Dultimatpredator
Well-known member
I bought a savage 24F the other day on a whim. It was the neighbors relative who passed away. True safe queen that was won years ago at a banquet and has been sitting in the safe ever since. It’s chambered in 22 hornet and 12 gauge choked. I paid about half of what I saw one sell for a GunBroker a few weeks ago so I figured I’d snag it up…even though I needed it like a hole in the head. I just got a set of RCBS 22 hornet dies given to me and I traded some pewter I use for casting bullets for 300 Winchester 22Hornet cases. I can tell you right now it isn’t minute of coyote at 100 yards because of the heavy pull and creep on rotten trigger. I will definitely be taking the gun apart in the next week and performing a trigger job on it. I’ve done enough trigger jobs on other guns through the decades. I’m sure I can get this one nicer… but doubt if I’m going to get it down to a “ Timney quality” pull. Guess I’ll find out. The 22 Hornet caliber got me thinking of all the research I did on a lot of “Internet research” with people on forums saying how 22 hornet was good for pelt saving so I thought why not download my 223 loads? I do already have a really good loads in 223 that shoot ridiculously tight in both 40 grain Nosler ballistic tips and 60 grain VMAX in my 223 LTR already. I haven’t shot anything with the 40 graders loaded with 27 grains of benchmark. I also haven’t ran it through a chronograph but guessing it’s gonna be between 3750 to 3800 ft./s. The other load I have with a 60 grain VMAX is with 25.2 grains of H4895 and it will shoot just as tight with 25 grains of benchmark. Both around 2950 ft./s out the muzzle… that one I chronographed. I have shot coyote straight on in broadside with that load. Usually can’t find the entry and no exit. If it exits maybe a 50 cent to silver dollar exit on coyotes. Maybe I’ll just jun my 60 grain loads the way they are? I run the 60 grain vmax through my POF at 2850 fps. It consistently puts silver dollar size exits in coyotes. The entry holes I never find till I skin. I’m guessing the faster twist and 150 slower fps doesn’t cause the 60 grain to expand enough and disintegrate in the animal so I get consistent pass throughs. I still need to test my 40 grain full throttle loads on fur yet. Figured it would be still fun to load up on low velocity load to sound like a 22 WMR so I don’t blow my ear drums and wake the neighbors in the middle of the night. I do have a 22 WMR that shoots ridiculous accurate but I would rather have the reliability of a centerfire primer.
Once I get that trigger down to halfway acceptable on the 24F I plan on finding some 30 mm see-through rings. I figured the barrels will probably not regulate close enough for my acceptance. I’ll use a 1-4 30mm Bushnell Engage German reticle with a light up red dot for the hornet barrel and use the open sites for the 12 gauge. Maybe I’ll just mount the scope on the 24f with the current Warne rings I have mounted in and sight it in about an 1” high at 100 yards and see how far off it is or isn’t with the 12 gauge POA. Figured it would make a fun calling combination rifle if I can get the trigger light enough and both barrels regulated…with having to use see though rings or just an optic for both barrels.
Once I get that trigger down to halfway acceptable on the 24F I plan on finding some 30 mm see-through rings. I figured the barrels will probably not regulate close enough for my acceptance. I’ll use a 1-4 30mm Bushnell Engage German reticle with a light up red dot for the hornet barrel and use the open sites for the 12 gauge. Maybe I’ll just mount the scope on the 24f with the current Warne rings I have mounted in and sight it in about an 1” high at 100 yards and see how far off it is or isn’t with the 12 gauge POA. Figured it would make a fun calling combination rifle if I can get the trigger light enough and both barrels regulated…with having to use see though rings or just an optic for both barrels.
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