New favorite for a new century: in the author's opinion, no rifle was ever heifer named. Savage Arms' new favorite is a worthy inheritor of this name, and a fun project for the hobby gunsmith

Guns Magazine, Dec, 2002 by Jim Gardner

"The Favorite was without a doubt the finest boy's rifle ever made, and there is nothing comparable to it made today. There are also many men who think it is pretty nice, and I know a couple of gunsmiths who have fitted possibly hundreds of old Favorites with new barrels using anything available that was of suitable size." In this one paragraph from his 1967 book Boys' Single Shot Rifles, author James Grant nicely summed up the state and characterization of the beloved Stevens Favorite rifle in the mid-20th century.

The Favorite was first cataloged in 1894. An outgrowth of the earlier Stevens sideplate rifle, it quickly become the company's most successful small frame rifle, displacing earlier models such as the Stevens Tip-Up and "Sure Shot." In the vernacular of the time, the Favorite was a "peach" of a rifle.

As a boy growing up in the early '60s, Favorites were not too uncommon, but finding one in decent, shooting condition was already becoming tough. I can clearly remember seeing my first specimen -- oh, how I coveted that little rifle! Although it would be many years before I would own a Favorite, these trim, elegant little rifles had captured my imagination.

Finding a good Favorite is no longer a challenge. Savage Arms announced the introduction of the new Favorite, the Model 30G in 2000. Frankly, the little rifle is just neat as a pin. In silhouette, it looks just like its predecessor. However, a casual inspection will show a few differences.

Detailed Inspection

The breech block and hammer appear to be manufactured by the Metal Injection Molding process. They look a little strange -- rather "skeletonized." In operation, when the lever is lowered, the trigger is tripped, dropping the hammer to a safe position against the breech block. Combined with an inertia firing pin, the 30G is more secure against an accidental discharge than the old Favorite.

The Savage is fitted out with a stock and forend of quite nice black walnut. What a pleasure to find a good piece of wood on a budget-priced rimfire. This is a delightful surprise in these days of "walnut finished hardwood" furniture. The stock is actually a bit longer than on the vintage Favorites. If you purchase a 300 for your youngster, odds are you will need to shorten the stock to fit.

The stock stands proud of the receiver tangs by a slight amount, and the forend is pretty boxy, but this is hardly a fault in a rifle with a MSRP of $214. Besides, trimming and shaping this woodwork will be a pleasant task for a chilly winter evening.

Trigger pull was about 5 pounds, but the old gunsmith's trick of "marrying" the sear and hammer dropped it to a crisp 3.5 pounds with only a minute's work. The furnished sights are a rugged bead front and open rear.

A Real Featherweight

Not counting the slightly unorthodox appearance of the hammer and breech block, the greatest changes from the original Favorite are the solid frame construction, and the very light barrel contour.

The half-octagon barrel is 21 inches in length. At the receiver, the octagonal section measures .630 inch across the flats. At the muzzle, the diameter is a trim .565 inch. Weight of the rifle complete is a scant 4.25 pounds. The upside here is that the 300 is the right weight for your youngsters, and it's also pleasingly light for a long back-country hike or lengthy canoe portage.

The downside, and it's a minor one, is that the 300 lacks the muzzle-heavy weight distribution which made the original Favorites so steady for off-hand shooting.

Perpetual Tinkerer

As it comes from the box, the Savage 30G is a gem of a rifle. Nice as it is, I simply couldn't leave well enough alone. The original Favorites, from the 1894 version to the last 1915 models, were all takedown rifles. Many rifles of the period were, and this probably has a great deal to do with the common transportation of the time.

Whether you were riding the streetcar out of town for a day of woods loafing, or taking the train for a two week holiday in the Adirondacks, a takedown rifle was markedly easier to carry. It also makes it easier to properly clean the barrel from the breech.

Could the Savage 30G be remodeled into a takedown? Is this a job that could be performed in a modestly equipped home shop? I lost little time in finding out.

Stepping Out To The Shop

The barrel of the Savage is retained by a single cross pin. Driving this out, I found the barrel was still reluctant to pull free of the receiver. I surmised that it might be a press fit, but that turns Out not to be the case. The barrel was removed by clamping it into a vise, and driving the receiver off the barrel shank by careful blows with a non-marring mallet.

The barrel retaining pin is a tight drive fit (as it should be) and is also stab-crimped in three places to make it resistant to loosening. Driving the pin into place distorts the metal of the receiver, and it was this distortion that made the barrel reluctant to come away from the receiver.

Having pulled the barrel, a little careful file work followed by polishing with a strip of 240 grit abrasive on a slotted brass rod removed the distortion in the receiver bore. Don't go overboard here. We want the barrel to fit snugly. Remove only enough material to permit a tight slip fit of the barrel into the receiver.