Savage 840 222 Rem- Range Report

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AWS

Retired PM Staff
Was wanderring around the gun shop and spied a Savage 840 in 222 Rem. The stack has been replaced by a Fajen MC that lets me line up just perfect with the scope. The rest of the gun is in great shape, and came with a Weaver K-4 w/ plain crosshairs. The rifle was only $149 so it will reside in the truck as a backup gun.

Question on scope mounts. It has a Weaver side mount that works fine with an old Weaver steel tube scope but nothing else will work. The ring part of the side mount fits tight to the scope and all the scopes I have other than the old Weavers have a protrusion all the way around the scope where the adjustment knobs are. Does anyone know of a mount for these guns that allow the use of other more modern scopes?

I did swap out the plain crosshair K-4 for a duplex K-1.5 which should work just fine for calling.

AWS
 
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go to gunbroker.com and do a search for the savage 840. There are a couple on there and one has a scope mounted. It looks like a regular type mount.
 
Sounds like you got a very nice deal on this gun. Weaver makes a mount with an extended from ring, that will allow for a better grip on the scope. It gets the front ring out infront of adjustment knobs. these were not bench rest guns...but were great hunting packing rifles. Nice find. You will most likely have to order the base and rings(they come as a set) from a dealer who stocks Weaver...I sometimes see them on E-bay and gunbroker, but the new price isn't bad either. You could also order one from midway, lock stock and barrel, graff & sons...
 
.222 the triple deuce is just a shade under the .223 performance. The Triple Deuce has a great rep for accuracy, and was a bench rest favorite for years...it gives up a little speed to the .223 but in the field you will not see any difference between the .222 and the .223.
 
Good to know that you can get some money for an 840. I have an 840 in 30-30 that I picked up at an auction that I am trying to get out of so I can get a different caliber. The only mounts I was able to find for my gun (around my area) were the side mounts, or a scout scope style mount, which would be too bad for a 30-30 in the brushy areas around my way.
 
Due to the design of the action, the side mount is the only option, unless you go with the barrel mount/scout set up. Its not all bad though, because the side mount allows for use of the iron sights without moving a thing...

I have an 840 30-30 that my son bought for me at a gunshow it was a wreak...I got a replacement mag receiver/holder, and barrel band from Numrich. It had the short short barrel...I shot it for several years after the rebuild, then last year, I got a brand new barrel(30-30) from Numrich, and had a smith put it on...its a 24 inch barrel, and man what a difference...accuracy and velocity came way way up. I shoot 125 grain varment bullets out of this gun, normally pointy bullets in a 30-30 are a no-no, because of the lever guns mag tube..but with the Savage's box styl mag...pointy bullets are good to go, and my gun is shooting the 125s at blistering 2630 fps...you should see what they do to a prarie dog.

I have owned 3 840/340 in .222 and some one always talks me out of them when they see how much fun they are to shoot...just a basic old rifle that packs easy shoots well and hunts like an old friend. I bought an E version in 30-30, for my son at a pawn shot it has a 22 inch barrel, and it will keep pace with mine in accuracy...ammo is cheap and easy to reload...brass is plentifull, and it makes a great calling gun. I have a steel tube weaver 3 power scope with the german post reticle, and it is a ton of fun to shoot. I have a Weaver 6x steel tube sxope that is begging me to gat another .222....maybe my next gun purchase.
 
Bloodhound

Thanks far all the info. Still need an answer to my question. Will the Weaver ring set you are talking about clear the Windage/Elevation saddle on modern scopes?

On the older Weaver steel tubes the W/E saddle only went about 1/3 of the way around the scope and the ring set would be tight against the scope tube for it's whole length length running just under the W/E saddle. All the modern scopes I have (including Weaver) the W/E saddle goes completely around the scope and won't fit The Weaver sidemount rings I have.

AWS
 
You got a good buy if it in decent shape. My friend has one that was a .222 & I swapped out barrel for a .223. Mostly for available ammo. Took the old weaver scope mount off & replaced it with a B-square. The B-square side mount accomodates weaver 'style' rings very well for more modern scopes. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif
Had to buy a .223 magazine as well. Believe it or not, they are differant. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
 
Just got back from the range and it looks like I found a keeper. Loaded some new Win brass with H-335 and 2230 with the 40gr NBT. The both shot around 1" at a hundred. Tried it out to 200yds but the K-1.5 was lacking a little out there but was able to cover 5 shots with the palm of my hand with either load.

Now that I know it will shoot I'll pick up the new extended Weaver base, found out it has the clearance for modern scopes. I have a little Weaver Grand Slam 4.75X that should be just perfect for this thing.

Happy Camper Today!!!!

AWS
 
You made a good buy! Sounds like it shoots plenty good too.

I have one in 222 in 98+% condition and turned down $275 a month ago. (actually mine is a 340-spin-off with the Revelation name on it).
 
I acquired a savage 340c in 222. It had been in a fire and a friend gave it to me. Stock really charred and lots of soot. Cleaned it up,(scrubbed the barrel well) bought a new stock, clip, and scope mount. Put a Harris bi pod and a Tasco 5-20X50 on it. I figured free gun, cheap scope, lets see if it will work. Took it to the range, and it's a tack driver. Got really lucky. Under 1" at 100 yds, just over 2" at 200 yds if I haven't had a lot of coffee. So here is my question. To convert to 223 what do i need to do? It sounds by your post that all I need is a new clip and new barrel. I can pick up the barrel and clip for about $80. It shoots really well in triple deuce. I guess the only reason I want to change over is the little bit of extra knockdown at range and the cheaper ammo. Part me says leave it alone, the other part says build it till I wreck it... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
I'm a fan of this design too. These are all 340's. The middle one, the 30-30 is pretty old You got a good deal for that price. I just need the .225 and .223 to make the set complete. They are pretty decent rifles.


020308_22311.jpg
 
Mnhunter

You will also need an action wrench or vise to hold the action, a barrel nut wrench and a 223 head space guage.

My thought would be to leave it as is and buy a Stevens 200. It'll have a better trigger or you can get a replacement. Scope bases/rings are easier to find and fit scopes better.

These are great OLD guns but were bottom line guns when they were new. I picked up mine because I needed a back up gun and am pleased that it shoots so well. Just trying to mount a scope has been a chore and the new mounts are even higher than the old one and now it looks like I'm going to have to hog out some metal on an old style set of rings to make things work.

AWS
 
I got one just like it.the gun has a home for a long time to come. The 840 is like a good woman, she does a good job but not real pretty to look at. That will keep your buddies from trying to steal her. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
AWS, here is the finished product. Not the best camo job in the world, but it should work. It was hard to paint it, but I figured I'm not out to impress anyone, just kill critters. Besides, the bluing was screwed and the stock was kinda rough. I sanded it well and used three coats of tongue oil on it before the paint job.

100_0318a.jpg
 
If it is a shooter, I would keep as is. I inherited an old Rem 722 that my dad used for many years on NE coyotes. We aren't experts, but that rifle/cartridge put away a lot of coyotes. And, there were darn few that got away in all those years. You could do very well with that rig.

RC
 
Mnhunter

It looks like it has "Kritter Killer" written all over it.

Where abouts in MN do you hunt. I lived up in the Detroit Lakes area for about 15yrs. I ran fall and winter traplines in that area and for spring beaver moved up to the Orr area after ice out in the DL area. My X-inlaws were from the Waseca area.

AWS
 
AWS, Thanks for the compliment on the Kritter Killer. I live just southwest of Duluth. I cut my teeth on yotes in Nebraska in high school. Not as many yotes here as there once was. Wolves have been moving in more and more every year.
 
With the wolves you'll get a bump in fox.

My folks live down by Grantsburg and my brother-in-law lives near Cable WI. He comes out here every year for a week of coyote hunting.

Good Luck to you

AWS
 
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