Got to love a old school rifle that shines when you shoot it.

[koger]

Long story. A LGS knows I love Savage rifles along with Lever actions and single shots. They called me back in the fall and told me to stop in when I got a chance. I did and they had a Savage 340 in .222 Rem. They had taken the BSquare scope mt and a vintage 3x9x40 Weaver steel tube, wideview scope off of it to make it easier to store in the back. All the screws and the scope/mount went with the rifle. The scope had several rust rashes on the tube.Now for the rifle, blue was 85% or better, bore was bright and shiny. The stock had been broken into 4 pieces and epoxied back together with the help of 3 screw/bolts, and varnished over. They told me that the older gentleman they got it from was honest, and told me it was supposed to be a shooter. I asked them what the wanted for this jewel and they said $225 out the door, so it went home with me. I had hung it up until today. I put the scope and mount on and loaded up 20 rounds of 50 Berger flat base HP match bullets someone had given me a long time ago. It took 10 shots starting at 25 and going to 100 yds to get it zeroed. I then shot a 5 shot group that had 3 bullet holes overlapping each other. I could not believe it so I shot the last 5 rounds and had the same group. I cant shoot that good with a 3x9 scope. I was planning on glass bedding the rifle and may still do that, or not, I hate to mess with something that ain't broke. I will take the stock off, and do some light sanding, and paint it camo, or blk, any thing will look better than the broken glued together lines and the screw heads hid under large amounts of epoxy and varnish. I am sure glad that my first intention to pass on it went away and I brought it home with me. I now know why everyone who had one of these old rifles in the past, praised them. Just thought I would share this with you guys.

[ulav8r]

Please supply before and after pictures. Don't you love a homely gun that shoots like that?

[Bazoo]

Sounds pretty awesome if you ask me. I too would like to see pictures of the before, and any after. I'd love to find one like that, maybe not with a broken stock, but a shooter 340 Savage in 222 Remington sure has a nice ring to it.

[MrWolf]

When we were younger, beauty was the primary requisite. When we get some maturity (wisdom) we move to the more realistic results which matter more. Hmm. Talking about firearms or women or both?

[Markopolo]

I just can’t resist me an old Marlin.. something about the sturdiness, the lever, the classy look, quick to bear, easy to point, rugged, timeless, decent accuracy, and lots of customize options out there.

Today, I hope to finish my own version of a 35 REM I got from Scorpion on this forum. It’s gunna be my main gun this season for bear and deer! I will post a pic of it now..



Please remember that I live in a very dense rain forest with bush thicker then anyplace you can imagine. Very hard on a nice wood stock.

Marko

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Hard to beat a good Savage 340. Mine's a .30-30, purchased on Gunbroker about 3 years ago. Almost like new, and shoots like a dream. No scope. Maybe I'm reading the wrong publications, but it seems to me that you don't read as much about Savage as you used to do. Last thing I read was a new sporter coming out with their name on it, but it's actually made in Turkey.

DG

[dverna]

Long story. A LGS knows I love Savage rifles along with Lever actions and single shots. They called me back in the fall and told me to stop in when I got a chance. I did and they had a Savage 340 in .222 Rem. They had taken the BSquare scope mt and a vintage 3x9x40 Weaver steel tube, wideview scope off of it to make it easier to store in the back. All the screws and the scope/mount went with the rifle. The scope had several rust rashes on the tube.Now for the rifle, blue was 85% or better, bore was bright and shiny. The stock had been broken into 4 pieces and epoxied back together with the help of 3 screw/bolts, and varnished over. They told me that the older gentleman they got it from was honest, and told me it was supposed to be a shooter. I asked them what the wanted for this jewel and they said $225 out the door, so it went home with me. I had hung it up until today. I put the scope and mount on and loaded up 20 rounds of 50 Berger flat base HP match bullets someone had given me a long time ago. It took 10 shots starting at 25 and going to 100 yds to get it zeroed. I then shot a 5 shot group that had 3 bullet holes overlapping each other. I could not believe it so I shot the last 5 rounds and had the same group. I cant shoot that good with a 3x9 scope. I was planning on glass bedding the rifle and may still do that, or not, I hate to mess with something that ain't broke. I will take the stock off, and do some light sanding, and paint it camo, or blk, any thing will look better than the broken glued together lines and the screw heads hid under large amounts of epoxy and varnish. I am sure glad that my first intention to pass on it went away and I brought it home with me. I now know why everyone who had one of these old rifles in the past, praised them. Just thought I would share this with you guys.

Nice to see an old gun brought back to life. Kudos or not being a wimp and giving up after 5 good shots! 10 shots is no fluke!!

[koger]

I will try to get some pics to TBG to post tomorrow. Thanks for the replies.

[35 Rem]

Mine is a 30-30 but it's a Springfield 840, which is the cheapo version of the Savage 340, which was already a dirt cheap rifle. The bedding is horrible and I keep intending to glass bed it but haven't gotten around to trying it. It was my 1st centerfire rifle bought back in 1976 right before deer season. It is about the ugliest rifle I've ever seen as it looked as if it had been used to prop a barn door open when Ibought it. It has a horrible gritty trigger and is definitely not very accurate with anything I've tried in it but I put it aside as soon as I got my next "deer rifle" which was a Weatherby Mark V in 460 in 1987. I did buy another Savage 340 new in 1984, using funds from selling cast bullets by the way, and that one is in 22 Hornet. It's about as accurate as most Hornets are. Plenty good enough for the range the cartridge is made for.

My best friend in High School and College had a 340 in 222 that shot well. I'd sure be willing to pay $225 for one if I got the chance now.

[FergusonTO35]

I think of the Axis as being the modern day Savage 340 or Remington 788. A rifle that shoots alot better than its appearance or price would suggest!

[sigep1764]

Ferg, if that's the case, I'm gonna fill the new safe with Axis rifles and wait 30 years! I just picked up a 340 yesterday and a 788 a few months ago and they aren't anywhere near the $65 they were brand new!!!

[sigep1764]

I really love my Axis in 223 and think it deserves some siblings.

[dverna]

Ferg, if that's the case, I'm gonna fill the new safe with Axis rifles and wait 30 years! I just picked up a 340 yesterday and a 788 a few months ago and they aren't anywhere near the $65 they were brand new!!!

If that $70 to purchase a Savage 340 in 1970 had been invested in the S&P 500 it would have grown to over $15,000

Guns are one of the worst investments a person can make.

Buy a gun as a weapon or as a big boy toy….but not as an investment.

[M-Tecs]

About 30 years ago I was offered a pre-64 model 70 in 270 CHEAP because it didn't shoot. It was poorly glass bedded. I fixed the bedding and when loaded with Jack O'Connor's favorite 130 grain load it's a solid 5/8 MOA rifle with that load. The first hunt was with 175 grain Bitterroots since they were the only 270 bullets I had on hand. I loaded some for a friend going moose hunting. For deer they didn't expand. I only used them once. I put 3 rounds thru both lungs and it still made it over a mile. It was too weak to cross a fence but still standing so a 4th shot thru the neck was needed. The next year I switched to 130 grain bullets and it killed like the hammer of Thor.

[M-Tecs]

If that $70 to purchase a Savage 340 in 1970 had been invested in the S&P 500 it would have grown to over $15,000

Guns are one of the worst investments a person can make.

Buy a gun as a weapon or as a big boy toy….but not as an investment.

Like any investment if you choose wisely, it can be very profitable.

In total I purchased 29 K31's when the market was flooded. Most where purchased at $79. The first five I paid for select grade and they cost me $119. The next 24 cost $79 each Most of them I sold too soon for between $300 and $500. Last one I sold went for $625.

I did the same with the Blue Sky M1's at $99 from Woolworths.

On the flip side I have several USFA 1873's unfired that went up 500% withing five years but the problem is zero interest in selling those. I have a consecutive serial numbered unfired pair that I'm having a hard time pulling the trigger on since I've seen the same model pairs sell for over $7K.

That being said Don is correct that in general firearms are not good investment for growth.

I like the older Benelli Super Black Eagles that you can float a round on the carrier. I purchased two new shortly after the came out. They were over $900 new. Now in like new I can find them for less than $600 since most want the new versions.

[sigep1764]

I'm not saying I don't invest in a 401k and a Roth IRA. I do. But I do look at most of my gun purchases with eyes on not losing money, including inflation. It's worked so far and has introduced me to new passions. With what I said about a safe full of Axis rifles, it was in jest. However, they do, in my opinion, punch above their weight.

[pietro]

.

The Antique Roadshow refers to items like that as "Hidden Treasures" - nice grab ! !