Savage has long had a reputation for offering affordable centerfire rifles, and the ability to come up with designs that are easy and economical to manufacture is what has allowed the company to do so. One of the first examples was the Model 23, which was introduced in 1919. Eventually offered in .22 Hornet, .25-20, and .32-20, it had a tubular receiver and a single locking lug at the rear of its bolt. A combination of stamped parts and a one-piece receiver/barrel kept production cost quite low.

The single-shot Model 40 in .22 Hornet is a more recent introduction in affordable rifles from Savage. Like the Model 23 of many decades before, the Model 40 has a simple tubular receiver, and lock-up at the rear is accomplished by the root of the bolt handle bearing on the receiver at two points. When I reported on the new Model 40 in the April 2005 issue of Shooting Times, Savage officials told me that it would eventually be offered in .204 Ruger and .223 Remington, but those plans were canceled soon thereafter. Due to the larger diameter of their cases, those cartridges impinge a higher level of backward thrust against the bolt during firing than the .22 Hornet, and while the Model 40 action may be strong enough to handle the additional strain, the margin of strength is not as great as with larger, multiple locking lugs. All of which serves to bring up the latest addition to Savage’s varmint-rifle stable, the Model 25.

The Model 25 also has a tubular receiver, but at 87/8 inches long, it is more than 3 inches shorter than the Model 40 receiver. The machining of abutments inside the receiver ring for the three locking lugs of the bolt also makes it more expensive to produce.

Measuring 1.120 inches in diameter, the receiver has two gas vents located adjacent to the bolt head when it is in its locked position. At the right-hand side is an ejection port measuring 2.540 inches long, and the bottom of the receiver is cut out for a single-column detachable magazine that holds four rounds. Made of a tough synthetic material, the magazine is detached from the rifle by pressing a lever located at the front of the magazine opening in the synthetic trigger-guard assembly.

Screwed into the bottom of the receiver are three action-bolt bushings with the rear two also serving to hold the fire-control assembly and magazine retention spring in place. The roof of the receiver is drilled and tapped for scope mounting, and a Weaver-style, two-piece base is included with the new rifle.

The one-piece bolt is 75/8 inches in length and .630 inch in diameter. It has an engine-turned finish and also wears the ever-familiar Savage logo. It features a 60-degree lift and three massive locking lugs up front. Those three lugs along with the diameter of the bolt lead me to believe that cartridges of even greater diameter than the .204 Ruger and .223 Rem. are in the future of this rifle with the 6.8mm Remington SPC at the very top of my wish list. And since no magazine modification would be required for the .221 Fireball and .17 Fireball, I would not be surprised to see them added to the list of Model 25 options.

Savage Model 25 LVT
Model:	25 Lightweight Varminter Thumbhole
Purpose:	Varminting
Manufacturer:	Savage Arms Inc. 118 Mountain Rd. Suffeild, CT 06078 800-370-0706 savagearms.com
Action Type:	Bolt-Action
Operation:	Turn-bolt
Receiver Material:	steel
Caliber:	.204 Ruger (as tested) .233 Rem.
Magazine type/ capacity:	Detachable/ 4 rounds
Barrel length:	24 inches
Rifling:	Eight grooves, 1:12 RH twist (.204 Ruger)
Sights:	None; scope mounting base included
Metal Finish:	Polished and blued
Safety:	Two position, RH side of receiver
Trigger:	Fully adjustable AccuTrigger
Pull Weight:	36 oz. (as tested)
Stock:	Multi-laminated wood
Stock finish:	Polyurethane
Drop at heel:	2.0 in
Drop at comb:	1.5 in.
Length of Pull:	13.5 in.
Pistol grip cap:	None
Buttpad:	1/2-inch rubber
Sling studs/ swivels:	Three: one rear, two front
Weight, empty:	8.25 pounds
Overall Length:	43 5/8 inches
MSRP:	$635