Welcome, in case you are a newcomer to this enjoyable bi-weekly section of AllOutdoor.com! Final time round we dove into the history of the curious single-shot pistol that appears like a revolver. The forgotten Savage 101 is imply. Right now we’re taking a deep dive into all of the Savage 101 pistols on the market. This, sadly, won’t be a really picture-heavy article. Not less than not within the sense of each variant. It’s because there actually aren’t any. The exceptions on the market are in personal fingers and their pictures are in books you of us ought to look out for yourselves. They are going to be linked on the finish.
Current Content material in Curious Relics:
Welcome to our recurring collection of “Curious Relics.” Right here, we need to share all of our experiences, information, misadventures, and keenness for older firearms that one would possibly categorize as a Curio & Relic – any firearm that’s at the least 50 years outdated in line with the ATF. Hopefully alongside the best way you may garner a higher appreciation for older firearms like we do, and concurrently you may train us issues as effectively by means of sharing your individual experience and ideas within the Feedback. Understanding the firearms of outdated, their significance, and their improvement which result in lots of the arms we now cherish as we speak is extremely fascinating and we hope you take pleasure in what we now have to share, too!
Variations: Savage 101 Official “Variations”
Because the Savage 101 is a type of actually forgotten firearms it comes at the price of a lack of knowledge that’s not speculative. On prime of that simply as is the case with most client firearms a given firm might not really feel obliged to maintain any info that an social gathering might search years down the street. That every one being stated, the true variations of the Savage 101 are a thriller.
For the sake of full disclosure of what I’ve realized by means of a few weeks of digging, I’ll relay my very own checklist of “variations”. As I stated I can conclude that there have been by no means any industrial variations. BUT! There are goofy outliers in design that exist.
Official “Variations”
1. Savage 101 (as much as serial 30999): The Savage 101 was constituted of 1960 to 1968. On this time roughly 53,800 have been made. In keeping with Bailey Brower Jr’s guide Savage Pistols, they began with serial #1 and continued sequentially. These pistols (like my early 8###) have been made till round serial quantity 30,999 earlier than the serial numbers made a decisive leap.
2. Savage 101 (32000 serial and on): The aforementioned leap was to 32,000 and it acted as a delimitation for a really small (and the one recorded) design change. From this level on a small sq. lower was added to the fake cylinder/barrel meeting adjoining to the extractor. This lower was to behave as a fuel port. The explanation for the addition is unknown to me. Maybe there have been stories of over-gassed, ruptured, or over-pressured cartridges again within the day.
I’ve seen a photograph of a pretend cylinder/barrel meeting with a crack in it proper above the chamber. However alas there isn’t a report of those weapons having points like that. On prime of that, this image reveals the identical sq. lower that was made to allegedly act as a fuel port. If this was the rationale for the lower then it positive didn’t work.
3. Savage 101 Dummy: A slightly cute story is tied to those uncommon occurrences. There are Savage 101 weapons on the market marked “DUMMY”. It’s estimated there are 10 or 12 on the market. They’re literal dummy weapons like a rubber prop gun for a film besides they cock and such. They don’t have a chamber however slightly that facet of the barrel is flat with no gap to load something. On prime of that, there isn’t a firing pin or port for one.
In keeping with Brower’s guide, these initially got here from youngsters in designer Hillberg’s neighborhood begging to borrow revolvers to play cowboys and Indians. Hillberg, foreseeing the potential catastrophic points with lending firearms for youths to run off and play with met with the vice chairman of Savage and requested that some dummy weapons be made for the youngsters. A number of extra are alleged to later be made as examples for gross sales reps to indicate sellers.
Stancil’s Finds
An creator by the identify of Garnett Weldon Stancil Jr has injected some new analysis time into the Savage 101. He like me finds this kind of stuff fascinating and stories his findings as actually as potential. His guide, although very unofficial feeling in some ways, sheds necessary gentle and care on an in any other case forgotten gun. I’ve lately exchanged a number of emails after studying his guide and he has knowledgeable me that updates are made as quickly as potential. He appears real in his pursuits to tell and doesn’t cost way more than what printing and delivery demand.
4. Savage 101 Engraved: In Stancil’s guide he features a Savage 101 that was engraved by its proprietor. Not a variant by any means however a wonderful instance of what the 101 might have become had Savage put the time into advertising and marketing it in a different way.
5. Savage 101 “2nd Experimental Mannequin”: A curious discover from Stancil’s connections can be the aforementioned experimental mannequin. This instance is an unassuming-looking Savage 101 with an odd kind of off-colored inexperienced receiver. The within of its field written in pencil is “2nd Experimental Mannequin” and “22 Caliber Clip Magnum”. This pistol like the opposite DUMMY weapons lacks a firing pin or port and likewise denotes “DUMMY” on the underside of the grip.
Honorable Mentions
6. Bob Hillberg’s Savage 101: Bob Hillberg (designer of the 101) himself owned at the least one Savage Mannequin 101. The serial quantity is famous as being quantity 10 and it uniquely sports activities plastic grips that look just like the trendy Heritage MFG grips beneath.
7. Savage 101 Indian Head Medallion: So, that is my Savage 101. It’s distinctive in that it has a silver medallion on the left grip. I’ve been unable to search out some other Savage 101 like this. Do I feel this was manufacturing facility? Probably, but when it was it was a one-off. Savage looks as if an organization that was accommodating to some particular requests inside cause. When talking with Mr Stancil we each assume it seems slightly “proper”. As in not a DIY kind of haphazard job. He speculated it was made for a lefty because the medallion would face outward when holstered on the left facet. Perhaps there’s a right-handed one on the market to make a neat pair? If not I’m guessing it’s on the left just because most of us are right-handed and if it was on the precise it might mess with the grip really feel. It’s actually a thriller for now and can doubtless stay so. I’ll by no means act as if that is something particular. The gun is just not completed silver by any means the paint has very clearly worn or been disregarded.
I ought to point out that upon additional inspection the medallion shows potential proof of adhesive or epoxy. There are very slight drip marks. Nevertheless gentle scratching will a choose or fingernail has not upturned any “outdated glue mud” and the medallion doesn’t seem to have big gaps. If it was positioned there after it was purchased it was performed effectively. There isn’t a proof of something contained in the grip.
Word: A fast Google picture search with my precise photograph of the medallion yields fascinating outcomes. A lot of related Indian head belt buckles on the market. Might it have been a pin or medallion on some kind of merchandising? Laborious to say with the little proof I might discover and the clearly well-fit one on the grip. Maybe time will inform. After I get some higher footage performed I’ll ship them off to Mr. Stancil to do what he likes with them. I want him luck in his pursuit of discovering out extra in regards to the good outdated Savage 101.
Finish of Half II: Savage 101
Properly, there you might have a few weeks’ value of deep diving into all the chances of the Savage 101. Plans for an precise six-shot revolver have been within the works however this concept was dropped because the Savage 101 was discontinued in 1968. Stancil’s guide continues to obtain updates periodically so go test it out for the most recent phrase. In any other case, Brower’s is excellent as effectively however primarily focuses on the Savage 1907 whereas the 101 will get a handful of pages value of point out.
- Bailey Brower, Jr’s Guide: Savage Pistols
- Garnett Weldon Stancil, Jr’s Guide: Savage Mannequin 101 Single Shot Pistol. Here and here.
In closing, I hope our Curious Relics section knowledgeable in addition to entertained. This all was written in hopes of continued firearm appreciation and preservation. We didn’t simply understand how guns have been alleged to look and performance. It was an extended and tedious course of that has formed the world we stay in. So, I put it to you! Is there a firearm on the market that you simply really feel doesn’t get a lot notoriety? What ought to our subsequent Curious Relics matter cowl? As all the time, tell us your entire ideas within the Feedback beneath! We all the time respect your suggestions.
