Why the Savage 220 Turkey may be the ultimate gun for long beards.
If you are a serious turkey hunter, a quality shotgun is a must. Your choice of firearm can make the difference between filling your freezer with a huge gobbler and going without. Not many firearms get the job done better than a bolt action shotgun. The Savage 220 is already made in bolt-action slug gun combinations specifically for deer hunting with sabot slugs. This proven technology is based on Savage's legendary Model 110 action used in their centerfire rifles.
It turns out, what works great for a slug gun also works well for a turkey gun. The 20-guage Savage 220 has plenty of awesome features that set it apart from others on the market.
Let us give you a full rundown of what makes this offering from Savage Arms different from the rest.
The AccuFit System
One big advantage the Savage 220 has over other turkey guns out of the gate is the AccuFit system that Savage Arms is building into many of their long guns these days. The user-adjustable AccuTrigger allows you to dial down the trigger pull weight or increase it depending on your preferences or needs. For instance, it may be preferable to adjust the weight slightly higher for a newer hunter still learning proper trigger discipline. More experienced shooters may enjoy a lighter pull for tighter shot groups.
Speaking of younger hunters, that is where the AccuStock chassis comes in handy. This system lets hunters quickly increase or decrease the length of pull by removing just a few screws and inserting spacers. Likewise, the comb height can also be raised or lowered by swapping out the inserts.
That means you can have one setup for yourself and another for a child or grandchild simply by making a few adjustments. No more of the traditional worries that come with letting someone else borrow a firearm. Now you can have a turkey gun that feels like a custom fit every time for everyone without lengthy waits and expensive bills from the gunsmith. Oh, and the stock comes with a generous recoil pad that will help tame the kick even more. As we already mentioned, these features make this gun a solid choice for a first-time turkey hunter.
The official details
The Savage Model 220 Turkey gun sku has an overall length of 44.5 inches, with the barrel length taking up 22 of that. The blued barrel is free-floating and includes a removable extra-full turkey choke tube using Winchester choke threading. The barrel is made of carbon steel. We have already mentioned how this gun's design comes from the Model 110 rifle and this gun uses the same locking nut design to secure the barrel to the receiver. The barrel and receiver have a matte black finish.
Because hiding from the eyes of wary birds is important, the synthetic stock features a Mossy Oak Obsession camo pattern to help you blend into the background. An oversized bolt handle helps make this gun easier to operate when you are wearing gloves. Odds are, you will not need a second shot, but Savage gave this gun a 2+1 ammo capacity thanks to the two-shell detachable box magazine.
Savage recognizes that many hunters will want to attach optics to this gun. They have included a built-in one piece picatinny rail for quick scope mounts. It would be ideal for a the turkey hunting optic of your choice from Leupold, Nikon, Vortex, Bushnell or other favorite hunting optics manufacturers.
Overall, this gun weighs about seven pounds, which is a decent weight, but it will be easy to transport to the hunting blind thanks to the swivel studs for attaching a sling.
Why a bolt-action gun makes sense for turkey.
For years, hunters in parts of the Midwest have had to deal with "shotgun zones" where their only options for deer hunting were muzzleloaders or slug shotgun firearms specifically designed with a rifled barrel for long-distance shooting of sabot slugs like the Remington Accutip or the Hornady SST.
Not only have hunters found their distance increased with guns like the Savage 220 slug gun, their accuracy is dialed in better too. It only makes sense to take the technology perfected in these rifles and deer guns and transfer it over to a turkey hunting platform. The Savage 220 Turkey will result in tighter patterns at longer distances and more dead birds.
Properly patterned with the right turkey load, you may even be able to increase your effective range from your old firearm slightly. How many of us have felt the frustration of that wise old Tom that stops just five to ten yards short of fully committing to your decoys?
Overall, the Savage 220 offers enough awesome features to last for a lifetime of hunting with friends and family. At $600, it is also quite affordable for anyone looking for a high-quality turkey gun that will help fill the freezer with big birds season after season. See the Savage Arms website for more information about the Savage 220 and all their other bolt-action shotguns and hunting rifles.
For more outdoor content from Travis Smola, be sure to follow him on Twitter and check out his Geocaching and Outdoors with Travis YouTube channels.
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