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October 8, 2023
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So I just sent for a factory letter and serial number search on my recent purchase of a Savage model 1899 chambered in 38-55 and was a bit disappointed to find no information on the sights that it was shipped with originally. The search did say it was shipped in September of 1903 and sold to Hall and Knight . Do you guys know of them , were they a dealership at the time ?
August 27, 2014
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Hall & Knight Hardware Co.
Lewiston, ME
Looks like they’re still in business
“If you can’t convince them, confuse them”
President Harry S. Truman
November 7, 2015
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New to me. I’ve only requested Winchester (OK, one Marlin) searches. FWIW the Marlin search did not make a note of the sights. Hall and Knight sounds like a distributor but could have been a hardware store.
Mike
October 8, 2023
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Tedk said
Hall & Knight Hardware Co.
Lewiston, ME
Looks like they’re still in business
Thanks , good to know ! I did a quick internet search but came up with nothing .
October 8, 2023
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TXGunNut said
New to me. I’ve only requested Winchester (OK, one Marlin) searches. FWIW the Marlin search did not make a note of the sights. Hall and Knight sounds like a distributor but could have been a hardware store.
Mike
So it’s not uncommon for them not to make note of the sights ? It has a marbles tang sight and marbles front sight and the rear sight is a Lyman folding leaf, I guess there’s no way to know if the sights are all original .
Chris
August 27, 2014
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Chris,
Post your questions in Savage Collectors Forum on the 24 Hour Campfire site, some very knowledgeable collectors over there
“If you can’t convince them, confuse them”
President Harry S. Truman
October 8, 2023
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Tedk said
Chris,
Post your questions in Savage Collectors Forum on the 24 Hour Campfire site, some very knowledgeable collectors over there
Okay thanks Ted, will do , I looked it up last week but I thought you had to have a membership to post and I saw where they were shutting it down in August unfortunately.
Chris
August 27, 2014
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One can post as a Guest
24 Hour Campfire is not shutting down in August
“If you can’t convince them, confuse them”
President Harry S. Truman
October 8, 2023
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Tedk said
One can post as a Guest
24 Hour Campfire is not shutting down in August
Oh so it’s just the Savage collectors forum that’s shutting down ?
November 7, 2015
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Chris Sterling said
TXGunNut said
New to me. I’ve only requested Winchester (OK, one Marlin) searches. FWIW the Marlin search did not make a note of the sights. Hall and Knight sounds like a distributor but could have been a hardware store.
Mike
So it’s not uncommon for them not to make note of the sights ? It has a marbles tang sight and marbles front sight and the rear sight is a Lyman folding leaf, I guess there’s no way to know if the sights are all original .
Chris
I would compare the patent dates on the sights with the build date from the factory records search, that will possibly give you your answer. Apparently it’s not uncommon for Marlin to have no record of the sights, no idea about Savage. 24 Hour Campfire is a good bunch, I like Tedk’s suggestion.
Mike
October 8, 2023
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TXGunNut said
Chris Sterling said
TXGunNut said
New to me. I’ve only requested Winchester (OK, one Marlin) searches. FWIW the Marlin search did not make a note of the sights. Hall and Knight sounds like a distributor but could have been a hardware store.
Mike
So it’s not uncommon for them not to make note of the sights ? It has a marbles tang sight and marbles front sight and the rear sight is a Lyman folding leaf, I guess there’s no way to know if the sights are all original .
Chris
I would compare the patent dates on the sights with the build date from the factory records search, that will possibly give you your answer. Apparently it’s not uncommon for Marlin to have no record of the sights, no idea about Savage. 24 Hour Campfire is a good bunch, I like Tedk’s suggestion.
Mike
Thanks Mike , I just joined that forum but can’t post just yet . It looks like the Lyman folding sight patent date is July , 01 and it’s hard to make out on the tang sight but looks like 02 .
May 2, 2009
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In the 73 records only 5% of the guns will have records of sights.
Bob
WACA Life Member--- NRA Life Member---- Cody Firearms member since 1991 Researching the Winchester 1873's
Email: [email protected]
October 8, 2023
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1873man said
In the 73 records only 5% of the guns will have records of sights.
Bob
Oh no kidding , good to know thanks Bob !
April 15, 2005
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1873man said
In the 73 records only 5% of the guns will have records of sights.
Bob
For the Single Shot model, the records have sights listed for just 10.4% of the entire production through the first 109,999 records. I suspect that most of the other lever-action models are similar to the Model 1873.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
September 19, 2014
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Got to pile on as well. If you have a Winchester you REALLY want to have the sights verified as original, the odds are greatly against you. But once in a while, the record will show the sight. Tim
January 27, 1992
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According to the Stroebel “Old Gunsights” book, Marbles started producing their sights in 1904. RDB
October 8, 2023
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rogertherelic said
According to the Stroebel “Old Gunsights” book, Marbles started producing their sights in 1904. RDB
Well upon closer inspection of that tang sight , it appears to be 05 not 02 which I originally thought . That agrees with the 1904 production and I guess that means it didn’t come on the rifle originally but must have been added later , I wonder if the Lyman folding sight came on it originally?
