16g CE Serial# 300200-300

[Dick Dow]

I'm a new member to this forum although I have a few nice Philly Fox guns. The best I can deduct about my newest purchase is that it is a 1913 (from another web site) gun. The engraving appears to be "late CE" from this web site. ??? What yr/yrs did the engraving change and how many 16g CE's were built in 1913? Thank you, DD

[Researcher]

I don't believe any of the smallbore C-/CE-Grades have what I would consider one of the earlier style C-/CE-Grade engraving patterns on the receiver, but the wedge of barrel engraving is quite a bit longer on the earlier C-/CE-Grade smallbores then later years. Unless you have a letter from the Savage historian, you don't know when your gun was built and/or shipped. That old Lightner Library serial number chronology that is available several places on the internet is worth exactly what you pay for it.

[Dick Dow]

Researcher: Thanks for your reply. I will order a letter. McIntosh's book puts production of the 1st 16g 's in late 1912 the best I can decipher. The serial number was 300001. My gun is 3002XX so I am assuming 1913. I was just curious as to when the Scroll type of engraving was introduced (As pictured as the Late CE on this site). That is what my engraving looks like. 300001 was a DE grade. I sure would like to know the serial number of the 1st C grade. Best, DD

[Researcher]

I don't have any pictures on had of very early C-/CE-Grade 16-gauges, but I do have some early CE-Grade 20-gauge pictures. One of our members who has 200002 displayed it at our Vintage Cup Booth some years back. Unfortunately my pictures of it leave a lot to be desired.











Here is a picture of 200109 --



There were four C-/CE-grades in the first ten graded 16-gauges made.