How about this relic?

L

lhare

New member
This was plowed up just north of Waurika Oklahoma back in the 40s. The cylinder will still turn and the hammer will cock. The Chisolm Trail ran through there and is not far from Fort Sill so it should be able to tell some good stories.
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It's a Savage & North .36 Navy. Lever action. When you pull back on the ring under the trigger (with your middle finger), it cocks the hammer, pulls the cylinder away from the forcing cone and rotates it. Release the ring and the cylinder is forced up against the barrel, forming a gas seal.
Mine is still a shooter.


http://armscollectors.com/mgs/savage_north.htm
 
pohill - many years ago (40+) I was at a household auction in Michigan and they pulled a Savage & North Navy out of the attic. I had a chance to handle and examine it - it really was quite a pistol! It was in excellent shape - nice and tight an probably 90% + original finish. I was young and wanted it in the worst way . . . but . . . . when it came up, I remember that it was sold for $125.00. It was a fair price at the time but way too much for me (as a kid) to bite off. I'm just curious - you've evidently shot yours? How did it shoot? I would imagine after shooting Colts and Remingtons it would take some getting used to?

As far as the one pictured that was plowed up in OK . . . . all I can say is "WHAT A FIND!!!". The "find location" being near the old trail and the fort adds even more thrill to it. And you're right . .. . . it it could only talk, what a tale I'm sure it could tell. A really nice relic of the early days and I'm sure it's treasured! Thanks for sharing!
 
How did it shoot?
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The Savage & North .36 should have been a .44. It's a big gun. Cocking the ring with your middle finger and firing the gun with your trigger finger is smooth and very fast once you master it (but the gun is not a quick draw revolver at all).
I used .380 roundballs and maybe 15 grs of black powder. The .380 balls are too small - a .390 would be a better fit. As far as accuracy - mine is missing the front sight so I was more interested in just firing than hitting anything.
Ruger Old Army nipples are a great replacement for this gun.
The dug up relic is very interesting. The gun, in any shape, is a great conversation piece.
The serial numbers on mine are located under the side plate, under the loading lever, and on the left bottom of the frame (under the grips). You'd probably have to do some cleaning of metal to find it (not sure if it's worth disturbing that old beauty).
I posted on The High Road forum last week about this gun and its cylinder adjustment.
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=532217
This is the sight picture (minus the front sight):
IMG_0262.jpg
 
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Savage-North

My LGS has a Savage-North that looks practically NEW. Probably the highest conditioned original BP revolver I've ever seen.
Asking price is North of 3K
After I saw it in the case I had to look it up, they are very unique.
 
Thank you for the description, that's a truely unique solution for DA operation. I guess Pietta and Uberti haven't made a repro for this one yet. :)
 
A friend of mine, a local High School history teacher, inherited an original Springfield, which we have fired. A former student of his inherited a Savage & North .36 and a rifle that belonged to a member of the Berdans Sharpshooters. One night last fall we sat around a campfire with our antique weapons. My friend stood and held both Savage & Norths, saying that he was probably the only person in the world that night holding two of them. He has a friend who has an original Lematt but he couldn't make it that night.
Gotta love those old guns.
 
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