doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Valmet O/U design history?

My first OU--in fact, my first double--was a Savage 420 in 20ga. That model, along with the slightly fancier 430, was the only American-made Savage OU. IMO, based on the 420/430, they were wise to have their OU's made elsewhere!

Neat 20, Steve. I've never seen a 330 gussied up before. Apparently your customer didn't miss the rib either (or maybe he only had the $$ for the nice border engraving!).

One of the things I've always appreciated about the Savage/Valmets is their huge trigger guard and big trigger. I got my first (a 330 12) when I'd been using a Beretta O/U 20 and found I couldn't shoot it safely wearing warm enough gloves to keep my hands functioning in those Palouse Prairie late season zephyrs!

I picked up a Savage 430 cheap a short time ago and have had some fun cleaning it up. Apparently they only made them from 1938 thru 1941. Since I never had any interest in O/U's I have no references to judge by, but the cocking mechanism is nothing I'd be proud of. The top lever cocks the action as the last step before the action opens and was apparently designed to develop muscle in one's thumb! It was almost a two hand job when I got it, but it has cleaned-up nicely and now cocks with an audible click, although that last half inch of throw is still pretty stiff. I think it would be tough to sell one in today's market and is probably why they went to an import.

I handled a Valmet the other day and it was much easier to open than the old 430. However, I felt the older weapon balanced a little better, but that was probably just me.

I don't know what I'm going to do with the old 430. I really don't want to make it a closet queen but its too heavy for an old guy like me to lug around and I don't shoot clays. But I've had fun going to school with it.

Actually, oldr31, when it comes to the balance of a double, "just me" is pretty much the whole story!

I felt a tremendous difference between the Valmet 412 series and the earlier models the few times I shot a 412. Seems to me like they took the strengths of the original and tried to make them too many things to too many shooters. However, I understand that few shooters other than in the US spend hours pounding the boonies in search of little birdies, so the 412 shotgun versions do make sense for clays, waterfowl, and BIG birdies like turkeys and auerhahn/blackcock/capercaillies or whatever you call them.

The 412 and its succesors are very well made, and have all the Valmet virtues including being hell-for-strong, but just a little too much of a good thing for a upland hunting, IMO. But for a Continental hunter looking at limited gun permits, the strength that allows multiple rifle and shotgun barrels makes a lot of sense.