Need I.D. on a Savage Arms .22 long rifle

Fireball · June 22, 2011, 02:03 AM

My grandpa bought a golf bag at a garage sale, came home and found a rusted out .22 long rifle in the bag. It is missing a magazine and really rusted. I can't find the serial number but an inscription on the barrel reads:

"MANUFACTURED BY SAVAGE ARMS CORP. UTICA. N.Y. U.S.A.
PATENTED NOV. 28.1905. SEP.7.1915. SEP.4.1917. NOV.20.1917"

I really want to restore this rifle but I can't do so without some sort of magazine. Any information is appreciated.

Bill DeShivs · June 22, 2011, 06:05 AM

Pictures!
What kind of action? Bolt, Pump, single shot, auto?
We need more information, and did I mention pictures?

Fireball · June 22, 2011, 10:21 AM

Sorry about the wait i had to resize the pictures.

Steven Mace · June 22, 2011, 01:51 PM

It looks like a Savage Model 23 to me.

Steve

Fireball · June 22, 2011, 02:04 PM

Any idea where the serial number might be?

T. O'Heir · June 22, 2011, 02:17 PM

"...where the serial number might be?..." There may not be one. Prior to The GCA of 1968, S/N's weren't required on .22's.
Bob's Gun Shop lists mags for a Savage Model 23A. $35 each. Suspect that rifle is too far gone to bother with. Look at the barrel first.
http://www.gun-parts.com/magazines2/

radom · June 22, 2011, 09:52 PM

If it was a 23 the SN would be right between the bolt handle and the receiver port. This I think is a more rare and much less seen pre 23 type rifle(22?) or along those lines. The bolt knob, bolt handle cut in the receiver and the ejection port is not a 23 here. I would be checking and trying to clean the bore in this thing as these type guns shoot and I mean shoot if they have target sights put on them.

Hawg · June 23, 2011, 03:28 AM

I've seen a lot worse than that brought back. Even if the bore has light pitting it will still probably be a good shooter.

carguychris · June 23, 2011, 09:18 AM

Quote:

Prior to The GCA of 1968, S/N's weren't required on .22's.

Minor nitpick: Prior to the 1968 GCA, serial numbers weren't required on anything, not just .22's. It also wasn't illegal to change or obliterate a serial number. (Since it's now illegal to buy and sell guns without serial numbers, there is a legal process in place for legally transferring a pre-68 gun with a "pre-obliterated" s/n, but this is a bit off topic. Originally non-serialized firearms are grandfathered.)

Inexpensive .22 rifles were often produced without serial numbers in the pre-GCA era because (a) these rifles were regarded as cheap tools that were easily replaced and (b) applying serial numbers costs money, so eliminating the s/n allowed the manufacturer to save a few cents and hopefully undercut the competition's prices. Interestingly, gunmakers would apply serial numbers to more expensive .22 models as a sort of premium feature. For instance, Winchester did not serialize the Model 69 bolt-action repeater, but they did serialize the fancier and more expensive Model 75, even though it was based on the M69 action.

Fireball · June 23, 2011, 10:37 AM

So is there any way to tell this guns model? And just out of curiosity, how much would you say it's worth?

gyvel · June 23, 2011, 06:14 PM

It's not a model 23 or 23A. It is a Model 23AA (double A). Check www.e-gunparts.com for replacement mag. It will still probably be an OK shooter.

It's never going to be in the "collectables" category in your lifetime, condition-wise, but I've seen a lot worse. Liberal amounts of fine oil or turpentine and 0000 steel wool will clean up that bolt and trigger guard nicely, and you will have yourself a nice little plinker.

June 22, 2011, 02:03 AM	#1
Fireball Junior Member Join Date: June 22, 2011 Posts: 5	Need I.D. on a Savage Arms .22 long rifle My grandpa bought a golf bag at a garage sale, came home and found a rusted out .22 long rifle in the bag. It is missing a magazine and really rusted. I can't find the serial number but an inscription on the barrel reads: "MANUFACTURED BY SAVAGE ARMS CORP. UTICA. N.Y. U.S.A. PATENTED NOV. 28.1905. SEP.7.1915. SEP.4.1917. NOV.20.1917" I really want to restore this rifle but I can't do so without some sort of magazine. Any information is appreciated.

June 22, 2011, 06:05 AM	#2
Bill DeShivs Senior Member Join Date: April 7, 2006 Posts: 10,978	Pictures! What kind of action? Bolt, Pump, single shot, auto? We need more information, and did I mention pictures? __________________ Bill DeShivs, Master Cutler www.billdeshivs.com

June 22, 2011, 01:51 PM	#4
Steven Mace Senior Member Join Date: November 15, 1999 Location: Clifton, Colorado USA Posts: 724	It looks like a Savage Model 23 to me. Steve __________________ After today, its all historical

June 22, 2011, 02:17 PM	#6
T. O'Heir Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 12,453	"...where the serial number might be?..." There may not be one. Prior to The GCA of 1968, S/N's weren't required on .22's. Bob's Gun Shop lists mags for a Savage Model 23A. $35 each. Suspect that rifle is too far gone to bother with. Look at the barrel first. http://www.gun-parts.com/magazines2/ __________________ Spelling and grammar count!

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June 22, 2011, 02:04 PM	#5
Fireball Junior Member Join Date: June 22, 2011 Posts: 5	Any idea where the serial number might be?

June 22, 2011, 09:52 PM	#7
radom Senior Member Join Date: January 21, 2000 Posts: 1,352	If it was a 23 the SN would be right between the bolt handle and the receiver port. This I think is a more rare and much less seen pre 23 type rifle(22?) or along those lines. The bolt knob, bolt handle cut in the receiver and the ejection port is not a 23 here. I would be checking and trying to clean the bore in this thing as these type guns shoot and I mean shoot if they have target sights put on them.

June 23, 2011, 03:28 AM	#8
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,188	I've seen a lot worse than that brought back. Even if the bore has light pitting it will still probably be a good shooter.

June 23, 2011, 10:37 AM	#10
Fireball Junior Member Join Date: June 22, 2011 Posts: 5	So is there any way to tell this guns model? And just out of curiosity, how much would you say it's worth?

June 23, 2011, 06:14 PM	#11
gyvel Senior Member Join Date: August 30, 2009 Location: Northern AZ Posts: 7,172	It's not a model 23 or 23A. It is a Model 23AA (double A). Check www.e-gunparts.com for replacement mag. It will still probably be an OK shooter. It's never going to be in the "collectables" category in your lifetime, condition-wise, but I've seen a lot worse. Liberal amounts of fine oil or turpentine and 0000 steel wool will clean up that bolt and trigger guard nicely, and you will have yourself a nice little plinker.