Hell,My brother picked up a pretty nice 1920 in 250-3000 two weeks ago, for $350 at a gunshop 20 miles from me.Frank,The shop owner had never seen one before,and had no idea what it was !!!! there still out there guys.
The 1920 arrived safely, very well packed. Nice rifle. I mention this only because there was reservation about dealing with a "stranger" with a very low post count & no pictures. May I say this fella is a gentleman. It's nice to know there are still some out there. Also, remember the days of the "Shotgun News"????....there were no pictures then either. tjw
Wanted: Nice Fox Shotguns, SP(E) Skeet & Upland game a specialty. Looking for Savage Posters/Calendars
Good. I'm glad the story ended well, and I hope you can post some pictures. I think a lot of times we let our suspicions of fraud keep us from getting good deals on good rifles from good people. I saw the listing, and wasn't willing to take a chance, as I'm sure several others did. "If it seems too good to be true, it probably is," etc. Well, as you're deal shows, sometimes these work out very well. Congratulations.
Rod
***************************************** Hunting FOR Savages, Hunting WITH Savages
I hope this won'nt make you suspicious: I am a canadian newcomer here (registered yesterday...), 67 years old, hunter and shooter (both in Canada and Europe).
I indeed own a Model 1920 Savage rifle (first model) in 300 Sav. caliber.
It has all the frills and is in top, factory issued condition, save for a couple of dings in the (original) varnish of the stock.
The serial number is 77XX.
As bizare as it may sound, this rifle look unused. I have never shot it myself.
I will send a letter to John Callahan, the Savage historian in the coming days to get information on the rifle's date of manufacture which, I guess, must be somewhere between 1920~1925.
I'd read De Haas's chapter on the Mod. 1920 Savage many years ago, and much to my surprise I fell on this rifle in the used gun rack of a large Quebec-City gunstore.
I will be pleased to post detailed pictures of it in the coming days...
“The Savage 99 Pocket Reference”. All models and variations of 1895’s, 1899’s and 99’s covered. Also dates, checkering, engraving.. Find at www.savagelevers.com
Welcome jmschmitt! I'm looking forward to seeing images of your little beauty.
I passed a M1920 300 this week for sale in gun shop a small town in Ontario because it was D/T and fitted with a scope. These old guns are a real find if they have condition.
"Rhetoric is no substitute for reality." -Thomas Sowell
Welcome jmschmitt! I'm looking forward to seeing images of your little beauty.
I passed a M1920 300 this week for sale in gun shop a small town in Ontario because it was D/T and fitted with a scope. These old guns are a real find if they have condition.
Any change/ fumbling or tampering that is inflicted to such artifacts results in considerable loss of collector value.
Again, I am myself surprised of the condition of my Mod. 1920:
The metal is 99% original rust-blue, save for the bolt body and large extractor whose blue is fading due to back & forth movements (my guess).
The bolt face looks ...new (?)
The stock serrated but plate has the Savage indian head and "Savage Quality, Trade Mark" marking in an oval circle at the toe.
The rear sight blade has the marking "Savage Arms Corp./ Utica, N.Y.Pat. Pen'd"
incidentally, it has a very nice elevator ramp with a small screw in the back.
The barrel is marked on the top center as follows:
"Manufactured by Savage Arms Corp. UTICA, N.Y., USA Patent march 28.1916 dec.26.1916 June 17.1919"
Left side of the barrel, in front of the receiver:
"Hi-Pressure steel - Sav..300 -"
Left side of the receiver:
"Savage 1920 Model"
underneath: the serial number (77XX)
The condition of the stock is as follows:
original varnish with dings (from standing in the gun cabinet). The checkering is original and 100% condition.
No alteration or D.& T. whatsoever. Apparently 100% functional.
I got the rifle soaked in grease inside. I spent an afternoon cleaning all the inners.
I have seen a couple of strange things ever since I got interested in weaponry, but this one comes as a surprise. The only information I was able to get is to the effect that the rifle was brought to the store by a senior citizen aged over 90.
Even if that was the truth, the rifle itself is by all means older than his former owner.
Incidentally, I must have pressed the wrong button somewhere when registering. My pseudo is oldshotFR.
jmschmitt is my name in everyday's life. But then again, who cares?
Welcome to the forum jmschmitt. That's a nice 1920 you have.
Looks like the original issue Model 1920: rear barrel sight, no rake to the bolt handle, from what can be seen of the stock it looks like the lightweight version.
"Americans have the right and advantage of being armed-unlike the citizens of other countries whose governments are afraid to trust the people with arms." James Madison
I doubt the stock could have been made anymore ...lightweight.
While on the topic of Savage, here's my experience with them.
At the end of the 80's Savage Canada was kind enough to build a L.H. heavy-barrelled mod. 900SL 22 LR rimfire repeater for my 10 years old son.
It was delivered with a birch stock. Couple weeks later a laminate grey/black stock followed at no charge. Four Years later Savage Arms (Westfield) was kind to send us free of charge a new trigger group for this rifle.
My son shot several hundred gophers and several red foxes with this rifle. It is as accurate todays as it was when it came in the box.
My son and I visited the Westfield plant some time later. We were given a tour of the plant by Carl Hildebrand, then senior Savage ingenieur. We were briefed on most aspects of rifle manufacturing and met Mrs. Effie Sullivan, a very special woman who knows every part of any Savage firearm developped and built over the last fifty years.
The Savage people are extremely dedicated to their Company. The former owner/president of this firm, Mr. Coburn deserves the highest praise for the fantastic job he did at getting this old Company back on the rails to success.
I have owned several 99ers in 300Sav., 308Win. and 358Win. and have used them on numerous occasions hunting north-american species as well as wild boar, stag and roe-deer in Europe.
My son owns a 99er of the sixties in Featherweight version. This rifle is equipped with a Meopta 1.5-6x42 riflescope clamped in EAW quick detach mounts. This rifle is chambered for the beautiful 300Sav. round and has been used extensively in Europe.
Not so long ago I ordered from Westfield a Mod. 14 "All American" 250Sav. rifle through Terry Mc Cullough, V.P. of Savage Arms (Canada). It is a beautiful rifle, mighty accurate and a real pleasure to carry afield.
Savage Arms is absolutely, totally oriented towards customer satisfaction. I will recommend their products anytime.
Savage Arms is absolutely, totally oriented towards customer satisfaction. I will recommend their products anytime.
Do you think they would respond positively to requests for a finer internal finish in their barrels?
Well, I cannot answer for Savage Arms, but if you have complaints about internal finish of one of your barrels, you'd be well inspired to drop a letter to their customer service.
Personnally I have experienced this issue with Ruger barrels but not with Savage tubes.
There's a possibility of variations in the quality of internal finish due to wear of the tooling. But that is true with all brands.
Very nice 1920. I also have one in 250-3000 that I purchased from 1899Sav,( who is a real gentleman). Just found some factory stuff in 87grain that I'm anxious to try and see how she groups. The only negative thing that I would say is the two stage trigger. Never have liked em'. But that's just me. Anyway kinda' jealous here over your 300. Very nice!!
As i wrote earlier, I own a recent 250Sav. (actually a Savage Mod. 14 "All American")and while the caliber of our rifles is the same, the twist rate of both rifles is different.
The original twist rate of the 250-3000 is 1~14" and it was so designed to drive 87 gr. bullets up to 3000 f/ps.
The 1~14" twist will stabilize 100 gr. bullets but no more.
My rifle's barrell comes with a 1~10" twist rate, which will stabilize 110, 115, 117 and 120 gr. bullets.
The modern Savage Mod. 14 has a very sturdy action, and so does (in my opinion at least...) the Model 1920 which is nothing else but a Mauser-type bolt-action rifle since it features two front locking lugs and a safety lug behind the stem of the bolt lever.
My thinking is that the Model 1920 has a sturdier, more resistant action than has the Model 99, and that it will probably withstand higher breech pressures.
As to ammunition supply, Remington produces 100 gr. Core-Lokt fodder, and I purchased five boxes of that. I also purchased Lee's three-die set reloading dies and have meanwhile assembled my own ammunition using Nosler 110 gr. Accubond as well as Nosler 115 gr. Ballistic tip.
If your intention is to keep your rifle I would suggest that you look into reloading for it. Stay with 85, 87, 90 and 100 gr. bullets in your rifle.
I am sure you will obtain excellent results as to precision at very safe pressure levels.
