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Work order — Savage Stevens 320

Taking the firearm apart for a job such as refinishing, and putting it back together to specification. Generated from the Pew-Takedown entry last updated 2026-10-29. Confidence: high.

Shop difficulty: Tier 2 of 3

Low-cost pump patterned on the Winchester 1300 rotary-bolt layout; Savage documents only barrel removal and sends everything else to a gunsmith, so a full strip relies on 1300-pattern knowledge (spring-loaded firing pin hook-up, bolt before trigger group). Rated with the 1300. Pew-Takedown's rating, not the manufacturer's.

Bench time: strip ~40 min, rebuild ~60 min (estimate). Actual: strip ______ rebuild ______

Special tools:

• Punch set — Trigger guard pin

Watch for:

• Savage does not support disassembly beyond the barrel; anything further is for a gunsmith or the Savage service department. (both; Savage Arms / Savage Sports Corporation)

1. Clear and make safe

1. Point the muzzle in a safe direction and keep your finger off the trigger.
2. Engage the crossbolt safety in the trigger guard.
3. Press the action release and pull the forend rearward to open the action.
4. Cycle the action repeatedly, catching each shell, until no more feed from the magazine tube.
5. With the action open, inspect the chamber and look up the magazine tube with a light.
   Warning: The chamber AND the tube.
6. Physically confirm the chamber is empty and remove all live ammunition from the work area.

2. Disassemble

Barrel Removal — the only disassembly Savage publishes

1. Place the safety button in the FULL SAFE position by pushing it all the way to the right.
2. Pull the forend fully rearward, opening the bolt and exposing the chamber. If the forend is locked, depress the slide lock first.
3. Carefully examine the chamber opening and the magazine to be sure both are empty.
4. With the muzzle pointing away from you, unscrew the locking nut by turning it counterclockwise.
5. Remove the locking nut completely and pull the barrel forward, separating it from the receiver.
6. Clean the bore and chamber, and wipe the exposed surfaces of the bolt face with a clean dry rag.
   Warning: Be careful not to leave lint or pieces of rag behind.
7. Stop here.
   Warning: Savage's instruction is explicit: further disassembly, other than removing the barrel, is not recommended and should be done only by a qualified gunsmith or the Savage Arms service department.

Removing the Magazine Plug (field grade models)

1. Remove the barrel as described above.
   Warning: Always wear eye protection.
2. Locate the magazine plug inside the white magazine spring retaining cap.
3. Tilt the action downward to begin sliding the magazine plug out of the retaining cap.
4. Grasp the magazine plug with your fingers and remove it completely.
   Tip: The plug restricts magazine capacity to two shells instead of five. Field grade models only.

3. Refinish

The components the procedures above separate. Coating, masking and cure are outside this database; follow your coating system's instructions. A part the manufacturer marks "factory fit" should not be swapped or reworked.

4. Reassemble

Refitting the Barrel

1. Check the bore from both ends and confirm you can see clearly all the way through.
   Warning: Even a small amount of mud, snow or excess oil in the bore can raise pressure enough to bulge or burst the barrel.
2. Place the safety button in the FULL SAFE position.
3. Put a fingertip on the spring-loaded end of the magazine and push slightly inward to confirm it moves and there is no shell in the magazine tube.
4. Close the bolt slightly by pushing the forend forward approximately two inches.
   Warning: This is the step that makes the barrel go in. With the bolt fully open the barrel will not seat.
5. Slide the barrel retaining lug over the magazine tube and position the barrel with the receiver opening.
   Warning: Take care not to damage the receiver, barrel, breech face or magazine tube threads.
6. Seat the barrel completely into the receiver, aligning it as the manual shows.
7. Screw the locking nut onto the end of the magazine tube and tighten it securely.
8. Cycle the action several times and perform the function check.

5. Torque

No manufacturer torque values are recorded for this firearm.

Notes: The manufacturer's documents give no torque value. They say: "Screw the LOCKING NUT on to the end of the MAGAZINE TUBE (see FIGURE 7), tightening it securely against the BARREL RETAINING LUG. HAND TIGHT IS SUFFICIENT." (Stevens Model 320 Pump Shotgun Instruction Manual, PDF p. 9) "ALWAYS MAKE SURE THE CHOKE IS FIRMLY SCREWED INTO THE BARREL, BUT DO NOT OVER TIGHTEN." (Stevens Model 320 Pump Shotgun Instruction Manual, PDF p. 9)

Fit or check on rebuild

• Trigger guard group fits flush without force, hammer cocked, safety on — Forcing it damages the gun; the forearm may need moving to let it seat.
• Function check: safety, trigger/sear release, disconnector and feeding with dummy rounds — Standard after any detail strip; a mis-assembled sear or disconnector can double or fail to fire.

6. Function check

• Verify the shotgun is unloaded — chamber and magazine tube — before each step.
• Cycle the action fully and confirm it locks closed.
• With the hammer cocked, engage the safety and press the trigger. The hammer must not fall.
• Disengage the safety and press the trigger. The hammer should fall.
• With the hammer down, confirm the action will not open until the action release is pressed.
• Load two dummy shells into the magazine and confirm they feed and eject one at a time.
• Confirm the magazine cap is tight.

If any check fails, the firearm is not safe to fire. Stop and see a licensed gunsmith.

If it won't go back together

Sources

1. Stevens Model 320 Pump Shotgun Instruction Manual — Savage Arms / Savage Sports Corporation primary
   https://saweb.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/manuals/manual_shotgun_320.pdf
2. 320 Security Bead Sight | Pump Action Shotgun | Savage Arms — Savage Arms primary
   https://savagearms.com/firearms/model/320-security-bead-sight
3. Winchester Model 1300 Owner's Manual (web) — Winchester Repeating Arms primary
   https://www.winchesterguns.com/support/owners-manuals/model-1300.html

Educational guide only. Some information comes from non-authoritative sources. Always consult your manufacturer's manual and a licensed gunsmith. Verify your firearm is unloaded before every procedure. Full disclaimer: https://github.com/Fundamental-build-LLC/Pew-Takedown

Legal notice: this material is third-party information compiled from sources of varying reliability and is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It is not gunsmithing, technical, safety or legal advice, it is not verified or endorsed by any manufacturer, and it must not be taken as fact. Any work on a firearm beyond the routine field stripping described in its own owner's manual should be performed only by a licensed and insured gunsmith. You use this material entirely at your own risk. Fundamental Build LLC and the project's contributors make no warranty of any kind and accept no liability for death, injury, damage or loss arising from its use. Full terms: LEGAL.md.