This is a recent acquisition from an estate sale. Bore is bright and clean. The action seems to work well but haven't fired it. The serial # is 39xxxL Does anyone know when it was manufactured? Does this model have any unique problems or issues? The bluing seems rather "thin" and rubbing it with brass scratches it. Is there a way to tell if it has been reblued?
The 29A version was pre-war commencing in 1933 and usually had round barrel and checkered stock and forearm like yours. The bluing looks original. It is normal for the bluing to be faded after 80 years. DO not use anything but a frontier big 45 pad to remove corrosion as that is the only safe way to do so without removing the bluing (whats left of it). One thing to NEVER do is fire the rifle without a snap cap or wall fastener or you can peen the chamber and break the firing pin!
The date of manufacture (DOM) for most Savage/Stevens can only be generalized, and not drilled down to month/year.
Expanding on your rifle's SN and it's DOM, there are NO factory SN records on many Savage/Stevens firearms due to the factory consciously avoiding to do so, so that their production numbers could remain unknown & safe from costs associated with taxes and/or legal action taken against them.
I've found the introduction of the 29-A was most likely sometime in 1938, the 1938 Savage parts catalog does not list the 29-A but the 1939 does and some of the house brand versions of the 29 are still listed in the retailers catalogs well after 1933. I cannot see them making a gun for 5+ years without having them in their parts catalogs. There are notes in later Savage catalogs that the Model 29 was discontinued in 1933 but I think that has to be a misprint or a type setting error with the last 3 supposed to have been an 8.
All early 29-A's had octagon barrels, octagon is dropped from the description in catalog No 75 with a price list dated Jan 2, 1942 (round was not added, just octagon was dropped). I have serial numbers recorded for over 30 29-A's and round barrels out number octagon almost exactly 2 to 1 so I think the 1942 date would be about right for the change to round barrels. The highest serial number I have for an octagon barrel 29-A is just over 33,000 and for a round barrel is just over 60,000 but these numbers include the house brands and therefore do not directly reflect the numbers of Savage labeled guns and for the last couple years the 29-A's were not serial numbered.
I have seen examples of these with a distorted locking surface in the top of the receiver, check for that. I would not shoot any of the newer high performance 22 loads in it and would suggest just using standard velocity.
PS - bluing looks absolutely correct, often when these are reblued they make the mistake of bluing the slide arm, these were left 'in the white' and yours is correct and since it wasn't blued it should have the toning yours has- do not clean that!
Thanks very much for your knowledge and time. It looks to be a well-cared for rifle. Will shoot some SV through it in the next few days. I'll leave it as is but check for the distorted locking surface in the top of the receiver.
I bought a big 45 SS gun cleaning pad & found it's the same as the SS cleaning pads at Dollar General that come in a 3 pack for $1 & actually work better in my case. Use at your own risk as I did & have been working well for years.
I've found the introduction of the 29-A was most likely sometime in 1938, the 1938 Savage parts catalog does not list the 29-A but the 1939 does and some of the house brand versions of the 29 are still listed in the retailers catalogs well after 1933. I cannot see them making a gun for 5+ years without having them in their parts catalogs. There are notes in later Savage catalogs that the Model 29 was discontinued in 1933 but I think that has to be a misprint or a type setting error with the last 3 supposed to have been an 8.
All early 29-A's had octagon barrels, octagon is dropped from the description in catalog No 75 with a price list dated Jan 2, 1942 (round was not added, just octagon was dropped). I have serial numbers recorded for over 30 29-A's and round barrels out number octagon almost exactly 2 to 1 so I think the 1942 date would be about right for the change to round barrels. The highest serial number I have for an octagon barrel 29-A is just over 33,000 and for a round barrel is just over 60,000 but these numbers include the house brands and therefore do not directly reflect the numbers of Savage labeled guns and for the last couple years the 29-A's were not serial numbered.
I have seen examples of these with a distorted locking surface in the top of the receiver, check for that. I would not shoot any of the newer high performance 22 loads in it and would suggest just using standard velocity.
PS - bluing looks absolutely correct, often when these are reblued they make the mistake of bluing the slide arm, these were left 'in the white' and yours is correct and since it wasn't blued it should have the toning yours has- do not clean that!
Sav22, I have a few questions if you could oblige... I have a really nice all original 29-A octagon (SN 86693) that I picked up about ten years ago. 90% + original finish and really nice bore. This one has the checkered stock.....so about what percent of the 29-A guns had the checkered stock. I'm updating my gun values for insurance purposes so any guess as to approximate value?
Sav22, I have a few questions if you could oblige... I have a really nice all original 29-A octagon (SN 86693) that I picked up about ten years ago. 90% + original finish and really nice bore. This one has the checkered stock.....so about what percent of the 29-A guns had the checkered stock. I'm updating my gun values for insurance purposes so any guess as to approximate value?
James
James, That serial number does not look right, could you check to see if you got it right? I'm thinking the first number isn't an 8 but a 3. If it's a 3 that would be the highest octagon barreled 29-A I've seen and fall under the lowest round barrel I have in my records, 41425. The highest 29-a I have seen is just over 60,000 -another reason I think your number must be wrong.
I would put the checkered stocks in the very high 90%'s. I've only seen 3 or 4, the two I have some info on both had 1950 date codes, one had a Utica addressed barrel and one had Chicopee Falls. The earliest 29-B's also have 1950 date codes and I have an example of a checkered 29-A with a 1949 date code. None of these late guns had serial numbers.
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