Savage Model 25

Sub Categories

Bases and Rails

The History of Savage Arms

Savage Arms was founded in 1894 by Arthur Savage in Utica, New York. Arthur Savage held two important patents at the time: a patent for a repeating rifle with a single-column magazine lever-action rifle, which he acquired in 1891, and a patent for a hammerless lever-action design. That paved the way for Savage’s quick rise to success.

The company’s first breakthrough came in 1895 when it introduced Model 1895 – the first hammerless lever-action rifle on the market. It was modeled after Model 1892, an earlier design that never saw production due to losing a bid for a US Army contract. Model 1895, however, won the contract for New York National Guard, but it was soon canceled due to getting caught in a contemporary political climate.

Savage continued investing efforts into the production of military-grade weapons. It was named one of the two finalists in the US Army trials for a .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol, and it lost only to the now-famous Colt M1911. Savage used the gained experience to produce high-quality pocket pistols, though, which resulted in the introduction of Model 1907, 1915, and 1917.

During World War I, Savage was merged with the Driggs-Seabury Ordnance company. The joint company focused all its efforts on the production of Lewis machine guns and heavy equipment for war purposes.

Between the two wars, Savage decided to expand its business inside the USA. In 1920 it bought Stevens Arms of Chicopee, followed by A.H. Fox Gun Co. of Philadelphia and Davis-Warner Arms and CrescentArms Co. of Norwich in 1930. Success followed and in 1939 Savage introduced the Model 24 combination gun which sold over a million copies.

When World War II commenced, though, Savage was once again ready to answer the call of duty. It focused all its resources on war efforts, producing a staggering number of weapons. It already signed a contract with Auto Ordinance Co. in 1938 to manufacture the famous .45 caliber Thompson submachine gun, and most of these submachine guns that were used in WWII were produced by none other than Savage. The company was also contracted by the US government in 1940 to produce .30 and .50 caliber Browning machine guns. On top of that, Savage manufactured one of the most mass-produced bolt-action rifles of WWII, the British No. 4 Lee–Enfield. A record of 1.2 million Lee-Enfield rifles was produced by Savage during the time of war.

Production dialed down after the war, though. In 1946, Savage closed its facilities in Utica and moved all its operations to the Stevens manufacturing premises. Even though the Model 110 was introduced in 1958, which remains one of the company’s most successful rifles to this date, Savage started to experience some issues. In 1960 all production was moved to the current location of Westfield, Massachusetts, and what followed was a series of different ownerships over the company. Savage gradually ran into serious financial problems and in 1988 the company declared bankruptcy.

The company had to cut back on its manufacturing costs to the point where it even stopped producing short-action configurations of its most successful model, the aforementioned Model 110. It wasn’t until 1995 when Savage returned to private ownership led by Ronald Coburn who sort of rejuvenated the whole company.

In 2002 Savage introduced and patented AccuTrigger – a safe and user-adjustable trigger that soon became a success. The following year, in 2003, the company was named Manufacturer of the Year by the Shooting Industry Academy of Excellence, further reaffirming Savage’s distinction. Four years later, on May 15, 2007, Savage 93R17 BTVS has been named the best rifle in the Best of the Best presentation by Shooting Times, Sporting Gun, and Shooting Gazette magazines.

In 2013 Savage once again changed ownership. It was acquired by Orbital ATK for 315 million dollars, and it was later handed over to Vista Outdoor which later sold it for $170 million in 2019 to a group of private investors led by Savage’s management.

The company also had its logo changed in the middle of the 2010s when it decided to retire its old logo that presumably featured Chief Lame Deer, a native-American tribesman leader. The latter supposedly approached Arthur Savage in 1919 to purchase rifles for his tribe. In exchange for a discount, Lame Deer agreed to a deal. According to the deal, Savage was allowed to use Lame Deer’s face for promotional purposes. Many doubt the authenticity of this story, however, and Savage itself removed it from its official website as well.

Savage Model 25 Rifle Review

Savage 25 Walking Varminter Camo in .17 Hornet

Figure 1: Savage 25 Walking Varminter Camo in .17 Hornet (Source: Savage Arms)

Savage Model 25 is a bolt-action rifle that is known for its lightweight and agile design.

The push-feed action of Model 25 hosts a bolt that features three locking lugs and a 60-degree throw, making the action easy to operate and quick to fire.

The rifle’s barrel measures 559 or 610 millimeters (20” and 22”) in length, is made of carbon steel, and features a medium-contour design. This gives the rifle excellent accuracy and precision, making it a great choice for both hunting and target shooting.

Its receiver is also made of carbon steel, adding to the rifle's overall durability and longevity. The rifle comes equipped with a 2-piece Weaver base on top of the receiver, allowing for easy attachment of optics and other accessories.

Model 25’s trigger is adjustable, thanks to Savage's AccuTrigger technology. This allows shooters to fine-tune the trigger pull to their personal preferences, ranging from 2.5 to 3.25 pounds. This can help improve accuracy and make the rifle more comfortable to shoot.

Savage Model 25 has a detachable box magazine that holds up to four rounds. It allows for quick and easy reloading, making it a great choice for hunting or shooting in competitions.

The rifle is available with either a wooden or synthetic stock, depending on the variant. One that potentially stands out is the Model 25 Classic, which features a satin lacquer American walnut stock with contrasting black forend tip and wraparound checkering. However, this model is currently not available in the Savage online store.

One must not look past Model 25’s beavertail varmint-style forend. It provides a comfortable and secure grip, allowing for improved accuracy and control. The forend also features a third swivel stud, allowing for the attachment of a bipod for increased stability when shooting from a prone position.

The Model 25 is available with either a Monte-Carlo or straight buttstock. Both options feature a rubber recoil pad, which helps to reduce felt recoil and make the rifle more comfortable to shoot.

The two-position safety lever is located on the right side of the receiver, behind the bolt handle. In the rearwards position, the rifle is in safe mode, and in the forwards position, it is in firing mode.

Savage Model 25 Calibers

Savage Model 25 can be chambered for:

.17 Hornet
.204 Ruger
.22 Hornet
.222 Rem.
.223 Rem.

Savage Model 25 Variants

The variants of the Savage Model 25 are:

Savage Model 25 Classic
Savage Model 25 Walking Varminter Camo
Savage Model 25 Walking Varminter
Savage Model 25 Lightweight Varminter-T (Thumbhole)
Savage Model 25 Lightweight Varminter

Savage Model 25 is drilled and tapped, but comes with pre-installed Weaver bases.

The receiver of Savage Model 25 with a visible mounting surface with Weaver bases pre-installed

Figure 2: The receiver of Savage Model 25 with a visible mounting surface with Weaver bases pre-installed (Source: https://accuracyplus.biz/shop/used-guns/zz15877-savage-model-25-varmint-17-hornet/)

Savage Model 25 is drilled and tapped for scope mounts, but those usually come pre-equipped. If you wish to replace the Weaver bases with your own mount, here are the dimensions you need:

dimensions of Savage receiver

A: 12.7 mm
B: 101.3 mm
C: 12.7 mm
BHU: 0 mm
Fi: #6-48
R1: /
R2: /

Scope Mounts Interchangeable with Savage Model 25

Rifles That Have One-Piece Scope Mounts Interchangeable with Savage Model 25

The necessary condition for rifles to have one-piece scope mounts interchangeable is that the mounting surfaces of these rifles match in every dimension.

Therefore, most rifles that come with Weaver bases will have one-piece scope mounts interchangeable with the Savage Model. You do need to keep in mind, however, that there is a small gap between each piece of the base, so the mount shouldn’t be shorter than that.

Rifles That Have Two-Piece Scope Mounts Interchangeable with Savage Model 25

There’s even less dilemma around the interchangeability of two-piece scope mounts since they don’t have to meet any of the length requirements.

Any rifle that has Weaver bases mounted on its mounting surface will have two-piece scope mounts interchangeable with Savage Model 25..

Best Scope Mounts for Savage Model 25

Fixed Scope Mounts for Savage Model 25

Henneberger is a German company known for the quality and reliability of its products. If you are looking for a fixed scope mount to mount on the weaver base of your Savage Model 25, then we recommend these Henneberger 30 mm Weaver rings. They are made of aluminum and come with a 30-year warranty.

Detachable Repeatable Scope Mounts for Savage Model 25

When it comes to flexibility, detachable repeatable scope mounts are the way to go. Being able to easily attach and detach an optic without any tools and retaining zero at the same time can be a great advantage. If this is what you’re looking for, you might want to consider this aluminum INNOMOUNT scope mounting solution of German quality for your Savage Model 25.

Picatinny Rails for Savage Model 25

EGW is a well-known and established manufacturer of quality scope bases for a magnitude of different rifles. Savage Model 25 is no different.

If you wish to replace the Weaver bases on your Savage 25 with a Picatinny rail, then we recommend this EGW Picatinny rail that was made specifically for this model.

Help Us Build Our Riflescope Mounts Database

If you happen to own this or any other rifle, we would appreciate it if you could help us expand our database by sending us some photos of the rifle receiver (the bare mounting surface of the rifle without the mounts installed). For your help, our company offers a fair return in terms of practical rewards.

Please send us an email for more information. You can contact us here: info@optics-trade.eu

Compatibility Above

Filters

Sort

EGW Savage 25 Picatinny Rail

Ask for price

View Product

Add to compare

Talley 25.4 mm Complete Mount for Savage 25

As low as $59.00

View Product

Add to compare

Talley 30 mm Complete Mount for Savage 25

As low as $59.00

View Product

Add to compare

Filters

Sort

Savage Model 25

Sub Categories

The History of Savage Arms