Detrmining the Manufacture Year of a Model 219

[RWCochran]

I have an old Savage Model 219. The barrel is marked Utica. Underneath the fore stock the barrel is marked, front to back, "K", "979" & "M". The receiver, inside on the left hand where the chamber rests is also marked "979 M".

The story, as I understand it, is that my Grandfather bought two used guns when his eldest son was old enough to hunt. One was a lever action for his son and the other to carry himself, this Savage 219. This was sometime in the early 40's (my uncle turned 12 in 1942). My Grandfather died in 1949 when my father (his second son) was only 11, so dad never had an opportunity to hunt with him. My uncle kept charge of both rifles during these years. In the mid 1950's my dad found the Savage 219 rusting in the corner of the garage after my uncle had loaned it to a friend and then neglected it. Dad had the entire gun re-blued and refinished the stock, claiming it for his own at this point. The barrel is a nice rich blue and the receiver is a deep purple (no surprise since I understand the receivers were originally color-case hardened).

Well, fast forward many years and my dad parsed out his three firearms (yes, that is all he ever had, this rifle, a shotgun and a 22 pistol). I got the rifle and have always cherished it because of the family story that I heard (believed, made-up, whatever...).

So, does anyone have any insights into the actual age? I understand that the Utica plant was closed in 1947 and that these guns began production in 1938, narrowing the window some. However, this one seems to have a serial number (979) and possible date codes (K, M)?

Insights and stories appreciated.

RWCochran

[J.Baker]

Most of the 219/220 hammerless utility models were not serial numbered. Remember, serial numbers weren't required by law until 1968. Also, Savage didn't start using a date stamp until 1949, so being a Utica gun that rules that out.

No clue what the 979 would be, though since it was reblued that could be the original 219 stamping and it's just really faded and hard to read or whomever reblued it re-stamped it incorrectly thinking that's what the original roll stamp read. You did say it was found rusty in a garage, so I'm sure the gunsmith had to do a lot of polishing to clean it up for the reblue which would have removed the factory roll marks if there was deep pitting in those areas.

[Alfred Nesbitt]

Go to www.savagesingleshots.com/smf/index.php and look around. This guy knows more about 219s than anyone I have found. I even bought a book from him that explains all of those numbers and much more about these neat little guns.