Couldn't Pass On This Auction Item - Engraved Savage 219, 22 Hornet

wachtelhund1

wachtelhund1

Member
I've purchased some guns on Proxibid Auctions, but normally pass because of the online fees. In March, I saw an engraved Savage 219, 22 Hornet for sale. Starting bid was $350.00. I placed a bid with $400.00 as my max. I was the only bidder and got it for $350.00.

Being some what familiar with the Savage 219 rifles, I knew the engraving was not a factory option. They were made from 1935 to 1950 or so. These were single shot break open rifles produced in 22 Hornet, 25-20, 32-20 and 30-30. Barrels could be switch between receivers. They opened with a lever like O/U shotguns.

Someone had engraved this rifle after its production. The rifle was fired very little, action is extremely tight, wood is good. Bore is excellent. It came with out drilled and taped holes for a scope base. Who would shoot a 22 Hornet with iron sights? I drilled and tapped it for s weaver scope base, milled the base to more closely fit the barrel contour and filled the void between base and barrel with epoxy.

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Originally Posted By: hm1996Very nice! How does it shoot?

Regards,
hm

It shoots pretty good. I bought some reloads sold by a dealer on GB, 100 round packages for $50.00, I bought three packages. 45gn PSP bullets, don't recall the powder but got about 2" to 2.5" groups with them. I could probably do better if I reloaded them. At least I now have brass. I have to order dies.

I also did a trigger job on it. Reduced it from 8# to 3.5#. What a night mare, it was like a freaking Chinese puzzle getting the parts back into it.

I'm thinking about making new stocks for it with nice walnut.
 
The "American Stalking Rifle". That is a very nice job of engraving, does it have any foreign proof marks on it? Mine had beautiful case colour. It is in WI also, I gave it to my niece as her first predator rifle. It also had a very heavy trigger that got worked to a very nice crisp trigger and shot right a 1" with factory 46gr HP's.
 
Originally Posted By: AWSThe "American Stalking Rifle". That is a very nice job of engraving, does it have any foreign proof marks on it? Mine had beautiful case colour. It is in WI also, I gave it to my niece as her first predator rifle. It also had a very heavy trigger that got worked to a very nice crisp trigger and shot right a 1" with factory 46gr HP's.

No foreign proof marks. I'd like to get the trigger a little lighter, but I'm not going to take it apart again.
 
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A friend of mine in Houston has one of those that he got from his dad or uncle. Someone had it re-chambered to .222 Remington before he got it. Or perhaps they made a few in that caliber. I'm guessing that killed the collector's value when that was done but 60 years ago it would not have been that big of deal I suppose.
 
Im thinking the 222 rem was higher pressure than these guns were built for? My father has a collection of em, and iirc, they came in 22 hornet, 30-30, 25-20, 32-20, and shotgun chamberings?
 
Originally Posted By: Rustydust
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A friend of mine in Houston has one of those that he got from his dad or uncle. Someone had it re-chambered to .222 Remington before he got it. Or perhaps they made a few in that caliber. I'm guessing that killed the collector's value when that was done but 60 years ago it would not have been that big of deal I suppose.

These were made in 22 Hornet, 25-20 (rare), 32-20 and 30-30. I think the triple duce may have been a little to hot for this action. Ten years ago I had one in 219 Zipper, but I could never get it to group, so I sold it.
 
Originally Posted By: Mike BIm thinking the 222 rem was higher pressure than these guns were built for? My father has a collection of em, and iirc, they came in 22 hornet, 30-30, 25-20, 32-20, and shotgun chamberings?

I should have read your post first.
 
Originally Posted By: Mike BIm thinking the 222 rem was higher pressure than these guns were built for? My father has a collection of em, and iirc, they came in 22 hornet, 30-30, 25-20, 32-20, and shotgun chamberings?

Not trusting my memory I gave my buddy in Houston a call and asked him about the gun. Sure enough, it was originally a .22 Hornet but his aunt wanted a deer rifle and not trusting the Hornet to do the job they had a local gunsmith cut it to .222 Rem. It has taken several Texas whitetails so apparently it worked fine.
 
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