Stevens 325A (Savage 340) bolt-action 30/30

sigp220.45 · Feb 28, 2022

I once paid 25 bucks for a functional Savage 340 30/30 that had ZERO finish on either the stock or the metal. It was a Blackfeet Tribal PD evidence gun that had been securely stored under a truck topper set on the ground in a guy’s backyard. I got it looking ok but one of my tribal buddies liked it so I gave it to him. He’s still killing deer and elk with it. He won’t hunt bears, but I think he dropped a moose with it too.

A couple of weeks ago I found a Stevens Model 325A 30/30 for ten times what I paid for the last one. This one had some decent finish left so I ponied up.

I refinished the stock with on-hand materials and hit the metal with some 0000 and oil. That cool bolt handle is probably as close as I’ll get to a proper Mannlicher.

It shoots great. Anybody else like these things?

lihpster · Feb 28, 2022

Dad bought a Savage and refinished it. Took a nice buck with it too. Cool guns.

smithman 10 · Feb 28, 2022

I like them

I used to have a Savage 30-30 store brand rifle marked Foremost that was nice except for the cheesy gold trigger.

Then I found a 340A that looked darn near brand new and bought it a couple years ago.

These rifles are fun to shoot, light weight, decent trigger but I guess John Wayne woulda needed a lever gun. I read Savage made them as the poor man's 30-30 to compete with the Winchester 94.

Anyway, here's a pic of the Foremost, which I sold after I got the 340A (don't have a photo of it).

Drm50 · Feb 28, 2022

Those Savage 340s all shot decent. I was in Army down at Bliss. I bought a 340 30/30 of a guy and got a 30/30 Lee Loader with it. He had Little Dipper for the powder. Components were supplied by Uncle same. Only bought primers. Block of oak to stick a 7.62 nato into. Push down and remove bullet, pour power in a cup and use dipper to fill 30/30. Reminds me he had no magazine, I think maybe he lost it because loads were over Length. It shot good with Tasco scope. Shot many rabbits with it.

ColbyBruce · Feb 28, 2022

I don’t like them

I honestly love them, all calibers. Crude, but well made, reliable, accurate and at one time…affordable. Not so affordable now-a-days; those things are priced $450.00+ around here. I am still searching for my next one.

mobilemechanic · Feb 28, 2022

A friend of mine had one in .222 with a B&L scope on a weaver mount, he killed a boat load of woodchucks with it in south west NY

garddogg56 · Feb 28, 2022

I bought this Savage 340 in a 30-30 for my grandson in the pic and his first Buck was a mastic 158 score whitetail he dropped at 130 yards

open sites .Oh to have young eyes lol

DWalt · Feb 28, 2022

Over 50 years ago I had a 340 in .222 Rem for several years. Not the best styling, in fact it was downright unattractive, but it shot fairly well. As I remember I put a side-mounted scope on it and cleaned up the trigger pull so it was fairly crisp. I don't believe I ever shot anything with it other than paper targets.

jimmyj · Feb 28, 2022

I purchased a Model 340 .30/30 in 1965 in hopes I would be invited to a group deer hunt. I didn't get invited so I sold it. In 2020 I purchased another Model 340 and installed a scope on it. I had forgot how simple and crude these models are.

ColbyBruce · Feb 28, 2022

My brother’s old 325 and 170 pump.

ColbyBruce · Feb 28, 2022

jimmyj, do you recall what that cost back then?

dwh · Feb 28, 2022

My uncle used say they were as ugly as a gas pipe strapped to a canoe paddle. They have always been fun restoration projects. I used to pick them up cheap and restore them my friends kids for their first deer rifle.

Ruger 13 · Mar 1, 2022

I like the bolt handle too…….did it come from Savage like that?

CajunBass · Mar 1, 2022

Never owned one, but I remember drooling over them in the Sears catalog back in the day. I'm pretty sure Sears sold them under their own name, but may be wrong about that. IIRC, they were the least expensive "high power rifle" in the book, which I'm sure was at least part of the attraction for a kid in the 60's. It's been a long time ago of course, but I think they were less than $100.00. Maybe $79.95 or so.

DumpStick · Mar 1, 2022

I picked up a 340 at an auction a few months ago, gave $300 for it. It's got a 4x El Paso Weaver on it, with one of those funky side-mount scopes.

I really bought it thinking to keep the scope and sell the rifle on, but after looking at it I think it's going to be a cast bullet rifle for the Mrs.

I'm still stealing the scope off it, she'll get a Jap Tasco. I need all the advantages I can get when we shoot together.

jimmyj · Mar 1, 2022

ColbyBruce said:
jimmyj, do you recall what that cost back then?

in the neighborhood of $65.00 (new)

raljr1 · Mar 1, 2022

I bought one in the early 90's from a coworker for $150. My son preferred my brother's Winchester model 94 over this one so we ended up trading, My nephew still uses the Savage 340. I think it is a much better gun for a young hunter than a model 94. No need to run live rounds thru the action to empty it, a positive safety as opposed to the old half cock hammer...just open the bolt and drop the magazine to empty it. Accuracy is plenty good for a hunting rifle, if not sub MOA, and if you reload you can use any bullet you like.

murphydog · Mar 1, 2022

I recall seeing these used in gun stores and thinking - "Savage, the home of really plain wood". Wonder if there is still a market for bolt action .30-30s?

ColbyBruce · Mar 1, 2022

Ruger 1 said:
I like the bolt handle too…….did it come from Savage like that?

Yes, the early models had this type of bolt handle design. My brother mounted a two-piece B-Square mount on this rifle. This mount, like the one-piece stamped steel mounts, had little space between the rings to allow for scope adjustment fore and aft. There is a newer design by Sun Optics with a Pic rail that is much more user friendly.

gwpercle · Mar 1, 2022

I like them Too !

In some ways , the bolt action 30-30 has an advantage or two over the lever action 30-30 ... especially if you handload . Hornady 110 gr. spire points in 30-30 make a dandy Varmit Load and the bolt action can feed them .

I always thought those Man-Licker bolt handles were so cool ...
LIKE LIKE LIKE !!!
Gary

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