Breech Bolt Issues - Savage (Stevens 350) pump

C

CyberRon

Inactive
I bought a Savage security 12 ga shotgun with Ghost ring sights and an extra field barrel after last Christmas.

With field loads (2 3/4 in) the gun works fine. I tried some heavier 3" loads - rifled slugs, 00 buckshot, and turkey magnums - and it causes the breech bolt to eject the shell - even when not pulling back on the fore-end slide (pump) handle.

I thought maybe it was me, so I put in a field load and shot it single-handed, and it still opens the bolt completely without operating the slide (but doesn't eject the shell). The same experiment on my old 16 ga resulted in the breech bolt remaining closed - including shooting a rifled slug.

I contacted Savage and they sent me a new gun - which did the same thing, and now am on my 3rd gun - still doing this.

I heard from Savage, Remington, and another forum, that for 12 ga this is "normal", although it doesn't happen with older guns.

That may be, but in addition to this happening, when I cycle the pump (all the way back and then forward again) after the breech is open, there is no round in the chamber.

If I hold onto the fore-end (pump handle), I can fire consecutive rounds from the magazine - with field loads. But with magnum loads (or even with field loads shot single-handed) I cannot get a second shell to load. I have to either use the breech lock release or pull the trigger to unlock the breech, and then cycle the pump action again to load the next round.

Now it may be me, but I don't think a gun - new design or not - should operate this way. It certainly doesn't with my old (circa 1950) Westernfield 16 ga pump. It will reliably cycle AND the breech bolt never opens - even when shooting a rifled slug (heaviest load for 2 3/4" chamber) single-handed (using my second hand only to balance the gun - not touching the fore-end slide).

Do all new 12 ga pump shotguns work this way with magnum loads? It is basically a single-shot the way it works now. The second shot is a "click" - not a "bang". Doesn't do anything for security if a followup shot is required - either for home security or for bear protection.

I would like to hear from the shotgunning community about this. I haven't shot for over 25 years and am just getting back into it. Things sure have changed in that time!!

:confused:
 
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Greetings CyberRon, and welcome aboard…

I have to ask, is the action designed for 3" loads or just for 2-3/4"? These days there a guns, like some Remingtons, that have 3" barrels on short actions.
 
Ii don't understand how they can say this is "normal", while they have replaced your 350 twice and the third gun is doing it. I briefly looked at the online manual and didn't see anything about chamber length or lehgth of shells, nor anything suggesting that this action is "normal". And why would "Remington" say what is normal for it. Is it because the companies are all owned by the same corporate structure?

Edit. Per this video, which seems to be from Savage, it is chambered for 2 3/4 and 3". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f77y6ArK_w4
 
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If the Savage 350 follows the design of the old Ithaca Model 37, it's not intended for 3" shells.

Can you "slam fire" the gun like the old 37, or did they incorporate a disconnecter?
 
The utube lists the chambering as 2 3/4 and 3 inch. But the Savage web site does not list the chamber length just the gauge of the shotgun.

The slam-fire feature was removed from many mfgr shotguns in the 80's and newly made guns have a disconnector or the hammer will follow the breach bolt as the action is closed and not fire. That will require the slide to be operated loading a new shell and cocking the hammer after the trigger is released.

By the way the Ithaca Model 37 is offered in a 3 inch chambering.
 
By the way the Ithaca Model 37 is offered in a 3 inch chambering.
Click to expand...

Is that the later production guns? I always thought they were only available in 2 3/4 because of the action design.

I know the 37s produced in the 90s had disconnectors. It's a shame the Savage followed suit.
 
It is the later production guns that have three inch chambers, I do not favor the 3 inch as I do not hunt duck.

My two Model 37's 80's vintage, the hammer will follow the bolt if the trigger is held while operating the action.
 
Same problem

I have been having the same issue with my 350 it kind of throws me off when I shoot the bolt flies back fails to load a round and I pull on an empty chamber I am a hunter and this happening when timing is an issue and your game is running away because your gun gave him that extra second to get away it gets kind of frustrating I have learned to kind of deal with it by applying back pressure on the pump holding forward while pulling the trigger seems to help but it makes re-aquiring a small target on the run hard to do when your gun is pulling to the top right every pull because I need to apply pressure to compensate, I might have to write savage myself and place a complaint seeing im not the only one thanks man! :mad:
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