Asawan Arms Company

[TerryBob]

My father in law just gave me a youth size rifle in .22 cal. and I have no idea what it is. There is some surface rust on the barrel and it is keeping me from clearly making out what is stamped on the barrel.

I think that it says "Asawan Arms Company" Made in U.S.A. Asawan Mass. It also has M-66 or something close to it stamped on it.

Google did not find anything for me. Has anyone ever heard of this gun?

TerryBob

 

[Andrew Rothman]

It's "Agawam Arms"

http://www.agawamrevolver.org/sub/agawamarms.htm

Several people have contacted this web site's webperson, asking about information on firearms made by a company called "Agawam Arms". I did a bit of digging, and here is what I found out...

Agawam Arms was located in Agawam, Massachusetts. It was open for business from 1968 to 1971, producing a single firearm - the "Model 68".

Approximately 15,000 of these rifles were produced. The rifle was described to me by a former employee as "similar in appearance to a cross between Model 94 Winchester and a Daisy Red Rider."

The action was similar to a Martini Falling Block. It was a single-shot .22 caliber, with a dummy tubular magazine under the barrel. It was similar in concept to the Ithica Model 49.

The target market for this rifle was department store sales. Retail price was a wopping $19.95.

The Gun Control Act of 1968 took it's toll on this rifle. Department stores stopped carrying guns for a while back in the early 1970's in an effort to be what they thought was politically correct. Sudden loss of contracts for this gun lead to it's demise.

The design was eventually purchased by Savage Arms.

 

[TerryBob]

Thanks Matt,

I had just returned to post a correction. The stamping is real poor and the surface rust added to the bad guesswork.

I did a search for cities in that state and found Agawan. From there I found a little info.

Now I need to find a part for it before I can let my kids shoot it.

Take care,

TerryBob