Savage model 77E shotgun (USA)

The Savage model 77E Shotgun was the most widely used combat shotgun of the Vietnam War.

Originally it was produced during the mid-1960’s by the Savage Arms company under contract from the US Department of Defense. The Department of Defense sought an affordable and reliable gun to supply the armed and police forces of South Vietnam during the early stages of the Vietnam War.

Due to a rapid escalation of the conflict, a significant number of Savage 77E riot and trench guns were also purchased by the US DoD for issue to the US Army and Marine corps, intended for the jungles of Vietnam. The original procurement of this gun was for the relatively small of stature Vietnamese soldiers. So most Savage 77E military shotguns were equipped with shorter than normal stocks and rubber recoil-reducing buttpads. These shorter stocks subsequently caused numerous complaints from US soldiers. As a result, the US Army and Marine Corps later adopted the Mossberg Model 500 and Remington model 870 shotguns to replace the Stevens model 77 and several older guns such as the Winchester M97 and the M12.

The civilian sporting versions of the Model 77 were sold in the USA under the Stevens brand. The ‘Riot’ version of the same gun was offered for US law enforcement agencies as the Savage Model 69R Police.

 

Savage model 77E shotgun

Savage model 77E shotgun

 

Technical Description:

The Savage model 77E shotgun is a manually operated, slide (pump) action shotgun. It features sturdy construction with an all-steel receiver. The bolt is locked by tilting its rear end up to engage a cut in the roof of the receiver. Ammunition is fed from an underbarrel tubular magazine. The trigger and hammer unit is mounted on the removable trigger plate, made integral with the trigger guard. A manual safety was made in the form of a cross-bolt button, located behind the trigger.

 

Specification Value
Full text name Savage model 77E shotgun (USA)
Caliber cartridge 12 Gauge
Action type manual
Trigger type sa
Overall length, mm 978
Barrel length, mm 505
Weight empty, kg 3,1
Magazine capacity, rounds 5