doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Savage OU?

I don't know if I am out of line with this question? Just tell me and I'll shut up.

I bumped into a Savage Model 430 OU the other day. I didn't know they ever made one, but apparently they did for a short while prior to WW2.

I'd appreciate any comments or info.

Thanks, R.

i had one and loved it. my father has it now. the 430 was the "deluxe" model. mine had wood in the butt far better than some graded superposed's i've own and was mint (when i got it). first time i had it out i ran 49 out of 50 at pasture trap and that was shooting low gun and pulling for myself with a lanyard.

most will probably tell you it's nothing special and too heavy, niether of which i found to be true. they're pretty scarce, and tho catalogued up into the 40's i suspect they were dropped at the beginning of WWII and not made again.

roger

Are you sure the 430 was made by Valmet? I know the 330 and 333 were.

I was told the 430 was made by Savage from 1938-1942. Valmet built guns were postwar, or so I'm told.

I've never even thought about owning an OU, but this one is cheap and if it is domestic, I have some interest. It has not been well cared for: apparently more neglect than abuse, but it might be fun to clean up and shoot a little. ....Maybe....! So I'm looking for information.

Patriot,
You're right. I spoke too soon. Mine was a 300 series. Sorry.

In 1937, Savage introduced a new series of Savage shotguns, the 220 hammerless single barrel, the 320 side-by-side double and the 420/430 over/under. The Savage catalogues state they would begin shipments of the 420/430 in 12-gauge by May 1st and the 20-gauges by September 1st. The 320 double was only listed that one year. Also, that one year 1937, Savage's subsidiary down at Chicopee Falls, Mass. offered a Stevens 500 side-by-side double Skeet Gun with a beavertail forearm and a non-selective single trigger. By 1938 the 420/430 could be had in 12-, 16-, and 20-gauges, extra sets of barrels and a non-selective single trigger was offered. In addition to the fancy crotch walnut, the 430 also had a Jostam Anti-Flinch recoil pad. The 420/430 remained thru the 1941 price list, but were gone by the 1942.

No problem. I made a mistake one time..........but I'm still trying to remember.

My first double was a 420 20ga. Researcher has the story right: those were American-made guns, for a very brief time. All the other OU's marketed by Savage, after WWII, were made either by Valmet in Finland or in Italy.

I finally found one on Gunbroker. It is not a Valmet. I'd guess something Italian or Spanish. I've even worked on one some time ago, for a friend. However, if the one you're interested doesn't LOOK like a Valmet(sliding hood), I'd say it's not.

From about 1968-1972, Savage marketed the 440 and 444 Deluxe.
They were made in Italy by FABARM. I had a 444 Deluxe for a time and it was a pretty nice gun. Much like the current Rizzini type guns actually but I suspect it had an alloy receiver as the gun weighed about 6 1/2 lbs in 12 gauge and the (Black) receiver was finished much like the Franchi Falconet. I enjoyed the gun very much.