I know the sn on my early Mdl 19 on the very rear circular end of receiver is faint....I had to use a magnifier after getting the old hardened (dried oil) varnish off.

 

This article may help answer some questions - The Savage NRA (of the U.S.A.) Model 19 and Model 1933 (19-33) Training and Target Rifles

 

Some pictures, hope they come out, taken with my iPhone. The rear sight ladder I added

 

Thanks NM303, I had seen that article, really great information!

 

Looks like someone might have snagged the back magazine support on the trigger guard/bottom metal while reassembling. Might still be okay.
That is a very common cause of part breakage on these and the 23A sporters.
The Rear magazine support/retaining plate is supposed to be inside the slot the magazine goes into. It is very easy to mess up and bend it.

I make magazines for the sporters and am setting up to run a batch for the early pattern rifles, and one of the things we have on order is tooling line to make replacement rear magazine support/retaining plates and new front springs, because about 10% of customers contact with fitment problems only to find out their gun has missing or broken parts.

 

Very helpful info, thank you!

 

His gun is a 1923 version and I think it's late enough to have the trigger guard that sits on the wood and not the type you show. It's hard to see but in the full picture it looks like it. Here's a picture, it's a 23-A but the NRA's of the same vintage would have them too - picturearchive.gunauction.com

 

I am having a similar problem so the pics are very helpful.

 

Yes the trigger guard sits on the wood and is not inletted

 

Yer makin me want to pull mine out to play with......but it was -2*f this morning, only 11 now