Savage 212 or 220

[smokeeter]

I have an older 12 ga. model 210F. I is very accurate and has devastating knock down capabilities. I shoot homemade lyman 525 lead slugs. It has a slightly less reach advantage ( that's what my smokeless muzzleloader is for anyway), but it is more than adequate out to 150 yrds.
here's a group @ 100 yrds.

[Marker]

I had a 220, accuracy was typically good but at $4 every trigger pull range time got expensive. The one flaw with that gun is that it does not come with iron sights so you are forced to buy a scope and at close range you may not want one anyway. The Browning A-Bolt slugger comes with iron sights but at an extra costs which offsets the price of the scope, unfortunately it only comes in 12G, now if they made that gun in 20......

If you google a ballistics calculator (http://www.winchester.com/learning-c...alculator.aspx) you will be able to compare, the 20G sabot has very good performance.

I now use a smooth-bore A5 in 12G with iron sights for my range time, I get good (4 inch group at 50 yrds) performance with the Federal Truball and would hunt with it if keeping the distance under 50yrds.

[Fox]

I had a 220, accuracy was typically good but at $4 every trigger pull range time got expensive. The one flaw with that gun is that it does not come with iron sights so you are forced to buy a scope and at close range you may not want one anyway.

Not really much point of a rifled barrel shotgun if you are keeping the range to iron sights range. My smooth bore barrel on my 870 has clamp on irons and shoots like your A5, no need for a rifled barrel unless that is scoped and shooting at a lot longer ranges.

[Bluebulldog]

I had a 220, accuracy was typically good but at $4 every trigger pull range time got expensive. The one flaw with that gun is that it does not come with iron sights so you are forced to buy a scope and at close range you may not want one anyway. The Browning A-Bolt slugger comes with iron sights but at an extra costs which offsets the price of the scope, unfortunately it only comes in 12G, now if they made that gun in 20......

If you google a ballistics calculator (http://www.winchester.com/learning-c...alculator.aspx) you will be able to compare, the 20G sabot has very good performance.

I now use a smooth-bore A5 in 12G with iron sights for my range time, I get good (4 inch group at 50 yrds) performance with the Federal Truball and would hunt with it if keeping the distance under 50yrds.

Scope isn't the only option. A few shooters with the 220 that I've seen have holo sights on theirs.

[GW11]

I switched to a 20 gauge for slugs a few years ago and wouldn't look back, although it's an H&R. Much more comfortable to shoot and still plenty of range and energy to do the job. A couple of guys in my group carry the Savage 220 and have nothing but praise for their performance. The only issue I've seen with that them is that slugs don't feed from a magazine like rifle cartridges will. You have to work that bolt with authority.

[canadaman30]

I'm surprised nobody has much to say about the 12 gauge.

Go with the 12g. I sure would if I were purchasing a new slug gun. You'll have a gun to hunt anything in this country. Lots of choice if you ever decide to load slugs yourself and factory ammo is everywhere

[Big Jack]

Go with the 12g. I sure would if I were purchasing a new slug gun. You'll have a gun to hunt anything in this country. Lots of choice if you ever decide to load slugs yourself and factory ammo is everywhere

I will state the exact opposite. My choice would be 20 gauge

I have owned;

7 savage 220
2 savage 212/210 12 gauge
Abolt 12 gauge
Browning maxus cantilever 12 gauge slug
Browning bps Cantilever slug 20
Browning 10 gauge slug
870 express 20 and 12 gauge cantilever slug.


The Abolt was most expensive and I could have bought 2 220 for the same cash. It shot ok.

20 ga Savages were least expensive but the best shooters. Out of those 7 guns the 220 20 gauge was by far best - no contest.

Solid 200 yard guns

After that the BPS 20 gauge cantilever was next best and 200 yard capable. Brother took a big bodied 8 point at just over 180 yards....

The 12 gauge is fine but I sure wouldn't say the best and the Labradar shows most of the ammo shoots nowhere near what the box says. Some real whacky numbers with the 12 gauge ammo. Ballistically if you can get 125 yards out of premium ammo your doing really well.

My 2 cents - your mileage may vary

[BEPPEQ]

No need for a 12ga, 20ga does the job and the gun is a lot lighter.

I know a guy with a 220, great gun but good luck finding one.

Agree with Fox. Lots of calls in the GTA hoping to get one for last seasons SG season but nothing. A guy at BPS said to call every week on Mondays to see if any where in the truck because you couldnt get on a wait list.

Ended up ordering one online at Cabelas. Punched in my PAL and had it in 5 days. Felt kinda wierd buying a gun online but came in great condition.

Havnt mounted the scope yet (Slug Hunter) so i cant say about accuracy but shot a couple and the recoil is amazing compared to my 12g. My only concern with it is once the scope is mounted it looks tight so not sure how the shell will eject when cycling the bolt.

Looking forward to November!

Bep

[impact]

My only concern with it is once the scope is mounted it looks tight so not sure how the shell will eject when cycling the bolt.
Bep

Not a concern if the appropriate base and rings are installed. I could probably have installed shorter rings on mine and still have adequate clearance but wanted to keep the option open of perhaps someday installing a scope with a larger bell housing and also taking into consideration the cycling of the bolt handle. Whatever you are comfortable with shooting the gun. Have a look at the picture I posted up above.

[Fox]

Go with the 12g. I sure would if I were purchasing a new slug gun. You'll have a gun to hunt anything in this country. Lots of choice if you ever decide to load slugs yourself and factory ammo is everywhere

A 12ga although it hits hard is not even close to ideal if you go outside of a shotgun only area, sure you can use it but your effective range due to the rainbow trajectory compared to a rifle is just brutal if you end up in an area that allows rifles. The recoil too is tough to get used too, I will take a 30-06 with no recoil pad or a sporter 303 Brit with a brass butt plate over my 12ga rifled barreled shotgun any day of the week if I have the option. The 12ga is what I went with because it is simply a barrel swap and was a $200 option at a time when $700 was way too rich for my blood but I have seen and handled the savage 220, although not smooth right out of the box they do not take a lot of work to run very nice and they are setup like a proper rifle with a floating barrel, you just have to find the best ammo for them.