The original gun had a tube magazine and was introduced as the Savage Model 6 in 1938. The otherwise identical gun with a box magazine was introduced as the Savage Model 7 in 1939. I don't know when the various later versions were introduced. They were made under all three Savage names (Savage, Springfield, Stevens) in a rather bewildering number of models and variations. The same design was later used by Mossberg, though I have no idea why when their own semi-auto design was better.
When they work, they are OK. When they don't, trying to fix them is an exercise in frustration.
Jim
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