Curious Relics #086: Love at First Sight – The Savage 101
Sam.S 04.03.24
Welcome, if you are a newcomer to this fun bi-weekly segment of AllOutdoor.com! The last time around was chronicling the Sage 1907 pistol with its history, variations, dating details, parts, and range time. You can revisit that multi-part series by using the links below. Today we are jumping back into another multipart Savage article on the Savage 101 Pistol!
Recent Content in Curious Relics:
- Curious Relics #082: Sub-Caliber Device of The 1950s – Barrelette Shotgun Adapter
- Curious Relics #083: 10 Shots Quick! – The Savage 1907
- Curious Relics #084: Original US Double Stack – The Savage 1907 Part II
- Curious Relics #085: 10 Shots on Paper! – The Savage 1907 Part III
Welcome to our recurring series of “Curious Relics.” Here, we want to share all of our experiences, knowledge, misadventures, and passion for older firearms that one might categorize as a Curio & Relic – any firearm that is at least 50 years old according to the ATF. Hopefully along the way you can garner a greater appreciation for older firearms like we do, and simultaneously you can teach us things as well through sharing your own expertise and thoughts in the Comments. Understanding the firearms of old, their importance, and their development which lead to many of the arms we now cherish today is incredibly fascinating and we hope you enjoy what we have to share, too!
Made You Look!
Okay so before diving into the history of the old Savage 101 I feel that it is important to explain exactly what it is. You see, it may appear to be a small single-action revolver similar to a modern Ruger Bearcat. In reality, it is a single-shot pistol. The cylinder and barrel are one conjoined piece and there is only one chamber. The barrel assembly pivots to the side in order to load and unload. Single shot, no cylinder, no revolvers here.
History Abridged: Savage 101
In the late 1950s, Robert Hillberg, an employee at the Bellemore-Johnson Tool Company, had an idea to create retro-looking .22LR firearms designed for youngsters, inspired by the popularity of Western movies (Winchester 73, High Noon, Rio Grande) and TV shows (Bonanza, Gunsmoke, The Rifleman) at the time. He conceptualized two prototypes – a Colt Single Action Army revolver lookalike that was actually a single-shot pistol, and a Winchester 94 lookalike rifle with the same single-shot concept.
Hillberg brought these prototypes to Savage Arms. The company’s vice president was reportedly enamored with the revolver-style pistol design, while the higher-ups felt the rifle prototype lacked potential or at the very least it was not worth double the tool up for two risky new products. Consequently, Savage decided to proceed with the revolver lookalike, later named the Model 101, while the rifle design was sold to Ithaca, who marketed it as the Model 49 Saddlegun.
Lot 942: Two Lever Action Rifles – B) Ithaca M-49 Single Shot Rifle. (n.d.-b). Rock Island Auction Company. photograph. Retrieved March 31, 2024, from https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/2058/942/two-lever-action-rifles.
The Ithaca 49 Saddlegun went on to be a huge success which lasted from 1960 until 1978. They sold hundreds of thousands of those rifles in different variants and grade models. The Savage 101 made it to 1968 and they only made around 53,000-54,000.
Savage made slight modifications to Hillberg’s revolver design for manufacturing reasons. After considering various names, the company settled on the Savage Model 101. Names that were also in the running are reported as:
- Apache
- Mustang
- Chief
- Chieftain
- Westerner
- Eagle
The pistol was officially released in 1960 with an initial retail price of around $19.50. Savage marketed the Model 101 primarily towards children, with advertisements depicting fathers teaching their sons how to shoot, and slogans like “Safe Fun for Father & Son.” The company emphasized the pistol’s safe nature and suitability for outdoor activities like fishing, hiking, and camping.
The Model 101 was designed to resemble the iconic Colt Single Action Army revolver in appearance, but it was not a true revolver. Instead, it was a single-shot pistol. To reload, the barrel, cylinder, and ejector mechanism popped out from the right side, allowing a .22 LR round to be ejected and a new one inserted. The pistol was single-action only, and the cylinder was fake, with machined fake bullet tips in the front of the false chambers.
Production of the Savage Model 101 continued until 1968, with the final serial number of 54,816 closing out its eight-year run.
End of Part I: Savage 101
The Savage Model 101 represented a unique and thoughtful design that capitalized on the public’s fascination with cowboy culture and Western-themed entertainment in the 1950s and 1960s. Conceived by Robert Hillberg and brought to life by Savage Arms, this single-shot pistol cleverly mimicked the appearance of the iconic Colt Single Action Army revolver while incorporating innovative features for safety and manufacturing efficiency. Despite its niche appeal as a youth-oriented firearm, the Model 101 found a place in the market, with Savage producing around 54,000 units during its eight-year production run from 1960 to 1968. Though unconventional in its design, the Model 101 stands as a testament to the heart of its inventor and the enduring allure of the Old West.
In closing, I hope our Curious Relics segment informed as well as entertained. This all was written in hopes of continued firearm appreciation and preservation. We did not just realize how guns were supposed to look and function. It was a long and tedious process that has shaped the world we live in. So, I put it to you! Is there a firearm out there that you feel does not get much notoriety? What should our next Curious Relics topic cover? As always, let us know all of your thoughts in the Comments below! We always appreciate your feedback.
