Savage 219 and 220 Single Shot Rifles & Shotguns

Welcome to the forum!  The “20M” is the inspector number (20) with the letter “M” for made in 1961. I have found no factory listing advising of any size choke other than “Full”.  I see from time to time, guns advertised for sale with various chokes.  My thoughts on that are that maybe sometime in the past an owner had the “full” choke opened up or, in the “old” days, many gun companies would fill special orders on their guns.  As proof of this, I have examined guns that I believe to be factory original, but have not been listed in any Savage catalog.  Again, welcome as our newest member!

The browning product still gives you a classic bluing appearance it is just not the modern AR blacking finish.

Thanks cleetus, Back in the day i steel woolen this and hit it with some cold blue. All of that now is brownish are you sure I want to use the brown one?  I have watched a lot of videos on bluing, I'm leaning towards Mark Novak's (youtube) technique in a box with steam. Any thoughts would be appreciated...
 Nothing's set in Stone I'm in no hurry to get this done.

Ballistol makes two cold “blueing” products. One is black bluing and one is browning product. You have to look very carefully on the labels. Follow their instructions. I ding the OOO equivalent scotchbrite pad will get the bare metal prep you need. Make sure the gun is 100% oil free and use the browning product. It will take to that vintage 220.

Welcome to the forum!  I have never seen the mark on the front left of your frame.  It most likely is an assembly mark.  Years ago, when Mr Callahan, a retired Savage employee, had all the Savage R&D records, I offered to pay him to identify the assembly and inspectors for use in my book, but he declined.  He later gave/sold the records to the Savage museum, who later delivered/sold them to the Buffalo Bill museum in Cody, Wyoming.  They recently advised me that they had no records for the 219/220 single shots.  As to the metal, I have been advised that the early actions were rust blued.  The key word is “rust”.  Later actions were color case hardened, apparently cheaper to do than rust bluing.  If the early “rust” blued guns are later “hot” blued, the normal type used today, they will turn various colors of red or purple.  I believe your gun has just naturally aged.  We look forward to hearing more from you!