[ACP]

I'm looking at a used Savage 99EG, made in 1949, in 300 Savage (i.e. 24" barrel, schnabel fore end, pistol grip, front and rear wood stock checkering, steel shotgun buttplate, trigger guard safety, shell counter.) I'd like to give someone a definitive answer on it pretty soon.

I'd rate it at 90-95% wood and 90% metal (no rust or pitting -- I took the gun apart). I'm going to ask about $525 out the door, and I might get it.

Here are my dilemmas:

1. There's a HAIRLINE crack about 1+1/2" long on the right side just behind the top of the receiver. it's not large enough to fill in and is barely noticeable, but I imagnie it will grow over the years. How much of a concern should this be to me?

2. The rifle has been drilled and tapped for scope mounts -- not done at the factory (it's through the roll mark atop the receiver.) I know this is a common practice with 99s. One of the screw holes has a "rainbow" discoloration pattern around it, signifying to me some excessive heat. Again, how much of a concern should this be?

3. There is no rear sight in place, but a plinth instead. I'd like to replace that rear sight.

4. The front sight is a Lyman, which is either the original which has lost its bead or is an aftermarket sight. it is too wide for the dovetail, but then again some of the original front sights were, too, from what I've seen in old catalogs.

5. The barrel needs to be re-crowned.

I don't NEED this rifle -- I don't hunt, but at some time in the future I may hunt elk, and I'd like to carry it in the woods for protection against black bear and cougars. In the meantime, I'll scope it and shoot it at the range.

Thoughts, comments?

[rbernie]

That's a good price for a vintage 99EG, if you can get it and if the rifle is truely 90%. To address yor questions:

This is a very common problem. It can usually be fixed but needs to be attended to or it WILL ruin the stock. The fix is not free, obviously - budget that cost into the equation. Getting period NOS furniture is almost impossible, and you're likely to have to pay Boyds for an aftermarket replcement if you can't get the old one fixed.
I wouldn't sweat it at all - the D&T points aren't significantly stress bearing
Easy to do, and NOS sights readily available
The OEM was a Lyman, and many were replaced over the years to compensate for different rear sights. Again, NOS is available or you can just use a new Lyman.
That's an issue - recrowning it will require blue touchup or a complete rebluing. None of this work will help its saleability/collectability at all. If you want it as a shooter - not a problem. If you want it for collector value, this could be an issue. A complete reblue will cost $100 easily, while a recrown and touchup normally runs around $40-$60.
Bear in mind that while 300 Savage is plenty good enough for elk and such, it's not nearly as common to find in stores as would be, say, 308. As a baseline for comparison; a decent 99F (of, say, late fifties or early sixties vintage) in 308 in 85% condition and no real work needed will sell locally for about $525 to $550, and one that requires work (stock and or finish) will drop a hundred off of that.

It seems that in the last year, the craze over 99's and the attendant increase in prices has moderately abated. Rifles that would have sold for $500 two years ago are selling for $425 today.

[browningguy]

I would say that is not a deal.

Hairline cracks never get smaller, figure a minimum of $75-100 to have it professionally repaired and finished to match the stock, or a couple of hundred to restock.

Even if you leave the stock as-is you've got a bit of money to spend replacing the rear sight, recrowning the barrel, replacing the front sight. Maybe $150-200 if you are lucky, maybe more as I don't really know the parts prices.

And after all that it has exactly no collector value. For $500 you can do much better, you can at least find one that hasn't been mucked about with, or one that has been taken care of and is ready to hunt with. I think around here that would be a $350-400 truck gun.

[Cosmoline]

It's been messed with, so the price seems a tad high to me. The Savage collectors market is pretty picky. You should also check over at 24 hour campfire. Lots of Savage collectors are over there.

[ACP]

Thanks, gentlemen. Guess I'll pass and save my $$ for a minty one.

[lawson]

it's pretty easy to find a 99 in better condition for the same price. I have one in .250 Savage, and one in .303 Savage.

but by all means you should get a 99. easily one of the best rifles ever designed.

[rangerruck]

aththe Houston and Pasadena gun shows, there is allways a guy with savage 99's, and baby , they are minty fresh! he sells them for about 400 on up depending on the cal. the 300 savage of course, is the most desired, and it is more, but the ones he has are beautiful.