Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Savage Collectors Need Help with a Model 29

Hello.
I was wondering if anyone can help me find out about a rifle my father-in-law has given me. I am wondering how old it is and wondering if it is worth anyting. I don't know a whole lot about guns in general but here is what I have so far.

It is a: Savage Arms Corporation Model 29
it is a pump action .22
Its serial number says 134880, it also has a leter "L" stamped directly underneath the numbers.

Any information would really be appreciated. Let me know if more info is needed.

Thanks ,
Chris

Hi Chris,
Mod 29's were made from 1929(model 29) until the late 60's. Octagon barrels pre-war round barrels post-war. I don't have a serialization list on these,if you can read the address on the barrel, it would narrow it down. Westfield,Mass. would be from 60 until production ended around 67. Check out the gun auction sites to get an idea about prices.Hope this helps.
Regards

Octagon barrel, checkered butt and forearm? Thick hard rubber butt plate with "SVG" on the toe? Production would be mid to late 30's.

Value depends on condition. Are you pricing to sell?

Hello and thanks for the replies.

It does have the Octagon barrel, and the checkering on the pump, and the handgrip. The butt plate has horizontal lines going across. This plate has damage, both its top and bottom corners have been cracked. If the SVG would have been on the botom corner I can barely make out the outline due to it being chipped.

The barrel says it was mad in Utica,NY.

It was my father-in-laws boyhood gun, he is now 60years old. He says it was given to him by his father, and that the gun s older thatn him, thats all he knows about.
I'm not sure what to do with this gun. "do I put it back in the closet, or do I take it out in the field? I am interested in Rabbit hunting. I'm not sure if this will do the job or not.

Butt plates are hard to find but as for shooting rabbits it should work just fine. The rifle you have is not an easy version of the 29 to find. Take good care of it and enjoy. If you need a scope go buy a new rifle.

Like any other .22, it will like some ammo better than others. Try several different brands from a good rest to see what it shoots best.

I just rebarreled a 77-22 Ruger with a GM in .22 short. I got grouping from 1/2" to a 1" with most brands. One box of Remingtons printed a 6" group!<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> It's not always the rifle that is at fault.

I shoot my pump savages for rabbits all the time. If you are going to start off with a brand of ammo, try the CCI SGB's. I have been doing some research with all of my pump savages and on average that bullet and load seems to shoot the best for all of them. Have fun with it, but as Rick said a gun of this vintage deserves to be used, but please no additions such as scopes and drilling new holes. Restore the buttplate when you find one and shoot some bunnies and squirrels, then pass it to your kids. Ryan

Just went out to the deer camp and changed the memory card in my trail cam (another thread). Took my new (old) model 25 that I got this week with me, what a sweet shooter. Found a rear sight elevator for it and the irons are right on the money. I've got a porcupine skirting a few of my birch tree's but I couldn't find him so I tried it out on a Pepsi can.

I think the only differences between my model 25 and the 29 were that the 25 had a cocking indicator and the 29 didn't.

Out of the 1/2 doz. '30's-vintage non-target .22's I own, the 29 is the most accurate. Standard velocity stuff shoots the best for me.

I wish I could find a proper tang sight so I could really wring it out!

Can't tell you how much I appreciate all the knowledge you all have shared.

I have decided that I will not scope this Rifle after all. I will try my best and replace the butt plate. The are a few other things I have noticed as well. While looking more closely, it seems that the screw that hold the loading tube to the barrel must have been tightened down too tightly in the past and has forced the tube to split at the seam where the screw is. It now protrudes through this gap. However it still loads rounds fine.
The only other thing I saw was on the front sight. Now I'm no gun smith but the front sight looks like it is to far to the left when looking at it directly. It sits in a groove and looks like it as way off to the side. How can you fix this, are the sights soldered in place? Or can you gently knock it back towards the center with a mallet?

Any thoughts?

You can move it in the dovetail but I wouldn't use a mallet.

Go with a brass punch and a leather hammer.

There should be a grommet (a spacer) between the tube and the barrel. If it is missing, that is probably why the screw is pulled through the tube.

I wouldn't move the sight until after I tried a few shots to see where its shooting. You never know, the front sight may be off center for a reason and if you move it before you shoot the gun you may end up moving it back to where it was in the first place.

You were right Rick there is a spacer, but it and the screw are both push through the split.

Anyone know of a catalog, a website, or link to anyone carrying replacement parts?

I am going to take the rifle out to the range on Saturday and see how far off it shoots with the front sight the way it is before I make any modifications.

As always.. Thanks again.

-Chris