Savage Arms
Encyclopedia
The Savage Arms Company is a firearms manufacturing company based in Westfield
, Massachusetts
, with a division located in Canada
. The company makes a variety of rimfire and centerfire rifles, as well as marketing the Stevens single-shot
rifles and shotguns. They may be best-known for the Model 99
hammerless
lever-action
rifle, no longer in production, and the very popular .300 Savage
sporting cartridge, which was the parent case for the .308 Winchester
cartridge.
in Utica, New York
. Within 20 years they were producing rifles, handguns, and ammunition. Savage merged with the Driggs-Seabury Ordnance Company during World War I and produced Lewis machine guns
. In 1920 Savage bought Stevens Arms
. In 1939, Savage introduced the Model 24 combination gun
(a configuration uncommon in the U.S.), which sold over a million copies.
showing that the Savage Arms Corporation had purchased a "number of buildings erected by the government" during World War I
for the purpose of enlarging the output of Lewis machine guns at the plant. The buildings included two large four-story brick structures, five large storage sheds and one office building, a concrete mill building, steel storage building, power extension plant, shooting gallery and steel water tank with capacity of 100,000 gallons. The notes were due in 1927.
During World War II
, Savage turned again to military production, making heavy munition. Savage made most of the Thompson submachine gun
s used in World War II. As quality wood was earmarked for military gun stock production, Savage produced some Model 24 .22/.410 combo guns and Model 94 single barrel shotguns with stocks molded from Tenite
plastic. After the war it produced the first motorized lawnmower.
bolt-action rifle.
. Today the company produces a wide variety of firearms and has a reputation for producing accurate, inexpensive rifles. Some of their recent success can be attributed to their development in 2002 of a factory-installed, safe, user-adjustable trigger, called the AccuTrigger
.
The company recently launched AccuStock an aluminum stock embedded rail system to further enhance action stability and accuracy. This new technology is now available on several of their models.
Savage was awarded the Manufacturer of the Year by the Shooting Industry Academy of Excellence in 2003.
The Savage 93R17 BTVS was awarded the "Best New Rifle" in the "Best of the Best" presentation by Shooting Times, Sporting Gun, and Shooting Gazette magazines May 15, 2007 at the E. J. Churchill Shooting School in the U.K.
Ron Coburn, chairman and CEO of Savage Sports Corporation was honored by SHOT Business Magazine and Time4Media outdoor media group as their "2007 Man of the Year". The award cites Mr. Coburn's dedication and contribution to the outdoor and firearm industry.
in the United States. The company also manufactures .22LR
rimfire rifles in Lakefield, Ontario, Canada. This began after Savage acquired Lakefield Arms Ltd. All their .22 rimfire rifles are simply re-branded Lakefield rifles.
for retail outlets. Those most notable and still in wide use today include:
Westfield, Massachusetts
Westfield is a city in Hampden County, in the Pioneer Valley of western Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 41,094 at the 2010 census. The ZIP Code is 01085 for homes and businesses, 01086 for Westfield State...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, with a division located in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The company makes a variety of rimfire and centerfire rifles, as well as marketing the Stevens single-shot
Single-shot
Single-shot firearms are firearms that hold only a single round of ammunition, and must be reloaded after each shot. The history of firearms began with single-shot designs, and many centuries passed before multi-shot designs became commonplace...
rifles and shotguns. They may be best-known for the Model 99
Savage Model 99
The Model 99, and its predecessor models 1895 and 1899, are a series of lever action rifles created by the Savage Arms Company in Utica, New York.-History:...
hammerless
Hammerless
A hammerless firearm is a firearm that lacks an exposed hammer or hammer spur.In rifles, using a firing-pin rather than a hammer is a substantial improvement because the time from trigger pull to firing can be less...
lever-action
Lever-action
Lever-action is a type of firearm action which uses a lever located around the trigger guard area, to load fresh cartridges into the chamber of the barrel when the lever is worked. Most lever-action firearms are rifles, but lever-action shotguns and a few pistols have also been made...
rifle, no longer in production, and the very popular .300 Savage
.300 Savage
The .300 Savage cartridge is a rimless, .30 caliber rifle cartridge developed by the Savage Arms Company in 1920. It was designed to replace the less powerful .303 Savage in their popular Savage Model 99 lever-action rifle...
sporting cartridge, which was the parent case for the .308 Winchester
.308 Winchester
The .308 Winchester is a rifle cartridge and is the commercial cartridge upon which the military 7.62x51mm NATO centerfire cartridge is based. The .308 Winchester was introduced in 1952, two years prior to the NATO adoption of the 7.62x51mm NATO T65...
cartridge.
History
Savage Arms was founded in 1894 by Arthur SavageArthur William Savage
Arthur William Savage , was a businessman, inventor and explorer. He is most famous as the inventor of the Savage Model 99 a famously innovative lever action rifle, which remained in production for over 100 years, and the founder of Savage Arms, a gun company...
in Utica, New York
Utica, New York
Utica is a city in and the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 62,235 at the 2010 census, an increase of 2.6% from the 2000 census....
. Within 20 years they were producing rifles, handguns, and ammunition. Savage merged with the Driggs-Seabury Ordnance Company during World War I and produced Lewis machine guns
Lewis Gun
The Lewis Gun is a World War I–era light machine gun of American design that was perfected and widely used by the British Empire. It was first used in combat in World War I, and continued in service with a number of armed forces through to the end of the Korean War...
. In 1920 Savage bought Stevens Arms
Stevens Arms
Stevens Arms was an American firearms manufacturer founded by Joshua Stevens in 1864. The company introduced the .22 Long Rifle round and made a number of rifle, shotgun, and target pistol designs before being bought by Savage Arms in 1920. After 1920, Stevens made training rifles and machineguns...
. In 1939, Savage introduced the Model 24 combination gun
Combination gun
A combination gun is a break-action hunting firearm that comprises at least two barrels, a rifle barrel and a shotgun barrel, often but not always in an over and under configuration; side-by-side variations are known as cape guns. A ' refers to a combination gun that has three barrels...
(a configuration uncommon in the U.S.), which sold over a million copies.
War years
In July 1921, a mortgage securing five promissory notes, each for $21,416 were filed in the County Clerk's office in UticaUtica, New York
Utica is a city in and the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 62,235 at the 2010 census, an increase of 2.6% from the 2000 census....
showing that the Savage Arms Corporation had purchased a "number of buildings erected by the government" during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
for the purpose of enlarging the output of Lewis machine guns at the plant. The buildings included two large four-story brick structures, five large storage sheds and one office building, a concrete mill building, steel storage building, power extension plant, shooting gallery and steel water tank with capacity of 100,000 gallons. The notes were due in 1927.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Savage turned again to military production, making heavy munition. Savage made most of the Thompson submachine gun
Thompson submachine gun
The Thompson is an American submachine gun, invented by John T. Thompson in 1919, that became infamous during the Prohibition era. It was a common sight in the media of the time, being used by both law enforcement officers and criminals...
s used in World War II. As quality wood was earmarked for military gun stock production, Savage produced some Model 24 .22/.410 combo guns and Model 94 single barrel shotguns with stocks molded from Tenite
Tenite
Tenite is a cellulosic thermoplastic first created in 1929 for use in the manufacture of consumer goods. It is manufactured by Eastman Chemical, using softwood as a raw material.-Sources:* http://www.eastman.com/Brands/Tenite/...
plastic. After the war it produced the first motorized lawnmower.
Mid-century
The company was run by a variety of owners from the 1960s to the 1980s. Savage eventually ran into financial trouble in 1988 and filed for bankruptcy protection. Production was then reduced to the basic Model 110Savage Model 110
The Savage Model 110 is a repeating bolt-action rifle that was developed by Savage Arms of Westfield, Massachusetts. The Model 110 was designed by Nicholas L. Brewer in 1958 and was patented posthumously in 1963...
bolt-action rifle.
Recent years
A turn-around began in 1995 with the company returning to private ownership, led by Ronald Coburn, previously of Smith & WessonSmith & Wesson
Smith & Wesson is the largest manufacturer of handguns in the United States. The corporate headquarters is in Springfield, Massachusetts. Founded in 1852, Smith & Wesson's pistols and revolvers have become standard issue to police and armed forces throughout the world...
. Today the company produces a wide variety of firearms and has a reputation for producing accurate, inexpensive rifles. Some of their recent success can be attributed to their development in 2002 of a factory-installed, safe, user-adjustable trigger, called the AccuTrigger
AccuTrigger
The AccuTrigger is a trigger developed by the Savage Arms Company in 2002. The trigger was designed for ease of use and the ability for end users to adjust the weight of the pull on the trigger...
.
The company recently launched AccuStock an aluminum stock embedded rail system to further enhance action stability and accuracy. This new technology is now available on several of their models.
Savage was awarded the Manufacturer of the Year by the Shooting Industry Academy of Excellence in 2003.
The Savage 93R17 BTVS was awarded the "Best New Rifle" in the "Best of the Best" presentation by Shooting Times, Sporting Gun, and Shooting Gazette magazines May 15, 2007 at the E. J. Churchill Shooting School in the U.K.
Ron Coburn, chairman and CEO of Savage Sports Corporation was honored by SHOT Business Magazine and Time4Media outdoor media group as their "2007 Man of the Year". The award cites Mr. Coburn's dedication and contribution to the outdoor and firearm industry.
Locations
Savage maintains its headquarters in Westfield, MassachusettsWestfield, Massachusetts
Westfield is a city in Hampden County, in the Pioneer Valley of western Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 41,094 at the 2010 census. The ZIP Code is 01085 for homes and businesses, 01086 for Westfield State...
in the United States. The company also manufactures .22LR
.22 Long Rifle
The .22 Long Rifle rimfire cartridge is a long established variety of ammunition, and in terms of units sold is still by far the most common in the world today. The cartridge is often referred to simply as .22 LR and various rifles, pistols, revolvers, and even some smoothbore shotguns have...
rimfire rifles in Lakefield, Ontario, Canada. This began after Savage acquired Lakefield Arms Ltd. All their .22 rimfire rifles are simply re-branded Lakefield rifles.
Canadian Exports
According to company officials, the Canadian division of Savage Arms exports 97 percent of its rifles, mostly to the US.Current production
- Rimfire rifles
- Model 64
- Model MK II .22 and .17
- Model 93 .17 HMR
- Bolt-action rifles
- Axis (formerly 'Edge')
- Model 10
- Model 10 Precision Carbine
- Model 10FCM Scout RifleScout rifleThe Scout Rifle is a class of general-purpose rifles defined and promoted by Jeff Cooper in the early 1980s.These bolt action carbines are typically .308 caliber , less than 1 meter in length, and less than 3 kilograms in weight, with iron and optical sights and fitted with practical slings for...
- Model 10FPSavage 10FPThe Savage 10FP is a bolt-action sniper/tactical rifle manufactured by the Savage Arms Company and based on the Savage Model 110 rifle. There are seven variants of this rifle, each designated with an "LE" code signifying that it is part of the Law Enforcement Series...
- Model 110Savage Model 110The Savage Model 110 is a repeating bolt-action rifle that was developed by Savage Arms of Westfield, Massachusetts. The Model 110 was designed by Nicholas L. Brewer in 1958 and was patented posthumously in 1963...
- Model 110FP
- Model 14
- Model 114
- Model 12
- Model 25
- Model 112
- Weather Warrior Model 16
- Weather Warrior Model 116
- Model 11
- Model 111
- Combination gunCombination gunA combination gun is a break-action hunting firearm that comprises at least two barrels, a rifle barrel and a shotgun barrel, often but not always in an over and under configuration; side-by-side variations are known as cape guns. A ' refers to a combination gun that has three barrels...
- Model 24 O/U - MuzzleloadersMuzzleloaderA muzzleloader is any firearm into which the projectile and usually the propellant charge is loaded from the muzzle of the gun . This is distinct from the more popular modern designs of breech-loading firearms...
- Stevens single-shot riflesSingle-shotSingle-shot firearms are firearms that hold only a single round of ammunition, and must be reloaded after each shot. The history of firearms began with single-shot designs, and many centuries passed before multi-shot designs became commonplace...
- Model 40 Single shot break action. AKA Pocket Pistol, Varmit Rifle, Bicycle Pistol
Discontinued Production
Since Savage is one of the older American arms companies still in commercial production, it would be exhaustive to list the number of models no longer in production made by Savage under its own name and under tradenamesPrivate label
Private label products or services are typically those manufactured or provided by one company for offer under another company's brand. Private label goods and services are available in a wide range of industries from food to cosmetics to web hosting...
for retail outlets. Those most notable and still in wide use today include:
- Rifles
- Model 99Savage Model 99The Model 99, and its predecessor models 1895 and 1899, are a series of lever action rifles created by the Savage Arms Company in Utica, New York.-History:...
lever-actionLever-actionLever-action is a type of firearm action which uses a lever located around the trigger guard area, to load fresh cartridges into the chamber of the barrel when the lever is worked. Most lever-action firearms are rifles, but lever-action shotguns and a few pistols have also been made...
offered in .250-3000 Savage.250-3000 SavageThe .250-3000 Savage is a rifle cartridge created by Charles Newton in 1915 and is also known as the .250 Savage. The name comes from its original manufacturer, Savage Arms and the fact that the original load achieved a 3000 ft/s velocity with an 87 grain bullet.-Background:Charles Newton...
, .300 Savage.300 SavageThe .300 Savage cartridge is a rimless, .30 caliber rifle cartridge developed by the Savage Arms Company in 1920. It was designed to replace the less powerful .303 Savage in their popular Savage Model 99 lever-action rifle...
and other calibers. - Model 340 bolt action offered in .30-30.30-30 WinchesterThe .30-30 Winchester/.30 Winchester Center Fire/7.62×51mmR cartridge was first marketed in early 1895 for the Winchester Model 1894 lever-action rifle. The .30-30 , as it is most commonly known, was the USA's first small-bore, sporting rifle cartridge designed for smokeless powder. The .30-30 is...
and .222 Remington.222 RemingtonThe .222 Remington aka the Triple Deuce/Triple Two/Treble Two is a centerfire rifle cartridge introduced in 1950, and was the first commercial rimless .22 cartridge made in the United States...
.
- Model 99
- Shotguns
- Model 94
- Model 311A (Stevens Arms)
- Model 720
- Model 745
- Pistols
- Savage pocket Pistols, models 1907Savage Model 1907The Savage Model 1907 is a 10-round semi-automatic pistol produced by the Savage Arms Company of Utica, New York, from 1907 until 1920 in .32 ACP and from 1913 until 1920 in .380 ACP caliber. Although smaller in size, it is derived from the .45 semi-automatic pistol Savage submitted to the...
, 1915, and 1917 (.32.32 ACP.32 ACP , also known as the .32 Automatic is a pistol cartridge. It is a semi-rimmed, straight-walled cartridge developed by firearms designer John Browning, initially for use in the FN M1900 semi-automatic pistol...
and .380.380 ACPThe .380 ACP pistol cartridge is a rimless, straight-walled pistol cartridge developed by firearms designer John Browning. The cartridge headspaces on the mouth of the case. It was introduced in 1908 by Colt, and has been a popular self-defense cartridge ever since...
)
- Savage pocket Pistols, models 1907