Goy My Savage M-19, Really got lucky !!!

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.
A low serial nimber 19 is considered to be under 25,000, mine has a 4 digit # 43XX, it's got to have been made in the first year of production. I'm on cloud 9, I love old firearms and the history of them. I will be contacting Savage to get a letter on this one and find out what they know about it. The scope mount blocks look to be original.
I've seen lots of the NRA Model 19's but this is only the second of this type I've seen. The other one had more holes in it than a strainer, someone must have been experimenting on drilling scope mout holes.

The only hole in the receiver on this one is right between the two scope mounting blocks and it has what looks to be an original screw in it.

Any of you experts on old Savage rifles that could give me more info on this one, I would sure love to hear from you. With the 28" heavy barrel instead of the 25" barrel that most 19's have, I'd say this would have been a target version or one built to go against the Winchester for a military contract.

John K
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WOW! nice.

Man what a sweet rifle, I never new Savage even had made rifle like that. Great score sir.

Thanks, the machine work on it is fantastic. It's the only 22 I've ever seen with two FP's. One at 12, the other at 6 o'clock.

In 22 degree weather with a 15 MPH crossing wind, it shot a best 5 shot group of .376" @ 50 yds. I can't wait to see what it does in nice warm weather with little wind. That was with the Wallensek 4X scope that's on it, made in the 1930's.

The new Savage RF's shoot great, the on'e almost 100 years ago do too.

My Best, John K

you really scored with this one! I've been looking for one for years.

Thanks guys, I've been told by one guy who knows a lot about old Savages that it would have been made in the first year of production, around 1917.
I've never seen another like it.
I've seen similar with much higher serial numbers that have flat metal bolt handles, not round like this one and some other changes.
I don't think I'll ever part with this one.
The pics the dealer put up were only so so and he said it didn't have a serial #, but he just didn't know where to look.
Once I got it home and really looked it over, I was amazed at the deal I got. I can even see a 1/2" bullseye clearly at 50 yards through the old 4X scope. The retical was made using spider hair, fantastic!
It's the fantastic machine work that really impresses me. The gun is made from one solid piece of metal. Those guys had to bore out the top for the bolt, then go in about 5 1/2"and cut the to extractor cuts and bore and chamber the barrel, they sure were real craftsman in those days. That is one of the things that makes it so very special to me. This rifle was so well taken care of, all I can say is it must have come from an estate sale and belonged to someone who knew how to take good care of their rifles.
I had a good week, I also got a NIB, never fired H&R 5200, all paperwork and everything for $250.00 also. Not the best target rifle in the world, but re crown the barrel, lap the barrel and bed the action and they will sometimes soot just about or even if your lucky as good as the Winchester Model 52 that they are a cheaper copy of. They only made them for about 4 years in the 1980's.
I'd leave it stock, but no real collectors value to them. I had a good week, too many weeks like this and I'd be flat broke ;D

My Best, John K