The Savage Model 110 rifle retailed for $109.95 when introduced in 1958. Its surprising accuracy and economical construction made this rifle the savior of Savage Arms … and a favorite of hunters and shooters.
BY BRYCE M. TOWSLEY, Field Editor
At one time, Savage Arms was the largest arms company in the free world, and the foundation for that success was the Model 99 lever-action rifle. When introduced in 1899 it was so advanced in technology that it made a quantum leap ahead of the competition. But, it was inevitable that time would erode that lead and, by the end of World War I, it was becoming clear that the lever-action’s dominance with American hunters was slipping.
The then-modern hunters wanted bolt-action rifles. Not wishing to be left behind, Savage introduced the Model 20 bolt-action. The Model 20 was a rifle that many believe was among the best of the era, and it’s a rifle that has achieved cult status today. Later, Savage replaced the Model 20 with the Model 40 Sporter and 45 Super Sporter, neither of which was very successful. There were a few other bolt guns, most notably the popular Model 340, which was not offered in anything more powerful than the .30-30 Win. The Remington and Winchester bolt-actions were doing very well by the early 1950s, and it was evident that Savage needed a high-power bolt-action rifle to stay competitive.
The company gave the job to Nick Brewer, asking him to design a rifle that would compete in performance with the other bolt guns on the market, but sell for a better price. Brewer had left Savage and the northeast years earlier to retire in Florida for his health, and he agreed only if he could work from home. He mailed the drawings to Chicopee Falls, Mass., and the U.S. Postal Service proved to be an important partner in the creation of the Savage Model 110. The design was just completed when Brewer died. The first rifles shipped late in 1957, but the introduction was officially in 1958, making the Savage Model 110 rifle 50 years old this year.
The plan was for the rifle to be called the Model 98 because Savage expected the retail price to be $97.98. But that didn’t work out and the price was raised to $109.95, so the rifle became the Model 110. Fifty years and 3.4 million rifles later, it is currently the longest continuously produced bolt-action rifle in America. It’s also the gun that saved Savage Arms.
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There’s a biography of Arthur Savage (click here) and an interview with Savage’s Ron Coburn (click here) this month on americanrifleman.org