New 220. The good, the bad, and the ugly...

[bigbang]

The good - It shoots better than I can at 60 yards. The customer service so far seems to be great.
The bad - I had to contact customer service as there is a problem somewhere with the mag or gun.
The ugly - Well, I don't think it's pretty, but I don't care!

After finding out the wife is a great shooter IF the trigger is stellar (the mossy is not), I picked up a basic black 220 and two boxes of ammo.

Get the gun out to get familiar with it, clean, inspect, etc. the 1st thing I notice is the magazine had to be held and inserted just ever so to get to lock in. Was kind of turn off right off the bat.

Got a one piece DNZ mount and put a 3-9 Leupold on it. Put one round in the magazine and it's even more finicky about inserting it. Not something you could do in a hurry or in the dark. Three shots later, in the bull and ready to see what it'll do at 60 yards (I don't have any shots further than 80 yards in the woods). Put two rounds in the mag and it will NOT lock in. Fiddle around, try one round, no rounds, it just aint gonna happen. The wife and I finish up the two boxes loading one round at a time.

So, anyone have any magazine problems? I'm guessing the little tang sticking out from underneath the bolt is the ejector? It seems to move when the bolt release is pressed as well. It seems to get in the way when the mag is loaded and hit the rim of the shell. However even if I slide the shell a bit forward in the mag, it still will not seat with two rounds loaded.

Customer service is sending me a new magazine but did mention sending the gun in if it didn't take care of the problem. I hope it's just the mag as I've spent time and money sighting it in and seems to shoot great. Not to mention opening day is just around the corner.

Any suggestions to try in the meantime???

[JimTh]

The design is a bit odd, but I've always been able to get mine to work. There is a fixed piece of metal in the back that the magazine hooks onto then the lever moves back and then snaps in place on the front. In other words, you have to hook the back on first, then rock the front up a little bit.

[rjtfroggy]

What ammo are using? I 've tried 5 different brands and shoot 2-3" @100 some better most worse that is an average.

[bigbang]

Jimth, yes, that method works fine on an empty mag, much more difficult with one round and impossible with two.
Honady sst and win something both shot well. But i was only at 60 yrds. 2" @100 is good for me.

[rjtfroggy]

My plan is to move into 75 yards. Here in Ct. there are not many shots over that when in the woods. I am also going to try and replace the stock all before the Nov.20th opening. When done I will post up results.

[gaakwalch]

Need to go out again. My 220 with Nikon Optics I am shooting a 2inch group at 100yrds with partion golds

[cjfish]

I have found that rem accuetips shot great out to 200. At 200 it holds a 5in group

[Deguy]

I have had very good luck with Remington Accutips, if I do my part they will shoot 1" at 100 yards.

[JimyNorth]

ok I just got this gun. I was using a H&R Ultra Slugger but wanted a longer barrel and another round just in case. I've tried Hornadys and Accutips and its all over the place. I've got it in a Lead Sled and can't get a group to adjust. At 25 yards and 50 yards its a real tight group but at 100yrds I can't tell you where its going. Frustrated!!!! Scope or Gun?

[J.Baker]

#1 Throw that Lead Sled in the garbage as that's likely what's causing your accuracy issues.

Nine times out of ten when someone comes on here complaining about accuracy issues with their new Savage it's because they're trying to shoot off a Lead Sled. Lead Sled's are great for taming recoil, but they do so at the cost of accuracy because it doesn't let the gun recoil naturally. If the Sled was actually 100% immobile on the bench it would work as advertised, but in reality you simply can't stack enough bags of lead shot onto a lead sled to make it truly stationary and any movement of the rest under recoil will affect accuracy.

If you're trying to sight in a new scope or your open sights you need to do so using a proper rest with sandbags from a sturdy bench. If you don't have a proper rest and bags, go buy a Caldwell Rock or Rock Jr. rest and a set of their filled Cordura bags. I guarantee you that the money you spend will quickly be recouped from all the ammo you won't be wasting trying to sight in off a make-shift setup. And no, a bipod isn't an ideal or proper rest for sighting in purposes - especially off a wood or concrete bench.

If you can't handle the recoil with a standard rest setup just buy yourself a proper shoulder pad or fold up a hand towel and shove it inside your shirt/jacket for some extra padding.

[JimyNorth]

Thanks for the info.

I should have also mentioned my first attempt to sight in was with my Caldwell Rock and Jr. The reason I went to the sled was to insure it wasn't me. Yes the sled isn't permanently mounted to the bench but I was able to sight in my brothers Savage 220 relatively quick. I used the Caldwell Bag for his and the sled. I am going to purchase a new scope tomorrow and reset and try again. No Sled this time just my Caldwell bags. I'll keep you posted.

I usually use 3" Accutip shells, but apparently Remington didn't make any this year. If they did, most of the Michigan Stores aren't getting them in.

[rjtfroggy]

I changed out my stock to a Boyd's, it took some fitting and some time but it is doable. Before the stock replacement it was a 2"+ @ 100 gun off my BR set up, after the change, about 1-1 1/8 @ 75 with either Federal true ball or Lightfeild sabots both 2 3/4". I am using a Redfeild 2-7 Revolution and to be honest I don't care for the reticle but for this year it will have to do, next year I'll swap my SS 6x to it and be done with it.
I did try some Remington copper solids last year and they grouped right at 1" @ 100 but at just over $1 a shot I decided to find something else that works for deer hunting.

[RP12]

I've never had a gun not like Lightfield ammo. You could give that a try. Also stay away from 3" shells, they tend to be less accurate in "most"cases.

[J.Baker]

... but at just over $1 a shot I decided to find something else that works for deer hunting.

That's why I don't slug hunt anymore - too darned expensive! Sold both my slug guns and now just hunt the slug season with my muzzleloader. I have to admit though, Savage offering the 220 in LH did making it very tempting, but if I got another slug gun it would probably be an auto-loader so I could switch barrels and get more use out of it than just one week a year.

[rjtfroggy]

I just realized I mada a mistake the rem. copper solids are just over $4 a round not $1. The lightfeilds are about $2.50 and the Federals were around a buck. I think.

[J.Baker]

That's still a lot more than my 25-30 cents a shot with the 10ML-II. :p Only downside is that if I miss I have to hope and pray the deer stands there looking at (mocking?) me long enough to reload. Usually doesn't work as apparently when deer see the ramrod come out and they think it's a riding crop and skedaddle.

[EFBell]

It's not that expensive if you hit what you're aiming at... LOL... Dropping two deer in succession where legal of course is much easier with my 220F than it is with my MLII. I know this for a fact. :cool:

[sniper15545]

It's not that expensive if you hit what you're aiming at... LOL... Dropping two deer in succession where legal of course is much easier with my 220F than it is with my MLII. I know this for a fact. :cool:

Ed we should hunt together I'll shot the ones over 250 yards with my ML and you get the close ones! LOL.

[EFBell]

ok, where and when?

[pdog06]

Hey Doug, we all know the 220 can reach out to 300yds.....LOL

Atleast from the bench and leaning against a post......LOL


BTW, where we all hunting?