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Model 86c

Pete

I don't mean to "rain" on your nostalgia, but why not upgrade to Savage Mod. 29 pump 'Galery gun'. I'm still kinking myself for not picking up that one in excellent shape for $159. Besides some Anschutz rifles your avg. small-bore Savage bolt rifle is best used as door prop.
Look, first shotgun I acutally owned was 20ga Winchester 37. Am I going to buy one of them now? Noooo, maniana I'm picking up luvly lil' 20ga Ithaca 37.

From in the early 60's till sometime in the 80's I laid a pile of squirrels in the frying pan with a model 42MC Mossberg bolt action .22LR with 7-shot detachable magazine. In the late 60's I added a Bushnell 3-7 scope which cost less than $20.00 at the time. Had a 7/8 tube with full length rail on bottom. Had to screw a dovetail block to top of receiver to mount it. It is "Absolutely amazing" what can be done with a "Cheap Outfit" as long as the shooter has the "Ability & Intelligance" to use it. ""Door Prop"" HMMMMPH.

Thank you all. From all the replies I've concluded it was a Savage Model 5 because of the "bulbous" forend, no finger grooves. It was definitely a Savage and had a safety on the back end of the bolt, possibly it was one of the very first ones introduced. It did not have a MC stock nor any checkering so it was not a 5-S. I'll start the search for a really nice one; nostalgia is a powerful emotion. Getting one with the side safety will be fine. I do have some other nice older 22's including a Stevens Buckhorn 66, the other one that belonged to Dad and that sat along with the Savage in a big cardboard tube in our sun parlor. No need for a modern Anschutz, Kimber, etc. Thanks again. Silvers

Jagermeister:

I beg to differ with you on the quality of Savage rifles. Some of them, particularly the older ones, are real shooters with the right .22 ammo. I own a Stevens (the downscale Savage brand name) Model 416, which was manufactured sometime between 1937 and 1948, probably at the start of WWII as it has U.S. Property markings and was likely used as a training rifle. Even after some sue and 60 years, it will consistently shoot 5-shot 1/2 inch groups at 50 yards with the right ammo. On a really good day, I've gotten groups in the low 0.3" range. I'm sure there are Anschutz rifles which will halve that group size, but only in the hands of people who can read wind and mirage (which I can't). Certainly not a "door prop" by any stretch of the imagination and not a bad piece for the $175 I have in it.

Current Savage centerfires get excellent reviews for their accuracy and trigger quality, even if not for noted for their cosmetics.

And what can you say about the Savage 99? A classic in every respect, many were the starting point for some wonderful G&H customs, some Fugger engraved no less.