How about this relic?

lhare · July 23, 2010, 07:51 PM

This was plowed up just north of Waurika Oklahoma back in the 40s. The cylinder will still turn and the hammer will cock. The Chisolm Trail ran through there and is not far from Fort Sill so it should be able to tell some good stories.

oilfieldguy · July 23, 2010, 09:16 PM

I've never seen one quite like that.

pohill · July 23, 2010, 09:17 PM

Can you see the serial number?

armoredman · July 23, 2010, 10:33 PM

OK, I'll bite - what IS that?

pohill · July 23, 2010, 11:12 PM

It's a Savage & North .36 Navy. Lever action. When you pull back on the ring under the trigger (with your middle finger), it cocks the hammer, pulls the cylinder away from the forcing cone and rotates it. Release the ring and the cylinder is forced up against the barrel, forming a gas seal.
Mine is still a shooter.

http://armscollectors.com/mgs/savage_north.htm

bedbugbilly · July 24, 2010, 11:54 AM

pohill - many years ago (40+) I was at a household auction in Michigan and they pulled a Savage & North Navy out of the attic. I had a chance to handle and examine it - it really was quite a pistol! It was in excellent shape - nice and tight an probably 90% + original finish. I was young and wanted it in the worst way . . . but . . . . when it came up, I remember that it was sold for $125.00. It was a fair price at the time but way too much for me (as a kid) to bite off. I'm just curious - you've evidently shot yours? How did it shoot? I would imagine after shooting Colts and Remingtons it would take some getting used to?

As far as the one pictured that was plowed up in OK . . . . all I can say is "WHAT A FIND!!!". The "find location" being near the old trail and the fort adds even more thrill to it. And you're right . .. . . it it could only talk, what a tale I'm sure it could tell. A really nice relic of the early days and I'm sure it's treasured! Thanks for sharing!

lhare · July 24, 2010, 01:00 PM

I'm not sure where the serial number would be.

pohill · July 24, 2010, 02:41 PM

Quote:

How did it shoot?

The Savage & North .36 should have been a .44. It's a big gun. Cocking the ring with your middle finger and firing the gun with your trigger finger is smooth and very fast once you master it (but the gun is not a quick draw revolver at all).
I used .380 roundballs and maybe 15 grs of black powder. The .380 balls are too small - a .390 would be a better fit. As far as accuracy - mine is missing the front sight so I was more interested in just firing than hitting anything.
Ruger Old Army nipples are a great replacement for this gun.
The dug up relic is very interesting. The gun, in any shape, is a great conversation piece.
The serial numbers on mine are located under the side plate, under the loading lever, and on the left bottom of the frame (under the grips). You'd probably have to do some cleaning of metal to find it (not sure if it's worth disturbing that old beauty).
I posted on The High Road forum last week about this gun and its cylinder adjustment.
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=532217
This is the sight picture (minus the front sight):

Oldfalguy · July 24, 2010, 03:58 PM

Congrats on an excellant find- outstanding

Ricklin · July 24, 2010, 05:45 PM

My LGS has a Savage-North that looks practically NEW. Probably the highest conditioned original BP revolver I've ever seen.
Asking price is North of 3K
After I saw it in the case I had to look it up, they are very unique.

armoredman · July 24, 2010, 06:32 PM

Thank you for the description, that's a truely unique solution for DA operation. I guess Pietta and Uberti haven't made a repro for this one yet.

pohill · July 24, 2010, 08:31 PM

A friend of mine, a local High School history teacher, inherited an original Springfield, which we have fired. A former student of his inherited a Savage & North .36 and a rifle that belonged to a member of the Berdans Sharpshooters. One night last fall we sat around a campfire with our antique weapons. My friend stood and held both Savage & Norths, saying that he was probably the only person in the world that night holding two of them. He has a friend who has an original Lematt but he couldn't make it that night.
Gotta love those old guns.

July 23, 2010, 07:51 PM	#1
lhare Member Join Date: August 2, 2008 Posts: 23	How about this relic? This was plowed up just north of Waurika Oklahoma back in the 40s. The cylinder will still turn and the hammer will cock. The Chisolm Trail ran through there and is not far from Fort Sill so it should be able to tell some good stories.

July 23, 2010, 09:16 PM	#2
oilfieldguy Member Join Date: October 6, 2009 Location: Irion County, TX Posts: 87	I've never seen one quite like that. __________________ ________________________________ AUDIO, VIDEO, DISCO!

July 24, 2010, 11:54 AM	#6
bedbugbilly Senior Member Join Date: November 19, 2009 Posts: 3,287	pohill - many years ago (40+) I was at a household auction in Michigan and they pulled a Savage & North Navy out of the attic. I had a chance to handle and examine it - it really was quite a pistol! It was in excellent shape - nice and tight an probably 90% + original finish. I was young and wanted it in the worst way . . . but . . . . when it came up, I remember that it was sold for $125.00. It was a fair price at the time but way too much for me (as a kid) to bite off. I'm just curious - you've evidently shot yours? How did it shoot? I would imagine after shooting Colts and Remingtons it would take some getting used to? As far as the one pictured that was plowed up in OK . . . . all I can say is "WHAT A FIND!!!". The "find location" being near the old trail and the fort adds even more thrill to it. And you're right . .. . . it it could only talk, what a tale I'm sure it could tell. A really nice relic of the early days and I'm sure it's treasured! Thanks for sharing! __________________ If a pair of '51 Navies were good enough for Billy Hickok, then a single Navy on my right hip is good enough for me . . . besides . . . I'm probably only half as good as he was anyways. Hiram's Rangers Badge #63

July 24, 2010, 01:00 PM	#7
lhare Member Join Date: August 2, 2008 Posts: 23	relic I'm not sure where the serial number would be.

July 24, 2010, 05:45 PM	#10
Ricklin Senior Member Join Date: February 22, 2008 Location: SW Washington state Posts: 2,011	Savage-North My LGS has a Savage-North that looks practically NEW. Probably the highest conditioned original BP revolver I've ever seen. Asking price is North of 3K After I saw it in the case I had to look it up, they are very unique. __________________ ricklin Freedom is not free

July 23, 2010, 09:17 PM	#3
pohill Senior Member Join Date: December 27, 2005 Location: northeast Posts: 521	Can you see the serial number?

July 23, 2010, 10:33 PM	#4
armoredman Senior Member Join Date: May 22, 2007 Location: Arizona Posts: 5,297	OK, I'll bite - what IS that?

July 23, 2010, 11:12 PM	#5
pohill Senior Member Join Date: December 27, 2005 Location: northeast Posts: 521	It's a Savage & North .36 Navy. Lever action. When you pull back on the ring under the trigger (with your middle finger), it cocks the hammer, pulls the cylinder away from the forcing cone and rotates it. Release the ring and the cylinder is forced up against the barrel, forming a gas seal. Mine is still a shooter. http://armscollectors.com/mgs/savage_north.htm

July 24, 2010, 03:58 PM	#9
Oldfalguy Senior Member Join Date: January 25, 2009 Location: Central Texas Posts: 126	Congrats on an excellant find- outstanding

July 24, 2010, 06:32 PM	#11
armoredman Senior Member Join Date: May 22, 2007 Location: Arizona Posts: 5,297	Thank you for the description, that's a truely unique solution for DA operation. I guess Pietta and Uberti haven't made a repro for this one yet.

July 24, 2010, 08:31 PM	#12
pohill Senior Member Join Date: December 27, 2005 Location: northeast Posts: 521	A friend of mine, a local High School history teacher, inherited an original Springfield, which we have fired. A former student of his inherited a Savage & North .36 and a rifle that belonged to a member of the Berdans Sharpshooters. One night last fall we sat around a campfire with our antique weapons. My friend stood and held both Savage & Norths, saying that he was probably the only person in the world that night holding two of them. He has a friend who has an original Lematt but he couldn't make it that night. Gotta love those old guns. Last edited by pohill; July 24, 2010 at 08:56 PM.