Savage 24v Series D

I have a 24v series D, 30-30 over 20ga and when I fired the 30-30 the lock opened. No damage to me or the gun but I need to fix this problem.

After field stripping the gun I think the problem is a spring, possibly the locking bolt plunger spring or the top snap spring, however I'm not ruling out other springs.

This is my first Savage 24 and I noticed the Top Snap has a little play in it.
I realize turning it over to my gunsmith would solve my problem but I'd like to try and fix this myself.

Has anyone had this problem?

Thanks in advance.

Hi cooler,
Welcome to Gunloads.

There are several things that could be causing the problem, but the first thing I should tell you is that they are not the easiest firearm to reassemble. In fact, my first introduction to the 24 was a box of parts my neighbor brought me. I was able to borrow a copy of Firearms Assembly/Disassembly, but even with the blowup diagrams there were some steps that took a lot of thinking. It is likely going to require at the very least a complete disassembly for a thorough cleaning and evaluation of the moving parts and mating surfaces, and your gunsmith will have the specialty tools and experience that will make the job much easier. I bought one several years later just like yours and really enjoyed it until my brother borrowed it. Oh well. But I digress.... If you are going to give it a try yourself, take many good digital photos of every step so that you can see clearly how parts fit together when it comes time to put them back together.

Did it happen due to recoil or poor lockup? Some break actions, especially with tang levers like the 24v, require a very positive snap to close them properly, regardless of how much use they have seen.

You may be correct about the springs, but IMO there are two other more likely causes. (It never hurts to change the springs in an older gun when you have it apart, especially one that has seen/will see a lot of use, they aren't usually very expensive. While you have everything apart, take a Dremel tool with a buffer and carefully polish the hammer/trigger surfaces, too.) The three I have worked on does not make me an expert by any stretch of the imagination, but FWIW I haven't had issues with springs in any of them.

The first and most likely cause is relatively simple to fix - dirt and gunk buildup in the locking mechanism. It only takes a few grains of sand and some lint or cat hair in the wrong place to cause problems - that's one of the main reasons for going to internal hammers in double rifles and shotguns, SxS and O/U's. That mostly wide open action is a magnet for all kinds of unwanted stuff falling in and getting trapped there by lubricants. Compressed air won't help. Individual parts need to be solvent cleaned and carefully relubed with a product like Tri-Flow (no greasy residue to attract stuff and it leaves a long lasting layer of teflon to protect surfaces). Mine would have occasional lockup problems with stuff under the extractor plunger - but that was easily seen and cured with a Qtip.

The second is wear and tear on specific parts may have caused the action to loosen up - the cure may be a few replacement parts, or more extensive work may be required, and that requires the evaluation of an experienced professional. Metal work and heat treatment in Savages has always been top notch, even in their less expensive models. (They were and are not cheap POS like H&R/NEF single shot Handi Rifles or shotguns, some of which can shoot themselves loose in a hundred rounds.) Still, one would expect that an occasional poorly heat treated part might slip through even in the best factories, and any firearm that has seen a lot of use is going to show some wear over time.

Repair of a serious problem might be more costly than the value of the gun, but when I consider that the .30-30 barrel on my 24V was the most accurate production .30 cal barrel I have ever owned (less than 1/2 MOA with a dozen different cast and jacketed bullets and MOA with several dozen others), I think I would be inclined to put the money into it.

Amusingly, I bought it because I had been having frustrating experiences in the field. It seemed like whenever I had a deer rifle I would flush every partridge in the county, and when I had a shotgun full of bird shot I would jump nothing but deer. I figured the 24 would give me the best of both worlds. For the next two years I carried it in the woods, I saw no huntable game at all, not even a @#&%$!!! squirrel. It did take care of all kinds of varmints and predators on the farm, but it sure didn't help my reputation as a hunter very much. The addition of a Williams peep sight made it so much better as a target and varmint rifle, and required D&T of two holes - an easy project for a quiet afternoon.

Thank you for your informative reply to my post.

The action opened due to recoil.
I checked the lock and cleaned and photographed the action when I removed the stock.
The Locking Bolt Plunger appears to be curved, however the drawing of the plunger in the blowup diagram appears the have a slight curve.

I'll buy the parts I think I need from Numrich, all of $14, compare them to the originals and make my mind up at that time..
I'll probably turn it over to my gunsmith; as you stated he has the tools & experience.
Plus the gun is in 95% condition with a Red Dot Scope and deserves the right attention.

Thanks again - Cooler

Do please keep us posted on what happens. It might make a big difference to someone else down the road.

Hi,
It's been a long time between posts.
I wasn't able to deal with the Savage until today and after firing a 30/30 & 20ga snap cap and ejecting them I wasn't able to open the lock after closing it.
I removed the stock again and everything looks the same as it did before, except the lever does not disengage the action.
I've decided to put the Savage up for sale with the replacement parts I bought from Numrich Arms.
I appreciate your previous reply and your suggestions but considering my work schedule I realize I do not have the time to attempt fixing the gun myself.
Thanks again.