I found a nice Model 1920 yesterday. It's a pretty early .250, #1351, with 22" barrel. I'm assuming that this is a first year Model 1920. Correct?



Seems to be in nice original condition. It has a small chip out of the toe of the stock, but aside from that I don't see any big problems. The bore is nice.



It has a Savage marked open rear sight with an elevator that has a screw adjustment. Is this the correct sight?







With the short barrel it seems to be a sweet handling little rifle. If I can get some shooting done with it this month, it may get some time in the woods this deer season.

Rod

Sure is pretty Rod. It should be first year. I can't answer the other questions. Sweet rifle.

My drool is about to short out my laptop!

Rod,

Had SN 1982 in the same cal. Same rear sight. Looks like a nice one. Congrats!

Wow what a find!

Sweet!

Very nice rifle!

Rory, thats a nice find.

Back in the 90s there was an article in shooting magazine over here with photos of a 1920 with original box & papers in 250-3000. The journo went to one of our major stores to photograph it and do the story. A bloke walked in and saw it, asked the price, which I believe was very high and bought it.

Well this week a mate tracked it down for me, I hope to somehow start talking with the owner, but I think it will be out of price range.

So to hi jack your post

Johno

Nice find, Rod. Letting us find nice 1920's is God's way of saying he likes us!

Absolutely! +100

Loading up some 87 grain bullets this morning. I'll be taking it to the cabin next weekend for some shooting. I've got a couple of deer stands up there that are well suited for iron sights.

I still don't know what to do about my 300 Sav. Model 1920.

Much more of an arms user and hunter than collector, I am hesitating about hunting with the rifle or putting it up for sale.

I am yet to shoot a round with the smokepole.

Scoping the rifle means drilling/ tapping the receiver and bending the bolt's lever.

Scope bases would have to be custom crafted.

Collector value would be lost.

On the other hand, as to the 300 Sav. round, there's a fully functional and well-scoped 99F of the sixties standing in the gun cabinet...

Itching, isn't it?

Resist the urge to Tinkerbell. Hunt the 99.

Hunt it....don't need a scope.....and as for the 300 Savage. It works.

Nothing saying that one has to attach a scope to a 1920 to get good use out of it.

One alternative is to mount a tail block (bolt sleeve) sight, the Lyman 54, on it. Minimally intrusive, and puts an aperture right back in front of the eye where it does the most good. Cost? Not cheap, but probably less than a quality scope and the cost of mounting it. "Bad" eyes? Bah. My eyes are worse than most and I manage my 1920 quite well with one of these sights.

The other obvious alternative is to just go with the sights God put on them at the factory. Alter your hunting habits to accomodate open sights, by getting up close and personal with your quarry. Take it as a challenge to be mastered, much like the growing wave of interest in mastering traditional recurve bows by the compound bow devotees.

You gotta wonder how our forerunners manged to kill stuff back when these guns were new and scopes were so rare as to be non-existent.

If not comfortable hunting with iron sights and you like hunters/shooters, use it as trade fodder for 1 or 2 older 99's that have been drilled and tapped already. Older ones are cool.. especially if you branch out to 250-3000 or 303 Savage or some such.

I like your T's.

Sound advice Fireball2, I believe.

I have not shot open sights since the early 70's, so it would be more than a challenge to go back to ...basics.

Will think about it this afternoon while sitting on my Hochsitz (It's moose season in my area...).

Talk to you Friends!

That's one of the great favors our fathers did for us was starting us on iron sights. It comes right back, or never left at all.

Rod
Thats Nice One for Sure, Congrats.

A Few Of Mine Do Well With Silvertips also.

My eyesight isn't that great either, but I have managed a large sow at 70 yards, a doe at 60, and a turkey at the same distance with open sights, so it can be done.

Nice rifle, Rod. Thanks for the PM. I've been trying to post for several days. Other activities keep getting in the way.

Here's a picture of mine that is scoped.




Here's a second picture. The scope really looks like it's mounted way off center, but it's not. Actually it's less than a 32nd off center. It's a homemade mount. It's high so I can clear the bolt handle. When I got the gun from Saddlering, the bolt hit the eyepiece on the scope. Rather than bend the bolt, I made my own mount to raise the scope. Now I have a leather lace on cheekpiece made around 1900. I haven't used the gun since. Congratulations on a nice find.

[img]http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p313/longbeardking/steveforstbuck2.jpg[/img]

sweet rifle, Rod, congrats

After giving the matter much thought, I have made the decision to sell my Savage early Model 1920 rather than having it modified for any type of optical sight.

According to information posted on this forum, the rifle�s serial number ( 771X) indicates manufacturing in 1923:

Year -----Qty ------Serial (stating at 1000)
1920 ------4426 ----- 5426
1921 -------462 ----- 5888
1922 ------1203 ----- 7091
1923 ------1182 ---- 8273
1924 ------- 941 ---- 9214
1925 -------687 ----- 9901

Total 8901

Here�s the markings on various elements of the rifle:

A) Receiver:
(upper left side)
Savage 1920 Model
(underneath, left side)
771X
B) Barrel:

(left-side, breech end)

Hi-Pressure Steel
(trumpet) Sav. .300 (trumpet)

(upper center of barrel)

Manufactured by Savage Arms Corp. Utica N.Y. U.S.A.
(trumpet) Pat. March 28.1916.Dec.26.1916. June.17.1919 (trumpet)

(Right side of integral front sight base)

Patent Sept.4.06

C) Rear sight blade:
Savage Arms Corp.
Utica N.Y. Pat.Pen�d

The butt plate has the indian�s head logo in an oval. It is marked Savage Quality Trade Mark

Description of the rifle:

Fully original, no alterations whatsoever. Original rust blueing 99% on barrel/ receiver/trigger guard.
Blueing on bolt body fading. All other parts of the bolt assembly, including lever are 99%
Stock is original condition. Checkering is 99%. Varnish has dings due to handling.

I will offer the rifle for $ 1200.-

If anyone idis interested, please let me know.

Photo's Would Help

You may take a look at the pictures posted on page 4 of the following topic:

http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/9238739/4

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>


#9239999 - 10/08/14 04:17 PM Re: Savage Model 1920,300 savage? [Re: jmschmitt]
jmschmitt Online content
Member

Registered: 10/07/14
Posts: 29
Here's 5 pictures of my Mod. 1920.

Sorry, no more than 5 pictures allowed.


Attachments
sIMG_20141008_114203139.jpg (89 downloads)
sIMG_20141008_114252203.jpg (80 downloads)
IMG_20141008_114335660.jpg (69 downloads)
sIMG_20141008_114547221.jpg (65 downloads)
sIMG_20141008_115004182.jpg (70 downloads)

Thank you for your interest in the rifle.

Got my eye on a new rifle and I'll be letting this "spare" Model 20 go later this week. PM me if interested.

Rod