This auction is for
a
WesternField SB-712-E 222 Remington
bolt action rifle. Mechanically this gun functions well and
condition is good.
This auction includes one
factory magazine, shown in the photos.
The Western Field SB712
series of bolt action rifles were manufactured by Savage Arms. They
are the equivalent of the Savage model 840. At the time of their
manufacture, it was common for arms companies to sell their products
with store brand names as large blocks of rifles or shotguns were
ordered by Sears, Western Auto, Montgomery Wards,
etc.
In 1950, Savage began
marketing the Model 340 and 342. The company offered variations of
the popular rifle, including the Models 340S and 342S (both
introduced in 1950), which featured better wood, cut checkering, a
Lyman aperture rear sight, and quick-detach sling swivels. When a
.222 Remington chambering was released in 1955, all rifles,
regardless of the caliber, were referred to simply as the Model 340.
In 1962, the Model 340C
carbine with a 20-inch barrel was offered, but poor sales led to it
being dropped after only two years. In the 1970s, rifles chambered
for the .223 Remington and .225 Winchester with 24-inch barrels were
added to the line. The overall length of the Model 340 with a
22-inch barrel was 43.5 inches. Weight was 7.25 pounds. Magazine
capacity was either three or four rounds depending on the
chambering.
Savage also sold Model 340
rifles to Montgomery Ward (a.k.a. Wards), which marketed them under
its own trade name as the Western Field Model 712.
The
.222 Remington is a centerfire rifle
cartridge introduced in 1950, and was the first commercial rimless
.22 (5.56 mm) cartridge made in the United States. The .222
Remington was an entirely new design, not derived from any
previously existing cartridge. Originally introduced in the
Remington 722 bolt action rifle, it was an instant success. Factory
rifles often produce groups of one inch or less with no tuning. The
accuracy and flat trajectory of the cartridge resulted in the
adoption of the round for varmint and benchrest
rifles.
