My Ideal

[Breaker]

I really like the Savage 219 rifles. They are probably my favorite single shot rifles. Damned close to perfection. But if I could design a rifle, it would be a cross between a Savage 219 and Savage/Stevens model 94 shotgun--- that is, a rifle having precisely the classic gracefulness of the 219, BUT with a case-hardening-colored receiver and an external hammer. My ideal rifle has got to have a hammer. I like the notice that the uncocked hammer provides before I start drawing a bead. I have often pulled a trigger with the safety on, but never without a hammer cocked. I believe that that is called "idiot-proofing". And we all can be idiots at times.
Oh, and then I would have a tapered, octagon barrel. A variable range, flip-up rear sight as the standard but a tang peep-sight as an option. Actually, with a break open rifle, the rear sight could be positioned damned nearly as close to the eye as a tang sight is. Cheekpiece, pistol-grip, and sling mounts as standard. Latched fore-end. I don't like the pressure-fit style. Option for a double, set-trigger.
I'd have modern synthetic as the standard stock, but graded walnut would absolutely be an option, and what mine would have.
Y'know... it is sad to think how close Savage came to making an inexpensive, classic, European-style, stalking-rifle without quite arriving. They would have had to ratchet up a bit in quality and, of course, price, though, and I guess the American market just wasn't ready for that back in the day.
Ah, well--- just dreaming.

[Garnett]

Breaker, I agree with everything in your dream but a hammer.  Someone else on the forum is working on a double set trigger gun that he is planning on building. 

[Breaker]

Well, Garnett, I'll stand my ground. I will say that the 219s may look sleeker than the 94s. But in hunting, the hammergun is preferable.  An exposed hammer on a single is the safety--- but it is better than a safety. Uncocked is always safer than "on safe". And, yes, I have thought about the issue of the thumb's slipping when decocking a hammer. I have had it happen. Especially with gloves on. BOOM! But the first rule of safe gun-handling is the answer to that--- muzzle awareness.
We here in this time have the privilege of being able to look back over all of the various features of the modern gun (those developed since, say, the 1880s) and to evaluate all of their various advantages. Hammerlessness is fine for repeaters. But in the break-action, single-shot, I prefer mine with a hammer.

This site really needs some friendly controversy to whip up interest. All take a side! I guess because the 219s were hammerless, Garnett will win. (Hee, haw!, fine with me!)     But myself, I will always think that a hammer is better on a single-shot rifle than a safety is. [Or shotgun. And also on doubleguns. Here is the way to properly deal with a double with hammers:   As you are going along in the field, keep your right thumb on the LEFT hammer. When a bird rises, cock that left hammer. As you bring the gun up, cock the right hammer. At point, you are ready to fire from either trigger. No big disadvantage over the hammerless guns. Just must exercise care in decocking an unfired barrel.]

[Garnett]

Let's agree to disagree! :-)

[Breaker]

Agreed!

[Mike Armstrong]

My two bits, and probably worth almost that.  Agreed that a hammer is the ideal for a HUNTING single shot rifle, which for me is the original Winchester 1885 in the original "flat spring" configuration (the "safety fly" that decocks the hammer automatically on the coil spring models negates the faster loading of the original).  The Ruger #1 with its non-automatic safety is "close but no cigar" despite its many virtues.

But (the big BUTT) the really unique thing about the Savage design is that it makes a pretty good hunting rifle (219) AND the BEST single shot shotgun in history (220)!  A hammer is no advantage on a shotgun, especially a single shot.  I was raised on a Winchester Model 37 hammer shotgun and missed many birds because of that split second needed to cock the gun. 

When I tried to hurry the process by leaving the hammer cocked, I learned why you just DON'T do that by blowing a hole in the dirt about four inched from my left foot, the only "accidental discharge" I ever had in 65 years of hunting....

The 220 safety is essentially identical to the safeties on the finest double guns--the best bird killing machines ever made.  It is natural to use and fast as greased lightning once you get used to it.  You have a safe gun that kills birds, even ruffed grouse and quail of all flavors, and those are the hardest targets I know of, in terms of needing to get a good shot off right NOW!

So if the 219 were the whole "Savage Single Shot" story, I'd agree with breaker.  It ain't.  It's a compromise that made the "utility guns" possible and affordable, which must have made a lot of sense after the Great Depression started to lose its grip.  For me, it still does.

[Garnett]

Mike, I must agree with you.  I do not hunt, but only target shoot.  An exposed hammer is ugly and useless to me.  I can understand Breaker, as a hunter, wanting a hammer as a safety feature.