Oldest known Savage 110

[SevenFan]

I posted the following on Jan 14, 2017 shortly after joining the former SavageShooers forum. At the time I had no idea as to provenance of the rifle.

Starting to get back into things after a several year hiatus. Some recent research about the 110 (30-06) my dad gave me. I know he got it from a neighbor in trade for some automotive work and that had to be between '67 and '68. This was the first high powered rifle I ever shot.

I pulled the rifle out and confirmed it has a 4-digit serial number, 1071, and the barrel stamp stamp is 16I.



Receiver and bolt have matching numbers.



All original including the metal butt plate as seen here.



Stock is in decent condition and shows what I'd consider normal wear and tear from hunting use.



I remember mounting a scope on it during my late teens, a B&L Balvar 2.5 - 8x (had to remove the rear sight and had it stored). Sling studs were added by my uncle after I left home for my USAF career. Pestered my dad for years to sell the rifle to me but he always refused and he never used it again.

On a whim, sometime between 1990 - 1992, he retrieved it from his brother, gave it to me, and told me he wanted me to have it.

Haven't seen any 110s here with a lower serial number nor one with an "I" barrel stamp. Thought some would be interested in seeing this.

A day later forum member Mad Dog replied.

Wow, not sure how I missed this. Thats the 71st Savage 110 they built. They started all 110s at 1000.

The Savage 110 wasn't offered til 1958 but they started building them in 1957 for 1958. I have only one more 110 made in 1957 in my data, serial number 12XX.

Very nice gun!

So that's the story. I removed the sling studs and wish my uncle had never put them on the stock. I reinstalled the same 2.5 - 8x Balvar I put on it in '73 or '74. The original rear sight assembly is complete and stored away. Interesting tidbit - I, too, was born in 1957, Jan 16th to be exact.

Hope you enjoy this piece of history.

 

[6Dasher4win]

You could call Savage for history. I hear they're pretty helpfull with that stuff

 

[SevenFan]

What could they tell me that I don't already know?

 

[DarryH]

Truly a special gun!!! I picked one up a few years ago. I had wanted a .243 and found a 110 at a great price. The serial number was lower than Savage's published info showed. I called and talked to a lady there, and at first she thought I was misreading the serial number. I assured her I was not. I suggested that maybe it was first (early) production of this caliber. She did some digging and confirmed it. Mine was made before the official release, and it was the official release date that was listed in Savage's info. So I got about an early .243 Savage as can be. It's a keeper too.

 

[ONE-TEN]

You could call Savage for history. I hear they're pretty helpfull with that stuff

LOL! Well, actually, there are a number of us Savage guys who have an Encyclopedia of information, compared to people working at Savage Arms.

We had a thread on the old Forum and a couple members had a few like, first production 110s. Besides this one, I imagine the others will make their way to this thread eventually.

Seven, that 110 is a keeper for sure! Very cool to have a FIRST production 110.

 

[DarryH]

I should have added, the .243 caliber was introduced after the original calibers were.
So my gun was introduced after the initial 110’s in the original calibers.

 

[ONE-TEN]

I should have added, the .243 caliber was introduced after the original calibers were.
So my gun was introduced after the initial 110’s in the original calibers.

Absolutely!
While I’m no collector of firearms, if I happened on a first production 110, or one of the “special” runs, like the CAST Receiver 110’s, I’d hang onto them.

 

[SevenFan]

I called and talked to a lady there, and at first she thought I was misreading the serial number. I assured her I was not. I suggested that maybe it was first (early) production of this caliber. She did some digging and confirmed it. Mine was made before the official release, and it was the official release date that was listed in Savage's info.

How many digits in your serial number? It's unfortunate Savage chose to put the inspector's stamp and year code on the barrel, it should have been on the receiver.

Yes, some of us from SavageShooters have early production 110s mine was the oldest known to exist.

It's fairly well known, or a well known wive's tale, Savage produced multiple 110s in 1957 stamped with serial number 1000 for upper management.