My Savage 340B

[ZenMasterJG]

Hi all! My grandma just gave me one of my grandfather's rifles. Its a Savage 340B .222 Remmington. My grandfather cleaned his guns religiously, but he passed away three years ago. What do i need to do/watch out for to make this gun safe for its first trip to the range? This is my first rifle, so i thought i'd ask the experts for advice... definatly dont want to do anything unsafe cuz my n00b ass doesnt know any better!

 

[Vern Humphrey]

First make sure it's unloaded. Then run a patch through the bore, to clean out any dirt that may have accumulated and clear the bore.

Then take it to the range and enjoy.

 

[drinks]

340

Zen;
Very carefully look over the rifle, Savage made 340's that only used the bolt handle as the locking lug, these were basically a .22rf chambered in .25-20, 32-20 , .22 Hornet and .30-30, later , the design was slightly modified and chambered for .222 and some other cartridges.
It is not a good idea to exceed the basic factory loads, could break a nice old cheap shooter that a bunch of people really liked.
I remember looking at one at the Western Auto store about '53 or '54, was .22 Hornet, and I really wanted it, but have not yet had one.
Modern equivalent would be a NEF Handirifle in .22Hornet or .223.
Don

 

[Smoke Rizen]

340b

I have one that I put about 10,000+ rounds through, before the barrel shot out. I was unable to find a .222 barrel and had to use a .223 barrel. Regret that it doesn't shoot as well as it used to. I have about 1000 .223 surplus cases sized .222,and primer pockets reamed, if you could use some let me know. Good luck with it, I think you'll find it a great shooter. I used mine for Coy dogs and P dogs for about 25 years with great results. I'm a firm believer in the .222 caliber.

 

[ZenMasterJG]

Thanks for the advice all! I'm taking it to the range this weekend, assuming i can find some of that .222 rem ammo... nobody around here seems to have it. i've heard they carry it at this place in the middle of nowhere, havent gotten them to answer their phone yet though I'm sure i'll find it somewhere!
so, thanks again for the advice! Everybody on these forums seems pretty cool, im sure i'll be nagging you guys for more help soon

 

[Carl N. Brown]

340

One, I believe the 340 has a single locking lug on the bolt
head in addition to the bolt handle/bolt rib serving as a
safety lug. [Ooops: bolt handle serves as safety lug, what
I called bolt rib is actually the "gas shield".]

Two, I zeroed a scoped 340 for one of my son's co-workers:
with factory ammo it gave 1" five shot groups at 100 yards.

Three, at least three competitors in our black powder cartridge
matches have used 340s; while .30-30 is not an ideal BP round
they have done very well.

When I looked at 340s in the 1950s and 1960s I was not impressed;
after seeing them actually perform, my opinion of them has go up.

 

[rustymaggot]

can anyone help me determine the age of a 340b in 30-30? does anyone know of a chart with dates and what serial numbers were made when?