Model 24H-DL - Odd rear sight!

[Alec Peirce]

My 24H needs a new rear sight. The one that's been on it for the past 25+ years is broken. It is a pretty standard, single dovetail, 3/16" sight.
However, the gun barrel has a double dovetail, both dovetails 3/16".
The 2nd dovetail was hidden beneath the original sight (original to me).
Is a double dovetail common with these guns?
Is there a preference, single dovetail versus double, other than for originality?

[J.Baker]

Can't say I've ever seen that before. My best guess would be that someone cut in the second dovetail at some point due to the original being damaged (filed it out too large) or they wanted to change the sight radius. IIRC the upper barrels on these are grooved like an old rimfire receiver to accept scope rings, so it could be they had a new dovetail cut to move the rear sight foreward to clear a scope rather than remove it.

Often hard to tell the reasoning and thought process behind modifications made by a previous owner.

[Alec Peirce]

Thanks for your reply.
Yes. I've run into "modifications" before. They often defy logic.
So, to be clear, you're not aware of a double dovetail for a rear sight on a 24?
I'm curious because Gun Parts offers a single 3/16" sight and a double dovetail 3/16" sight.
Of course, if the double is to fit, both the dovetails AND the spacing of them has to be accurate.
Perhaps I'm best to just get the single and cover the other dovetail with it.
Re the scope mount grooves, that's a good thought.
My understanding is that Savage warns to NOT use a scope if firing the shotgun.
The grooves are not deep. Perhaps they are worried about the scope loosening when firing the shotgun.
Odd to have scope mount grooves on a rifle/shotgun combo if you must constantly remove the scope to use the shotgun.
It defeats the main benefit of the gun.
Thanks again.

[J.Baker]

I'm no authority on 24's, but have owned probably a half-dozen over the last 15 years and always give the ones I see for sale at a show a good going over. Can't say I've ever seen one with a double dovetail, but that's not to say Savage never made them that way. Why they would is beyond me, but Savage has done stranger things than that which made no sense over the years. lol