Steven’s Model 24

Austin Laughlin

Austin Laughlin

Well-known member
Anybody ever use one of these to hunt coyotes? I grew up around a couple of my dad’s friends, that had some in 22lr/20 and 22lr/410 I think, always brought them rabbit hunting. One of them had a 22 hornet/ 12 gauge and I always thought that’d be a killer combo.

I was to young to really remember much about them, and that’s really the only “experience” I’ve ever had with them.

Were they pretty accurate? I’ve always just had a notion that they weren’t made for shooting bug holes. But I don’t know that for a fact.
 
A great concept that is poorly executed IMO. The rifle barrel and shotgun barrel rarely have the same point of impact. The available scope mount never held zero for very long. I never liked them and still don't.
 
GC said:
A great concept that is poorly executed IMO. The rifle barrel and shotgun barrel rarely have the same point of impact. The available scope mount never held zero for very long. I never liked them and still don't.
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Really? That’s interesting. I don’t have any personal, hands on experience. So I didn’t know what a guy could expect with one.

I know my dad’s buddies, sure killed a whole lot of rabbits with theirs. But that’s not even in the same conversation. I only say that, cause that’s as far as my knowledge goes with one. I never did know how they performed on anything different.

You mean “same POI” as in, say you get your 22lr zeroed, and the pattern on the 12 gauge would be off? That’s pretty wild.
 
Again concept is good but poor execution. With the hammer and selector on the nose of the hammer it is slow to get in action even more so with a scope mounted, plus they aren't known for their triggers. I had one in 20ga/223, I wasn't a happy camper.

I love the concept, and have a number of European combo guns they got it right. Two triggers and a safety make barrel selection instantaneous and quick second shot, safety make firing simple with no hammer to cock. They operate like an O/U shotgun. Most have very good scope mounts. I shoot a BRNO in 12g/22 Savage high-powered and a Bernardelli in 12ga/5.6x50R Magnum.

Even better are drillings with two shotgun barrels over a rifle barrel. Two triggers and barrel selector. The one I use for coyotes is a 16ga/16ga/6.5x58R Sauer(equivalent to ha 25-35 Win).
 
Wow! There’s a heck of a lot more to these things than I thought! That’s really neat. I hate they didn’t come with much accuracy. I seen the newer model that savage makes, forgive me but I think it’s a Model 42?, and it’s relatively cheap at my local gun store.
 
Not bad, but not well thought out.

Savage did rebrand some Valmets as the Savage 2400 that were adjustable for POI, single selective trigger, safety and decent scope mounting.
 
I remember seeing what looked like a new updated version of one. It was brand new at my local gun store, I could’ve swore it said model 42. I’ve even forgotten the chamberings now
 
Austin, some people love them. There is definitely a cult-like following for the Savage combo guns. My uncle had a .22LR/20 gauge and that is what got me interested in them. I have owned two of them and just couldn't come to like them. Neither one had the barrels synched up and if the rifle was zeroed the shotgun barrel was off. I mounted a scope on the gun I had with the .223 centerfire barrel and if I shot the shotgun barrel a few times the mount would lose zero. But that was a long time ago, maybe the new ones are better regulated and might have a better optic mounting system. I haven't looked at the newest versions closely.
 
I had mine D&Td for a Weaver base which worked well, in fact mine was pretty well regulated. I just couldn't live with having to cock it between shots and having to change the selector also..
 
GC said:
Austin, some people love them. There is definitely a cult-like following for the Savage combo guns. My uncle had a .22LR/20 gauge and that is what got me interested in them. I have owned two of them and just couldn't come to like them. Neither one had the barrels synched up and if the rifle was zeroed the shotgun barrel was off. I mounted a scope on the gun I had with the .223 centerfire barrel and if I shot the shotgun barrel a few times the mount would lose zero. But that was a long time ago, maybe the new ones are better regulated and might have a better optic mounting system. I haven't looked at the newest versions closely.
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That sure is crazy. I guess I was more so around the “cult” of followers. I was young enough I didn’t know any different. They always talked so big on them
 
22magnum22 said:
You guys are forgetting that most of those savage 24's are stamped on the barrel to remove the scope before firing the shotgun.
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If I want a single-shot rifle it for sure isn't gonna look like a Savage 24 and I am for sure not going to lug around a useless shotgun barrel with it.
 
Bernardelli 12ga/5.6x50R killed with rifle barrel
xFZQnM.jpg



BRNO 12ga/22 Savage Highpower killed with shotgun barrel
UmGSI4.jpg



BRNO at the range
ZQlIF8.jpg



Drilling 16ga/16ga/6.5x58R Sauer killed with the shotgun barrel
mF8Jow.jpg


Drilling at the range
BOxtQQ.jpg



Another no name drilling 16ga/16ga/9.3x72R killed with the shotgun barrel
C3gith.jpg


When your hunting country that coyotes can appear at 10ft or 100 yards it is hard to beat a combo gun because you rarely have time to switch two different weapons. In that type of country, you rarely get a shot on a second coyote. I've killed more than one on a stand where they come in spaced. I've also rolled them with the shotgun barrel and finished them with the rifle barrel.

The Savage was a inexpensive utilitarian weapon, open sighted it worked fairly decent if you had time to reach up, cock the hammer, select the barrel, shoot and then go through the whole process again to shoot the second barrel. Having a scope on it made it doubly hard as the hammer and selector were hidden under the scope ocular housing, causing you to mount the scope high enough to clear your fingers but then having to lift your head off the stock to see through the scope.

The 24 I started with
jGY58X.jpg
 
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AWS said:
Bernardelli 12ga/5.6x50R killed with rifle barrel
xFZQnM.jpg



BRNO 12ga/22 Savage Highpower killed with shotgun barrel
UmGSI4.jpg



BRNO at the range
ZQlIF8.jpg



Drilling 16ga/16ga/6.5x58R Sauer killed with the shotgun barrel
mF8Jow.jpg


Drilling at the range
BOxtQQ.jpg



Another no name drilling 16ga/16ga/9.3x72R killed with the shotgun barrel
C3gith.jpg


When your hunting country that coyotes can appear at 10ft or 100 yards it is hard to beat a combo gun because you rarely have time to switch two different weapons. In that type of country, you rarely get a shot on a second coyote. I've killed more than one on a stand where they come in spaced. I've also rolled them with the shotgun barrel and finished them with the rifle barrel.

The Savage was a inexpensive utilitarian weapon, open sighted it worked fairly decent if you had time to reach up, cock the hammer, select the barrel, shoot and then go through the whole process again to shoot the second barrel. Having a scope on it made it doubly hard as the hammer and selector were hidden under the scope ocular housing, causing you to mount the scope high enough to clear your fingers but then having to lift your head off the stock to see through the scope.

The 24 I started with
jGY58X.jpg
Click to expand...
That’s so cool!
 
I've got two of them. One is a 22lr/20ga and the other is a 222/20ga. My dad uses the 223/12ga version. Never have had a problem with the rifles. Taken many varmint, yotes, quail, prairie chicken and deer with mine. Have been looking for a 30-30/12ga or a 357mag/20ga for a few years now. Prices are just higher than I want to pay. Good woods walking guns for fur and feather.
 
I bought a 24F Predator last year from the neighbor chambered in 22 hornet/3” 12 gauge choked. It’s the rarest chambering of them. Saw a few of the exact same model and chambering sold gun broker for $1299 at the time I bought it. It was never shot before I bought it. The barrels are pretty closely regulated when the hornet is zeroed at 100 yards. I tried about a dozen and half 40 grain lol gun hand loads with a 40 grain vmax. It was MOA to 1 1/4” five shot groups. I did polish the trigger group and got it down to under 3 pounds. Bought a bunch of brass and dies. Don’t know if I’ll ever use it. might sell or trade it off someday. Nice rare collector gun. I put a Weaver scope rail on it and Bushnell Engauge 30mm 1-4 illuminated reticle with german crosshairs on it for testing. I Have since removed it for more magnification but never tested it. I put see through rings in it with a 4-12 optic So I could use the open sights for shotgun and optic for long range. Never re tested groups with a higher powered optic. In sure it will tighten my groups some with my old eyes.








My dad had one in 22WMR Over 20 guage in wood when I was a kid. Always wanted thst csliber but could never find one locally. The synthetic isn’t as pretty but don’t have to worry about scratching it or weather conditions imo. Always thought they were a cool idea. I’m a shotgun goto gu y when calling and it’s nice to have a rifle on top if something locks up at 100 yards or more.


I see AWS‘s SxS. I have an old 1873 Charles Daly domascus SxS 10 guage. Restored it and shot a double bearded gobbler with it. I load it with cut down plastic hills to 2 7/8” along with 100 grains of FG and 1 5/8oz of nickel plated #6 shot. Loaded some up with lead #2’s ut it doesn’t hold a group past 25 yards. Would like to drill a yote or two with it. The close range barrel won’t group worth a darn but the other barrel is good to 50 yards for turkey with my load.





First time was a charm. I dropped my bird at 25 yards once I could see after the smoke cleared. I pulled the wrong trigger on the next two birds and they both stood there like nothing happened. I put it back in the stable to collect dust after that.
 
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