Savage 720

[ChiefPilot]

I recently inherited a Savage 720 from my father, who had in turn inherited it from his father many years ago. It looks very much like a Browning Auto-5, except it is made by Savage. I'm trying to establish how old it is - it has a serial number of 626xx - and am looking for any resources that might be able to point me in that general direction. I'm interested in finding out how old it is primarily out of curiosity; it's too beat up to sell and besides that, it is is something of a family heirloom now.

Any pointers or references would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

 

[mnrivrat]

I have only limited info on this gun but can tell you that they were made between 1930 and 1949 . I can also tell you that yours is pre-war and likely late 1930's vintage.

I can not give an exact year of mfg.

 

[ChiefPilot]

I have only limited info on this gun but can tell you that they were made between 1930 and 1949 . I can also tell you that yours is pre-war and likely late 1930's vintage.

That's close enough - thank you for the information! I knew it was old, but wasn't sure how old.

Thanks for the info!

 

[Fred Fuller]

My grandfather, a thrifty sort, bought a pair of 720's when the government sold off a lot of surplus stuff after WW2. Both are ordnance marked and thus carry a collectible status these days as interest in such things has grown. These were not "trench guns" but were riot or guard guns, with 18" bead sighted barrels. Note also that some of these shotguns, in their sporting configuration, were used in training aircraft machine gunners as well- they eventually wound up shooting at thrown clay pigeons from the backs of stakebed trucks to learn how to hit moving targets while moving themselves.

Hope you enjoy having it,

lpl/nc

ps- the 'ordnance mark' is the so-called flaming bomb stamp- see http://ugca.org/03mar/savage.htm for more