• Mossberg Owners is in the process of upgrading the software. Please bear with us while we transition to the new look and new upgraded software.

Oddball Savage model 887

Range Report. 5/12/2016

I went back today, with the gill gun and 5 others, and had a great time.

All targets were shot at 50 yards.

First shot cold, with gill gun, and 5 shots rapid fire. 36gr Winchesters 1280 fps, plated hollow point. (WHITE BOX)
20160514_171148.jpg
I adjusted the scope, shot 9 of 10 in the 2in bull.

I switched to some slower, Geko 40 gr pre-lubed German match grade ammo, and they went wide. I shot 5 of 6 in the orange, all rapid fire except the cold shot.
20160514_171033.jpg
As I shot those 6 Gekos, the scope came loose ruining the pattern. I got the scope really tight, shot another target with Winchesters and the stock worked loose.

50 yds, Rapid fire, with a loosening stock:
20160514_170611.jpg

I got the stock tight and finally shot this. Winchesters at 50 yds, slow fire.
20160514_170701.jpg
I was tired by then, as I'd shot 6 guns, and I'm rarely this consistant anyhow. It was a very happy ending.
 
Thanks for the link to this, Cadmann. That poor old thing turned out to be a very good shooter and you haven't even given it a bedding job [hint;)] Don't mind me; I'm a compulsive tinkerer and would love to get my hands on it:) and see how it goes. BTW, it reminds me of the Gevarm, in the way it fires from an open breach. The French rifle had no firing pin, the entire face of the bolt taking its place. From memory:rolleyes: the bolt had a chisel point machined in to the full width of the face. Feed was from a box magazine.
 
Guys I really couldn't be happier with this little curiosity.

I plan to do some work on the stock too. Bedding the action should be pretty simple. I was going to strip the stock to blonde, except the checkered regions. Those I was going to leave oilve or refinish dark brown. I'll Oil rub the whole thing.
 
I bought bluing paste, and liguid, and Tru-oil... $16+tax! But I try to support our local gun store in Clovis and so I bought $20 worth of sticky targets too.

I want to buy both of these .22 Savages they have for sale there... beautiful fancy models marked down to bargain basement prices, because they're .22 magnum rimfire & I probably have the last 50 shots in town saved up for my Belly Gun.
 
I didn't mention that all of those targets were shot in Gusty wind conditions that's another reason I was so happy that the pattern I got on the last part as I think the wind finally died down!
 
Cleaning the 887:
20160512_002454_resized.jpg
20160515_085632.jpg
There is one takedown screw that comes off with a coin. Dont use a screwdriver unless you grind it round like a coin. My stock is scratched because someone did.

Unscrew the plug, pull bolt handle back, remove striker and pin, remove handle, pull trigger with bolt forward, then hold trigger and push bolt out with cleaning rod.

From the top left,

Breech plug
Bolt Striker
Charging handle
Firing pin
Bolt
Extractor Spring
Plunger
Right extractor
( this may not match the exact names in the book)

Extractors simply pop in and out if you know how to do it but they're tricky and I shot one across the garage floor twice and had to search for it.

On other guns I own they are pinned in place. This is a clever design, and through a clever extra machining step saves the pins, 4 pin holes, and the pin pressings. The Bolt is smoother, with far fewer holes to collect crap.

(I worked for years as a tool designer and manufacturing engineer so this kind of stuff always impresses me.)

You can however, easily shoot those little extractors right across the garage if you don't know the proper way to r&r them, or if you pull one open with the bolt removed from the receiver.

I had to find one of them twice. :mad:

CAUTION:
Never take both extractors out at once. They are similar but they are slightly different and you want to get them back in exactly the same way. Normally would just spray them with oil and blow them out with an air hose. These were packed with crap.
 
Last edited:
Just a brief update on the ol' 887 gill gun...

I did bed the stock with epoxy paste, and though I don't think that made it any more accurate overall, it no longer comes loose while shooting.

I've put about 300 rounds through this gun now, and it seems to be super reliable. Everyone that shoots this gun so far seems to like it a lot.

I will probably put a better scope on it, and I think that will improve my shooting a little more. The old Tasco is a good solid scope but 4x just isn't enough for my eyes. I replaced it temporarily with my new model 4-9x Tasco, which gets me in closer, but it's not as clear as the older scope.

I think this one deserves a Leupold.
 
Last edited:
I'm bumping an oldie because I wanted to update on the 887 Stevens.

I have had this gun out now about 5 times in 3 years, and it has always been stone axe relaible.
I clean it every time, and well, frankly I had forgot how to get it apart, so I looked up this old thread to read my notes.
I forgot the part about, "knock the bolt out with the cleaning rod."
This time I pushed it out with a big zip-tie, through the ejection port, which works too.

I thought I was doing it wrong until I re-read this thread. It's just that this gun is still quite tight for its age.

I get the impression this old farmer had a groundchuck or groundsquirrel or gopher invasion. It's very common here on fallow ground.
Anyhow he probably disked it all down with the harrow, and then went back to the porch and shot about 200 of the little buggers as they came up.

He had solved his problem, so he put the gun up without cleaning it, and it pretty much sat around for decades in a dirty tool shed.

What I'm dreaming about here is that this Stevens fits, runs, and looks like a low time rifle. It was a lucky buy. I like it so much I wouldn't hesitate to buy another.
 
Back
Top