holt
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Posts: 2 
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Post by holt on Feb 11, 2016 20:28:40 GMT -5
Hello all,
I am new here and have some questions about the 24V. Been considering one of these for some time but have held off looking for one to buy because there seems to be a lot of these guns (according to what I've read online) with badly regulated barrels; would really like one in .222/20 gauge for predator hunting, but not if I have to drastically adjust hold from one barrel to the next. Do the welded barrels tend to do better than the split ones, are the split ones better, or is it a crap shoot with any of them and you get what you get?? Any info will be GREATLY appreciated, thanks in advance. |
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Post by Mr. Polecat on Feb 11, 2016 23:45:58 GMT -5
The centerfires were only made with the split barrels. The soldered ones are older, and rimfires only.
The regulation isn't too much of an issue unless you are shooting slugs. If it's really bad, you can jam a wedge between the barrels and pull it a little closer usually.
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Post by colonel3006 on Feb 12, 2016 5:48:12 GMT -5
I had to regulate my split barrel by just loosening the barrel clamp and twisting the barrels just a hair. I use the tip of front sight for the rifle and middle of sight for the 20 gawith slugs and hit exact poi with both at 50 yds.
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Post by woodsbum on Feb 12, 2016 8:55:30 GMT -5
I really don't think that barrel regulation should be that much of an issue for a hunting firearm. Just sight in for the rifle, letting the barrel cool well in between each shot or two. This is about what you would experience in a hunting situation. After that see what the shot pattern looks like and where it centers. Slugs seem to be a different situation. My shotguns, not just the 24V all seem to shoot slugs to a different point than the shot pattern center. I have also found that different slugs seem to shoot to different points. If your talking predator hunting you probably will be shooting Small buckshot or BB's. Just purchase and test different loads of factory (or try different handloads), until you find a shotgun load that does what you want. Just keep in mind that the 24 is a hunting weapon and not a long range target rifle. I have had a 24V series C in .222/20ga. for a long time and it serves my purposes well.
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holt
Rank Stranger
Posts: 2
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Post by holt on Feb 12, 2016 12:46:53 GMT -5
Thanks for the replies, guess it shows that I don't know much about these guns with the soldered/split barrels question. Good to know that barrels can be tweaked somewhat. Not looking for a rifle that shoots one tiny hole at 300 yards, or a shotgun for sporting clays--just want something that will allow me to shoot a coyote at 20 yards or 100 without having to carry 2 guns...also would be nice to have the option of shooting flying crows that always seem to be present, assuming that I can figure out how to wingshoot with a scope. Doubt that I'd ever shoot a slug through it, probably only birdshot and the smaller sized buckshot woodsbum mentioned. Hopefully I can find a well-regulated one, or at least one that can be made to work. Have come across so many negative comments about the 24's that I have been a little hesitant to seriously look for one, but may start now. Thanks.
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Post by Mr. Polecat on Feb 12, 2016 13:04:44 GMT -5
The combo guns in general are a compromise in all ways, a jack of all trades and master of none. You'll always be able to get a better rifle for less than half the cost of a combo, or a better shotgun for less than half the cost of a combo.
The way that you hunt has to be able to take advantage of the combination's ability to act like a rifle and a shotgun at the same time. They are great for hunting a mixed bag of game. But that style of hunting has never really caught on in the USA.
So yeah, I think that the people (the vast majority of US hunters) who take a negative view of them just don't tend to hunt in a way that makes the combination a useful tool for them, and that's where the negativity comes from. The combination guns, IMO, seem to be more favored by the meat hunters and the collectors, rather than the narrowly focused sport/trophy hunter.
Don't get me wrong, I love my combination guns. But I definitely don't think they are everyone's cup of tea, and that is fine. Just be aware of the disadvantages before you buy, and don't expect them to be the Ultimate Perfect Excalibur Gun, because they are definitely a compromise in all ways.
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Post by woodsbum on Feb 13, 2016 10:48:36 GMT -5
I think that Leaf's above post says it all. In my opinion it applies to all combination firearms including drillings. They are rugged utility firearms that seem to fill the bill in most situations.
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Post by wilbuc on Feb 13, 2016 11:47:37 GMT -5
I have a 24V D series 30-30 20 gauge that appears to be welded 10-12 inches or so in the middle area between the barrels. It shoots to point of aim at 50 yards.
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Post by hairytully on Feb 14, 2016 7:43:37 GMT -5
I have a Savage 24 223/12G I hunt predators with, I love that gun but it's been a long road with very mixed results.
I've received much wise advice from this forum, but still repeated some efforts for my own interest.
The 223 and probably 222 barrels are 1-14 twist and can be quite accurate 1MOA with less than 55 grain projectiles and loads they like. Over that and if fired when the rifle barrel is hot, groups open up triple or more.
My shotgun barrel regulation was originally 14" low at 50M with slugs. Eventually after using a thin metal wedge between the barrels, moving it and test firing, the slugs hit only 3" to the right. 00 buckshot patterned great, but BB and F shot through the full choke showed doughnut hollow patterns. So I've got a modified choke and need new pattern testing to see if there's improvement.
Combinations can be a lot of work to get used to their likes and dislikes, but I think you're researching the right tool for solo predator calling. Top it with a 1-4x or 1-6x scope, you could wingshoot or shotgun running targets to 30-40m on one power, or zoom in and pop the ones out further to 200m+.
Good luck Mate and let us know how you go.
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Post by hairytully on Feb 14, 2016 7:49:41 GMT -5
Also I thought my barrels were welded too, but it ended up being gunk from a previous owner. Cleaned up easy after I figured out the barrel squeeze was preventing cleaning patches fitting between. Gave me hope of regulating the barrels to within a couple of inches rather than feet.
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Post by wilbuc on Feb 14, 2016 21:26:23 GMT -5
Hairytully, how did you clean the gunk out? The material between my barrels appears to be very solid--like welded and does not respond to a narrow pocket knife blade. I wonder if the past owner of my 24 put the material there purposefully to regulate barrels, or could have the factory done it? Come to think of it, it could have been glued together with epoxy or JB Weld. Just wondering....
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Post by hairytully on Feb 14, 2016 21:59:46 GMT -5
Oh dear, you've got different issues to me. Despite looking like weld, It ended up being soft and easily removed. I'll point you to the wise ones of the forum and keep my fingers crossed there's an easy solution.
Sorry, but any advice I could offer you've probably thought of and dismissed already.
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Post by Mr. Polecat on Feb 15, 2016 1:54:13 GMT -5
Wilbuc, your 24S-E is an earlier model with the barrels soldered the whole length. They're really great if they shoot well to begin with; they don't have the stringing issues of the later guns.
Edit: Er.... Nevermind, I think I have you confused with someone else, heh.
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Post by wilbuc on Feb 15, 2016 11:33:00 GMT -5
I used a feeler gauge this morning and measured the open areas between barrels near the breech and sight. Near the breech, the gap was 0.016 inch, whereas near the sight, the gap had increased to 0.035 inch. Like I said, there is a middle "joined" area between these extremes of about 12 inches long. The actual barrels do not appear bent in any way. I can't remove any of the junk area between the barrels so far using a tiny pin. I can't help but wonder if a prior owner doctored these barrels. In any event, the gun shoots accurately although I don't see how.
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Post by Mr. Polecat on Feb 15, 2016 14:00:34 GMT -5
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