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As mentioned before, the Favorite has been around in some form for over a hundred years. The first was the Model 1889, and over the years the design has seen small revisions and updates, but the fundamental design has remained unchanged. The current series is called the Model 30 and still closely resembles the original Model 1889. In fact, the most noticeable changes over the years are the cartridges that have been offered in the Favorite.
The breech block has the firing mechanism located inside, and the hammer is cocked like a traditional exposed hammer shotgun or pistol. When the trigger is pulled the hammer will fall onto the block and cause the firing pin to strike the cartridge. Removing the cartridge is the same procedure as loading. These style rifles do not have ejectors - you simply pick the hull out of the chamber.
The Model 30 Favorite that I received is the most recent version made at Savage's Lakefield, Ontario (Canada) factory where all the other current Savage rimfire rifles are produced. The current series is labeled as the Model 30 "Take-down" in .22 Long Rifle, Model 30G in .22 Long Rifle and others can be found chambered in .17HMR. The take-down model has a removable barrel, and once "taken down" the rifle will easily fit inside a suitcase, duffle bag, back back, etc.
Shooting the Favorite is really fun if you remember what it was originally designed for. The action can take a little bit of getting used to if you’re not used to shooting a falling block, and the trigger has a substantial amount of creep.
The sights consist of a traditional leaf rear and front post with large bead. The front post is something that Remington would have been proud of. It's so large that you can't see small targets at all. The rifle is accurate enough that some after market front post and rear tang sights would be worth the investment. The rifle was intended for small game, varmints, farm use and such so that should be taken into consideration.
I shot the rifle with four different brands of .22LR ammo, with three groups of five shots each fired at a distance of 50 yards. All were fired from a cement rifle bench using the standard open sights, a Caldwell Rock rest and a leather rear bag. The rifling twist is 1 in 16.
CCI Minimag 36gr = 1.41"
Eley Biathlon Sport 40gr = 1.33"
Federal Auto-Match 40gr = 1.29"
Winchester Wildcat 40gr = 1.53"
The barrel is a nice full octagon, but it has tons of small parallel scratches along all sides. These should have been polished away before the barrel was blued. The mold lines should also have been removed from the lever and receiver as they make the gun look very cheaply made.
The Model 30 Favorite "Take-down" is 37 inches long when assembled. Its barrel is removed by loosening a set screw that fits through the bottom of the receiver to lock the barrel in place. The barrel is blued steel and is 20 inches in length. The rifle weight is nice at 4.25 pounds and balances pretty well. All versions of the Model 30 are blued steel with hardwood stocks in walnut finish. MSRP is $360.
While the Favorite still has a fairly strong following, it is definitely in need of some further refinement to justify the price. The trigger needs work, but most importantly it’s the attention to detail in the finish that needs to be improved.
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Contact Information
Savage Arms
100 Springdale Road
Westfield, MA 01085
(413) 568-7001
www.savagearms.com
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