720 Shotgun Appraisal

Savage Arms Model 720 Semi-Automatic Shotgun

This is a vintage Savage Arms Model 720, a semi-automatic shotgun deeply rooted in the iconic John Browning recoil-operated design (similar to the Remington 11 and Browning Auto-5). The firearm features a long-recoil action, characterized by its distinctive humped-back receiver shape. The furniture is constructed from a solid American walnut wood with a high-gloss finish, showing a straight-comb stock and a matching forend. The metalwork consists of a blued steel barrel and a steel receiver, which currently exhibits a significant amount of finish wear, turning to a silver-grey or plum-colored patina in several areas, particularly around the ejection port and trigger guard. The barrel is a plain, non-ribbed style, typical of utility and sporting models from the 1930s to late 1940s. While no specific maker's marks are legible at this distance, the profile is unmistakably a Savage production variant. The condition is fair to good, showing signs of honest field use including minor scratches on the wood and thinning of the original bluing. This model was famously used in various capacities during WWII for aerial gunnery training, though this appears to be a civilian sporting configuration.