Savage 340A .30-30 w/ no SN

[jason280]

I picked up a mint Savage 340A in .30-30 yesterday, but the gun has no serial number.  Any ideas on when Savage started numbering the 340 series, and any rough guesses on when the "A" series may have been made?  I'd like to find out a little history if possible, but my searches have not given me much information.

[GatCat]

FYI, after JFK was shot, the Gun Control Act of '68 was passed. Among its requirements was that all firearms had to have serial #'s. So your had to be pre-'68. Sorry I don't have more specific info.
Mark

[woodchukhntr]

I recently had one.  It was very accurate with a peep sight, but I wanted a scope and didn't want to ruin the gun by drilling it for a scope mount.  I recall looking into the 340's and I think that they came out around 1950-52.  What did you pay?

[slim rem 7]

 don t know how old it is but it takes right much time an use to wear the numbers off..
  id be careful .. jmo

[beemanbeme]

I bought one used 50 years ago. but they were still being sold new.  Can't recall if mine had a serial # or not.  Bought it in Alexandria, VA and sold it in a pawn shop in Memphis, TN 'cause I had a bad case of holler belly.

[j104wd]

mine does not have a serial number either. might want to post this under the savage forum and see if anyone there can help

[jvs]

I recently had one.  It was very accurate with a peep sight, but I wanted a scope and didn't want to ruin the gun by drilling it for a scope mount. 

I don't know if it pertains to the 340 A's but the 340's from the 60's had a reputation of being very difficult to drill and tap for scopes.  They have Double Heat Treated Receivers and are known for breaking drill bits and taps, so you really got to know what you are doing if you want to do it your self.   

Some Gunsmiths won't even attempt to drill those receivers, and the ones that do charge a premium for doing it.  Taking a mint, undrilled 340A to a gunsmith for mounting a scope will likely lead to a lecture from the Gunsmith as to why it should not be done.

Not drilling it may be the best choice because any collector value will drastically decrease with holes in the receiver, so you made a wise choice.   On the other hand, if you want to bring out the best in those rifles, then a scope may be about the only way to go.  The only other option would be learning how to shoot without a scope, which may not be such a bad idea.   

If I had it, I would not outfit it for a scope.  Sometimes things should be used the way they were meant to be used.  The 340-A is from an era when scopes were no where near as common for hunting as they are today.

[jason280]

The gun set me back $200, which was a little more than I wanted to pay.  However, the condition of the gun sold me and I have been after a bolt .30-30 for while.  I have no intentions of drilling/tapping this gun, but do plan on picking up a rear peep. Now, I just need to find one at a decent price!

[Tom W.]

They are excellent rifles. My former M-I-L gave one to my oldest son about 20 years ago. He did have a scope put on it, it already had holes in the receiver, if I remember, but finding a mount was almost impossible. It look like one of the mounts the old Winchester Model 94's used.. It's still a tackdriver with almost any ammunition.

By buddy's wife has one in their closet  down in Florida collecting dust... Time for me to remind her that it would be much safer at my house....

[jason280]

Here are a few pics of the gun.  I haven't had a chance to shoot it yet, but will soon. 

[Foggy]

I love those 340s I let a nice 30-30 slip away  I have a 223 that is a real shooter  you'll love it

Foggy

[Redford Bohica]

I posted this one about a year and a half ago on "leverguns.com" in response to a thread about the accuracy and effectiveness of the 30-30 Winchester....

----------------------------
To make a long story short on the accuracy of the 30-30 Winchester cartridge, on 7-10-04, I tried a little experiment. I had four boxes of 30-30 factory ammunition at the time. Over roughly a 3-year period, I bought one box each from 4 different sources. One source was at a Gander Mountain outlet, one from Wal-Mart, and two sources were Mom & Pop sporting goods stores that were roughly 50 miles apart. Three boxes were Winchester Super-X 170 gr. loads with three different lot numbers, the other box was Remington factory loads in the 170 gr. Core_Lokt.

I set up a target at 100 yards, and from the bench, I fired one round from each box. Those four shots landed in a cluster that measures just under 1 inch!!!!!! The rifle in use was a WesternField 712, which is a Savage 340 that was made for and sold by Montgomery-Wards. This rifle is the carbine version with the 18.5" barrel.  At the time I shot this group, this rifle was equipped with a WesternField 4X scope.

This not only sez loads about the capabilities of this rifle, but also speaks volumes for the quality control Winchester and Remington uses to produce ammo for the 30-30 Winchester.
--------------------------------------------------

BTW, I paid the previous owner $190 for the rifle and the afore-mention WesternField scope! I think I got a damn good deal!!!

[MGMorden]

They are excellent rifles. My former M-I-L gave one to my oldest son about 20 years ago. He did have a scope put on it, it already had holes in the receiver, if I remember, but finding a mount was almost impossible.

MidwayUSA sells the mounts.  There is a cheaper Weaver side mount that seems to be the most common one you see on them.  The is also a B-Square mount as well that runs about $50.  While my personal opinion on B-Square stuff in the past has been less then stellar, everyone who's mentioned the B-Square mount for the Savage 340 LOVES them.  Apparently, it overhangs far enough over the action that it puts the scope mount inline with the bore, so it's not offset like the Weaver side mount.  It also is a standard Weaver base (bring your own rings) instead of having the rings built in, so if you need taller rings for scopes with large bells, then it can accomodate that.

I did hear that B-Square quit making these particular mounts, but Midway still shows them instock.  If I can ever find a good 340E for the right price that's the route I'm going.  I've already got a Marlin 336 in .30-30 though (which I picked up with scope for $165 about a year ago, so ).  Don't really want another .30-30.  I'd really like to find a 340E in .223 but the last one I found the guy wanted $375 for it, which is just too high for this gun.

[LHitchcox]

I think if you check the left side of the receiver you will find the rifle is ready for a side scope mount. However, the basic model base leaves very little wiggle room between the rings, so eye relief may be difficult to attain.

Leon

[targshooter]

I owned an old Winchester .22 (from the 1920s) and a Savage 340 (from the 50s). Neither firearm had a serial number. I would believe the anti-gun furor from the Kennedy removals had an influence on the requirements for serial numbers, but it was not the sole driving force. I have owned many firearms from dates preceeding the Kennedy removals and they have serial numbers. It must have been optional up to a certain point in time.
PS
Frank DeHaas has a small write up about the rifle in his "Bolt Action Rifles" book. Our public library carries this tome.

[jason280]

I think if you check the left side of the receiver you will find the rifle is ready for a side scope mount. However, the basic model base leaves very little wiggle room between the rings, so eye relief may be difficult to attain.

Leon

Nope, not on this gun.  It is drilled/tapped for a rear receiver peep sight, but it does not have the 4 holes for the scope mount.  Also, the stock doesn't have the cut out necessary to clear the bottom of the base, so its likely this one was made prior to them offering the scope mount.  Now, I just picked up a 340D in .222, and it does have provisions for the mount (and the stock cut out).  In fact, the rifle came with the mount installed when I bought it, and I fitted it with a steel tubed Weaver 4x. 

I just wish I could locate a rear peep for the gun!

[Rangr44]

A Williams FoolProf receiver sight for the 340 can be ordered online in about 5mins.

Brownell's showns only the Williams (stk# 1304) FP-340-TK (Target Knobs) model, but Williams also makes a non-target knob model - (stk# 1302) the FP-340, with flush adjusters.

http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/store/ProductDetail.aspx?p=20104&title=RUGER~%20-%20STEVENS%20FOOLPROOF-TK%20RECEIVER%20SIGHTS&s=44232#44232

http://www.williamsgunsight.com/gunsights/FPpage.htm