French contract Savage 1907: what is this?

[gnaw_bone]

I recently got a 1907 Savage that has unusual machining on the barrel. There is a ring machined on the outside of the chamber roughly where the slug falls, and the relief for the extractor has been extended about 3/16s of an inch past the usual point. With a cartridge seated, you see that much brass in front of the extractor claw.

Does anyone have any idea what this is? Could it be an armory proofing gun?

 

[Jim K]

Your pistol is missing the loaded chamber indicator, which has a ring that goes into that annular groove and an arm that extends back into the hole you mention. When the chamber is loaded, the indicator protrudes and can be seen or felt. It is found on pistols above serial number 80000, and a few below that.

FWIW, I have no idea where you could find one.

Jim

 

[gnaw_bone]

Thanks, Jim.
The ring is still in the annular groove, but the arm is missing.

The next question is whether the thing is safe to fire with the brass exposed like that.

For that matter, the pistol is twice as old as I am. Why would I want to fire it anyway?

 

[Jim K]

It is just as safe as it ever was. The loaded chamber indicator would not have prevented a cartridge "blow out" if it ever happened. I suppose that something like that could have broken the indicator, but it was more likely broken by someone trying to take it off, the usual cause of broken parts.

I see no reason not to shoot that Savage. They are fun, and pretty accurate. That Searle design did not have any very good rationale; it was chosen mainly because a fellow named Browning held the patent for an auto pistol with the breechblock made as part of the slide, so other designers had to invent ways to get around that.

Jim