Dating a Savage

[jonh172]

A minor correction: The first production Savage is serial number 0C1 as it sets in my gun cabinet.

Yeah you cant just taunt us...

[Roger Payne]

......... I don't want to turn the knife, but it's also a 4T !

[Brian Dick]

It's also photographed in Ian Skennerton's book.

[breakeyp]

I have shown pictures of the rifle in past posts. It is not presented as being original as a previous Bubba did significant modifications which required me to do several years worth of restoration. I felt it was worth doing and do not want to present it as other than what it is. Two true gunsmiths did the work. Replaced four inches of muzzle and aligned the rifling in a sleeve with the original bore. Replaced the missing charger bridge. It took awhile to replace the "sporterized" wood. He "lightened" the scope bracket with a bench grinder. The mount serial number came that way and is suspicious as the mount shows grind marks near it. All this said, it is still a nice thing to have. Over the years I have not seen or heard of another Savage with a one or two digit serial number.

[limpetmine]

I'm glad you did the restoration. This is quite a remarkable find and posterity will prove you correct for undertaking the task.

[Roger Payne]

Yes, agree entirely. If Bubba had slashed the Mona Lisa with a Stanley knife we would expect her to be repaired to as good as new; likewise here.

[browningautorifle]

Nice rifle, regardless. Just the act of saving the low number makes it all worthwhile.

[Brian Dick]

Very nicely done.