Savage 342 .22 Hornet first test

[Pistolero]

I grabbed a couple of boxes of Prvi Partisan ammo at the last gun show and some rings, finally
mounted the 4x32 Simmons on the Savage 342, which I recently bought on GunBroker. It has a
nice, but plain, walnut stock and had a side scope mount, but no scope or rings.

After 5 shots to get it sighted in at 25 yds in backyard range, I tried a 3 shot group, prone, rested,
fist under the buttstock.



To say I was pleased is an understatement. Only 25 yds, but 0.3" group for first try
with commercial ammo works for me.

Bill

 

[Eutectic]

A Savage Model 342 was my very first center-fire 'varmint' rifle. I bought it in 1959 for $35! I found a Weaver N-1 side mount and put on a Weaver 4x. Dick's Gun Shop had Super Speed 45gr soft point ammo..... It was from the Korean War and had a tag glued on the boxes "not to use on the enemy personnel!" Wish I still had the boxes! Dick told me it was for Air Force survival guns that were in the then 'new' jet fighters..... I bought it for $5 a box of 50!!! The old Savage shot it well and I shot a lot of 'stuff' with it.... I still have some of the old "Super Speed" marked brass kicking around. I didn't reload the Hornet for a couple years maybe because those Korean War shells were so cheap and shot so good!

Last year I pulled the Model 342 out of the dark.... I hadn't even looked at it for at least 20 years. An old buddy that goes way back that I had shot varmints with over 50 years ago was coming over for a visit.... I set up a ground squirrel hunt with him. I pulled out that old Savage 342 and his mouth almost hit the ground! When he finally recovered he said:
"That thing is just as ugly as I remember it!"

A couple hours later he added:
"Well...... I have to say this..... That ol' Savage still shoots!"

Pete

 

[Pistolero]

Actually, mine is plain but I wouldn't call it ugly. Nice colored walnut straight grained stock, no checkering, nice blue job.
Plain, for sure, but I have seen some with pretty ugly birch (or something) stocks with a yellow
tint.

Bill

 

[Missionary]

Greetings
That does not surprise me at all. Savage seems to have near always put together a fine shooting rifle. I would not get rid of our model 23 32-20 for a big pile of greenery.

Do the barrels on the 342 line swap out like the 110's ?
Mike in Peru

 

[oscarflytyer]

My 340 222 has prob a $500 piece of figured walnut. Wood is WAY too purty for a 340! Someone obviously restocked it and acraglass bedded it. I have it set up but yet to shoot it for accuracy. Last 1" of bbl looked bad, but it did not keyhole at 100 yds, so I put a VX I on it. Have reloads, just need to get to the range. Hope mine stays in 1"@100

 

[KHornet]

Good start Bill. Keep us posted!

Paul

 

[Pistolero]

The barrel is retained with a nut, so I presume it is easily replaceable like the later model
Savages. Mine is no $500 piece of walnut, but is a nice, dark piece with straight, plain
grain.

Paul - I will post more when I get a chance to test at longer range.

Bill

 

[oscarflytyer]

Mine has the front bbl nut, and the trigger guard nut. and then there is this BIG UGLY screw added to the back of the trigger guard. Def 'aftermarket.' From what I have read, and vintage of the rifle, I think mine has been restocked/glas bedded/3rd screw added to set the rifle up as a bench rest when the 222 started smoking benchrest comps. I am guessing/hoping that it will shoot 1" groups all day long. I have less in the gun/Leupold sc ope/mounts than a new rifle would run. And betting it will outshoot most any new gun. Hope so.

 

[oscarflytyer]

I can take a pic of the third screw if anyone is interested.

 

[Pistolero]

Amazingly nice wood on a "cheap rifle'.... of course it sounds like yours was NOT a cheap project by the end of it.

Bill

 

[Missionary]

That is a nice piece of wood !
Thanks for the barrel info... Need to read up on that rifle. Savage certainly has been an innovator over the years.

 

[Eutectic]

Actually, mine is plain but I wouldn't call it ugly. Nice colored walnut straight grained stock, no checkering, nice blue job.
Plain, for sure, but I have seen some with pretty ugly birch (or something) stocks with a yellow
tint.

Bill

I think 'ugly' was just a poke at me Bill..... He still brags up stories from the 60's about that 342. Some were 'lucky' shots I admit; but it's fun for an old buddy to brag up both you and your gun with his right hand after playfully insulting you with his left!!!

Pete

 

[oscarflytyer]

Amazingly nice wood on a "cheap rifle'.... of course it sounds like yours was NOT a cheap project by the end of it.

Bill

Bill - The wood is worth more than the rifle. I am a sucker for nice wood. And I bought this one for the wood alone! Wood turned my head so fast I didn't give it the once over I normally would, and missed the potential barrel issue. But after a BUNCH of scrubbing, looks like it is going to shoot well. And the scope is at least as much as the rifle! Crazy for an old gun like that. But you are right, I bet it was an expensive project when it was done, and can't even imagine what it would set you back to clone it today!

also, if you google gunsmithing the 340, you see mention of the third screw.
http://www.leeroysramblings.com/Gun Articles/stevens_325_savage_340_bolt_act.html