from a cold barrel. If I shoot rapidly it climbs vertically 3 inches every shot until it's 9 inches high then shoots there consistently until it cools down again.

Jimatcat I had some experience with a model 24 that wouldn't shoot the rifle barrel very accurate. You haven't mentioned what weight of bullet you are shooting. I would suggest nothing heavier than 50 grs. I actually found the best groups with one of these O/U with a 45 gr Hornady bullet meant for the 22 Hornet. Also start at some starting loads with a couple powders.I found that as pressure went up the groups opened up significantly. Hope that helps

I never owned one, but if I did I would start low and work up to what a max load is in that particular gun..It might be a strong or weak action, Id just have to know if it were mine.

we gave up.... the shotgun will shoot slugs all day long to the scope but the rifle barrel still has a 18" pattern.... tried different factory loads and numerous handloads... nothing worked... its going to the sale table next weekend...

Wow.....I have 2 Savage model 24v in 222/20 ga.
24f is 22 hornet /12 ga.
The 22 hornet at 50 yds will shoot speer40 gr to 50 he very well with 13 hrs of lil gun ...
My favorite is 24v ....222 is deadly also ...I use 50gr bullets flat based ....
IMR 4198 ....H322 is good also ...
Around 19.5 grs shoot well...
Savage 24v is like gold around here ...They will pay big money to get one ....
24 f U hate it ,too heavy and plastic ....

Dang on several accounts.
Mine came to me many years ago with a broken stock.
GPC took care of that issue, but I never finished fitting the stock.
I have even mounted the scope mount, but no scope
Fired a few shots using sights and nothing out of the 20 gauge then put it back in the safe.

After reading the posts in this thread, I guess I need to dig it out and see about test firing the 222 barrel.
One rifle and one shotgun barrel, or two scattergun barrels, one 222 and one 20 gauge?

I guess I will find out after deer season closes.

Now I know what I may able to do to use those 45 grain Hornet bullets that are in the bottom of 224 bullet storage

I have 24v ...what a nice gun ...
Mounted scope on low rings going to use scope I hope for shotgun onbturkeys.
I loaded 222 with imr 4198
I got 1 inch groups at 50 yds with 19.5/20/20.5 hrs with no primer pressure at all.
I read it may shoot better with less
So testing soon with 18/18.5/19 of imr 4198 ....
I will update if groups are better .
Using 50 gr Hornady spire point bullets ...

22 hornet with 1-14 twist shoots speer 40/45 gr bullets well.
Lil Gun power is best work up from 12.0 grs to 12.5 ...
No pressure signs at all...
12.5 grs almost fills the shell but you can compress it .

Finished up Savage 222 loads .
I ended up with 19.2 grs of Imr 4198 .
Hornady 50gr sp bullets ..
Cci 400 primers...
Rem shells ...
Almost in same holes at 50 yds ....
I believe other bullets will work fine like Speer and Sierra ....
You cannot neck size in my gun it raises primer and you will get low hits on primers until they will not go off ...

Testing the Winchester Longbeard xr in 3 inch with 5 shot in lower barrel 20 ga ...
Decided to unsafe with bulging on full choke to use Federal Tss....

Tested longbeard shotgun shells and they were great ..
Used 5 shot ..
They hit at 40yds 2 inch's to left with scope ..
No problem just hold a little to right ..
Real nice scope on top and rifle hitting dead on at 50yds and shotgun fine ..

I used a lot of 20-gauge 3" #4 shot for grouse and ducks in western settings, worked well for that, also shot a bunch of rabbits in the old days with a Model 24 with 22 magnum over 3" 20 gauge. Still have that Pennsylvania turkey gun with a Williams 5D peep sight.

We have to use lead-free here now, I've changed over my 24V to TTSX, from Partition bullets. That 24V was rebored 6mm awhile back, now is a 6x45mm and legal for big game in most places.

Im sure you would be safe shooting factory ammo that it was tested with..

quote:

They hit at 40yds 2 inch's to left with scope

Wow being able to tell a 2 inch group change at 40 yards.

With a shot pattern must be a real tight one.