Savage 19 M Target Model, First Year Made

[dksac2]

This is my first post here. I just bought a beautiful M-19 Savage Target rifle, though I'd share a 100 year old Benchrest Rifle with you all. I love the modern rifles, but the oldies can be one heck of a lot of fun also.
My 19 came today and I was blown away.
The stock has a few scratches in it, we took the action out and it's the original oil finish, the grain is not filled in.

The metal is 98% blued with some nice patina on top of the barrel and a couple other places, the pictures don't show the beautiful patina on the bluing, it's mostly full bluing with about 30% with some patina, the magazine looks like it's hardly even been used.
It has a Wallensak 4 X scope on it, the glass in the scope and cross hair is perfect, Very good trigger, breaks very clean,Marked with several patent dates starting with 1905.

I have never seen a M19 in such wonderful condition, the bore is great, original bluing with just a few scratches in it.

$400. I scored big time on this one. The pictures taken by the dealer didn't really show how nice it is. Tell me what you think and any history I may not know. I know it has the thicker 28" target barrel.

John K

 

[burtona]

Nice find! I like those kind of rifles too.

 

[homermoore]

John, thats a great find. I dont think I have ever seen one. With the scope and all it looks like a keeper. and to top it off its a shooter. enjoy. T

 

[dksac2]

Thanks. My gunsmith friend Scott Null over at Savagegunsmithing told me he'd hunt me down and kill me if I ever sold it.

It has amazing machine work, those guys didn't have the equipment we have today and the attention to detal is fantastic. The bolt head has a small claw thats part of the bolt to grab the case, it's got a really neatly designed extractor and a double FP, it hits at 6 and 12 O'clock. The action and barrel are all one piece, they had to do all the machine work for the extractor cuts and chambering about 5 inches down into the tube, Amazing work.

The scope is a 4 power Wallensek for the 1930's, almost sure the cross hairs are spider web, you can see it when you look at them. I was able to see a 1/2" bullseye at 50 yards with no problem, pretty cool for such an old scope.

The shooting conditions when I shot it were pretty bad, I think I'll be able to shoot better groups once the weather warms up.
I intend on leaving it totally stock. It may not be a new fancy target rifle, but it was a pretty good bench gun in it's day.

I love old firearms and got darn lucky with this one. I've got others, but none as nice as this one.

My Best, John K