Savage 220 turkey

[tcbowhunter]

Thinking about adding one of these to my arsenal.  For those who have one or handled one, what are your thoughts and set ups.  I like the fact they are US made and the accu-triggers are great on my other savages, pointing me in this direction. 

[Rapscallion Vermilion]

Mine predates the AccuStock catalog version.  Wrote this back in 2020:

"I have the 220.  Very happy with it.  The good:  superb adjustable trigger,  not much weight out front - very well balanced, quiet thumb safety, well polished overbored barrel, beautiful patterns, smooth action, carries well, comes from the factory set up for optics, adjustable comb height and length of pull, easy to double check optics before a hunt by bore sighting.  Could be improved: the magazine is plastic and seems cheap relative to the gun (but light weight and no problems cycling so far), not a light weight gun for a 20, would like to see other camo options.   I shoot mine with TSS hand loads and use an IC .575 choke."



Since then I've cut the magazine back to make a smooth profile with the stock, which makes for a more comfortable hand carry, but reduces the magazine to one shell.  I remain extremely happy with it.  The AccuStock version is a few ounces heavier, but has the easy length of pull and comb height adjustments.

[tcbowhunter]

Thanks for the info.  I like your set up!  Do you have any pictures of how you modified the clip?  I like the flush mount idea. 
Anyone know what the factory choke is that comes with the 220 - I think I read somewhere it was a .690 constriction trulock?

[Rapscallion Vermilion]

Thanks for the info.  I like your set up!  Do you have any pictures of how you modified the clip?  I like the flush mount idea. 
Anyone know what the factory choke is that comes with the 220 - I think I read somewhere it was a .690 constriction trulock?

That .690 constriction might be for the 12 gauge version (212).  A Trulock Turkey Choke with .565 constriction came with my 220. 

I got the idea for the magazine modification from one of the Savage forums.  A fellow had done it for his Savage 220 Slug gun and described in words what he had done.

Here is mine with the flush-modified magazine.


Before and after the modification.  (I bought a spare in case I messed it up.)


Disassembled pieces and the internal spring after being cut.  White dot shows muzzle end.




I cut off the base piece first and discarded the decorative shroud you see on the "before" version.  Then inserted the magazine without the base piece and spring to mark where I wanted to cut the actual magazine.  I left it a hair long and ground it flat with a sander after I cut it.  Cut the spring and reassemble.  I used JB Weld to secure the base and put it all assembled in a clamp while it cured.

[tcbowhunter]

Looks good - thanks for the details
Yeah that makes sense on the choke constriction - I was reading on the gun and it was probably on a 12 gauge where I saw the choke constriction. .565 makes a lot more sense.

[ChesterCopperpot]

The thing that has always interested me most about using one as a turkey gun is the trigger. I personally like the AccuTrigger (lots of folks don't), but whether you run that or upgrade to a Timney trigger you'd have something better than 99.99999999% of shotguns out there. I've never understood why manufacturers didn't put super nice rifle triggers in dedicated turkey offerings.


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[tcbowhunter]

I agree - the trigger is one of the big selling points for me on this gun, along with the adjustable stock so it could fit my son.

[Rapscallion Vermilion]

The thing that has always interested me most about using one as a turkey gun is the trigger. I personally like the AccuTrigger (lots of folks don't), but whether you run that or upgrade to a Timney trigger you'd have something better than 99.99999999% of shotguns out there. I've never understood why manufacturers didn't put super nice rifle triggers in dedicated turkey offerings.

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Big selling point for me too.  I detest crappy triggers.  On my Remington turkey guns, I put Timney triggers and that was a huge improvement.  The AccuTrigger is even better, and by design inherently safer.