Quote Originally Posted by Sav22 View Post
I assume by you saying the gun has 'the bolt of a model 19' you mean an early 1919 NRA and that it has a double firing pin - the bolt of the Model 1919 NRA changed in 1924 to the same as the new 23-A Sporter. The target model was not listed as just Model 19 until years later and at that time they also went to a curved 'clip' magazine; I am again assuming yours is a straight 5 shot.

I do not consider the 1922 Sporters as being that rare. Serial numbers have been found as high as the 18,000's and I saw 8 of them sell on line over a 2 year period - but only two of those were listed correctly as 1922 Sporters. I think they are considered rare because they are so often miss-identified. I saw a really nice one at the last Tulsa show labeled as a 23-A. I had three 1922 Sporters at one time and currently have two and the barrel/receiver for another. According to Savage parts catalogs any Sporter with a serial number under 25,000 would be a 1922 - yours is very early.

I would think checkering could be ordered but it would have been a basic layout so from your limited description I would assume non-factory.
Your serial number would indicate a 1922 Sporter - Savage jumped serial numbers to a round number & continued on when making major design changes - all 23-A Sporters would be over 25,000; there was another break point when they went to the 23-AA.