Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Savage Collectors A NEW question about those model 1920 Savages

For those of you who have helped me interpret my model 1920 (in 250-3000) in the previous thread....many thanks! I'm excited to get to know this old rifle and get it shooting. I'm hoping for more of your help. I have shot this rifle now a couple of times after correcting headspace, and am excited about what I am seeing. Three shots of factory Hornadys, 100 grains, at 50 yards produced a nice group just about 6 inches high at top of target. I changed to factory Remington 100 grainers, and moved target to 25 yards, just so I could be sure to keep hits visible on target. All three went into one large hole about 3 inches high and with perfect windage adjustment. Seems promising!

My problem is that the Lyman 54 bolt peep sight is bottomed out already. So...I need a taller front sight to bring these groups down. For those not familiar...it looks like this...




The insert currently measures about 0.295. Sight radius is 26.5 inches. Using an online calculator for sight height, I estimate I need a new insert approximately 0.385 inches tall to get zeroed at 50 yards. That's at a MINIMUM. Seems smart to go slightly taller so I have some adjustment possible. Maybe something just over 0.400?

My questions for you guys:

1) If you have a Model 1920 Savage bolt action in 250-3000, and the Lyman 54 bolt peep...what heights are your front sight insert? Does 0.400 inch seem about right?
2) Where can I find a somewhat correct "period" front sight insert of the correct height? I thought the'Bay might work...but pickings seem slim right now...and kind of a guessing game as to fit.

Thanks in advance for any wisdom you might be able to share!

Mike

Some one will be along that knows, I'm working off foggy memory. Have you pulled your front blade? I seem to remember seeing one and the hole was elongated so it could be moved up or down a little. But, like I said, I'm kind of foggy on that one, Joe.

I simply take a six o'clock hold on the target holding under the bull rather than a center hold with my Model1920 with a Lyman 54 peep sight.

I had a similar problem with my take down M99, but it was with the standard rear sight. I found that it was a lot easier to swap out the rear sight for something that worked with the front sight, than to try and find a blade for the front sight. To the best of my knowledge no one makes different blades for those front sights anymore, just the dovetail type. You'll have to find someone with a stash of them to fiddle with.

Seems to me I saw a front sight for a 1920s era 99 sitting on ebay for a long time and, as far as I can tell, it is the same barrel. It also looks like it wouldn't bee too hard making a badic blade out of a stock of sheet metal. I made one years ago for a Christy band front sight that was mounted to a 1903 with a Lyman 48.

I did remove the blade insert to measure and inspect for possible adjustment. No adjustment possible...



I imagine a new one can be built. I'd like to track down something that would have been correct for the gun. Changing the rear sight is not an option...that very desireable Lyman 54 bolt peep is not going anywhere! Much easier...and smarter...to keep the Lyman 54 and change out the small blade insert up front

Speaking as someone who twice in his life installed Lyman 54's on early M1920's that didn't wear them previously, I had to install waaay higher front sights too in both instances. I don't remember the height. Also, I made the sight blades myself out of nickel silver and filed them down while at the range until optimal height was achieved.

Gnoahhh...thanks for the insight! I do think this 54 peep sight was installed just for resale, so makes sense the front sight isn't working out at this height. Or gun was a project gun that never got up and shooting. But getting close now to getting dialed in hopefully. If I don't stumble on a drop-in fix...will likely have to follow your lead and fit something handmade in there.

You could get a tall Redfield sourdough sight, cut off the dovetail and file the remainder flat to fit inside the split post. That would look period appropriate. Of course you could do the same thing with any type of front site, be it a Marbles Sheard, Lyman bead, etc... If I were to go the route of a sourdough, I'd look for one that was made to fit into a 03A3 sight base. They are already flat and probably tall enough for the 54.

If memory serves, those blades are 1/16" thick making it a simple matter to fashion one out of flat stock to create your own sourdough sight blade.

And there

And there you have it!

Your front sight is not a factory blade. If a Savage sight can not be found I think a replacement for a Krag rifle is the correct thickness and should be tall enough. Gnoahhh suggestion would probably be the fastest and cheapest way.

The Savage front sight had grooves in the blade and the integral base parallel to the bore with an open ended cut in the blade bottom vs a hole. The blade slides in from the end and the screw just held it from sliding out. The grooves allowed the blade to be raised or lowered.

I believe it is a Lyman 26GE front blade sight that you want to find. Can't remember the other model numbers, the 26GE is a ivory bead. A Red and Gold bead were also available. Somewhere I have a book on sights and I believe they are listed for the 1920. As others have said, you can make your own, it is 1/16" thick by .064" wide. The height may still need adjusting but I have the 26GE listed at 11/32".

A quick update on the front sight story. I'm searching for some "official" period correct front sights for the Model 1920. My research suggests I looking for a Lyman 24, 26, or 32 blade. Or a Marble's 16A. Or a King 23A, 23B, or maybe a King 25? Will have to measure them if I find one to better know which will work. In the meantime...I bought a front sight blade labeled as belonging on a Springfield 1903. Given the history of the Savage 1920 development...I liked the connection. It is exactly 0.400 inches tall and fits the slot width ok (a little loose, but tightens down once the screw is in place.) Started out like this....





After some drilling/cutting/filing...it looks like this...




And mounted, it looks like this. If it proves to be a height that works well, I'll shape it up a little better at the front edge and cold blue it.

Any old port in a storm! Glad it's working out.

Same here. Redfield made sourdough sights that fit Krags and 03s. You could do a similar modification with either of those.