Savage Model 1907 in .32 ACP

T

TruthTellers

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I've had a .32 ACP pistol in mind for a while now. I like the Colt 1903, the NAA Guardian, the Kel Tec P32, but recently, I've really become interested in the Savage 1907 pistols. I just like a lot of things about them.

I'd like to know what people who have them think about them? Another question I have is how tough are they to find magazines for?
 
I have one, and I think it's a neat piece of history. Very creative design (had to avoid Browning designs because of patents), put together with a level of care you don't see in today's plastic guns.

The safety is practically worthless as a safety, it's a slide lock for disassembly. It has functional accuracy, but I confess that it's among the toughest pistol for me to get tight groups with. To compare with other "old" .32'a I have, the CZ 27 and Mauser 1914 just seem to point better. They also have easier safeties to manipulate (button by the trigger guard, where a modern magazine release would be).

Savages have no screws, and that includes the grip panels. They dovetail in, and break easily if you try to take one out. Luckily, Midway carries reproduction grips for about $20 or so, so a broken grip isn't the end of the world. But one of mine is a little loose in the panel, so it wiggles when I grip it. Combined with small sights, I think this contributes to my loose groupings. However, I did plant it firmly on a sandbag bench and put 5 shots into a single ragged hole on the bullseye at 7 yds, so it's mechanically accurate.
I don't have any Walther-style .32s, but do have some in 9x18. I think those guns point better, but the Savage has minimal recoil.

The Savage is striker-fired, what looks like a hammer is merely a cocked indicator. So don't try to decock it.

Takedown is a little different, but find a youtube video and practice some, and it's really easy. Just not like anything "modern".

Regarding spare magazines, they're around, tend to cost over $100 and come with another Savage pistol :D
Otherwise, I think you're looking around $50 for a Triple K replacement, and those don't get a ton of love.

Magazine release is in the toe of the grip, not the heel. Mine is quite smooth and easy to use. Mag drops free.

Like my other old .32s, the Savage likes European ball ammo, over American (Winchester seems to have a flat nose). I've used Fiocchi and PPU to great result. A little online hunt and you should turn one of those two brands up for around $11 or so a box. If it's over $12, look around more, it's out there.

Hope this helps

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I was hoping to hear that Triple K magazines were better, but I guess not.

I'll keep thinking about it. These pistols are right in the same price range as the NAA Guardian and for some reason I really would like a steel .32 ACP pistol.
 
Had one for a while, different and neat, but I prefer the Colt 1903 and think its a more refined and practical design.

Reliability was fine, the fact that it reliably fed a(one of the first I believe?) double stack magazine was pretty neat I must say. Perhaps worth noting, it isn't the easiest pistol to rack the slide on.
 
I've always wanted one of those. Now that I have a seecamp and extra .32 ammo, thinking I need one of those.
I like the looks and design. very early 1900's look!
 
I do care for 7.65 mm/ .32 ACP Pistols ...enjoy shooting and collecting them. My Savage is a very early example with a polish and blue that would be hard to match and even later Savages did not have the attention given to this are. Magazines are often available on GB but are usually accompanied by an obscene price.
 
If you have a fleshy thumb web, the Savage will GRAB it when it fires. :eek:
First time, the damn gun even hung on to me.
Still have the scar.
Not used to "clearing" a pistol by ripping it off my hand!

I got rid of it for that reason. You can teach yourself to grip lower, but why?
 
My dad has a JP Sauer and Sohns .32acp pistol that looks like a raygun that I might inherit one day.
And the Walther PP and PPK come in .32acp as well.
 
scoobysnacker said:
I have one, and I think it's a neat piece of history. Very creative design (had to avoid Browning designs because of patents), put together with a level of care you don't see in today's plastic guns.

The safety is practically worthless as a safety, it's a slide lock for disassembly. It has functional accuracy, but I confess that it's among the toughest pistol for me to get tight groups with. To compare with other "old" .32'a I have, the CZ 27 and Mauser 1914 just seem to point better. They also have easier safeties to manipulate (button by the trigger guard, where a modern magazine release would be).

Savages have no screws, and that includes the grip panels. They dovetail in, and break easily if you try to take one out. Luckily, Midway carries reproduction grips for about $20 or so, so a broken grip isn't the end of the world. But one of mine is a little loose in the panel, so it wiggles when I grip it. Combined with small sights, I think this contributes to my loose groupings. However, I did plant it firmly on a sandbag bench and put 5 shots into a single ragged hole on the bullseye at 7 yds, so it's mechanically accurate.
I don't have any Walther-style .32s, but do have some in 9x18. I think those guns point better, but the Savage has minimal recoil.

The Savage is striker-fired, what looks like a hammer is merely a cocked indicator. So don't try to decock it.

Takedown is a little different, but find a youtube video and practice some, and it's really easy. Just not like anything "modern".

Regarding spare magazines, they're around, tend to cost over $100 and come with another Savage pistol :D
Otherwise, I think you're looking around $50 for a Triple K replacement, and those don't get a ton of love.

Magazine release is in the toe of the grip, not the heel. Mine is quite smooth and easy to use. Mag drops free.

Like my other old .32s, the Savage likes European ball ammo, over American (Winchester seems to have a flat nose). I've used Fiocchi and PPU to great result. A little online hunt and you should turn one of those two brands up for around $11 or so a box. If it's over $12, look around more, it's out there.

Hope this helps

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My 1917 looks exactly like that! Had an awful time finding out how to break it down for cleaning. I read that there are no screw's in the gun other than holding on the grips, I never saw one inside it. Kinda a neat little gun for which I can find no use! Got a bullet mold and dies for it but have a hard time finding cases. I have this feeling it could be very inexpensive on bullet's. cast some up and when you fire them run down range a bit and catch them. Actually worked up a light load for my 32 long, a power house that is death on rabbits! Out plinking I was shooting at a dried out old log at maybe 15yds and the bullet's were bouncing off and coming back and hitting me! True story!I swear! I love my 32 long and think that the 32 ACP in a small revolver would be neat to have. Useless but neat!

EDIT:

Forgot to mention I have a extra magazine and it's in the factory box!
 
"CZ 50 and 70's for $230 and $250"


Or even cheaper. CDI Sales on Gunbroker has a ton of them. The cheapest are $140 each.

I paid something like $225 for my CZ70 a couple of years ago. It was NiB with a manual and shoulder holster. Unfortunately, I don't really like it. It doesn't fit my hand well and is unpleasant to shoot.

A much nicer pistol of about the same size and price is the FEG one. I think it goes by different model names. One of them may be AP9. They look similar to a Walther PP. I bought one from AIM a few years back for a little over $200 and let my FiL talk me out of it. I bought myself another recently. I think I paid less than $200 for it. They are alloy framed and lighter than the CZ, but are much better balanced and more pleasant to shoot.

My Colt 1903 is a pleasure to shoot. The balance and design are things of beauty. It is doubtless much more accurate than I am. (The tiny sights make that pretty much a certainty.)

My favorite is my Beretta Model 100. It has an alloy frame similar in size to the CZ and the FEG, but it also has a 6" barrel and large adjustable sights. It is ridiculously accurate, almost like a good 22.

32acp is fun. What's not to like about it? My only objection is that the shell casings are so easy to lose. It's a fun caliber to shoot. My daughter could shoot it when she was eight, and so can my wife and MiL, even though they have bad wrists. Shooting only 22's gets old after a while, so it's fun for them to shoot something with just a little more pop to it.

I will probably pick up one of those Savages eventually, when I run into a deal that's too good to pass up. Didn't they have two or three slightly different models?
 
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Yeah, the first model is the most common I believe and it's the one in the pictures above. The second model is the least common, it has a grip safety and the hammer/cocking indicator is shrouded. The final model has no grip safety and the grip is shaped differently.

I like the first model the most.
 
I guess I have a problem thinking of any pistol that is a better collectors piece and more interesting than the Savage, and one that is less desirable as a practical carry pistol. The grip problem mentioned above is due to the nature of the gutta percha (aka "hard rubber") material, which was flexible when installed, but which becomes brittle over time and is very fragile today. Further, Searle had to work around Browning's patents (which included screws to hold on the grips) resulting in some really odd and not especially good design ideas.

I strongly advise keeping the Savage for the collection, maybe firing it a few times just to say you did, but buying a more modern pistol for serious use.

Jim
 
I've had an '07 for thirty years, and have never shot it.
Field stripping is easy - I can remember how, doing it once a year - but I don't know about going further than that.
I'm always intrigued by the early years of development of vehicles, tools, etc.
In the early 20th century, there were many ideas about how an auto pistol should work, how the controls should be laid-out, etc., and the Savage is an interesting design.
It feels good in the hand, holds more rounds than compact pistols of the era, and there are really a LOT of variations, if you want start a collection.
 
A good 32acp is the Beretta 81, I love it and even carry it from time to time. It has great capacity and is a solid performer. Its the same size as the Beretta 84 380 but is such a soft shooter.
 
If i could find one in .45...

I had a .32. It was neat. No tool take-down. Sturdy. It didn't seem all that finely finished to me(fit). The actual surface finish is a paint or something.

If you can get your hands on one and take it down it is a worthwhile experience. Given the pistols cost and amount you are likely to lose if you re-sell, worth the cost of admission to try.
 
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