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LOT 349
U.S. Savage Model 1917 Lewis Gun, Class III/NFA C&R Fully Transferable Machine
Gun with Accessories - Serial no. 56816, 30-06 cal., 28 inch round bbl., blue/parkerized finish,
walnut stock. Developed by Issac Newton Lewis, a U.S. Army officer, the Lewis Gun was one of the lightest machine
gun offerings of its era, coming in at 28 pounds with the distinctive barrel cooling assembly included. Unable to sell
the gun to his superiors, Lewis resigned and took off for Belgium, where he made a tidy profit licensing the design
to Birmingham Small Arms and Savage Arms. Among other distinctions, a Lewis Gun would be the first machine gun taken on a powered aircraft, and
it saw very active use in World War I, though primarily with the other members of the Entente Powers. Ironically, the American design mostly stocked European arsenals due to Ordnance Department politics, with a reported 6,000 of these .30-06 caliber Savage manufactured M1917 Lewis Guns ordered during World War I by the U.S. Navy for the Marine Corps, and 2,500 by the U.S. Army, with the .30-06 caliber Chauchat and Hotchkiss 1909 machine guns issued overseas to the American Expeditionary Force in France instead of them, which caused some dismay among the troops who had trained with the favored Lewis Gun stateside. Blade front and folding peep rear sights, knurled steel barrel jacket, and aluminum cooling fins surrounding the barrel. Both the pistol grip and buttstock are smooth hardwood. The top of the receiver bears the U.S. nomenclature and a small “crossed cannons” stamp, with the Savage address and caliber marking on the top cover and additional Savage markings on the right side. Included with the lot are three total magazines (two standard 47 round, one high capacity 97-round for
aircraft use), magazine winding tool/loading tool, clamp-
on sling swivel, clamp-on anti-aircraft sight, clamp-on
bipod, rare heavy duty rigid field mount clamp-on bipod,
an extra gas piston and an assortment of vintage Lewis
Gun Ordnance manuals. Consignor states this J. Curtis
Earl owned gun comes with a loading tool used in the
sting operation that attempted to capture Pancho Villa.
CONDITION: Very good as reactivated, with 60% of the
blue on the barrel and shroud assembly and 80% plus
refinished parkerized style finish on the receiver and
buttstock, the former showing areas of gray and brown
patina, mild scuffing and dings, the latter some minor
wear. The lower right rear side of the receiver shows
evidence of an old weld that would prevent removal of
the buttstock, and in turn field stripping of the internals;
this weld has been cut/ground away, freeing the butt,
with mild pitting in the affected area. The wood is good
with mild scuffs and dings. Mechanically excellent.
NOTE: This weapon is a National Firearms Act (NFA), fully
transferable Class 3, which is registered with the Bureau
of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, (BATFE) that
is classified as a “Curios or Relic” as defined in 27 CFR,
478.11. These weapons are still subject to the provisions
of 18 U.S.C. Chapter 44 and 27 CFR part 479.
Provenance: The J. Curtis Earl Collection;
Property of a Gentleman.
Estimate: 16,000 - 27,500