Savage Model 1895 .303 Sav 26″ JM Marked Lever Action Rifle 1896-97 Antique
SOLD FOR: $1459
LSB#: 210930TP43
Make: Savage Repeating Arms Company
Model: 1895
Serial Number: 7322
Year of Manufacture: 1896-1897
Caliber: .303 Savage
Action Type: Lever Action with Rotary Magazine
Markings: The top of the barrel is marked “SAVAGE REPEATING ARMS CO., UTICA, N.Y. U.S.A. / PATENTED FEB. 7. 1893. JULY 25. 1893. CAL., 303.”. The underside of the receiver is marked “7322”. The bottom of the barrel is marked with a circled “M”. The bottom left shoulder of the barrel is marked with a “JM” Marlin proof.
Barrel Length: 26” Octagonal
Sights / Optics: The front sight is Marbles brass beaded blade dovetailed into the barrel. The rear sight is a King’s “U” notch elevator sight that is dovetailed into the barrel. The top tang is has a pair of drilled, tapped, and filled holes.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The stocks are smooth walnut with a straight grip, straight comb, Schnabel tip forend, and a crescent metal buttplate. The stocks have been installed with sling swivels. There is a hairline crack on the top of the wrist at the tang. The left side of the forend has a very small crack at the front. There are some scattered scuffs, compressions, and some scattered draglines. There are a few nicks and scratches. Some of the most noticeable scratches are on the left side of the buttstock towards the heel. There is a little gauge that has removed surface wood from the right side of the buttstock. There is some dark discoloration against the metal. The majority of the defects have colored with age. The LOP is 13 1/4” from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The plate has finish loss, mottled patina, scratches, and some areas of light surface erosion. The stocks rate in about Very Good condition.
Type of Finish: Blued with Case Color Lever
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is dark and the rifling is strong. There is scattered erosion and little patches of pitting.
Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 65% of its metal finish. The receiver has finish loss, spots of discoloration from previous oxidation, areas of light pinprick erosion, and scratches from abrasive cleaning. There are some light scabs on the receiver. The receiver has some scattered spots of fresh oxidation and the remaining finish has a mottled patina. The barrel has some finish loss on the edges. The barrel has some scattered spots of oxidation and some areas of discoloration from previous oxidation. The barrel has some scattered nicks, scuffs, and light scratches. There are areas of mottled thinning and patina. There are some scattered light handling marks. The screwheads are worn with serviceable slots. The markings are clear. Overall, this rifle rates in about Very Good condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We did not fire this rifle. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance requirements.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: None
Our Assessment: The Savage 1895/1899/99 model rifles have quite a history. Unlike many of the lever actions on the market at the time, Savage chose to use a hammerless design for their lever action. A hammerless action was useful as it reduces the lock time, allows the rifle to be fired more accurately and is less likely to jam in brush or snag in clothing. The 1895 has a cocking indicator on the top of the bolt which can be viewed through a hole in the top of the bolt. The 1895 and 1899/99 models used a rotary magazine to hold the cartridges, using a spring-loaded spool with grooves with a counter to the spool to indicate how many rounds are loaded. This design allowed the use of spitzer bullets, which could not be used in the Winchester rifles of the times because the pointed tips in the tubular magazines could cause an accidental discharge. This gave Savage a lead in producing rifles that could handle high-velocity smokeless powder cartridges with bullets offering flatter trajectories than other lever-action designs. The original 1895 Models were made by Marlin and bear the JM Marlin proof. Savage and Marlin had agreed for Marlin to make the necessary tooling and equipment and to produce the first rifles because Savage did not yet have the experience or facilities. This is one of the last Model 1895s produced and with only about 6,000 made this will be a welcome addition to an antique or lever action rifle collection! Please see our photos and good luck!