Hello from Ohio

[IllinoisSlim]

Hello from Ohio! I grew up in Illinois. I have a Savage Model 220B in 16 gauge. It is stamped "Chicopee Falls, Mass". It also has a stamp on the receiver above the trigger "20M".

I'm interested in using it for squirrels, rabbits (If I ever saw one in season while I'm hunting) and maybe turkeys. I plan to use some calipers to measure the muzzle to see what if any kind of choke is has.

I'm excited to be here!

[Garnett]

Welcome to the forum!  The “20M” is the inspector number (20) with the letter “M” for made in 1961. I have found no factory listing advising of any size choke other than “Full”.  I see from time to time, guns advertised for sale with various chokes.  My thoughts on that are that maybe sometime in the past an owner had the “full” choke opened up or, in the “old” days, many gun companies would fill special orders on their guns.  As proof of this, I have examined guns that I believe to be factory original, but have not been listed in any Savage catalog.  Again, welcome as our newest member!

[IllinoisSlim]

Thanks Garnett! And thanks very much for this forum and your work on documenting these guns.

Another question, can you shoot slugs out of a 220 if it has a Full choke?

[Garnett]

I really don’t know the answer to your question, as I am not a hunter/shooter.  I would think if you can shoot slugs out of other full choke guns, there would be no reason the 220 would not handle a slug shell.  I am not very well educated on shooting, as my main interest has always been collecting.  With this said, I would think the slug shells would have more recoil than a shot shell.  Other shooters, am I correct on this?  Anyway, a main factory defect in these guns is the weak thin wood where the stock meets the action.  I have seen .22 Hornets with cracked stocks.  So, it is a good idea for anyone to glass bed their stock before shooting the shotgun/rifle.