Can't post a picture but it looks to be a 23A Sporter. Except it isn't marked as such. Just has the patent dates and "manufactured by Savage Arms Corp. Utica NY USA" stamped on top of the 23" barrel about halfway down the Schnabel-type forearm. Newest patent date is Nov.20, 1917. "22 Long-Rifle" is stamped atop the receiver above the ejection port. It's definetely a 23 series and a Utica gun but I can't figure why there isn't more I.D. to this thing. Doesn't have "Savage Sporter" on it anywhere that I can see. No checkering on the stock and the steel buttplate just has a small Savage emblem and says "Savage Quality". Nice shape except for a missing magazine. Not my gun (yet) but it's part of an estate so I'm unable to talk to the owner and his widow knows nothing about it. Did they make any 23A's or 23AA's without much identification on them?
Is the back of the bolt flat or rounded?
Might be a 1922.
Back end of bolt is about the same diameter as the bolt, is knurled all around and not rounded, but flat with the center being concave. I've got a 23-D Sporter (22 Hornet) and the back of its bolt is smaller in diameter than the bolt body and rounded.
It's a model 1922, very uncommon rimfire to find, they only made them for one year. I'm still trying to find a magazine for my 1922.
Mad Dog; thanks for the reply. So were Model 1922's built on those Model 23 style barreled actions? I read that the 1922's were built on the 1919 actions, which were different, weren't they? This thing has a model 23 style receiver for sure and it's driving me nuts cause I've never seen an unmarked one like this. I'm starting to think I should jump on it while I have the opportunity. If it really is a 1922 I'm gonna go for it.
Does it have dual firing pins like the 1919?
Is the rear sight held on by two screws and not dovetailed?
My 1922 doesn't say Sporter on it anywhere either, just the barrel address and 22 long rifle.
I'm fairly certain your looking at a 1922.
Serial is on the back edge of the receiver where you put the bolt in. If the serial is under 25,000 it is probably a Model 1922.
Mad Dog; Thanks for the help. This thing IS a 1922!! The first one I've ever seen. It has the dual firing pins, rear sight held on by 2 screws and not dovetailed. I also came across one on gunauction.com that had a lot of nice photos and info. I'm gonna jump on this even if it doesn't have the magazine. (don't think any other early Savage magazines would work, right?) Rick99 - Thanks for your help also. This 1922 is serial # 18xx and it's gonna have a place in my safe right next to my all original 23D Sporter in 22 Hornet.
Hard to find a mag for them, the 23 mags don't fit them apparently.
If it has a small ejection port like my 23AA, it isn't an easy gun to single load, either. Just sayin'.
(I'd STILL buy it and devote my golden years to finding a magazine....everyone needs a quest!)
It's not too bad to single load it even if that ejection port reminds me of a 23A or 23AA. I loaded it just to see how it was but haven't had a chance to shoot it yet. I've been told it's a pretty accurate gun. Gonna tell the widow who's selling it that if they can find the magazine for it then I'll give them 50 bucks just for the mag.. There is still some of her late husband's firearms stuff floating around; maybe the mag. is amongst that stuff. She's only asking 100 bucks for the gun as-is and except for the missing mag. it's in nice shape. Not 100% but nice original showing just a couple tiny rust specks on the barrel. The wood has the varnish finish in real nice shape. Overall it's pretty nice and the first Model 1922 I've ever seen. Now I have my magazine quest!
The standard 1919/23A magazine should work. The 1922 is from the same family and uses the same parts.
Good to hear cause someone listed an early mag last night on Ebay. It was only stamped "Savage Sporter" so I hope it fits mine. Had to hit the "buy it now" before someone else scoffed it up.
I just realised I just paid more for the mag than I did for the gun, hahahaha. Real nice one though, will match the gun perfectly.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/140721662402?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649
Let us know if it fits.... I'd be real interested in one also, even at that price. At least for me it would be less than the gun cost me, (grin). Right now I'm hopin' they find the mag for mine while going through the rest of the stuff; then I'll only be out the 50 buck reward I put on it.
The SPORTER marked magazines appear to have been a produced between the early one that did not have any model information on them and the ones stamped 23A & NRA MATCH. I have seen the SPORTER versions with both the early and late type follower - all also have been stamped 22 LONG RIFLE (the early ones were stamped 22 S, L & LR).
I have found that even magazines that are stamped the same can vary, basically the rib on the rear is slighly different in length (at the bottom). There was an instruction sheet put out by Savage about fitting these magazines to a 23A, it involved filing the bottom of the rib.
I was reading that the Model 1922 was a sporting version of the Model 1919. Wonder if a 1919 mag. would work? I'm gonna be cruising the Rochester N.Y. gun show Mar.31/Apr.1 and perhaps come across something or talk to someone who may be able to help. Or does anybody here at the "fire" have any knowledge of these things?
Go down to my thread on the retainers, lots of mag info there.