6a

Tom,

Can be an accurate rifle. Not really much collector interest as that relates to dollars. It's priced within the range. If it has the checkered pg stock, its pre war. You'll see 6, 6A, 6B, 6C, etc. The letter denotes a design change. It's companion rifle is the Model 7 which is box magazine fed semiauto.

Part of a series of 22's Savage produced starting in the early '30's. Model 3,4,5,6 and 7. Variations produced of some of these into the 60's and maybe the '70's marked Savage, Stevens, and Springfield.

 

I like mine.....built like a tank!
here's some info.............

"GillGuns"or "Clackity~Clacks:
The 87's were a mostly cheaper model with wood stained to look walnut, they were copied from the 1936-1947 model's 76 and 076(best sights). Anything buckhorn, was supposed to be a better rifle ~ wood, sights, etc. Pre-war models sport the checkering on the grip areas. The different models had small changes, i.e. trigger guards, painted stocks, "tenite" plastic stock etc. the models with the "square" receiver ends are: A,AB,AT,B,C,D,K(carbine model). The rifle was changed somewhere around 1958 to have a sloped rear receiver endcap, but it still screwed in....models 87E,KE,J,N,187E,187H,188H~
And we also know that the war era spawned the 87M, A HIGH PRICED garrand copy useing the 87's basic features, with special sights....yeah! Try and find one of those babies! $$$ cha~ching!
"It is probable that in this time (1940) the Springfield 87M was developed as a military-type training rifle."
"Its walnut stock and handguard resembled the Garrand's wood; its tubular magazine had to be withdrawn for loading; its utility was questionable and its production run short. The 87M is seldom encountered today in original configuration. After the war the 87M resurfaced in the Sears Roebuck catalog as the Ranger Model 101.16."
There was also a short lived "gallery" shorts only model 872(Savage 602) circa 1940~
The "clip" models were the same receiver etc as the mag tube models...with different lower cut-outs, only named 85's....85,85A,85K(carbine model)circa 1939. Similar models were 57,& 057 circa 1939-1947, and the 850.
Sears had their models stamped ranger 101 and stuff… westerfield had a 87 marked 808. coast to coast 288, westpoint 287, hiawatha 189-J, hiawatha 189-N & westerfield 808-N. 87J=B-964 belknap, 87N=B-964 belknap.
they look good when they scope mounted with the T and N mounts and a old weaver 29S(1937) or the cheaper weavers G (1947) B (1953) series. (Try Numrich Gunparts - I bought a Weaver accessory scope mount base plate which according to instruction sheet fits many of the Savage 6A variants - it matched the predrilled/plugged holes on our "Ranger 101.16/ Savage 6A" perfectly. Part Number 573370 - not shown in their on-line catalog.)
Savage bought out Stevens in 1920. Savage made the 6 and 7 series~6A,AB,B,C (cheekpiece model) D,S (factory installed peepsights) The 7 was the "clip" model~7, 7A. The factory scoped models were 6E,6H,6DL,6J,6M,6N,6JDL,6P. Sales records show that the #6 started in 1938 with around 9000 units sold in both 1938 and 1939. Might have been a similar amount for 1940 and 41. The Model 7 (clip version) was added in 1939 and it had the gill cuts. I would think that the gills were added (6A) soon after introduction sometime in 1938.
The 6D came out in 1955. It had a grooved receiver for the tip-off mounts.
So, I THINK that the 87 started in 1938 and ended with model changes 1958/61. These changes appeared to be the sloped rear cap, less "fins' on the left of the receiver, and wood finishes.
I think Savage started selling scopes and mounts in 1936 and D&T'ed the receivers in 1937. The receivers were D&T'ed with two hole for the Weaver T mount. The Savage 6A and 7 series which also spawned the Stevens 76A, Springfield 87A and Ranger 101.6. Stevens made the 76A prior to WW II, also the Springfield 87A. After WWII Stevens used the 87A designation. Ranger was the name for Sears prior to 1948 then it went to JC Higgins. These were also made in a box mag fed system. Savage 7/7A, Stevens and Springfield 85.
After WWII Weaver came out with the N mount which had four holes.
Looking in the scope book, I see that the "S" mount was first used in 1934 and the "T" was added in 1939.
Both scopes line up on the C/L of the bore. Mounting hole spacing of both is
approx. 2.35" CTC. The S-1 is called the low (C/L to T/Receiver=.5"), and the
S-3 (C/L to T/Receiver=1.0") is the high mount. These mounts are shown on page
263 & 269 in Nick Stroebel's book, "Old Rifle Scopes. I don't know if there ever
was a S-2 mount, or how it differed from the S-1 & S-3 mounts.
The 150 Savage peep sight with two holes will fit those two holes on the left rear receiver in the 87's & 85's.

Notice too......as we get toward the end of the era, the cheaper manufacturing techniques...the extractors are no longer spring loaded little hooks, but a one piece spring clip....also the EARLY 87's had no peep sight or "n" scope mount holes on the receiver ~BUT, nothing is sure here....ALL records are lost, I have been taking notes and old magazine adds to get my info~and last but not least.....the company used what it had.....as I have a factory 87K with a barrel mark "D" on it and have seen another marked the same. I have seen one ranger without ANY fins also! Marks on barrels may help too in the manufacture date~Utica NY until 1947, Chicopee Falls until 1960, Westfield after that.

Thanks be to' Savage99', & 'Sarge' & 'Fatstrat' and others~

Updated 11-26-2009

my biggest stevens

 

Kaintuck gave you basically all that is known on these rifles as there are not many sources of info for Savage rifles.

They are a neat design. It can be used as a semiauto obviously, but can be used as a bolt action repeater or a single shot. The bolt handle can be pushed into the hole in the left side of the receiver when in battery. That locks the bolt. Pull out the knob to unlock.

There have been some reports that gas gets back to the shooter. I haven't had that problem with mine.

 

Thanks for the input!

I did check my copy of the NRA disassembly guide, and it is in there!

If I can get my van troubles sorted out in time, I may pick it up.

Thanks again,

Tom

 

I went back to the shop today, and looked it over again. It does have the checkered pg stock. two holes for a missing scope mount, I assume. It was actually 119.95. I guess it was wishful thinking! It is a nice trim rifle. I put it on layaway.

I'll let you all know how it goes when i get it home.

Thanks again,

Tom

 

engravertom,

Those two holes, fit a Weaver #2 side mount base, which takes Weaver Sidemount rings, both of which are current production, for 1" scopes. Check out my recent springfield 87A thread, I just "custom tinkered" some screws that would fit the weaver base to the action.

With the scope I used, I can actually still use the open sights with the scope mounted! No need to even remove the scope for iron sights, with a 3-9x32 scope

Hope you pay if off soon and get to go enjoy it! They have the most unique action I have shot in a semi-auto.

 

If you'll post photos when you get it, I'll post some of my pre-war Savage model 6. It'd make a good comparison of the difference between a model 6 and a model 6A for people to reference later.

 

Pics will come when I get it home.

Thanks,

Tom

 

Windustsearch: Would love to see photos of your pre-war Model 6! I've got one too and would be interested to see the features of yours. Kim

 

Here's a picture of a prewar savage model 7 and a prewar stevens 76a.

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brought it home this evening! Too late to shoot outside.

here it is

I did put three CB shorts through it in the garage. Bolt action mode works fine.

15 feet offhand. 1 inch black square.

Thanks for the encouragement! I think this is going to be a great rifle.

take care,

Tom

BTW, the bore looks like a mirror.

 

Tom, good looking gun! And thanks Kaintuck for the great info.

Getting ready to work on my Springfield 87A now. This was my Dad's gun and he bought it somewhere around '48 or '49.

Last time we shot it (25 years ago...) we discovered it does not like high velocity long rifles - they will bend back the tang on the front of the release housing that stops the travel of the lifter. Jam city when that tang bends a little. But, with a little help from a gunsmith friend we re-aligned the stop and with standard velocity ammo it ran fine after that.

It still has the old Weaver G4 scope on it that Dad bought when he bought the gun. Still a sharp picture. Sling was bought with the gun also. I'm anxious to give it a good cleaning and oiling and see if it still goes "clickety-clack."

Unfortunately I have to remove a little rust from the barrel that occurred in a house fire back several years ago. But, I don't think it's hurt too bad. Here it is before the cleaning starts....

 

Neat rifles everyone, these things are interesting. Here is mine;

It lacks the gills and solid trigger guard, but it has the peep sight flat on the receiver. The rear sight on this rifle belongs to my Stevens 56 I believe, they were both owned by the same person.

 

My two Savage 3 ways

Here are two Savage's. One (the darker stock) is a Savage 6b and the other is a JC Higgins 101.16. They are close to the same except for the stock wood, trigger guard and bolt knob. I think they are of about the same vintage, 1940's, the 6b is marked Chicopee Falls.
The Sears is the first rifle I ever fired about 56 years ago.

 

Windustsearch - The fold down windage rear sight on your rifle is correct for guns equipt with a peep sight - they were cataloged as the 6-S (name used only in the catalog) and would also have had a hooded front sight with three different inserts.

Here is my '7-S' - gun is still just stamped model 7, also the variable apeture was only used for a couple years-

 

Windustsearch - The fold down windage rear sight on your rifle is correct for guns equipt with a peep sight - they were cataloged as the 6-S (name used only in the catalog) and would also have had a hooded front sight with three different inserts.

Here is my '7-S' - gun is still just stamped model 7, also the variable apeture was only used for a couple years-

I have to ask about this sight. I have the same rear sight, well nearly the same, mine has the square notch and instead of having the little half oval mine is a buckhorn. I don't have the same elevator as you, mine is a standard ramp.
How does this sight work? I understand the buckhorn sight obviously. I always thought is was made to flip over to have two different types of sights, not that I could get it to flip. Your picture seems to indicate the elevator ramp doubles as hold down to see properly through the peeps. Am I wrong?
Just curious because I am putting this sight on a project gun and would like to set it up correctly, even if it does take awhile.

Thanks.

 

Thanks Sav22.

My 56 Stevens has that front sight base with parts missing. So the fold down rear and peep I have probably belongs on it.

 

Thanks for adding the great pics and info folks!

There's a whole world of rimfire stuff I never even dreamed about.

take care,

Tom

 

"It lacks the gills and solid trigger guard, but it has the peep sight flat on the receiver."

It is interesting that even though this model 6 has no gills the stock is cut to allow for gills...? Is this the original stock? Were all of the first Model 6 stocks cut for gills.

I doubt that many of this first version, with no gills, were made.

 

Got my dad's old 87a all cleaned up and ready for a test fire this weekend, and lo and behold my son in law comes over tonight with an 87a that belonged to his grandfather! So we tore it down and cleaned it all up ( I don't think grandpa had ever cleaned this gun....nasty nasty nasty.....) and so we'll give both 87a's a trial run over the Thanksgiving weekend - along with my brother and his 1930's vintage Marlin Model 80 bolt .22 that belonged to our grandfather, and likely my dad will come along......Thanksgiving just doesn't get much better than 3 generations together shooting family heritage rimfires. Sometimes life is really good.

 

Shelby, the rear part of the sight is made so it can be folded down out of the way of the peep sight. The notch close to the receiver fits over the elevator when in the upright position. The sight is shown folded down.

 

Follow up info on the no-gilled early Model 6...

I found a photo of another early 6, same barrel address, factory D&T'ed for the Weaver T mount, no gills but is not cut (receiver or stock) for the #105 receiver sight and the stock is not cut for gills on the left side.

Sales records show that the #6 started in 1938 with around 9000 units sold in both 1938 and 1939...that's all the info I have. Might have been a similar amount for 1940 and 41.

The Model 7 (clip version) was added in 1939 and it had the gill cuts. I would think that the gills were added (6A) soon after introduction sometime in 1938.

 

That's interesting information.

As near as I can tell, the stock was never switched. The rifle had two owners, the original purchaser only had two .22 rifles and no other guns. There is no history of house fires or the like. The second owner is my father-in-law, he may have been the one that swapped the rear sights, but not sure. The other rifle is the Stevens model 56 I mentioned earlier, and its missing stock makes me wonder though. But my bet is the stock for it is still somewhere in the same garage the rifle was in.

I forgot to post photos of the front sight, it is the typical bead used with buckhorn (not Buckhorn in the Savage sense) rear blades.

There also appears to be a difference between the finish on the charging handles, and the difference in ejection ports. Another difference I am seeing (though it isn't evident in my photos) is that the trigger on mine is serrated.

 

The stock might just be a transitions thing where the stocks went into production before all of the non-cut receivers were used.

As we say with collecting the 1899/99's...Savage, never say "never".

 

to add....

I know of one example also of a "ranger" model with pre-war peeps, and no gill rec'ver~stock cut also. would be a nice addition to my bunch.....but the pawn shop is firm on the $250 tag!
"he likes it better than me" !

 

Finally got a chance to go shooting today with my Dad's old 87a, and my son in laws grandfather's old 87a. Neither gun has been shot in the last 30 years. I'm happy to report both guns performed flawlessly. Zero jams, zero feeding or ejecting problems, zero firing problems - zero any problems! Ammo included CCI and Federal bulk.

Both guns shot accurately, and Dad's old Weaver scope is still very accurate. No bench tests today, but hitting the center ring on a 25yd target from 25yds was not hard while off hand shooting.

Great old gun! Next step is a trip into the woods in search of tree rats..... :bthumb: