The Savage Rifle Of The 1950’s
The Savage rifle and what they brought to the Golden age of classic firearms. That was the time from World War II until the mid-1960s, and the primary focus is the 1950s. This was the time in my opinion that the finest sporting firearms ever made would be produced, (IMHO).
Savage by this time had gained a good market with its high-powered rifles. This would include the Savage 99 lever action model and by the late 1950s the bolt action Savage 110 model was made available. In 1950 they introduced the model 340 bolt action rifle and the over/under model 24. The Savage rifle would become very popular in the 1950s.
I will speak more about the individual firearms in separate articles on them and will give much more detailed information on the particular gun in those articles.
The Savage firearms Company originally started in 1895 and were associated with the Marlin Gun Company. By 1899 they had opened their own gun manufacturing facility and started production of the 1899 lever action high-powered Savage rifle.

Of course, the most famous cartridge from the Savage line was the 300 Savage cartridge and is still very popular even to this day. The Savage 250-3000 cartridge would also become very popular and quit collectable today.
In the 1950s the Savage firearms company, like most of the gun companies from that time were producing firearms that were of high quality. The men that made them were very much considered craftsman. And although these lever action rifles were made on an assembly line like Winchester or Remington rifles. A lot of hands-on and attention to detail was associated with these firearms.
The Savage rifle also by the mid to late 60s started to cut back on its quality and detail in the guns that they produced. They did not have the quality and the overall appearance that they were making in the 1950s. By the late 1960s the savage 99 would begin to decline and would stop production for good by the late 1990s. 100 years of production. For those who loved the Savage 99 it was a big disappointment. But its collector value would benefit from it.
Savage did make shotguns and 22 rifles in the 1950’s and 60’s and I do not consider them to be classic firearms. They were made to be an inexpensive alternative to the Winchester line of 22 rifles and shotguns. Yes, they were cheaper to buy and they did work well but the styling was just not there. They are still great guns to have and I will give more attention to those particular firearms in other articles.
The only gun at this point that I consider a true classic firearm in the Savage Rifle line of the 1950s would be the Savage 99.
It has both history and style. It is one of my all-time favorite rifles. I will talk more of the gun in individual articles about it.