History of the company
Dating firearms
SAVAGE MODEL NINETY-NINE SERIALIZATION
Serial Numbers At Year End 1899 to 1950:
10,000 1899
13,400 1900
19,500 1901
25,000 1902
35,000 1903
45,000 1904
53,000 1905
67,500 1906
73,500 1907
81,000 1908
95,000 1909
110,000 1910
119,000 1911
131,000 1912
146,500 1913
162,000 1914
175,500 1915
187,500 1916
193,000 1917
N/A 1918
212,500 1919
229,000 1920
237,500 1921
244,500 1922
256,000 1923
270,000 1924
280,000 1925
292,500 1926
305,000 1927
317,000 1928
324,500 1929
334,500 1930
338,500 1931
341,000 1932
344,500 1933
345,800 1934
350,800 1935
359,800 1936
N/A 1937
381,351 1938
388,640 1939
398,400 1940
416,000 1941
438,000 1946
464,000 1947
494,000 1948
528,000 1949
566,000 1950
1951-1968
595,000-620,000 made in 1951
620,000-652,000 made in 1952
652,000-720,000 made in 1953
720,000-756,000 made in 1954
756,000-775,000 made in 1955
775,000-800,000 made in 1956
800,000-900,000 are very uncommon, only 502 99’s were made inbetween this serial range most of them starting with 835,XXX as the first three numbers.
900,000-925,000 made in 1956
925,000-952,000 made in 1957
952,000-960,000 made in 1958
960,000-968,000 made in 1959
968,000 stopped the 900’s and the move to Westfield Mass started the 1,000,000 serial range.
1,000,000-1,010,000 made in 1960
1,010,000-1,039,000 made in 1961
1,039,000-1,053,000 made in 1962
1,053,000-1,065,000 made in 1963
1,065,000-1,084,000 made in 1964
1,084,000-1,110,200 made in 1965
1,110,200-1,130,000 made in 1966
1,130,000-1,160,000 made in 1967
1,160,000-1,182,000 made in 1968
Date Code Stamp (1949-1969)
Savage, from 1949 to 1969 marked a coded Date Stamp to indicate the year of manufacture. This stamp is a single-digit number and a single letter inside of a circle. The letter indicates the year of manufacture. The following list identifies which letter represents which year. (Note that letters “O” and “Q” were omitted.)
Year / Letter
1949 / A
1950 / B
1951 / C
1952 / D
1953 / E
1954 / F
1955 / G
1956 / H
1957 / I
1958 / J
1959 / K
1960 / L
1961 / M
1962 / N
1963 / P
1964 / R
1965 / S
1966 / T
1967 / U
1968 / V
1969 / W
On Model 99’s this date code stamp will be on the bottom of the lever boss just ahead of the lever pivot pin as shown in this photo.
On Fox B’s it is on the bottom of the receiver, between the barrel lug and the image (either marsh scene or fox.)
Savage Fox Model B Info
—–Timeline—–
1930 – Savage Arms Corporation purchased The A. H. Fox Gun Company in January, 1930 and moved production to the Savage plant in Utica, NY. The product line of A. H. Fox double barrel guns was continued in production until circa 1940
1939 – Savage introduces Fox SxS
address on the barrels, Utica, NY, up thru 1945/6
double trigger, plain extractor, slim forearm
extractors, double triggers, hand cut or pressed checkered pistol grip stock and beavertail forearm and was made in the period 1940-1986.
early Model B guns were decorated with flying ducks roll marked on the bottom of the frame.
1940 – Added to Savage Catalog
the complete line of A. H. Fox and Sterlingworth double barrel guns was discontinued and machinery and tooling was moved to the Stevens plant in Chicopee Falls, MA.
1941-9 – Chicopee Falls, Mass.
These shotguns can only be dated by the inspector and assembly marks on the gun.
1949-71 – will be stamped with the Savage date code. The Savage/Stevens date code is a lightly stamped 1/4″ diameter circle located between the trigger guard and hinge pin on the bottom of the receiver or on the top of the barrels which contains one or two numbers and a letter. The numbers identify the final inspector who approved the gun. The letter is the date code which began in 1949; A = 1949, B = 1950, C = 1951, D = 1952, etc. Letter “O” and “Q” were not used to avoid confusion.
Shotguns made in the period 1949-mid 1960 will have a Chicopee Falls, MA address stamped on the top of the barrels
1955 – Introduction of Model BST (non-selective single trigger and a beavertail forearm)
1960 – B and BST get ventilated ribs
1960/mid – Westfield, Mass.
1962 – B De Luxe in 12-gauge was added with a satin chrome receiver, white-line grip cap and butt plate, checkered side panels, beavertail, ventilated rib, and gold plated non-selective single trigger. They also gold plated the trigger on the BST.
1964 – De Luxe became the BDE, and included automatic ejectors, and also was available in 20-gauge chambered for 3-inch shells.
1965 – B and BST 20-gauges got 3-inch chambers
1968 – Serial numbers begin in October with Gun Control Act
1971 – grip caps are gone from the B and BSE.
Savage 550 which was just like the BSE but had a case hardened receiver, and was offered in 12- and 20-gauges. The text said it had precisely engineered barrels resulting in perfect balance. In the picture it appears to be a mono-bloc design?
1973 – BSE and 16-gauges are gone, but there is a 24-inch barrel B in 12-gauge and 20-gauge, both with 3-inch chambers.
1974 – Savage 550 is gone and the B-SE is back. The B-SE 12-gauge has 2 ¾ inch chambers and the 12-gauge B and 24” Fox B have 3-inch chambers. All the 20-gauge and .410-bore are 3-inch chambered. No changes for 1975, 6, 7, or 8. For 1979 the grip caps are back and the double triggered B is offered with ejectors as the BE.
1980 – cut checkering is back, but the 24-inch barrel offerings are gone – B, BE and B-SE.
1981 – BE was gone, but the FA-1 and the FP-1 Fox autoloader and pump appeared.
1982 – Fox offerings were B, B-SE, FA-1 and FP-1.
1983 – only Fox offering was the B-SE. The B-SE remained through the 1987 catalogue
1988 – Fox is no longer in the Savage catalog.
—–Variations——
Model B has 2 triggers
Model B-ST has a gold-plated non-selective single trigger and beaver-tail fore-end. The Model B-ST was made in the period 1955-1966.
Model B-DL (De Luxe) was similar to the Model B-ST and had a checkered select walnut pistol grip stock, beavertail forearm, non-selective single trigger and satin chrome finished frame. The Model B-DL was made in the period 1962-1965.
The Model B-DE was similar to the Model B-DL with checkered select walnut pistol grip stock, beavertail forearm, non-selective single trigger and satin chrome finished frame The Model B-DE was made in the period 1965-1966.
The Model B-SE was the last of the Model B guns and had single selective trigger, selective ejectors, vent rib, beavertail forearm and select walnut stock with pressed checkering. The Model B-SE was made in the period 1966-1988.
Both versions have a ventilated rib, and are offered in 12-, 16-, and 20-ga., and .410-bore
Forend
In earlier versions of this gun, the fore-end iron is held to the fore-end by 2 wood screws.
In some later specimens 2 machine screws are used in lieu of wood screws, and
in the newest Model B the rear fore-end screw engages a threaded hole in a flat steel fore-end insert. The latest type is illustrated.
Return of the A.H. Fox shotgun
Connecticut Shotgun Manufacturing Company licensed the use of the A. H. Fox name from Savage and in 1993 began producing A. H. Fox high-grade shotguns chambered for 12 and 20 gauge in five different grades. These best-quality shotguns are still being made, mostly by hand, to this day.
In addition, Savage Arms Company, owners of the Fox name, in 2017, introduced the “Fox A Grade”, a newly designed double barrel made for them by Connecticut Shotgun Manufacturing Company.
This new shotgun is not a copy of the original Fox guns, although the Connecticut Shotgun Manufacturing Company still makes those, but a totally new design made on CNC and EDM machines and laser engravers that can challenge the precision of hand made best quality shotguns without the cost of highly skilled labor.
