Have a guy asking me questions, and I am stumped. Les

What exactly is the question?

Les,looks like a 1899 receiver with two unauthorized holes in it!! the 1899 was poorly struck so it looks like 1893 i got one just like it. Don

Can't read the numbers - what are they?

What's the SN?

That date looks like 1893, the guy that sent me the photo says thats what it says, he was told the rifle was a 300 Sav, but the end of the case over expands, and but the serial number places it way to early for 308. I am at a loss.

Here was his question

I have a 99 Savage s/n 274xxx. Receiver is marked Model 1893, barrel is stamped with patent dates 1893, 1905 etc. There is NO markings indicating caliber. I understood it to be a 300 Savage when I bought it however when fired the casings are deformed. The shoulder area expands enough that the neck area is about 1/2 original. It seems to shoot fine. Any idea what caliber this REALLY be? Or advice?

The barrel is stamped proper for an early 20's barrel.

Looks to be rebarreled so a chamber cast is the best way to figure it out.

Thanks Don, thats what I was thinking, but he was pretty adamant.

Mike, the Barrel stamp looks right for the serial number, here is the barrel stamp.

Must be a 300 with a schittload of headspace,unless that receiver was reworked the 308 case wouldn't fit!

Which often results in missing facial parts.., or worse.

Scott

that forearm don't fit the vintage either!! hes playing with a bomb shooting it! Don

Yep, that was my 1st thought when I read the serial number, talk about weakening the reciever. Not sure what he paid for it. Hope it wasn't too much. Les

Click on this to see it full sized and it's obvious it's a lightly struck or polished down 1899.

http://savagela.org/1893Sav.jpg

+1 on the chamber cast.. Did he at slug it? And is that a T forearm on it, or just a bubba forearm? Barrel sure doesn't look like it's fitting that forearm channel very well.

Looks to be a T forearm to me.

Hmm... maybe it's a 300 Savage Ackley Improved? Send it to Steelie..

He'll shoot it, hell , steely will shoot bout anything, as long as he has a long string.

hey guys maby im bumb but a 300 or 308 case are same dia just about1/4 longer in neck for 308 they both go into either chamber almost to end .[308 in 300 chamber ] except for longer carrier?and or reciever whats the dif in reciever?

When Savage started to do the 308 they had to open up the receiver as it was too short to eject loaded 308 cartridges. Shorter opening on the pre 308 receivers. Les

The left side of the forearm seems to have a weird shape to it and it seems to be different from the right. Could it even be possible that the barrel was cut down, re-threaded and re-chambered then the forearm shortened and reshaped to fit so the holes lined up?

There appears to be a lot of room between the barrel and the forearm also.

Could you fire a .300 in a .303 ?

pacecars, The 300 would never chamber in a 303, the 300 shoulder is quite a bit wider. Someone wound a 308 reamer into a 303 barrel thats my theory anyway! Don

so slide a 308 round into chamber and see if it seats with finger pressure if it does your right if not ?start over
merry Christmas

Dude.. bubba's been at that. Chamber cast it before firing, unless you're going to use a string to light it off. Ain't that expensive to chamber cast.

Starting to look and sound more and more like a boat anchor to me.

Randy

Rory i wasn't suggesting that someone fire it just to get a quick idea if it is 308 chamber.