Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Savage Collectors Chamber Cast of My 1895

Plab,

Yes, it has the JM stamp. No, it is not relined.

Take care,

RAS

There's reamer mark's at the base of the cast.What does a fired case look like?

Looks like a 303 Improved.

Si!

Is there enough meat in a 95 barrel to accomodate a 1/2+" diameter sleeve from breech to muzzle? (Large as case head and then some.)

Evidence of liner on muzzle?

Just an observation FWIW and a question.

I just looked at 1895 & 1899 muzzles I have.
These are flat with no bevel on inner diameter.
Some later 1899's are flat with bezel on inner diameter.
Later yet are crowned.
Did the bevel ID occur through out 1895 & 1899 production? Or do we think there is/was a clean cutoff when the bevel began?

I tried blowing up that picture on PB and it is messed up now. I will get better pics. PB sucks.

As far as the question, I have seen them both ways. Some are and some are not. Who knows.

Probably the biggest remaining non-factory possibility is whether the chamber was relined or not. You don't need to reline the entire barrel, if you want to keep the bore the same and just change the chambering it's possible to get just the chamber relined. Probably couldn't tell without removing the barrel?

I found a guy a couple years ago that would reline a 32 Win converted barrel chamber back to 32-40, for example.

Or.. get a letter and hope it lays this to rest by saying the ledger shows it was made in 30WCF or 30SAV.

In all probability, the barrel got a dimple in the flat crown at some point in time. It happens more frequently than you might think. I repaired an octagon barrel with a flat crown about 2 years ago. Although I did it on a lathe, the old timers did it with a brass ball and some compound.

As far as the chamber being relined, that has never happened to this rifle. Jeff can check it by cleaning the extractor cut with a toothpick and some alcohol and giving it a good visual with a stong light and a magnifying glass.

Let's give this a try.

You boys should never say never say never say never, ever. Is it jealousy that drives you guys attitude, or what ??

Now the big question I have: when was the last 1895 assembled by Marlin ? And what date did Savage fire up their plant and start producing rifles ? Did Marlin just pitch the extra receivers and barrels they had out the window, or did they send them along to Savage ??

I believe they sent alot of the old parts along. I've seen and owned low serial numbered 1899's made in the 10.000+ with 1895 furniture and barrels although the bolts were switched out to 1899 bolts but they were doing that pre-10.000 anyways. IIRC I think I saw a couple 1895 barrels on low 11.000 1899's as well but definitely on the 10,000's.

Not jealous, more curious. A letter from the historian stating it left as a 30-30 would be a first for an 1895 and would up the worth of the gun quite a bit. Just having a hard time believing one left in 30-30. It almost seems like from the start of this thread that were trying to talk ourselves into believing one left the factory in this caliber but I tend to believe facts over fiction. No malice towards the gun, and I think it would be awesome to know that one left in a different caliber other than 303 but now we've taken it to another level than what we've learned over a number of years which is that 1895's were only made in 303 Sav. I've got photo copies of factory ledgers of 1895's and all are in the same original caliber.

Actually after having another look at a couple ledger pages they don't even list the caliber an 1895 was chambered in because they were all chambered in the same caliber.

Also, an 1895 with a higher serial number above 5000 is going to be an earlier rifle made in 1896, most of the 1897 1895's were a lower serial number from 3000-4999. They started around 5000 and went up and then rolled back to around 3000 somewhere in the mid to high 7000's.

John,

I will bring the gun with me to San Antonio in May. You will see it, and the (top secret) to go with it. Sam wants to see it to. Besides and more importantly, I think we have a few days left of turkey season, and then pigs if they are still around.

You will feel the spirits of Arthur Savage, John Marlin and Oliver Winchester go through your bones when you hold it. Prepare yourself! Lol.

Back to the scheduled program..

Mad dog --- thanks for the info, this is what I was hoping to find out more about. Although I have a few Savages, I'm not a collector. Just an old gunsmith that loves old guns.

Jeff ---- bring PLENTY of ammo !!!!! These damn pigs !!! Counted thirty in one group. Was pig hunting this evening and did have 4 turkeys under me. One had an 8" beard. Maybe you can put some wear on that 30-30 :):):)

No jealousy, no anger.. but there are multiple explanations for this rather than the Savage factory chambering an 1895 in a new, competing and unknown cartridge (at that time the 30WCF was no more popular than the 303 Savage since they were both brand new) without bothering to stamp the barrel.

Never say never, but at the same time really odd things take more proof.

Same here.
Looking for reason(s) to potentially include it or exclude it with regard to a particular model, variation, etc. And hopefully learn a little along the way.

Who would answer it?

John,

I know just the rifle for duty. My 99G in 30-30. Along with the 1895. Though, maybe I should bring hand grenades and claymores!

Good grief, that is a friggin invasion of hogs! Lol

Email incoming on the 1895 and hunting.

Effie @ Savage Arms.

As for the start and stop dates... the latest production dates I've seen so far for the 1895's has been in the 1st half of 1897. The 1st 1899, per JTC, was 11/1898.

There were brl's used on 1899's with the Repeating Arms address but the 2nd line has the Oct. 3, `99 date. Appears someone just used the wrong roll die.

The "Cal. 30" in the address and "SAV 30" on the brl top was not used till 1900. The lowest serial I've heard of is 133xx with most in the 16xxx range.

A letter is finite till then it is a guess. As with Plab's 22" 1895's lettering as "Light" and "Lightest". 100 plus years for that info to come out.