Savage Model 1915 .32 pistol info?

[Rick the Librarian]

My grandfather had a Savage .32 pistol, which finally came back into my possession and I wanted to get some information about it. From another website, the serial number, #92,106, seems to indicate it is a so-called Model 1915 pistol, which appears to be less common than the M1907 or M1917 versions, and (again, from the same site) appears to have been made in 1915-1916.

Grandpa was a country doctor (back in the days when they made house-calls and he died three years before I was born (died in 1946). He also was a doctor in WWI. My guess is that he purchased this, either for protection during his house-calls (he lived in a very rural area of NE Washington State) or for his service overseas.

The pistol is in much better condition than the pictures show - the only real wear is on the barrel.

Besides any information I can glean from this forum, any other useful sources of info on the Internet?

TIA!

[dave]

I do not know allot about them altho I do own one, for years! Mine is 30131, stamped on bottom of frame just behind where yours is. These were the first pistols to use a staggered magazine, I believe, they hold 10 rnds in mag! I also have a booklet, brand new, that I picked up at a gun show, at the same time. Maybe the booklet packed with these pistols or perhaps separately. Describes features, endorsements, (Bat Masterson and Bill Cody, others), and disassembly, etc. and is quite detailed. 32 pages, 4x6". I always thought it was a re-print but it has no indication it is, printed on it.
You are probably aware these were increased in size, chambered in .45 Auto and tested by the US military. Don't know how many but they are up for sale quite often. Google 'Cornell Publications', they have many reprinted catalogs, brochures, pamphlets, on guns. Web site easy to use, just search 'Savage'. Neat little guns!

[dave]

Cornell has copy of 1917 instruction sheet packed with the guns , not booklet I have, only 4 pages. 4.95.

[Rick the Librarian]

I checked on that site and all I found were some catalogs. Got a link?

[ignats]

I'm pretty sure what you have there is a Model 1907 Issue 1907-13 Modification 2. Production is 30,000 to 40.000 from 1913 - 1915. Most of the changes made on this model were internal. The Serial number range is 87900 to 124,000 and 150,000 to 167,000. This information is from Savage Pistols by Bailey Brower Jr. Stackpole Books. The book itself us fascinating as it gets into the Savage family history and also the Savage pistols that were sent for testing by the Army in competition with Colt pistols.

It also touches on the Savages's son's attempt to open a firearms company in California making them the only gun manufacturer West of the Mississippi.

These little pistols in both .32 and .380 are fun to shoot and pretty rugged. If you saw the Tom Hanks movie, "The Road to Perdition" Jude Law, a hired assassin uses one to wound Hanks.

Here's a video for disassembly if you haven't already figured that out. https://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt...01907%20pistol

[Rick the Librarian]

That could well be, a 1907. Oh great, another book!!

[ignats]

Oh great, another book!!

The irony of that quote from a guy who calls himself Rich the Librarian

[phil441]

The irony of that quote from a guy who calls himself Rich the Librarian

I'll never know but I'm willing to bet that each new book requires that one be disposed of to make room in his collection. Check his inventory clean-outs on the "for sale" from time to time.

[joem]

I have several of the .32's. Neat little gun, good for CCW if you like. I like something with a little more whump but it will do the job and it's 10 rounds.

[dave]

I checked on that site and all I found were some catalogs. Got a link?

When on the site put savage in the search box. you will get a long list of catalogs and other savage related. You have to scroll down quite a way and you will find it. Or call them, it is 'item number 2807'.
Sorry I am not computer savvy!
The ones in 380 are really rare, (did they really make them?) I have never seen one, the opposite of the Rem 51 (another neat pistol) where the 32 is scarce.

[Rick the Librarian]

I'll never know but I'm willing to bet that each new book requires that one be disposed of to make room in his collection. Check his inventory clean-outs on the "for sale" from time to time.

You got it!!

[Tuna]

The French ordered a lot of these pistols during WW1. I think Ricks serial number may be in the range of those made for France but I'm not sure about it but the time frame is pretty close.

[Mike Josephic]

I have one. One note: Be careful when removing the grips. They are very thin Bakelite and will crack
very easily. They don't pry off -- they slide off to the rear. If you can find a set of takedown instructions
read them carefully. It's a fun little pistol.

[Rick the Librarian]

That's probably what I'm in the market for, although I may invest (and I think that's the right word) in the book mentioned earlier in this thread.

[hkp7fan]

Hi - I just saw this thread. Others have pretty much answered your Q's, but I'll weigh in, as I collect these pistols. The earlier posts are right, it's not a 1915, it's a 1907. I have the Brower book mentioned above, so if you want any additional information on your gun I'll be happy to look it up.

One "correction" to the above advice - I would say do *NOT* try to remove the grips. It's not necessary, they are very fragile (especially after 100 years of oxidation), and very likely to break. Replacements are available, but originals are worth more.

If anyone has a first model for sale (about 3,000 made), I don't have one of those yet. I also don't have a 1915 in .380 yet.