Dating a Savage 110 without the letter prefix?

[Newtosavage]

I saw the sticky about dating 110's with a number prefix. How do you date one without a number prefix?

Mine is 28527

Model 110 in '06. Walnut stock. Iron sights. Pat. pending on the stamp.

Thanks.

[Newtosavage]

Here are some pictures. It's a beautiful rifle.

[Newtosavage]

A few more pics

7602760376047605

[PhilC]

A few more pics

7602
By the barrel stamp. Inside the oval barrel stamp I see what appears to be "11L". The first two digits are the inspector's stamp and the alpha character denotes year. Do serial numbers on your action and bolt match?

You are correct, it is a beautiful and well preserved rifle!

Can see mine here - https://www.savageshooters.com/showthread.php?55031-Old-110-with-4-digit-serial-number

[PhilC]

Btw, "L" would be 1960. Here's another post with a chart - https://www.savageshooters.com/showthread.php?67640-110L-year-of-manufacture

I'm working on an article covering these early rifles and hope to have it finished soon.

[Newtosavage]

Yes, I checked the numbers and they match. Thanks for the assist!

Shot it today and it actually shot really well. Well enough that I'm going to put a new scope on it.

[Newtosavage]

This rifle shot well enough today that I'm going to invest a little more in it. New scope for starters, but I'm thinking of doing a pillar and bedding job on it, and relieving the wood in the forend to float the barrel. Would you do that if it was yours, or leave it as-is? It was shooting about 1.5-2" today and my last shot at 300 was pretty much dead center after I let the barrel cool completely.

[strut64]

A lot of rifles of that vintage like to have a barrel support . I have one that accuracy went south when relieved. I have since replaced the front support. And accuracy returned. Test by placing shims around the action screws to lift the action up. I have used cut up plastic credit cards of about 0.025” thickness to do this.

[PhilC]

Strut makes a good point, better to test in a way that's not permanent. I'm leaving mine as is just because it's all original other than the sling studs added by my uncle. I rarely shoot it, and as light as it is, not one I care to shoot from the bench often.

[Newtosavage]

Strut makes a good point, better to test in a way that's not permanent. I'm leaving mine as is just because it's all original other than the sling studs added by my uncle. I rarely shoot it, and as light as it is, not one I care to shoot from the bench often.

Yea, that's a good idea. Mine is surprisingly light as well. That's actually the first thing I noticed when I picked it up. Even with the wood stock, leather sling and scope, it felt pretty light in the hands.

I looked at replacing those sling studs with Uncle Mike's detachable studs, but man those original sling hardware look cool.

[PhilC]

I'm curious, do you have a way to measure firing pin protrusion? If yes, could I pester you for that info?

[Newtosavage]

I'm curious, do you have a way to measure firing pin protrusion? If yes, could I pester you for that info?

I may. If I can find a battery for my micrometer, I'll see if I can get that for you.

Tried to work on the trigger a little last night. Stayed up too late and should have stopped while I was ahead. LOL Went from a crisp 5.5# pull to a mushy 3.5# pull. :D Lucky for me, Numrich has replacement triggers, so I can experiment a little.

I pulled the old leather sling and sling hardware and weaver bases, and weighed the bare rifle. Exactly 6 1/2 lbs. Not bad at all for a 22" '06 with iron sights and a Walnut stock with an old recoil pad. Lighter than the Winchester Featherweight if I recall correctly. That old original 110 barrel is pretty thin and light.

The more I work that old action, the more I like it. Not sure if it's my imagination, but the sound it makes reminds me of an old Mauser action a little bit, which is cool. And damn can that thing sling some brass! That Mauser style ejector really fires those cases out!

The stock was designed to put a little up pressure on that thin barrel, ala the Model Seven Remington. Oddly enough, there is a little brown 'paste' in the stock where the back of the recoil lug makes contact, as if someone (factory?) did a thin bedding job on just the recoil lug. Never seen that before. I'll try to post up some pictures and maybe you guys can tell me if it's something the factory did, or not.

If it seems like I'm having fun with this 60 year-old Savage, it's because I am. What a cool gun. I sold the old scope that was on it, so I'm down to just $270 in this rifle at this point. I feel like I stole a piece of history! :D

[Newtosavage]

Here's a couple pics of the brown "putty" on the recoil lug. Anyone know if this is factory, or maybe someone did this after the fact?

Phil, the best I can tell, the firing pin protrudes 0.065" according to my micrometer.

[PhilC]

Here's a couple pics of the brown "putty" on the recoil lug. Anyone know if this is factory, or maybe someone did this after the fact?

Phil, the best I can tell, the firing pin protrudes 0.065" according to my micrometer.
Thank you sir, was wanting a reference to compare to mine (which has never been touched) at .057".

What I like about those old actions is they are just slick and don't have the sloppy bolt (as some put it) of later models.

Interesting find in the stock. Don't recall mine having any, but it's been a while since I had the action out. I'll pull mine and share some pics.

[Newtosavage]

Thank you sir, was wanting a reference to compare to mine (which has never been touched) at .057".

What I like about those old actions is they are just slick and don't have the sloppy bolt (as some put it) of later models.

Interesting find in the stock. Don't recall mine having any, but it's been a while since I had the action out. I'll pull mine and share some pics.

I would appreciate any insight. I will probably bed this action. Not sure if I'll install pillars, but a bedding job couldn't hurt it.

I shimmed the action with 2 strips of aluminum can and the barrel is free floating now. I'll see how it does on the range. Gotta wait for the new trigger to arrive though, since I managed to make mine worse. LOL

[Whynot]

If that gun is what I'm thinking it is...... I will be very surprised if the new trigger works for you (so be careful trying to adjust it anymore).

I had one that is just a little older than yours-- and could never find a trigger that would fit it. Maybe yours is new enough that you will get lucky... but the ones made in Chicopee Falls are a little different setup. The bolt is different, the barrel is different, they have a different ejector.... and (at the time) a replacement trigger was unavailable.

As someone who has done a lot of messing with one of these guns-- my advice would be to leave it as is- or sell it.

[PhilC]

If that gun is what I'm thinking it is...... I will be very surprised if the new trigger works for you (so be careful trying to adjust it anymore).

I had one that is just a little older than yours-- and could never find a trigger that would fit it. Maybe yours is new enough that you will get lucky... but the ones made in Chicopee Falls are a little different setup. The bolt is different, the barrel is different, they have a different ejector.... and (at the time) a replacement trigger was unavailable.

As someone who has done a lot of messing with one of these guns-- my advice would be to leave it as is- or sell it.
His was made in Chicopee Falls so will have those unique features. There is a FAQ topic covering these early triggers - https://www.savageshooters.com/content.php?129-Early-Savage-110-Trigger-Adjustment

[Newtosavage]

If that gun is what I'm thinking it is...... I will be very surprised if the new trigger works for you (so be careful trying to adjust it anymore).

I had one that is just a little older than yours-- and could never find a trigger that would fit it. Maybe yours is new enough that you will get lucky... but the ones made in Chicopee Falls are a little different setup. The bolt is different, the barrel is different, they have a different ejector.... and (at the time) a replacement trigger was unavailable.

As someone who has done a lot of messing with one of these guns-- my advice would be to leave it as is- or sell it.

I appreciate that. I bought this one to enjoy. No plans to sell it. And I don't have much in it at all, so even if I screw it up, it's not the end of the world. I think I just stoned off the hardening on the trigger because it will be perfect at 3.5# for a few pulls, then it gets tougher and mushier after that. Also, the trigger frame is just "off" at the slightest angle, so the sear/trigger interface is not completely square. That results in a small point of contact on the trigger, which obviously doesn't help. I am going to order a new trigger frame that hopefully has the holes drilled straight and square, and that should relieve that problem.

The trigger I ordered from Numrich looks right, but I hear what you're saying. This is a 1960 Chicopee gun, so I can't imagine it's much different than yours. They really are the coolest Savage rifles I've ever seen.

[Newtosavage]

His was made in Chicopee Falls so will have those unique features. There is a FAQ topic covering these early triggers - https://www.savageshooters.com/content.php?129-Early-Savage-110-Trigger-Adjustment

Phil, that's exactly the setup I have, although my trigger looks like it has a bit more "hook" to it - but it could be my imagination. I don't have it in front of me to compare.

Once I finally diagnosed that the holes in the trigger frame (bracket) were not aligned square, I felt better about the whole thing. If I get a square one, that will even out the pressure on the trigger and sear, and should make things a little better.

[Newtosavage]

A lot of rifles of that vintage like to have a barrel support . I have one that accuracy went south when relieved. I have since replaced the front support. And accuracy returned. Test by placing shims around the action screws to lift the action up. I have used cut up plastic credit cards of about 0.025” thickness to do this.

Strut - you were right. It shot awful with a free-floated barrel. I pulled the shims and it went right back to 1-1.5" groups.

Today, I installed aluminum pillars and bedded the action to the stock. I'll pull it tomorrow (hopefully it will come out!) and when the new trigger arrives, I'll give that a try.

I re-hardened the original trigger (as best I know how) and it did "okay" but it's still not crisp. Maybe the new trigger will help. We'll see.

Found a vintage Weaver K4-1 scope and rings yesterday. That puts this this thing back to it's factory settings, so to speak. Just like the Savage ad.

Sure is fun trying to bring this old girl back to life. :D