Well, I friend of mine visited the MD Arms Collector Show on Sunday and picked him self up a pretty decent Model 29 (I think its a 29A).

Here are my questions:

* What is the difference between a 29A and 29B?

* Can the bolt be easily withdrawn for cleaning

* This one does not seem to have a serial number, if it had one, where would it be located?

* The receiver has four holes along the left side configured
like this (crude ASCII drawing of receiver)

<- Front
__________________
|.o.o.................o.o.\
|..............................\
|.....Model 29A.....O...|
---------------------

I am presuming they were for some kind of vintage scope mount, does anyone have any idea what it would have been?

Can try to get pictures.


Still looking for a replacement bolt for my M1903 BTW

Okay, I found out its most likely for a Weaver "N5" side mount scope base. Anybody have one they are willing to part with?

http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/1345810/page/0/fpart/1

FO the above link will take you to a thread on the Savage pumps. Unfortunately the 29 wasn't discussed then. I'll see if I can find one.

http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/589036/page/0/fpart/1

As far as I know the only differences between the 29A and 29B was the 29B went to a longer forearm and the lower half of the receiver was made with a different process resulting in the blue not matching and being far less durable. This results in older guns showing much more finish loss on the lower receiver to the point of looking to be assemble from 2 different guns.

To remove the bolt for cleaning take the gun down and with the receiver upside down slowly move the slide back - the bolt will tip up and then can easily be removed by lifting up.


The serial number if any will be on the front of the receiver just below the magazine tube - if no number then there should be some letters and/or number codes stamped there the meaning of which I do not know.

Well, got a better look at it, its a 29B

As luck would have it, I was scouring ebay and about the same time received a private message about an Weaver N5 side mount that would be correct. The holes look similar enough so there you go. Thanks to one of my siblings for buying it for me so I could continue my boycott (well, at least in principle).

Here are the pictures. I guess being made in MA its a later one. It has NO serial number or code though.

I would guess the rifle to be an early 29-B production...around 1950. The 29-B was later grooved on top of the receiver and cataloged (but not marked) as the 29-G.

All of the "B"'s I have seen have had some combination of two letters or code marks stamped on the front of the receiver just below the magazine tube. Possibly for matching the wood with the metal at assembly as on with the 99's from this period.

Rick, shouldn't the number be on the front of the upper half and on the inside of the lower half? Or was that just for the earlier ones? Did you get my last numbers?

The serial numbers were dropped on the late 29A. Savage went to a two alpha stamping.

Yes, I have them but have not recorded them yet. You can get way behind when you don't have a computer for two weeks.

Well, its a week later and I have more pictures, including the receiver code.

While searching the Internet for a scope mount, by sheer utter dumb luck, I found an ebay auction for a Weaver N5 mount with no bids and 12 hours to go. Some quick emails to a sibling with an ebay account and it was on the way. It was a used but not abused rust-free example with unbuggered screws.

Not only did the holes line up, but I had a spare screw from another Weaver scope mount project that fit in place of the missing one. The simple mount is high enough to still use the iron sights as well as accommodate a relatively decent scope with 3/4" tubes.

Thank you Savage Collectors forum!

The third and forth pictures really show the difference in finish on the upper and lower parts of the receiver that appears to have been a characteristic of all 29B's.