Savage 1907 *Update*

[Dump1567]

I picked this up at a local Pawn shop I just found. It was priced at $400, but got it for $300. I'll definitely go back to this place. Unfortunately no mag, so that will be another $100 (unless I go Triple K). If anyone has a correct factory mag they want to part with, please let me know.

This is .32 acp and was made in 1919. Some finish wear and a chipped left grip panel, but internally it's excellent. I missed out on one of these a few years ago for $450, and have had my eye out ever since.

****Update****

So I got two Mags from Sarco. A little ruff with minor pitting, but I don't think you can beat the price. I did disassemble and clean them. The mags definitely didn't seem to be of the same quality of the pistol.

I took the Savage to the indoor range today (suppose to be 106 today ). At about 20 feet it was accurate and 100% reliable with both mags. I was even loading them to 10 +1 in the chamber. When I got tired of trying to see the sights, I just kind of point shooted. All were in the center mass area. Ammo used was Fiocchi FMJ. I shot this better than my Walther (Manurhin) PP in .32.

I'm glad I finally picked one of these up.

 

[jmace57]

Nice find! If I recall, SARCO has/had a bunch of magazines for these that were for the Portuguese navy. They are correct, but have a thin parkerized like coating. (I think I got mine for about $40)

Found the link: Savage 1905 .32 Auto Pistol Magazine

Be aware that taking off a grip panel (especially this old) will almost guarantee it will be wrecked.

 

[NYlakesider]

I picked this up at a local Pawn shop I just found. It was priced at $400, but got it for $300. I'll definitely go back to this place. Unfortunately no mag, so that will be another $100 (unless I go Triple K). If anyone has a correct factory mag they want to part with, please let me know.

This is .32 acp and was made in 1919. Some finish wear and a chipped left grip panel, but internally it's excellent. I missed out on one of these a few years ago for $450, and have had my eye out ever since.

I know you said no mag, but how does the magazine release?

Just push in that little piece of metal at the lower front of the mag well?

 

[Dump1567]

Nice find! If I recall, SARCO has/had a bunch of magazines for these that were for the Portuguese navy. They are correct, but have a thin parkerized like coating. (I think I got mine for about $40)

Be aware that taking off a grip panel (especially this old) will almost guarantee it will be wrecked.

Awesome. Just ordered two. Thanks. One of the reviewers felt the spring was not correct but aftermarket. Did you have that issue?

I was just going to leave the grip as is. It isn't loose or anything.

 

[Dump1567]

I know you said no mag, but how does the magazine release?

Just push in that little piece of metal at the lower front of the mag well?

Yes. The release is at the bottom of the front of the frame.

 

[Ozark Marine]

Fun gun's/caliber to shoot.
Mine dates to 1911.
Has the larger slide serrations.

 

[jmace57]

Awesome. Just ordered two. Thanks. One of the reviewers felt the spring was not correct but aftermarket. Did you have that issue?

I was just going to leave the grip as is. It isn't loose or anything.

Actually the one I got was basically new.

They are a fun little gun!

 

[Alpo]

These mags from SARCO - are they ten-rounders like they're s'posed to be, or seven-rounders like the Triple K repros?

 

[DWalt]

I have two Savages - one each .32 and .380. Mine look like they just came from the factory. Built like the proverbial Swiss watch. I doubt if anyone could afford to duplicate them today.

 

[italiansport]

IMO: These Savage pocket pistols have never received the recognition they deserve in comparison to their Colt and Remington rivals. They are well made and great pistols in their own right!
Jim

 

[scoobysnacker]

Congrats on finding a neat, unique little pistol. I like mine.

A couple notes- the Sarco mag link is posted, a couple days after Sarco ended a free shipping period (for the 4th of July)
Just my luck.

Someone mentioned the grips, and how they break when you remove them. Yep, that's my experience too. I bought mine with one missing, the other chipped.
Midway, I think, sells a vintage replica set of grips. Black, has the correct Indian head, everything looks right. Was around $25 or so. Might be worth it to pick up a set, just for peace of mind.

Shooting it; for whatever reason, I have a lot of trouble (my son and his buddy too). No groups, going all over the paper. Still hitting the black at reasonable distances, but just all over the place. I thought my barrel was bad... then I put it on a benchrest. And proceeded to put 5 rds through 1 ragged hole, right directly on the bullseye. So the gun is mechanically very accurate.
I'm not sure what we're doing wrong, but the muzzle swims around whenever we pull the trigger. It isn't a heavy pull, so it's not that.
Good luck, hopefully you don't have whatever motor control issues I have.

As an aside, I work in a hospital, and I'm seriously thinking of getting an Occupational Therapist friend of mine to assess my shooting. They specialize in fine motor activities, and I think she might be able to spot what I'm doing wrong. She's not much into shooting, but I don't think that will matter- it's hand mechanics.

 

[DWalt]

I have not fired either of mine a great amount because they are in such high condition. I did fire my .32 over sandbags once and it grouped OK for a pocket pistol. The only problem with the Savage design is that the grip angle is too perpendicular.

 

[DocB]

Picked up its twin about a year ago for $125. The LGS didn't care much about it. When I told them I took it out and shot it, they were amazed. Guess they thought that would be dangerous. . .not hardly. The gun is in really nice condition. Last week I noticed the LGS in Macon had two of them out. Both were marked, "Not For Sale" and "Personal Collection" which really impressed me. I guess they are a lot more desirable than I thought. It does shoot really good.

 

[Dump1567]

When I took mine apart, I was really impressed with the workmanship of the manufacturing. I'm also surprised they're not more collectible & seem to sell in the $400 range. And in a world of around 8 billion people, just over 200k being produced doesn't seem like a lot.

And it's the preferred weapon of Jude Law in the movie "Road to Perdition".

 

[DWalt]

I was going to mention the "Road to Perdition" connection but forgot to. To the best of my knowledge that's the only time a Savage pistol has been used in a movie, but I haven't verified that.

 

[Texas Star]

Didn't Bat Masterson do ads for these?

A Savage .32 was the first pistol I concealed on my person. I don't recall now if it was a 1907 or a 1917. I think probably the latter.

My uncle in Tulsa had one and I carried it a few times when visiting. I was about 12, and he was surprised to learn that I'd been carrying the gun as we went around town.

Both France and Portugal issued some Savage .32's to their forces. I'm not sure who in Portugal got them, as they also issued 7.65mm Lugers. Maybe Kurusu can tell us?

 

[Dump1567]

Here's a few ads I found here. There's many more listed along with other great info.

The Savage Model 1907 Pocket Pistol

 

[DWalt]

Stern's "10 Shots Quick" is also an interesting read - but as it's out of print (at least I think it is), it's somewhat expensive.

[ame]https://www.amazon.com/10-shots-quick-fascinating-automatics/dp/B0006BRDJE[/ame]

Savage also entered the 1907 Army pistol competition with essentially a scaled-up version of the .32 chambered in .45 Automatic. It was called the Savage 1907. Obviously, it wasn't selected. I think there are a relatively small number of them around in collector's hands. I have never seen one.

 

[Kurusu]

Didn't Bat Masterson do ads for these?

A Savage .32 was the first pistol I concealed on my person. I don't recall now if it was a 1907 or a 1917. I think probably the latter.

My uncle in Tulsa had one and I carried it a few times when visiting. I was about 12, and he was surprised to learn that I'd been carrying the gun as we went around town.

Both France and Portugal issued some Savage .32's to their forces. I'm not sure who in Portugal got them, as they also issued 7.65mm Lugers. Maybe Kurusu can tell us?

He did. And so did non other than "Buffalo Bill".

Yes I can tell you. The 1907 Savage was bought first for the Army when a need to expand the number of service pistols was felt after WWI had already started, and afterwards, the Navy did the same thing, but in much smaller numbers (it is believed that it was the pistols of the Navy contract that had the grip panels with the Portuguese crest). What they all had in common, same as the French ones, was a lanyard ring and a loaded chamber indicator. After1942, when the Army went for Lugers in 9mm, most of the Savage pistols went to various Law Enforcement services and ended up their official careers in the hands of nightwatchmen.

Here's mine from 1915.

Exemple of the Portuguese Crest grip panels. Those are extremely rare. There is only one known pistol in Portugal. The Navy contract pistols were surplused as a block to the USA and it is believed the resalers changed back the grips to Savage standard.

 

[Kurusu]

I was going to mention the "Road to Perdition" connection but forgot to. To the best of my knowledge that's the only time a Savage pistol has been used in a movie, but I haven't verified that.

It was also used in "The Cheap Detective".