Savage Renegauge Security Review

Savage has been undergoing an expansion. They are moving out of the world of sporting firearms and embracing home defense, concealed carry, and other modern tactical options. One of those options includes the Savage Renengauge Security, a tactical model of their latest semi-auto shotgun. 

Savage introduced the original Renengauge in 2020 as a sporting shotgun. Savage designed the gun to hunt deer, and birds, not to defend the homestead. Years passed, and the Renegauge remained a sporting gun. We were teased at SHOT Show Covid edition in 2022, but the Renegauge Security disappeared until only recently. At the end of 2023, the Savage Renegauge Security hit gun stores and entered my waiting hands. 

The semi-auto, gas-operated Savage Renegauge features an innovative D.R.I.V. system. This system self-regulates and uses a cleave gas system to significantly reduce recoil. D.R.I.V. stands for duel regulating inline valve system, a sophisticated design that equips the Renengauge with two gas valves. One valve points rearward to operate the action, and the other points forward. The self-regulating system ensures that only the necessary gas is sent to operate the gun rearward, enhancing the overall shooting experience. 

This unique system allows the action to open and the gun to complete its cycle of operations. The extra, unneeded gas is efficiently managed. The second valve bleeds that excess gas forward, ensuring the gun is always properly gassed, and the recoil is minimized. This design takes into account the gas difference between a magnum 3-inch buckshot and a reduced recoil tactical buckshot. 

That system proved popular with hunters and sportsmen, but does it translate well to Savage Renegague Security? That’s what we aim to find out. As a shotgun nut, I was excited to see an entry outside of the Beretta, Benelli, and Mossberg world. With some buckshot, slugs, and shoulder ready to check recoil I hit the range running. 

Savage Rengauge Features

1 Adjustable Length of Pull

2 Ghost Ring Sights

3 M-LOK barrel

4 Enlarged Controls

5 Extended Magazine

6 Recoil Pad

Running the Renegauge 

Anytime a gun makes a big claim I’m always excited to test that claim. I grabbed a variety of buckshot and slug loads to test the gun. The first thing I looked for was how well the D.R.I.V. system works. Does it really reduce recoil and create a more comfortable shooting gun? 

Two loads I shoot fairly often are Monarch buckshot at 1,345 feet per second and Federal Flitecontrol Reduced Recoil at 1,145 feet per second. I grabbed those, as well as some three-inch Winchester Super X Magnum rounds and some Fetter 1,200 FPS slugs. 

I didn’t notice a big difference with the Flitecontrol or slug laid. The Monarch round might have had a slight reduction. Where the Renegauge excels is in those hefty magnum loads. The recoil was comparable to the Monarch buckshot, even though it was a heavier load. 

I’d imagine the minimal amount of gas ended to cycle the weapon is right around that 1,145 FPS rating so you don’t get a ton, if any, recoil reduction with that load. When the loads get heavier, faster, and more gassy the difference is apparent. You can tell its working when the front of your gun gets a nice carbon sheen to it. 

Overall, the gun is shootable. With the lighter load, it handles like any other semi-auto gas-operated shotgun, but it does a great job at cutting the recoil of heavier rounds. The benefit of the D.R.I.V. systems seems to be better for hunters than home defenders who are likely already using a reduced recoil round. 

One Shot – Lots of Pellets 

Shotgun accuracy testing really comes down to the gun’s pattern. With a cylinder bore, you aren’t getting anything crazy tight with a standard buckshot load. Fltiecontrol performs admirably with a 50-cent piece-sized hole at 10 yards. Normal buckshot patterns are about 6.5 to 7 inches at 10 yards. That’s standard for most shotguns. The ghost ring sights do ensure precision shot placement is possible. 

The crowd that says you don’t have to aim a shotgun is wrong, and good sights help you do just that. Ghost ring sights are a bit slow compared to other shotgun options, and they aren’t my preferred option for low-light shooting. I prefer open rifle sights or, even more preferably, a red dot. The gun can fit with a rail, and a red dot can be added, so that’s a major plus for me. 

I do like the bright green front sight. It sticks out well and can be picked up easily. The ghost rings do a great job with slugs, and out to 50 yards, I was getting consistent hits on a 10-inch gong. Watching slugs slam into a gong and seeing it swing hard and fast never gets old. 

Questionable Ergonomics 

The Renegauge Security is packed with features you’d find on competition guns, which translate well for combat shooting. These include an oversized loading and ejection port for fast reloads. The controls are massive and easy to engage. The bolt release, in particular, stands out to me. It’s put together nicely. The loading port doesn’t take a DNA sample when I run a fast reload. 

The gun weighs seven pounds, which is fairly typical for a semi-automatic shotgun. The barrel is fluted, which we don’t see in shotguns often. This cuts weight and helps the gun maintain a balanced feel instead of being front-heavy. Typically, a full magazine tube makes the gun really front-heavy, and Savage seemed to try to counter that just a bit with the fluted barrel. 

The Savage Renegaugse scores well in ergonomics until you get to the stock. I do like that they took a page out of Magpul’s book. The stock design is very Magpul SGA-like, with a sharp pistol grip that offers more support without losing the traditional shotgun stock. What I don’t like, and can’t even comprehend, is the length of pull adjustments. 

The shortest length of pull is 14.25 inches. From there, you can make the LOP longer and go all the way to 15.07 inches. I can’t comprehend who this is made for. I’m six feet, and some change with long arms, and 13.87 inches is fine with me. A 14.25-inch length of pull feels way too long, especially for a modern squared-up shooting stance. It’s a bizarre choice I can’t understand. In a world where LOPs are getting shorter, Savage sings their own song, but will anyone enjoy it?  

Shuck-Shuck 

I fed the gun mostly a diet of birdshot, with the aforementioned buckshot and slugs thrown in. The gun performed without a hitch. It never slowed down, never jammed, or failed in any way. It won’t run mini shells, and I hate that I have to say that. The D.R.I.V. system most certainly delivers a reliable weapon. 

Price wise Savage advertises the MSRP at over $1,600 dollars. Oof, that’s hefty for someone new to the defensive shotgun market. They are getting into Beretta 1301 territory. I;m not sure if the price justifies the gun, especially with the A300 Ultima Patrol and Mossberg 940 Pro Tactical offering similar designs with a much lower price point.

The Renegauge Security Pros and Cons

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