Gentlemen, I went to a gun show today(always risky) and saw a fairly decent Savage model 23 in 32-20. The show up occasionally for 350.00-400.00, and I think of it as a clip loading, bolt action bunny gun. I have been thinking of buying one for general woods roaming , small game, and the occasional small hog or deer of opportunity. Draw backs are that most of them would have to be drilled and tapped for scope mounts or any commonly available receiver sight, and I would feel some guilt about violating a 70 ( minimum) year old gun. The other drawback would be reloadind the 32-20, but how much worse could it be than the .22 Hornet? I have a good Ideal # 3118 single cavity mold that would work for this gun. Would buying one of the be a good idea, or should I just work up a good reduced load for one of my 30-30s, or find a Marlin 1894 in .357( Marlin .357s are made out of unobtainium in my part of Texas -nobody ever sells one) Help! Thanks for any and all advice, Quailman
Savage 23 -32-20
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- Last Post 20 March 2014
Quailman,
PM me with your real email address and I will send you an article published in “The Fouling Shot” on the 32/20 and my Savage 23. The neatest gun every made for the woods roamer.
Ric
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Quailman,
There are a multitude of fixes for the scope mounting if you get one without holes. But you aren't going to get one of the variable modern things with an 80MM lens on it. If you will accept something like a Weaver K 2.5, it is a piece of cake.
Ric
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I have one of these (Salvage 23 ... I forget what letter is 25-20). Very neat little rifle. Someone mangaged to figure out a way to get a Lyman 48 on it ... with the gallows in front of the bolt handle. The question that I have (Ten Point Toss-Up) is what is it with all of these “spare magazines” I see on the auction sites ... thay have the correct Savage markings and model number/caliber on them, but they don't look anything at all like what is in MY rifle. In fact the two that I bought (fool me twice... shame on me!) won't even begin to fit in the magazine well of the rifle. The cartridges fit very nicely in the magazines ... but they don't do me any good because the mags won't fit in the rifle! What's up with that??
Resp'y, Bob S.
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There are two factory magazine designs: The 1923 -1932 (called the “cheese grater” that has the markings on the side, then there is the 1933 - 1950 design with a flat bottom with the information printed on it. They do not interchange. Then there are several companies over the years that tried to make cheap ones were suppose to work in both, but work in neither.
Attached are two pictures of the different types.
HTH, Ric
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Bob, attached is a picture of the 1923 thru 1932 round front “cheese grater” magazine.
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Here is picture of the 1933 thru 1950 flat bottom magazine.
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Thanks Ric. I guess I have an older rifle with a “cheese grater". Appropriate moniker, I guess. :)
Resp'y, Bob S.
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The late one has the latch exposed behind the mag well. The early ones have the latch hidden inside the well. It works like an M14 to load.
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Quailman,
PM me with your real email address and I will send you an article published in “The Fouling Shot” on the 32/20 and my Savage 23. The neatest gun every made for the woods roamer.
RicWhich TFS was that? I'd like to look at it too. That 23 looks a little like my modern Model 40 single shot Hornet. With a little stretch it's similar to the even newer M25. Am I seeing that right?
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Tim, years ago now. I have an electronic copy only. Ric
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I've had two of these Savage Model 23's in 32-20, as well as one in 25-20. Two of these (a 32-20 and a 25-20) came with 22 scopes on them. Both have held up fine for about 20 years.
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I foolishly let a friend of mine talk me out of buying a mint looking one of these about 25 years ago. I Kringle every time I see one now. And if he is along I rub his nose in it. Jeff
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Not familiar with the gun, but might check out Skinner Sights. Quite possible that he has a dove tail peep sight solution ( or would be willing to make one!) that might help you...
Can't recommend Skinner Sights enough. Andy is THE BEST! He is a real gun guy, and very willing to help with sight problems and solutions!
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Not sure how I missed this.... Better late than never I guess. Sorry about he poor pic but it ought to give you the idea.
http://www.brownells.com/optics-mounting/rings-mounts-amp-bases/rifle-bases/dovetail-scope-base-stock-prod40900.aspx?avs>http://www.brownells.com/optics-mounting/rings-mounts-amp-bases/rifle-bases/dovetail-scope-base-stock-prod40900.aspx?avs
Remove the rear sight, replace with a dovetail blank. Drill and tap a 6X48 or 8X40 hole in the center. Williams Sight used and sold these for use when you wanted to mount one of their front ramps on a dovetailed barrel. It was called a dovetail lock or something similiar. I've bought odds and ends of sight parts from them direct - nice folks. Give them a call. Drill a hole in the center of the blank base near one end, file a slot in the bottom to fit over dovetail blank.
Use the 2 screw holes behind the ejection port to secure the rear of the base, bridging the ejection port. I don't quite recall the size of the larger of the 2 screws, likely 8X40. The smaller hole probably isn't necessary, especially with the little recoil lug if it was fit or bedded with 5 minute epoxy, etc. The toughest part is getting the hole spacing right. Without accurate measuring tools, you could secure the the base to the dovetail blank and use a small scribe through the screw hole from he inside to locate the hole on the base. I did one that way when I was without my dial calipher. Good luck with it. The M/23's are great little woods guns!
Keep your plowshare and your sword. Know how and when to use them.
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that old 3118 is a dandy bullet for 32-20 ... i wasted my youth arcing a few thousand of those downrange.
i now spend my old age wallowing in guilt ...
ken
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Thanks for the information on how to mount the scope on the Savage model 23. I took the plunge and bought one in 32-20 right before Christmas. I had a chance to buy an early one with a mint bore , and jumped on it. I had wondered if the Brownells dovetail base would work using the two rear peep sight mounting holes, and possibly tapping out the smaller one to 8x40. Using the dovetail filler as a point of attachment is brilliant. Also, by using the dovetail base , I would also have the option of using a Williams Guide receiver sight ( WGRS 54) which will fit in the dovetail base, and serve as alternate or back up sight. With my vision , and the factory sights , I am doing good to stay in the black of a 25 yard pistol target. with a scope , I can find out how accurate the rifle and my loads really are. Also from my limited experience , loading for the 32-20 isn't as difficult as some people think. I am looking forward to trying different cast bullet loads once I get a scope mounted. Any load advice for 100 to 120 grain lead bullets would be appreciated. Thanks to everyone for their help. Also, did you use the .840 radius or the 1.0 radius base. From my measurements it looked like the 1.0 base would be the way to go, but I would like to know what worked for you
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