Savage 340a - should I buy it?

[TheCoachZed]

I can get my hands on a Savage 340a (in .30-30) for $235 shipped, or reasonable offer.

I don't know a lot about these guns. Are they worth buying? I liked my Savage 170 pump gun a lot for its combination of accuracy and handiness . . . how do the 340s stack up?

As for condition - the blueing is pretty worn on the barrel.

[jlchucker]

I know guys who've had them--my brother for one.  They usually like them pretty well.  Cast bullet guys especially.

[saddlebum]

I liked the one I used to have in 30-30. The extractors and ejectors are a little weak and hard to replace, I have heard. Make sure it has a good magazine as they are scarce. Any parts might be hard to find. Mine was accurate. I thought it was a neat little rifle and wish I still had it. Not sure what they are worth these days. I am a big 30-30 fan so having one in a bolt gun was nice. A gunsmith told me once that he really liked them and in all calibers he tried they were accurate. They used to come in .222 and .22 Hornet which would be neat guns to have. If the gun you are looking at is in good shape I would try to talk him down on the price and then decide how much I wanted it. Come to think of it I do that with all gun deals.

[243shooter]

does not sound like a screaming deal, but if you like it and want it, that price doesn't sound to out of line. i've seen pretty nice 340's in 30-30 in this area for $200. i have a 340 in .222, i like it a lot, pretty good accuracy, fun to shoot, i'm looking for an old vintage scope to put on it. brownell's sells after market mags for the 340.

[bilmac]

I had one. I shot 130 gr spire points and the 31141 bullets in it. It shot both pretty good.

[trotterlg]

I have one I converted to 17 Hornet from the origional 22 Hornet.  I think they are good rifles.  The price is about adverage depending on the condition.  They take a side mount scope mount, but Numrich has them for about $25.00 which includes built in rings.  They were a fairly low end mass-produced rifle, but they function well and shoot good.  Larry

[TheCoachZed]

This one is only drilled and tapped for the peep sight, not the scope mount . . .

[woodchukhntr]

Th "A" model is only drilled and tapped for a peep sight as TheCoachZed states. I put a peep on mine since I didn't want to ruin it's originality.  I have seen some A's that have been drilled and tapped by the owner, is your one of these?

[TheCoachZed]

Haven't bought it yet! I made the guy an offer and he counter-offered.

It'd be kinda sucky not to have a scope on what I've heard is a very accurate rifle.

[jlwilliams]

  I'd go for it.  I had one and sold it for reasons I don't remember.  Kind of wish I hadn't.  If you load 30-30 it's nice to have something that you can shoot pointed bullets out of.

[jlchucker]

Saddlebum, you said that magazines for these were scarce.  When my brother got his (and he got it cheap-partly because there was no magazine) my gunsmith had a new one, wrapped in plastic, in stock.  The gunsmith told me that these were a shelf item. This rifle has since been sold, but mostly because the owner found another bargain. It may require ordering them, but you can find new magazines for these guns.

[saddlebum]

Saddlebum, you said that magazines for these were scarce.  When my brother got his (and he got it cheap-partly because there was no magazine) my gunsmith had a new one, wrapped in plastic, in stock.  The gunsmith told me that these were a shelf item. This rifle has since been sold, but mostly because the owner found another bargain. It may require ordering them, but you can find new magazines for these guns.

At the time I owned a 340, about 15yrs ago, mags were hard to find. That situation has been resolved I guess. I was surprised to hear from 243shooter that Brownells has aftermarket mags.
Guess I need to catch up!!

[TheCoachZed]

It's gone . . .

[quatroclick]

Keep your eyes open, and you will see one for a better price.  I see them on occasion in pawn shops.  I got a store brand (Coast to Coast) version for $99.  Trigger isn't great, but it put 5 el-cheepo factory loads in to about 1.25 inches with the weaver k4 that it came with.  I got some nasty looks from guys sighting in their new Browning/Remington/Savage rifles when they saw the target.......  Didn't help that I told them I got it for a C-Note.

Worth having for $200 or less, more for the 222 or Hornet.