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I was always under the impression that parts for 1907's were interchangeable? Is this true?

I put a type 3 breach bolt into one that normally takes a type two and the sear trip won't activate the sear.

Any idea's from you guys that have pistols?

Joe, Be carefull, remember the hand !!! Don

I thought they were interable as well, never tried swaping parts, good luck, and let us know!

Still got the scar to remind me everyday. I pay alot of attention to closing them up nowadays!

I'll let you guys know if I can figure it out. I know the sears change alot from the second to the third variation but I thought they would still work. Maybe it's the trip and not the sear??????

Joe
What Gave You That Idea, Won't Work Steve

I've asked Bailey the same question a couple months ago, he didn't know either so I guess I'm the only one thats tried it.

All this information was covered buy a web site '1907 Pistols' that unfortunately is no more . I used that site for years - when it ended I had to go out and buy a book - which does not cover what that site did!

Some things I remember is that early guns (all 32) had smaller diameter barrels than later 32's, possibly with the introduction of the 380's (they were slightly smaller diameter than the 380's..I think???). Also early guns had a thicker lug on the barrel than later ones - this changed occurred during what I think was the second version - the safety lever was changed before the barrel lug size (I think that change probably should have been possibly considered another version). From this there are at least 3 different 32 barrels that will not interchange...and that means some slides and frames can't be changed either.

There was a lot of information on the interchangeability of parts but I do not remember what was said about the bolts except there was mention of which would work with what.

I put a type 3 breach bolt into one that normally takes a type two and the sear trip won't activate the sear.
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That's Because there is a .034 between the design and Engagement of the Sears

But if you look in Baileys book, ALL the 1907's use the type 2 sear mechanisms. Why would they change the sear size if they knew their sear mechanisms won't activate the sear? If they changed the sear and not the mechanisms then that means that every pistol they made after they set the sears back ".034" won't work.

Something doesn't make sense there.

That is the Difference I Found On one of Mine Between a Number 3 and 2 Joe. Why I don't Know.

There is a lot of good info and drawings of the internals of the Savage pistols in the 1981 Gun Digest.

Dave Koch (Savage1907) was the man that ran the web site and could probably give you an answer but he is hard to reach. He also has parts and magazines. His brother Jim (savage_pistols) might have an answer, also. Both stop by time to time but are not regulars.

I think I've still got Jims email addy around this desk somewhere.

Hell Mad Dog, you've got just about everything on that desk somewhere! So what ever happened with Carmen's 99? Did the carrier work?

that will only take a year or so

Never did hear back from him but he's a great smith, he could make a spool of thread work in that gun if he set his mind on it!

I know he was pretty happy to get that carrier from you though!

Mad Dog -

I took a 1907-12 (SN 7938x w/ #2 breechbolt) and a 1907-13-2 (SN 12023x w/ #3 breechbolt) and tried to change just the breechbolt. I couldn't even get the #3 into the other slide - kept binding. Looking at the slide, I noticed the machining is different between the two notches for the safety and that the recessed 'ramp' for the sear trip is different. So I tried switching both breechbolt and slide. Sear tripped fine. But I noticed that the frame projected past the end of the breechbolt. Measuring the breechbolts from end to end came up with about .030 difference. The difference in the recessed ramp shape/length in the slide may be holding the sear trip down too low to engage the sear.

Since James Carr's book is based on observations, I would guess that alot of the parts are visually similar but are not mechanically interchangeable. Pistols made in 1912 & 1913 included alot of "improvements" - maybe not all were compatible with previous variations.

Do you have the slide that the #3 breechbolt was shipped with? You might try swapping breechbolt and slide together.

Jim

Well, Mad Dog, they are in the same way that parts for old Mustangs are interchangeable. That is, it depends on the part and it depends on the version and year.

Not too many parts will swap between model 1907s made 1908-1911 and those made 1912-1920. Interchangeability is much better among the 1912-1920 pistols, but the farther apart the versions are the more problems you can expect to run into. There are some exceptions, of course -- 1907 hard rubber grips are 1907 hard rubber grips; .32 recoil springs, while they changed dimensions over the years, are pretty interchangeable, as are firing pin retainers. But the closer the tolerance, the more likely there will be a problem.

In addition, while for their day (about 100 years ago!) these were very standardized parts, they still required hand fitting and sometimes tweaking. Look carefully at almost any internal part from these pistols and you will probably see evidence of handwork. Take several examples of the "same" part and you will find that some examples fit particular pistols better than other pistols using the same part.



I just swapped a Type 2 and Type 3 breechbolt and both pistols (s/n 75718 & 161091) functioned with the "other" breechbolt. However, these were not the first pair I tried. I also found that I could not swap breechbolts between some other pistols (the lugs were binding in the slide, I think), or could swap one direction but not the other. But then, sometimes I can't swap Type 3 breechbolts between pistols that came with them, or can only swap them with great difficulty.

I have noticed that the length of sear trip arms can vary significantly; the sear trip that worked with your original breechblock may not be long enough to trip the sear on the Type 3 breechbolt you are installing. Trying a different breechblock, a different sear, or a different sear trip may correct this.

When I need to replace a part, I usually anticipate having to do some handfitting, and feel fortunate when I do not.

Bill

Sounds like the first thing you need to fix one of these is a BIG pile of parts...

I think I will stay with the ones that don't need repair.

Rick, I am building up a big pile of parts, this was the 4th breech I've tried.

Jim had it bang on, the trip seems to low to engage the sear.

I've got a line on a breech with a type 2 sear so hopefully it'll work.

Jim, thanks for the input, no the slide never came with it although I do have a couple spare slides here that I'll tinker with.