Savage Stevens 320 Field Grade/security Combo Pump Shotgun Review

The Winchester Model 1300 was arguably the almost underrated pump-activity shotgun of its mean solar day. Durable, affordable and reliable, it functioned near smoothly under recoil.

Unfortunately this tendency perhaps impaired its popularity, equally consumers who simply worked the activity in a gun store failed to appreciate its slickness. The 1300 ceased production in 2006, joining the temporary demise of the Model 70 rifle and others. However, with its patent at present expired, Barbarous Arms has revived the archetype design with the Stevens 320 shotgun.

"The 320 is essentially a reproduction of the old Winchester, and we think information technology'southward a really skillful copy," says Bill Dermody, director of marketing for Savage Artillery. "We kept the features and materials very similar, considering we believe the blueprint has been pretty much proven over the years."

Mechanically speaking, the 320 sports few departures from the final 1300s made. The heart of the activeness is a 4-lug, rotating bolt head that achieves sturdy lockup when slid forrard to run across the butt extension. The fore-end utilizes dual action bars to prevent binding, and the slide release is located on the left side of the receiver just behind the trigger guard.

Even its 133/4-inch length of pull is identical to the 1300'south in the concluding twelvemonth of production. In t-shirt weather, that's an inch short for my preference, but the 320 fit quite well with my heavy duck parka and didn't snag when mounting. Such was the case when a presumably lost drake bufflehead rocketed over my decoys amongst a small Pennsylvania creek. I snapped the 320 into position, but in my hurried excitement I thumbed for the wrong rubber location. The 320's cross-bolt safe lies forwards of the trigger baby-sit, an ideal place, as it allows both safety and trigger to be operated with one astern movement of the alphabetize finger. It's fast, ergonomic and uncomplicated—except in the easily of a bumbling outdoor writer. All I could practise was swing the barrel ahead of the bufflehead and say "bang" as it went off in search of more than appropriate habitat. A pair of mallards was presently less fortunate.

The 320 swings fairly well, despite being too barrel-heavy for my gustatory modality. With a rest betoken about a quarter inch forwards of the barrel extension, noticeably more than weight is placed in the fore-terminate mitt. Plenty prefer such frontward heft, but to me it fosters a sense of unwieldiness.

Aesthetically the 320 is similar to its Winchester ancestor, save the aggressive, straight-line grooves on the fore-cease and grip. The texturing provides solid buy and, I doubtable, is easier to manufacture—if not less bonny—than the 1300'southward checkering.

Similar the Winchester, the 320'due south activeness may be hands underestimated. When cycled without the assistance of recoil, information technology feels a tad clunky, namely because resistance varies as the action is opened. With the added inertia of recoil, even so, the gun runs pretty darn smoothly. Make no fault, this is non the slickest action on the market, just it's satisfactory.
That'due south peculiarly truthful when considering its rather remarkable price point of virtually $250—more than $100 less than the concluding Winchester 1300s offered and well below virtually comparable pump-actions. How is Stevens keeping the cost so low? Dermody cites proprietary manufacturing techniques, but unlike the 1300—which was fabricated in New Haven, Conn.—the 320 is produced in a newly constructed mill in a remote region of China. In other words, where labor comes cheaper.

"When you start talking most the prices we hit with Stevens, importing is actually the key to pulling it off," Dermody explains. "We haven't yet figured out how to hitting those targets domestically with a product like that."

Materials may too play a role in shaving costs. The 320's hollow, composite stock is accompanied by a rather hard, bones condom recoil pad. When you shoot 3-inch magnums, you know it. This is a no-frills shotgun, just the toll reflects that.

I am otherwise impressed with the 320's construction. The simple pump-activity system is composed of robust parts that I'm convinced will concord up to rigorous employ. I've thus far hunted with information technology in sleet, snowfall and freezing common cold without a hiccup. Fit is better than about cost-point guns, and the matte-black finish is well applied.

The best value available in the 320 line is easily the Field Grade/Security Combo. For an extra $30, you lot become the standard 28-inch field-course barrel with ventilated rib, plus an 18.five-inch, fixed-cylinder butt. By but swapping barrels after your bird hunt, you have an adequate home-defense or fifty-fifty shut-range predator setup.

Range testing revealed a point-of-aim bear upon and nice, uniform patterns with a variety of loads. With a modified choke, pheasant loads including Federal Premium Prairie Storm (23/4-inch, 11/4-ounce No. 5) and Winchester Super Pheasant (23/4-inch, xiii/eight-ounce No. five) averaged 55 percent patterns in a 30-inch circle at xl yards. Duck loads including Federal Premium Blackness Cloud (iii-inch, 11/4-ounce No. 2) and Winchester BlindSide (iii-inch, 11/four-ounce No. 2) were slightly tighter, approaching lx percent.

In short, I'thousand more than satisfied with how the Stevens 320 shoots, and I'k left with a pleasant opinion of it overall. It's well-made, its activity is based on one of my favorite designs, and its price is pretty tough to beat.

Technical Specifications:

Type:pump-action shotgun
Gauge/Chamber: one 2/3"
Capacity: v+1 (ii¾" shells)
Butt: 28"; vent rib, threaded for WinChoke tubes
Sights: brass front bead
Safety: cross-commodities
Trigger: vi.vii-lb. pull weight
Stock: black synthetic; LOP 13 3/4"; driblet at heel 2 1/two"; drop at rummage 1¾"
Metallic Finish: matte blackness
Overall Length:48.75"
Weight: 7.45 lbs.
Accessories: modified choke tube
MSRP: $251

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Source: https://www.americanhunter.org/content/hardware-stevens-320-field-grade/

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