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Savage Model 20


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Okay, I'm up late nursin' a broken foot and stuck in "ramble" mode...

 

So a couple days ago I posted a query 'bout copper boolits, and mentioned Sassparilla Kid wants to hunt this year with his .250 Savage Model 20. Then I got to wonderin' if anyone else out yonder might have one buried in their safe... or for that matter, if anyone else has even heard of 'em!

 

Savage Model 20

 

Very sweet li'l rifle introduced by Savage back in 1920, chambered for .250 Savage (.250-3000)*, or .300 Savage. Both very respectable rounds; the .300 is balistically similar to a .308, and the .250 was the first succesful commercially produced round with a muzzle velocity of 3,000 fps - hence the original name.

 

Extremely handy firearm; the original '20 is small almost to the point of being petite, and weighs in at barely six lbs. In 1926 Savage produced a "beefier" version, apparently in response to complaints about it's "delicate" size and feel. The Kid has the smaller version, and mine is the larger... I think they should have left well enough alone. :blush:

 

I find the Marble's "crescent wrench" sight on the Kid's rifle to be intriguing... many wore a Lyman Model 54 rear sight that actually clamped on to the bolt tailstock! Kinda neat in it's own right... :rolleyes:

 

In all, there were only a few thousand produced - I surely wish I had a couple more~! ^_^

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Model 20 is a nice rifle. Course I'm a Savage/Stevens fan anyway. I'd also like to find one in the .300 Savage for myself. I already have a couple Model 99's and one of them is a 300. WK

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I have a 250-3000 model 20 that someone has put a model 99 barrel on, and bent the trigger guard bow to an odd shape. They also butchered the stock. Replacement stocks are no longer available, so I need to start whittling. Restoring it is a project that has been hanging fire for several years, but it should be one sweet deer rifle when I get through.

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I spent a long winter several years ago(pre computer)with all of the nomographs in all of the Gun Digests I could find. I set parameters for energy (1500 Flbs at 200 yards) availability of ammunition, BC-SD and a couple of other bullet factors(one being I wanted the same bullet performance that I saw in the 150 gr 30-06 bullet), recoil, etc that were all aimed toward determining the perfect 200 yard whitetail deer rifle.

 

The 200 yard number was determined by the lack of normal probabilities of being in a situation in southern Missouri that would allow longer shots.

 

When all factors were figured in the perfect rifle was the Model 99 in 250-3000. I was amazed but the closest runner-up was the old 7x57.

 

 

The 6mms were discounted on the basis of "good" whitetail bullet selection and anything larger than the 7x57 was discounted on the basis of overkill for my narrow specifics for the rifle I wanted.

 

 

I began looking for said 250-3000 and have still not found one that fits my budget. I actually gave up on it and bought the closest thing to the 7x57 which is the semi-modern 7-08.

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I've only seen one in my numerous visits to gunshows. It was nice and in 250....regret not picking it up.

Aww, Sam... ya shoulda oughta! :(

 

Sadly*, they now are somewhat of a collector's item... a buddy of mine bought one back in the '70's for forty bucks; they're now $800 - $1,000 or so. *(Mebbe not toooo sad, since the Kid and I have ours! ^_^ )

 

From a post I read a few years ago: Savage only made the Model 1920 until 1929, a total of nine years. It was made in .250-3000 and .300 Savage calibers only, and was one of the lightest and fastest-handling bolt guns made until the introduction of various ultra-light rifles in the course of the last twenty years or so. The basic action borrowed a number of features from both the small ring, pre-1898 Mausers and the 1903 Springfield, along with incorporating a number of unique features, including its being no larger than necessary to handle the two Savage cartridges. Apparently the design wasn't popular with hunters and shooters in the pre-Depression years, or Savage would have continued production.

 

One fella theorized that many of the rifles didn't survive because they were so handy... easy to toss in a trunk or behind a seat, dandy for varmint shooting, and were just plumb wore out.

 

Duff, don't give up on findin' a stock! Or heck, if you have the means to make one, go for it!! By the way... Didn't Savage use "99" barrels on the early 20's? :rolleyes:

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Hardpan, I already have a 99 in 250 and a Remington Classic 700 in same. Anyway I was fighting temptation so as to put that money in on a new Shiloh that oughta be here bout Septemberish.

 

I'm a fan of the 300 too...got a 99 and a Remington 722.

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Hardpan, I probably have the only Model 20 in captivity with a 24" Barrel. I believe that the original barrel was 22" long.

As for the stock, the man at Gunstocks Inc. told me that they no longer have the tooling to make this stock. I have a piece of black walnut that has been aging for 22 years. Most of that was in the Texas panhandle. I am not happy with the direction the grain runs in the forend, but it should be cured out enough to make a stock from.

But first, I need to get a workshop set up that I have room to turn around in.

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Duff, check out this forum... lots of Savage stuff there:

 

Savage Collectors

 

The fella who'd posted that rear sight for sale (my original post above) is a well-known Savage collector; I understand that he knows a good stockmaker and has had a few M20 replacement stocks made... might be worth sendin' him an inquiry.

 

 

Dang, Sam! Okay... I might consider passin' on a M20 for a Shiloh... :rolleyes:

 

Gonna paper patch the fodder~? ^_^

 

By the way - my 1926 Savage is a .300. I don't have a 99, but have been promised one by an old and dear friend when she passes... and I've made it clear that I don't intend to collect for a LONG time...! Likely I'll add one or two to the safe long before then!

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Thanks Hardpan, I will check them out.

I have several Savage 99's. I took my last Texas deer with a .303, and my last Wyoming deer with a .300. A good friend has taken pronghorn, deer, bear, elk and cougar with his .300 Savage. He never saw the need for anything heavier. I can't argue with a man who has eaten that many elk!

Thanks again for that link.

Duffield

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Hardpan; I've got a Savage Model 23 B in 25-20 WCF. It's kinda unique in that the receiver and barrel are one piece.

Machined for the bolt at the rear and an opening for the shell ejection forward of that. A Bushnell 3X9 scope is on top

 

and makes a great 200 yard varmint gun. I can load spire point bullets because it is magazine fed, not tube fed. You don't see any of these at gun shows much, kinda rare I guess. Savage 23 C is in 32-20 WCF. Just sayin'

 

Big Jake

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Duff, check out this forum... lots of Savage stuff there:

 

Savage Collectors

 

The fella who'd posted that rear sight for sale (my original post above) is a well-known Savage collector; I understand that he knows a good stockmaker and has had a few M20 replacement stocks made... might be worth sendin' him an inquiry.

 

 

Dang, Sam! Okay... I might consider passin' on a M20 for a Shiloh... :rolleyes:

 

Gonna paper patch the fodder~? ^_^

 

 

Once you see the confetti in front of the muzzle there is no other way! And yes its gonna be a 44-77....my favorite caliber.

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Once you see the confetti in front of the muzzle there is no other way! And yes its gonna be a 44-77....my favorite caliber.

 

 

Yeee Haw~!! :lol:

 

Perfect, Sam...! be sure to post pictures of the rifle and a target!! ^_^

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