Renegauge Wins 2020 Shotgun of the Year

Savage Arms is proud to announce that Renegauge has been selected as the 2020 Shotgun of the Year by Guns & Ammo Magazine. The American-made 12 gauge semiautomatic was chosen for the award by the editors, contributors, and staff of the magazine.

Savage Renegauge elevated the brand to a higher level in 2020, and proved that it’s not just a company that makes rifles. Especially looking to attract turkey hunters and waterfowlers, Savage Arms challenged its engineers to design a reliable operating system that would feed 2-3/4 and 3-inch loads. The result was the Dual Regulating Inline Valve (DRIV) system, which is a short-stroke piston system having two regulating valves on either side of the barrel where excess gas is vented through radial ports. 

To keep the Renegauge at the chief engineer’s mandated 8 pounds, the barrel was fluted to shave ounces. Uncommon on shotguns headed to the hunting fields, the cuts give the Renegauge some unique styling. Notably, the barrel was also created from solid bar stock, then drilled, reamed and polished. It’s a slow and expensive way to manufacture a barrel, but in the case of the Renegauge, it proved effective and accurate. Rather than chroming the bore, Savage also made the decision to Melonite the barrel, which has similar corrosion resistance but doesn’t affect the inside bore diameter. 

The bolt and carrier are chromed, however, and have been interlocked and welded to one piece. Owners that have to maintain two-piece bolt systems will rejoice when it’s time to clean and assemble the gun. Like the barrel, the carrier is also fluted, and the rotary bolt head features two lugs and a large hook extractor for reliable evacuation of empty shells. 

Not uncommon, the receiver is aluminum, and features contours that make it easy to reach the controls, especially those around the trigger guard. The controls, to include the knurled charging handle, bolt release, shell stop and crossbolt safety, are large and effortless to activate with gloved hands. 

Underneath the receiver is the loading port for putting shells into the magazine tube. Unlike many guns, there’s plenty of room to load the Renegauge without fear of cutting your thumb. The surfaces around the port are smooth and flat, which was helpful when loading fast was necessary to keep up with the action. The red follower was also beneficial in alerting the shooter when it was time to refill the tube. 

The stock was well thought out with palm swells on both sides of the grip, and interchangeable recoil pads and cheek pieces to adjust fit, length of pull and comb height. The padding’s rubber material is soft on the top, rigid on the sides and very comfortable against the shoulder. For most hunters, these features offer enough customization, but shims and spacers to adjust cast and length of pull are also included. 

During Guns & Ammo’s evaluation, we determined that Savage Arms succeeded in producing a shotgun that yields exceptional accuracy and mild recoil. The weight certainly helps to absorb some of the recoil, but the innovative DRIV system does most of the work. Dressed in black or popular hard-use camouflage coverings, the Renegauge is an American-made gun that still offers value in line with foreign competitors. 

GunsAndAmmo.com