Didn't Savage stop producing civilian firearms during WW1 and switch to building military firearms? IIRC, they made Lewis machineguns sometime between 1916 and 1919. Newton could have designed the 300 Savage and Savage could have waited until after peace had been reestablished before choosing to introduce it.
Yes, production drastically reduced in 1916/197 and totally stopped in 1918. It's possible they sat on it.. but they made 41,000 Savage 99's in 1919/1920 - almost double their earlier production rate. I think they would have introduced it in 1919 if they had it then to beef up their sales. Just my guess, obviously.
Maybe somebody who knows Charles Newton and his company's history would know anything important for 1918-1921? When did he start it up, when did it close, did he do custom work during this time??
