Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Savage Collectors savage 1920 customization?

I am planning to add a piece or steel to that slot as a place fore rear of the scope base to attach. I don't need the slot for anything

Pre-war Model 70s and the Remington 30 (as well as the 1903 NRA Sporter) had clip slots too. It must have been a "cool factor" feature that fell by the way side after WWII.

The clip slot was omitted in the very last 20/26s.

Are you going to weld-up the clip slot?

FWIW, I have seen 1920s scoped with a modified Weaver base that was designed for the Browning .22 Auto. This base was designed to mount on the barrel and cantilever to the rear, over the receiver. On the 1920s, they were mounted on the front receiver ring. Not an optimal solution, but probably easier and just as serviceable if side-mounts aren't your cup of tea.

I think this one is set up very similar to what you are saying with the weaver base. I really don't like the look of the weaver on it so I was planning to fit a piece of steel the best I could and drill from the rear to affix it, maybe welding it in place makes more sense. Here are some before pictures sn 4287 wonder when she was made? Also has anyone seen a set up on the muzzle like this?
Thanks Chris

Another vote for 7 08.

Looks like a thread setup for a silencer. Not terribly rare on rifles from that era, before silencers were lumped in with full auto weapons restrictions in 1933 (I think it was 1933).

I always said if I ever scoped a M1920 I would spring for a G&H QD side mount, so I would have instant access to the aperture rear sight if I wanted. Or instant access to a scope the other way around. Not everyone's cuppa tea, but I like them (and have them on a couple Mausers).

Another factor in scoping a 1920 is the bolt handle. One either has to modify it or mount the scope way high for it to clear. The latter option isn't so bad IMO, but for the handicap of the really low comb on these rifles, especially the early ones. I guess a lace-on cheekpiece would cure that. My Dad, bless his heart, insisted on mounting a scope on his (long before they started to show any "collectibility"), and did it with a Weaver side mount and then modified the bolt handle to clear it. I actually remember trying to talk him out of it and even went so far as to buy a Lyman 54 for the gun at a gun show, for the princely sum of $25 as I recall. He put the sight on his next one, and used the first one (a .250) to whack a few deer. When you heard the "spiteful crack" of that rifle (credit to Jim Bashline for that) you knew there would be fresh venison liver and onions for supper that night.

My favorite 1920, from a shooting perspective, was reworked by G&H with a different stock, trigger, and side-mount. It was done in the mid-1950s and sports two sets of rings, a 7/8" set with a Lyman Alaskan and a 1" set with a 4x Lyman Perma-Center.

My favorite 1920 is one that once belonged to Larry Koller, who is probably either the most famous, or the 2nd most famous, 1920 shooter, with the other man being Roy Chapman Andrews. The Koller rifle isn't nearly as nice as the G&H rifle. It has a Lyman Alaskan in a Weaver N mount.

"My favorite 1920 is one that once belonged to Larry Koller... The Koller rifle isn't nearly as nice as the G&H rifle. It has a Lyman Alaskan in a Weaver N mount."

Still waiting for pictures...

Given my record of posting pictures, you're likely to have a long wait.

The Swedish M96 mauser is the only thing I can think of that resembles the muzzle on your rifle. Funny how the clip slot and two-stage military trigger pull on the Model 20 fell out of favor by the end of the 1920s.

Hey, how about a 22-250? Then you would have a super high power .22HP.

"...sn 4287 wonder when she was made?"

One with a serial less than ten from yours lettered as a 5/25/1920 production.

mine is 2932 in 250-3000

norm