Military Savage 720

[Cecil]

Which is more rare the training version or the riot version? Logic dictates that the full length would be because conversion to riot would be fairly easy.

[emmagee1917]

I would say the training version because they were used hard and often so flat wore out. Then , as you said , military conversions to riots . Then the decades of dumds***s who decided to transform the "worthless " trainers into "valuable " wanna-be riots. Still happy that I bought a mint-in-the-box one from a pawn shop at a gun show back in '06 for $380 OTD. At the same show a guy had a cut down trainer that he wanted $1,000 for because it was a " riot " gun.
Chris

[Steve Preston]

An original 20" Riot will always be worth more than a long barreled trainer, simply because of desirability. Everyone is looking for original Riots, and although there are people that modify trainers themselves, making them less common, the Riots will always be more rare.

[Freedom]

What about mis-matched numbers on barrels and recievers?

[Steve Preston]

When I said "Original Riots" in my post, I meant matching numbers on the barrel and receiver and not a cut down barrel.

[emmagee1917]

I don't know....minty unfiddled with trainers seem to be pretty rare. Of course many collectors of these shotguns don't do trainers so they suck up more of the riots leaving less on the market which would give an illusion of greater rareness than exists by numerical count.
Chris

[jgaynor]

When I said "Original Riots" in my post, I meant matching numbers on the barrel and receiver and not a cut down barrel.

Also a riot gun barrel will be marked "cyl" where as the "skeet" and "trap" training guns will b marked "IMP CYL" or "FULL" respectively. Not impossible to alter but just one more telltale to watch for.

Regards

Jim

[Robgunbuilder]

The Savage 720 seems to be quite and enigma. Seemingly one of the most faked of the riot guns.I have 3, and have probably looked at over 100 others. Many are just parts guns( incorrectly US marked by Bubba). I've only seen one numbers matching trainer. All the riot guns have been mismatched and only one true cylinder bore with the 3 asterisks, P proof and flaming bomb on the barrel in the right place. I've seen fakes where the 4 asterisks were carefully ground off and 3 new ones added, new front sights epoxied over beads, and serial numbers ground out and the barrels re-numbered etc. Has anyone actually seen or own a "factory" numbers matching riot gun? -Rob

[Rob W.]

I've got one that I picked up maybe 6 or 7 years ago. It's in the 718xx range. Don't have it front of me. I'll see if I can get some pics later.