Savage 219 trigger work

[riverdog]

I recently purchased a Utica made Savage 219 which came with a shotgun barrel, but no rifle barrel. The gun is in reasonably good condition, however the trigger pull is quite heavy. Does anyone know what can be done to smooth and lighten the trigger pull on this old gun? It's manageable for a shotgun, but I hope to find a rifle barrel for it.

[Nobade]

With those case hardened parts I wouldn't go any further than smoothing any roughness so as to not cut through the case. That and a lighter trigger return spring will probably get you where you'd like to be.

[pietro]

.

Savage issued Model 219's as a rifle or a rifle/shotgun combo.

The Savage Model 220's were issued as shotguns or a shotgun/rifle combo.


Ergo, unless your gun's receiver is marked as a 219, it could be a Model 220.



What to do is determined by which type of Savage Model 219 (or Model 220) you have, since the original 219 & 220 are fired via a striker, and subsequent models (219B, 219C, 219L, 220, 220C, 220L, etc) are fired by a falling/pivoting hammer.

A receiver with a single cross pin is striker fired; a receiver with two cross pins are hammer fired.



In either version, a gentle smoothing is needed on the interfaces of the notch in the hammer or striker with the hammer/striker release notch (sear, trigger tip, etc)

IME, any trigger/sear work on either version takes considerable skill & knowledge of de- and re- assembly of the action - something you might want to take to a real gunsmith (not some parts-changer).





BTW - Before buying you must determine which 219/220 you have, since all barrels are not interchangeable.



There are Model 219;s, 219B's 219C's & 219L's - the Model 220 has a similar, but non-identical progression of improved models.

The earliest 219's & 220's were striker-fired, and were re-cocked by the opening action of the top lever, which incidentally released the barrel lock so the barrel could be swung open, and the shell ejector tripped off.

Any early or later 219/219B/219C/219L/220 rifle or shotgun barrel will fit and operate just fine in the early 219/220 guns.

Then, Savage changed the internal design, from a striker to a concealed hammer - which the operation of the top lever no longer was able to re-cock.



Soooo, on all subsequent models, there is a cocking lever inside the front of the action body, which lies alongside the barrel's locking lug when the gun is closed, or in the firing position.

The cocking lever/arm is raised, re-cocking the gun, only when the barrel is swung open (not by the top lever opening) - by a spring-loaded stud located in the side of the later model's barrel's locking lug(s).

These guns are the 219B/219C/219L, and later 220's.

These later guns ergo require also a later barrel, WITH the cocking lug - which is absent on earlier barrels.

The early, no-cocking lug barrels will not re-cock the later guns - burdensome, to say the least.

The easiest way to check YOUR gun, is to remove the barrel and peek inside the right side action wall, to see if it has a cocking lever there.

If it has one, the gun needs a barrel with a cocking stud.
If it has none, the gun can use any barrel.

Within the barrel interchange limits, defined above, any 219 or 220 in good/serviceable condition is safe with any other 219 or 220 barrel in good/serviceable condition.




.

[riverdog]

With those case hardened parts I wouldn't go any further than smoothing any roughness so as to not cut through the case. That and a lighter trigger return spring will probably get you where you'd like to be.

Thanks for the input and caution on honing the case hardened parts.

[riverdog]

.

Savage issued Model 219's as a rifle or a rifle/shotgun combo.

The Savage Model 220's were issued as shotguns or a shotgun/rifle combo.


Ergo, unless your gun's receiver is marked as a 219, it could be a Model 220.



What to do is determined by which type of Savage Model 219 (or Model 220) you have, since the original 219 & 220 are fired via a striker, and subsequent models (219B, 219C, 219L, 220, 220C, 220L, etc) are fired by a falling/pivoting hammer.

A receiver with a single cross pin is striker fired; a receiver with two cross pins are hammer fired.



In either version, a gentle smoothing is needed on the interfaces of the notch in the hammer or striker with the hammer/striker release notch (sear, trigger tip, etc)

IME, any trigger/sear work on either version takes considerable skill & knowledge of de- and re- assembly of the action - something you might want to take to a real gunsmith (not some parts-changer).





BTW - Before buying you must determine which 219/220 you have, since all barrels are not interchangeable.



There are Model 219;s, 219B's 219C's & 219L's - the Model 220 has a similar, but non-identical progression of improved models.

The earliest 219's & 220's were striker-fired, and were re-cocked by the opening action of the top lever, which incidentally released the barrel lock so the barrel could be swung open, and the shell ejector tripped off.

Any early or later 219/219B/219C/219L/220 rifle or shotgun barrel will fit and operate just fine in the early 219/220 guns.

Then, Savage changed the internal design, from a striker to a concealed hammer - which the operation of the top lever no longer was able to re-cock.



Soooo, on all subsequent models, there is a cocking lever inside the front of the action body, which lies alongside the barrel's locking lug when the gun is closed, or in the firing position.

The cocking lever/arm is raised, re-cocking the gun, only when the barrel is swung open (not by the top lever opening) - by a spring-loaded stud located in the side of the later model's barrel's locking lug(s).

These guns are the 219B/219C/219L, and later 220's.

These later guns ergo require also a later barrel, WITH the cocking lug - which is absent on earlier barrels.

The early, no-cocking lug barrels will not re-cock the later guns - burdensome, to say the least.

The easiest way to check YOUR gun, is to remove the barrel and peek inside the right side action wall, to see if it has a cocking lever there.

If it has one, the gun needs a barrel with a cocking stud.
If it has none, the gun can use any barrel.

Within the barrel interchange limits, defined above, any 219 or 220 in good/serviceable condition is safe with any other 219 or 220 barrel in good/serviceable condition.




.

Thanks for the comprehensive reply and the diagrams. All very helpful.

While the shotgun barrel is marked model 220, there's a -219- stamped on the right side of the receiver, so I believe it to be a 219 that has lost it's rifle barrel. Inside the receiver and under the barrel are matched number and letter stamps, so I assume they are factory original match.

I appreciate the info and caution on the trigger work. It may very well be a job best done by a skilled gunsmith that's experienced with these old guns.

This is the older, striker fired model. So I'm in the market for a 219 rifle barrel of any type.

[fixit]

As for rifle barrel availability, if you're handy enough and have access to a lathe, there 'may' be some cross fit with the 94 series shotgun barrels, which can be lined for lower pressure rifle calibers. Do some double checking, as what you get could require some creative fitting, in the form of shims and the like. Certainly not as fine as an original barrel, but availability can be a hemorrhoid!

[riverdog]

Thanks for the tip Fixit. Stevens 94 barrels seem to be available at the present time. If I can't find an original barrel, I'll give that a go.

[pietro]

.

Riverdog, please check your PM's - I found a CF rifle barrel for your M-219 F/S that should fit your action.

[riverdog]

Much appreciated Pietro! I've left a message with them and waiting to hear back.

[riverdog]

Just heard back from the seller. The barrel has already been sold. So, still looking for a barrel. Thanks, for all the replies.