Savage 340A and first 30 cal cast boolits

[TheCelt]

Mine shoots the Ideal 31141 pretty well. I killed a deer with that combo last year, and want to try and perfect a cast deer load in my several .30-30s. The 340 is a fun, fun little gun and it points and handles so well. Mine is the Sears version with the birch stock and impressed checkering, it's so darn ugly it's actually kinda cute.

I agree richhodg66, they are "homely" looking rifles but but it is the most fun I've had shooting in a while!!! It's kinda like a 22, shoot it all day pretty inexpensively and have a lot of fun!!!

[MGySgt]

That is the sight I ordered last week, am hoping it will get here this week. My rifle has provisions for mounting the reciever sight but is not drilled or tapped for a scope mount.

Is yours a 340?
Does it have 4 holes low on the left side of the receiver? If it has the holes that is where the scope mount attaches to the 340.

[TheCelt]

The rifle was $120, and the sight was $15 plus postage.

Man, that is a LOT of gun for a little bit of money!!!!!! Ya just can't do any better than that!!

[TheCelt]

Is yours a 340?
Does it have 4 holes low on the left side of the receiver? If it has the holes that is where the scope mount attaches to the 340.

No holes on the reciever for the mount (2 holes forward and two aft), just two at the rear of the reciever for the reciever sight. I believe this rifle was a very early version (early 50s). It doesn't even have a SN on it!!!! Do the 340A rifle usually come drilled and tapped for the scope mount???

[MGySgt]

Mine came with a Mount on it and it is a Westpoint 842. Made by Savage for Montgomery Wards if I am not mistaken.

[EMC45]

My 340 (no serial number) is outfitted with a "vintage" steel tube 4X Weaver. I have only really shot it with 160gr. Lee RN GC bullets over 10gr. Unique @ 25-30 yds. It shot into a ragged hole. I am pleased with it.

[MGySgt]

I haven't seen any 340's (or 325's) with a serial number.

[TheCelt]

I haven't seen any 340's (or 325's) with a serial number.

I did not know that they weren't numbered......I figured ALL guns had a SN and I don't believe I've ever seen one before without one!!! Well, I guess this is not so unique after all.

[MGySgt]

SN's were not required until some time in the 60's. Most of these Savages were made in the 50's.

They were a rudumentary rifle made by Savage for the masses of farmers/country folks that couldn't afford the higher priced guns. The higher priced guns had serial numbers that way the manufactures could keep track of what they made in each year.

Someone here said they had a vintiage Weaver
scope on thiers.

Well - mine had the Savage mount and a Savage 4X scope on it when I bought it. I don't know for sure, but I wouldn't be surprised if they were from the same time frame as when mine was built.

Someone on this board will pipe in as to when it became mandatory for SN's to be on all firearms.

[Char-Gar]

The Gun Control Act of 1968 is when serial numbers became mandatory.

[Hang Fire]

Williams also makes an aperature sight for the 325/340 Savage rifles. It is a Williams FP 340 - you can google it to find vendors. They run between $60 and $70 and if you have a 325 you will have to have it drilled and taped (like my 325 that hasn't been done yet - just shooting the 340).

My Stevens 325 was factory D&T for receiver sight and the FP340 fit perfectly.

[MGySgt]

I was pretty sure it was the 68 GCA.

My 325 is not D&T.

Shouldn't be hard to get it D&Ted by a gunsmith - not the parts replacer that is close to me that calls themself a gunsmith.

[TheCelt]

The Gun Control Act of 1968 is when serial numbers became mandatory.

Well, I guess that narrows down the non-SN 325/340 rifles to the 1950-1968 timeframe. I am amazed that a "low end" rifle would still be such a fine shooter so many years later. The chamber, bore and rifling in my barrel are a 9+. I guess that's more a testament to it's previous owners care and feeding of the rifle.

[MGySgt]

Wrong - how about 1947 - 1958.

A link with some info:

http://www.wisnersinc.com/additional...Savage_340.htm

[TheCelt]

Wrong - how about 1947 - 1958.

A link with some info:

http://www.wisnersinc.com/additional...Savage_340.htm

Like the link Master Gunny, but according to the site Savage took and manufactured the rifles starting in 1950. So if the Savage 340A doesn't have a SN it had to be manufactured from the time Savage started building the rifles in 1950 to the date that SNs were required which was 1968. Am I missing something here??

[6.5 mike]

Stevens made the 325a,b c, & d's before savage started making the 340's. The 325 run was from 1947-1950, IIRC. Not the prettist girl at the dance, but one of the best preformers, & just plain fun to shoot.

[TheCelt]

Stevens made the 325a,b c, & d's before savage started making the 340's. The 325 run was from 1947-1950, IIRC. Not the prettist girl at the dance, but one of the best preformers, & just plain fun to shoot.

Got it......thanks 6.5 Mike and Master Gunny, lightbulb is on!

[MGySgt]

Like the link Master Gunny, but according to the site Savage took and manufactured the rifles starting in 1950. So if the Savage 340A doesn't have a SN it had to be manufactured from the time Savage started building the rifles in 1950 to the date that SNs were required which was 1968. Am I missing something here??

Darn dsyphlyxa (or what ever it is called/spelled) I read 85 as 58!!

Right - SN's would have had to be added in 68.

[TheCelt]

Darn dsyphlyxa (or what ever it is called/spelled) I read 85 as 58!!

Right - SN's would have had to be added in 68.

I'm with ya!!! BTW, thanks for the load data....gonna shoot some Saturday.

[MGySgt]

That load data is actually from the Lyman book. I substatuted the NOE 311 165 for the Lyman 311 41 that is the same weight and configuration (seated to the base of the neck).

Not a MAX load but stiff enough for a practice load.