For those of you interested in such matters I wandered about the National Gun Show today. It was at the Dulles Expositions Center. It was terribly crowded with a multitude of folk of various description. I bought the world's greatest knife sharpener from a man who had sharpened my pocket knife gratis. Basilisk had predicted that I would buy a gun. I was doing my best to resist this thought when I spied the lovely old thing pictured above. It is a Savage Arms "over and under" combination with a .22 magnum barrel over and a 20 gauge shotgun barrel under. It has little engraved sketches on the sides of the receiver. On one side is a fox and on the other a ruffed grouse. I suppose that is why this gun is typically called a "silver fox."
I owned one of these a long time ago. I bought it in Panama at the Canal Zone Rod and Gun Club. That must have been in 1965. I owned it until the late 70's when I took it with me to visit my dear friend Colonel Bob Sawyer and his wife Ellie at their retirement retreat near Bow Lake, New Hampshire. I had brought it with the idea that a country gent should have a gun like this. We were standing in a meadow shooting at empty tin cans with the Savage when for some reason he told me that the day was the anniversary of a day in early 1944 when a kampfgruppe of the 17th Panzer division overran and destroyed his company of infantry of the 26th (Yankee) Division. This was just short of the Rhine. The platoon he commanded lost half its men, including many he had served with in the National Guard in Massachusetts.
As we walked back to the house. I handed him the gun and said "this is yours, don't argue about it."
I saw this gun today and it became impossible to leave this old friend behind in that noisy, impersoanl place.
Basilisk and Harper waited patiently while I filled out the forms. pl
Col Lang, a BEAUTIFUL looking O/U A neighbor in the northern part of lower Michigan several yrs back had a similar O/U (without the engraving) that he used when calling in coyotes and bobcats. The 22 mag/20 ga in full choke (I believe) did a good job for the various shots he needed to take. I do not see a "selector" tab in the photo--how do you select the barrels on this one?
My decades of hunting in No. Michigan were mainly on "Pats" with my Browning O/U 16 gauge, straight grip stock, short barrels. A wonderful shotgun for in the woods.
Posted by: Al Spafford | 29 July 2012 at 03:40 AM
I used to have a Savage 22-410 over-and-under and it was, indeed, over-and-under. I wonder why they don't call yours a side-by-side?
Posted by: Mj | 29 July 2012 at 06:39 AM
Sgt Stubby, the first "War Dog" served with the 26th in WWI.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergeant_Stubby
Posted by: Mj | 29 July 2012 at 06:45 AM
rj
It is over and under, .22mag on top. pl
Posted by: turcopolier | 29 July 2012 at 08:14 AM
Al Spafford
It doesn't show in the picture but there is a little lever on top of the hammer that is the barrel selector. pl
Posted by: turcopolier | 29 July 2012 at 08:30 AM
Great anecdotal story of your original 22MagX20ga Col.
Nice to find another in fine shape.
When we were kids a lot of us had the 22lrX.410, but we rarely saw a 22magX20.
Friend of mine I buy guns from regularly had a nice one recently, I was sorely tempted.
Posted by: John Minnerath | 29 July 2012 at 09:11 AM
Pat, I had intended to attend; however with somethings going on at the house I passed on the event. It is always very interesting, and my wife is always concerned I am like a child in a toy store.
Posted by: Hank Foresman | 29 July 2012 at 09:39 AM
PL,
Your post strikes at the heart of why many of us appreciate/collect firearms. It is the allure of history and memories, along with an appreciation of fine craftsmanship. As a youngster, I remember seeing the 22/410 over unders that John Minnerath mentioned in the Sears catalogs. It was advertised as the ideal first firearm. I also remember seeing 20 dollar Mausers in those catalogs.
For those who want to find out more about PL's latest find, I suggest YouTube. There's a wealth of knowledge there concerning damned near any firearm.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9R11Mvodbs
PL, is that a photo of your silver fox or a stock photo? I ask because I haven't seen any silver receivers in any of the YouTube videos.
Posted by: The Twisted Genius | 29 July 2012 at 12:19 PM
Sorry, I misread.
Posted by: mj | 29 July 2012 at 12:40 PM
I have that gun in .22LR, 20 gauge. The barrel selector is supposed to be the disk on the left side of the receiver, which slides up and down, but the metal is brittle, and over the years it breaks, at which point most people replace the selector with a hammer selector as found on the later Savage 24 models (your model is the DL or deluxe, with walnut stock). I think Numrich sells parts if you are inclined to repair the original selector. I spoiled the look of mine by mounting a red-dot, but it is my go to gun for things that go bump in the night in my duck house.
Posted by: cwt | 29 July 2012 at 12:55 PM
I am generally astounded by the vast range of offerings at the so-called National Gun Show. I have no need of $18,000 Thompson sub-machineguns or $22,000 full-auto M-16's, but it is, I guess, a testimony to our absolute freedom in the US that such things can even be in private hands.
There is no conceivable reason I needed a Savage .22 Mag/20 Gauge over and under either, but the thing was so beautiful I was happy PL bought it. It was calling to me very strongly. I'm glad it found a good home.
Posted by: Basilisk | 29 July 2012 at 01:08 PM
basilisk, TTG et al
I tried. I tried. We went to lunch at the local Salvadoran joint where I watched Basilisk munch papusa while he and Harper explained to me the glories of authentic ethnic grub. I imagined myelf getting in the car and driving away without this gun. Nothing worked. It was still there when we re-entered the hall. i have no uise for it either but it is staying here in my gun storage. Basilisk asked that if I give this one away, I remember him. OK.
TTG. The picture is a stock photo but mine has a silver receiver as well, no disk but the barrel selector on the hammer. pl
Posted by: turcopolier | 29 July 2012 at 01:19 PM
Next time keep your eye open for a sporterized '03 Springfield. Look for something done by an unknown local and in the $250 to $350 range. Don't grab the first to come to hand. Keep looking.
You will find some of the most elegant and satisfying craftsmanship this country has to offer. There is nothing like what some guy is capable of making in his garage.
Posted by: Brad Ruble | 29 July 2012 at 01:41 PM
COL,
The knife sharpener? If it is good enough to warrant a purchase on the spot I'd be interested in learning more about it. Por favor.
Posted by: Richard Armstrong | 29 July 2012 at 02:24 PM
I know nothing of guns or shooting, but I saw a fascinating German video of bullets hitting targets at up to 1 million frames per second (it says). It is certainly super slow motion. It allows one to see the strange and wonderful fracture patterns or turbulence vortices (?) spreading and propagating through the targets selected.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfDoQwIAaXg
Posted by: different clue | 29 July 2012 at 02:30 PM
7mm Remington Mag? That's a popular cartridge, any good gun shop should have it.
Even Wally World.
Posted by: John Minnerath | 29 July 2012 at 02:31 PM
RA
It is called a "Select Tool" and sharpens anything in about six strokes. lawn mower blades, knives, axes, whatever... $20. Address: Select Products promotions, Inc. PO Box 363163, N. Las Vegas, NV. 89036-7136 pl
Posted by: turcopolier | 29 July 2012 at 02:51 PM
When I was in high school I had a custom built rifle on an '03 action, also one built on a '98 Mauser action.
After I got out of the service and was going to school I had to sell them and a few others.
Those were lean times and that was a sad day when I did it.
Posted by: John Minnerath | 29 July 2012 at 03:10 PM
Amazon has them.
Posted by: Mj | 29 July 2012 at 07:22 PM
That gun is purty.
Kim Rhode, USA, won gold in skeet at the Olympics. It's her fifth Olympics and she has medaled in each one. To top it off she restores muscle cars. Unfortunately she's married.
Posted by: optimax | 29 July 2012 at 07:30 PM
optimax
I told Besilisk that we have to start by licking it clean and then treat the wood bits with some wonderfult unguent. Then some Hoppe's #9 for the steel followed by the best gun oil. This to be followed by a ceremony in which we anoint ourselves with more Hoppe's and put some in the cocktails. If we were gay we could put a dash behind our ears. pl
Posted by: turcopolier | 29 July 2012 at 07:47 PM
You'd think there would be a market for Hoppe's #9 air freshener. It could be marketed under the slogan "Go rob a different house".
Quick poll: Who doesn't like the aroma of Hoppe's #9?
Now if I could just figure out how to put my stainless steel and plastic pistol parts in the dishwasher without getting caught...
Posted by: SAC Brat | 29 July 2012 at 08:00 PM
Heh heh heh. I wonder how many of the poor uninitiated out there are wondering what these guys are talking about and what the hell is this Hoppe's #9!
Posted by: John Minnerath | 29 July 2012 at 08:33 PM
Col
You make my fantasy seem downright pedestrian but, then again, you have the Silver Fox and I don't have the GTO.
Posted by: optimax | 29 July 2012 at 09:11 PM
optimax
My precious. pl
Posted by: turcopolier | 29 July 2012 at 09:31 PM