Disassembly, Reassembly of the Savage Model 220

Generally speaking, the ability to deliver consistent accuracy in a hunting rifle or shotgun is bolt, pump and semi-auto with those actions listed in order of effectiveness. Shoulder arms intended primarily for target use place the rigid aspects of the bolt action in a class by itself. Walk a line of competitors firing at distant objects and you’ll see what I mean. The bolt action, with cartridges chambered individually between shots, reigns supreme with the best of these marksmen.

This dominance prevails at the 50-foot range of small bore gallery matches. I have yet to witness a pump or semi-auto winning one. With most hunters, however, the military sniper’s ideal of "one shot, one kill" cannot be guaranteed by any action. Hence, more than one shot is desired and may be required, so a magazine-equipped gun gains favor in the field. Most states limit the capacity of the magazines. Some set a limit of two rounds. Others allow three.

A two round limit, assuming around is already chambered, provides a three round margin for success. If three, the margin increases to four. With those regulatory factors in Some changes are more significant than others. The new gun is available with a youth-oriented shorter stock and comes out of the box wearing the excellent Savage Accu Trigger. mind a manufacturer of hunting guns is obliged to provide a means of reducing magazine capacities that accompany every gun sold.

With tubular fed models this normally is a plastic plug fitting within the tube to restrict the number of rounds that can be inserted. Guns fitted with box magazines call for specific measures on the part of the hunter. These include purchasing a magazine of lesser capacity, if available, or taking up the excess with dummy rounds.

Much woe begets the hunter failing to install the plastic plug or dummy rounds to reduce capacity should a game warden happen upon the scene when said hunter is posing for the traditional bragging photo over his or her fallen game. Savage has more than slightly diminished such risk for purchasers of the company’s new 220 slug gun by equipping it with a two-round removable box magazine. It is impossible to load the 220 mag beyond its capacity.

The gun is a bolt action 20 gauge with a 1-in-24-inch twist hiding inside its 22-inch barrel and is equipped with an Accu Trigger, which I think of as the sporting rifle/shotgun trigger system all other sporting rifle/shotgun manufacturers wish they’d come up with first. Overall length of the 220 is 44.75 inches, it weighs in at 7.5 pounds and can be "youthfullized" with a shorter, factory-made stock. You may ask, "How come it’s not 12 gauge?" The simple answer: A twenty is plenty.

I can hear the voices raised in loud objection to that statement. For example, "No way! A 20 gauge can’t knock down high flying geese or along gone pheasant." I won’t even try to shout them down. The Model 220 isn’t offered as a bird gun. It is intended for game up to and including moose. For those and smaller deer-sized critters a twenty is plenty out at a hundred yards or so. A current production factory slug weighs 250 grains and leaves the barrel at a velocity of 1800 fps.

Its energy at 100 yards is 1400 foot pounds. Admittedly, the energy drops off pretty drastically any real distance beyond that but

This makes basic cleaning very simple but further disassembly is limited to the bolt assembly wherein the large animal with an attitude could be waiting. for woodland hunting at the length of a football field or less, like I said, a twenty is plenty! I’ve been advised by Savage to pass along some sound advice to you readers about the 220.

In my discussions with their engineer and the designer of the gun I asked about the feasibility of using upland bird loads in it since the barrel gauges out as improved cylinder at the muzzle. In response, they stated lead shot would be OK but steel shot should not be used because it might cause damage to the rifling and a loss in accuracy. They then added, and here’s the sound advice I mentioned, with lead shot a build up on the rifling can occur.

The barrel should be thoroughly rid of any lead deposit prior to a return to firing slugs. That’s right, students. Fouled rifling also causes a loss in accuracy. Field Stripping. As always, don safety glasses and clear the action first. There’s a three position safety and cocking indicator, also known as the side bolt release, on the 220. Both are involved when removing the bolt. Push the tang safety forward to its "OFF," ready-to-fire position.

This fully exposes the red dot, made large enough for all to see, indicating the trigger is no longer blocked. Hopefully, your hand is large enough to perform the next maneuver. Extending upward from the stock on the right side of the receiver is a lever with a thumb tab. It is the cocking indicator and side bolt release of a 220. Raise the bolt cocking handle and place a finger on the trigger. Pull the trigger completely to the rear and hold it there.

It has been nudged from the cocked position (A) with a nylon drift into its notch in the bolt body to relieve tension on the firing pin spring. Keeping the pressure on, place your thumb on the cocking indicator/bolt release tab. Press it down. Hold it there and slide the bolt out to the rear. Release both trigger and thumb tab. Awkward the first time tried? Could be. Doesn’t take much practice to make it second nature with aside release-equipped Savage, however. Invert the stock and still-attached barrel.

Press the magazine release to the rear and withdraw the magazine upward. There are two stock screws. One is the front action screw, the other the rear action screw. A 5/32-inch Allen wrench is needed to loosen and remove both. If the barrel hasn’t let go turn the stock right side up.

After placing a tightly rolled up towel or shop cloth on your bench and making sure any contact between barrel and cloth occurs at least four inches back from the muzzle, hold on to the stock and bump the barrel downwards against the cloth. Usually, one bump eliminates any stubbornness on the part of the barrel. If more bumping is needed, carry it out as specified and avoid the muzzle. The well defined lands and grooves of the sharply A

cut rifling extend to the very end of the barrel. Cause damage to them in your bumping actions and accuracy takes a significant nose dive. Cause significant damage and be prepared to buy anew barrel for your 220 customer. This would probably mean the entire gun would have to be returned to Savage. They match bolts to receivers and both wear the same numerals, which is also matched to the serial number of the rifle.

Therefore, the bolt from any other 220 you might be able to get your hands on wouldn’t qualify in the 220 with the beaten up muzzle. Kind of makes being careful about bumping a barrel out of a stock a matter of economic significance, doesn’t it? Just as significant is trying to disassemble the Accu Trigger. In a word, don’t. One, you can’t get replacements for any lost parts. Two, if it’s damaged or fails to function on reassembly it has to be returned to Savage for replacement with a complete new assembly.

Three, you’ll instantly void the gun’s warranty. So how can you get rid of any grit or other residue hiding inside an Accu Trigger? Flush it away, turn a hair dryer loose to dry it internally and externally, then lightly spray lubricate the insides. Where and how can you go further? With the bolt assembly. Detailed Disassembly With all due respect, it matters not how familiar you may be with the bolt of a Savage Model 110. That of the Model 220 does not exactly copy it.

For instance, what is the left extractor on a 110 is the left extractor/ cartridge guide on the 220 and the cocking piece sleeve on the 110 has been eliminated. Any self-respecting and worthy gun repair/maintenance operation ought to have a really good bench vise with four or five-inch wide jaws. Pad those jaws. Secure the bolt body between them with the bolt handle sticking out one side and the bolt head from the other. As removed from the receiver, the cocking piece pin rests in its cocked position.

It must be jarred from there to an uncocked state. This is easily done. Give the pin head a nudge off its perch near the rear baffle with a nylon drift. Immediately, wonderful things happen. Pressure on the mainspring is released, the pin head settles into its forward, uncocked notch on the bolt body and the further disassembly is made possible. Normally,

I suppose this can proceed without great delay because the release of mainspring tension allows the bolt assembly screw to move away from the rear bolt baffle. The screw takes a 1/4-inch Allen wrench, has a right hand thread and, in my case, was the bear previously mentioned. This may not be true of all Savage bolt assembly screws but on the 220 I received for this report the bear was a trophy-size grizzly acting like he was stuck in cement.

I’ve discovered subsequently that torque wrenches are shunned by some Savage assemblers installing bolt assembly screws. They use air wrenches!

After I double checked with the factory to establish the screw re 32 12M 12B 12M 33 12S 12C 27 18A 10 Detachable box magazine 12B Rear baffle assembly 12C Bolt handle 12MExtractor spring 12Q Retaining Pin 12S Bolt assembly screw sponded to a normal "lefty-loosey, righty-tighty" approach I selected along shank 1/4-inch Allen wrench to begin my attack on "the grizz." I’d been told of a factory service technician’s trick to break loose overly-stubborn bolt assembly screws so I tried it next.

Having no one to hold the work piece in place for me, I C-clamped it to my bench. The folded cloth you see in the photo was an addition of my own to protect the bolt body from getting scratched up during what was about to occur. There is no attempt intended here to dissuade or discourage you from working on a Savage bolt action.

I simply believe it’s best you approach it after having 12Q 18 13 Frame assembly 18 Stock assembly 18A Swivel stud 18B Swivel stud 18C 10-32 Lock nut 19A Trigger guard been provided as much information as is possible for me to dish out. The short leg of the wrench is inserted into the disassembly screw with the long leg extending at an angle to position it about one-and-a-half inches above the bench. A light plastic hammer began my downward tapping near the bend in the wrench. Nothing.

I switched to a heavier brass hammer and moved my point of impact farther out from the short end for additional leverage. Again, nothing. After progressively moving farther up the long leg of the wrench and making progressively sharper impacts with heavier hammers, still nothing.

I was beginning to doubt 18C 18B 13 19D 19A Savage Model 220 (Speci ications subject to change 10 without notice) 19B 19C 19B Rear trigger guard screw 19C Rear action screw 19D Front action screw 27 Tension adjustment tool 32 Left hand extractor 33 Right hand extractor

12G 12S 11D Firing Pin Spring 11G Firing Pin 12A Cocking Piece Pin 12B Rear baffle assembly 12C Bolt handle 12H Cross Pin 12G Bolt Body the service technician’s trick, but it deserved one more chance. I dug out the six-inch long, 3/4-inch diameter solid lead cylinder S&W instructors handed out as "The Factory Adjustment Tool" back in the days I attended their Armorer’s School. From a foot above I banged the babbit down upon the wrench. And again. The Grizz stood its ground.

It was time to dope out my own trick so I could pass it along. A thorough and prolonged search of my somewhat expansive 3/8-inch socket assortment turned up one permanently affixed to a 1/4inch Allen wrench stud. The bolt was secured in the padded vise jaws with it’s cocking handle positioned above them. By now, I fancied, the Grizz must be snarling at me in complete disdain.

I attached the socket to its 3/8-inch drive, eight-inch long ratchet, tugged and thought I 12M 32 12K 12J 12I 12Q 12M 33 12H 11D 12A 12B Savage Bolt Assembly (Speci ications subject to change 12C without notice) 12I Front Washer 12J Front Baffle 12K Bolt Head 12MExtractor spring 12Q Ejector Retaining Pin 12S Bolt assembly screw 32 Left Hand Extractor 33 Right Hand Extractor felt a slight movement. More tugging failed to advance my cause.

By now, I was tiring of my encounter and had grown more than a little cranky toward the obstinate beast, but editorial policy prohibits the use of stronger words to express my annoyance. All right, Grizz, no more Mr. Nice guy. I located a length of galvanized pipe to encircle and extend from the handle of my ratchet. It would become a cheater bar against whose extreme outer flank I would repeatedly bring my trusty Factory Adjustment Tool to bear. That I did and the Grizz finally surrendered.

I am inspired to email a gentleman I greatly admire who occupies the comer office at Savage respectfully suggesting all air wrenches inventoried at his Westfield, MA facility be donated and shipped to NASCAR, pronto! Once you have done with a bolt assembly screw things get whole lot easier. Refer to the separate schematic of the bolt for part identification. Remove the bolt handle (12C) and the rear baffle (12B) in that order. Withdraw the firing pin spring (11D).

Pull out the cocking piece pin (12A), tip the bolt upward on its rear end and tap it on your bench to remove the one-piece firing pin (11G). Drift out the cross pin (12H), retaining the bolt head from the bolt body (12G) in either direction. Slide out the bolt head assembly from the front. Separate the front washer (12I) from the body. Slip off the front baffle (12J) from the bolt head to the rear. Two pins (12Q) retain the extractors (32 & 33) and their springs (12M).

The left hand extractor (32) performs the added function of being the cartridge guide. Do not get these extractors mixed up and note that the left stud of the front baffle must be aligned with the left extractor to reinsert the bolt into the receiver. 11G I suggest you copy and keep a schematic of this bolt assembly in your files. It does not appear in the owner’s manual and is not ordinarily available through normal channels. A sympathetic Savage project and design engineer pried one loose for American Gunsmith.

We all deeply thank you, Steve. Reassembly Tip In addition to maintaining alignment between front baffle and left extractor, the only step that might be troublesome is relocating the head of the cocking piece pin back into its rearward cocked position. The firing pin spring is going to fight you, however, the head of the pin is made of very stern material.

If you pad the jaws of an adjustable wrench with a fairly long handle and lock them on to the pin head using the wrench as a lever, the intensity of any brawl will be considerably lessened. One very large bear per gun is quite enough, agreed? AG