[Tommy Gunn]

I heard it from many that the Savage M99 is the best lever-action rifle ever made. Do you agree?

http://www.savage99.com/


http://www.savage99.com/images/TheBigFour.jpg
Left to Right: .303 Savage, .300 Savage, .250-3000, .22 High

[telewinz]

Yes, hard to believe its roots are based on the Martini-Henry rifle. Just wish Savage would use better wood for the stocks.

[Okiecruffler]

Some would argue that it's not only the best lever rifle ever made, but the best rifle period ever made. Not that I would ever make such a statement, unless I was alone, cradling mine gently...My Precious...gollum, gollum...Okie loves his Precious...

[cdbeaver]

The Model 99 in .303 Savage that I gave my dad 30 or 40 years ago was just returned to me last week. It still looks beautiful. It's really old, perhaps a very early number. SN is in the 95xxx range.

Problem I'm having now is getting ammunition so I can shoot it once again. Nice chap told me how to reform .220 Swift brass for it, and even offered to send me a few formed cases to try out.

I may yet get to shoot it again before it is permanently retired.

[jem375]

My favorite deer hunting rifle is the Savage 99A in 308, which I think is the best caliber for this particular rifle.....My son uses a 99CD in 308 for his deer hunting also. And why wasn't the 308 in the favorite caliber poll??????

[Mike Irwin]

"Why wasn't the .308 in the caliber poll..."

Because those 4 cartridges were developed by, and first chambered in, Savage Model 99s.

The .303 and .22 Hi Power Savage cartridges are now obsolete, the .300 is still hanging in there, and the .250 is still a popular, and exceptional, caliber.

Here's a little trivia...

The Savage 1899/99 has been chambered in more standard calibers by the factory than any other lever action rifle.

IIRC it's 14, plus the .410 shotshell, or 15 total...

[Doug444]

Can't say that I agree on this on. I just can't warm up to the lines on this: hammerless and a 2-piece stock. :scrutiny:

My personal favorite lever gun is the Winchester Model 88. I have one in .308 Win., and besides being my first lever it is my best looking. Clean lines, 1-piece stock. :) . Even looks good with a scope attached.

I know this won't sit well with Savage 99 fans, so I'm puttin' on my bulletproof underwear now.:evil:

Doug444

[Desert Dog]

I heard it from many that the Savage M99 is the best lever-action rifle ever made. Do you agree?

Nope, no way, no how.

Winchester 1886/1892 is, in my opinion the best lever gun ever made.

I would much rather have an M1A than a M99...

my $.00000002,

Mike

[Art Eatman]

There's no doubt that the old 99 has proven itself to be a truly fine rifle. It's definitely worthy of a lot of respect.

"Best" however, is a function of each individual's set of criteria.

Aesthetics might favor some other shape. Others might consider the stronger breech mechanism of some of the more modern designs.

An interesting note about the "obsolete" .22 Savage HiPower: Phil Sharpe lists a load with a corrosive primer and a whole bunch of 2400 (data from AD 1939) which drives a 40-grain bullet at over 3,900 ft/sec.

That's obsolete?

:), Art

[BlindRat]

My dad had a tendency toward Lever Guns. His 99F in 308 has put more meat on the table than any of his other levers including the 94.

But he even agree's that the most refined, accurate, and slick lever gun he owns is the Sako Finnwolf which he got late in his search for the perfect lever gun.

By the way, has anyone else had extraction problems with the 99 and high pressure cartridges such as the 308 Win? The 99F has a hard time extracting handloads that function fine in every other 308 we have. I've also noticed that cases stretch considerably on firing.

[tex_n_cal]

I have owned two M99's in .300 savage. Both are/were really, really, accurate rifles, and they seem to put deer down just as fast as a .270.

I for one would love to have one in .358 Winchester:D

[Dave Markowitz]

The Savage 99 is fine, fine rifle. I owned two, a pre-War Model 99T in .30-30 and a 1958-vintage 99EG in .308.

The 99T was neat, and pretty rare. I picked it up for cheap because it had been reblued. After playing with it awhile I traded it for a Ruger Old Army.

The 99EG was a nice gun, too, but after playing with it for awhile it got traded off on something I forget.

I ~like~ Model 99s, but for some reason I could never shoot either of mine as well as some of my other guns, e.g., my No.4 Mk.I.

I would still like the chance to try one out in .250-3000 though.

Oh, and to answer the poll, right now MY best lever action is an EMF/Rossi Model 1892 short rifle. :D

[Marcus]

Sweet rifles. I wouldn`t say .22 Hi-Power is totally obsolete,it`s still popular in europe they just call it 5.6x52R. Fresh factory ammo (71gr.SP) is readily available from S&B. Marcus

[Shake]

I don't know if it is the best, but in my dad's hand it is. He is deadly with his. He doesn't miss.

Shake

[Keith]

One of the first deer rifles I ever owned was a 99 in .308. It was certainly a fine rifle and I regret letting it go along the way.

A few years ago I bought a Browning BLR and (in my opinion), it is a better rifle in several categories. It is more accurate. It has a hammer (personal preference). It is available in both short action and magnum calibers in different versions. And (at least in the "Lightning" version), it is somewhat lighter than the 99.

I *think* the BLR also has a shorter lever throw than the 99, though I could be mistaken about that.

The downside is that the BLR doesn't quite have the classic lines of the older lever guns, and Browning has that horrible glossy finish on the stock - ick!

[eagleseeker]

by far the savage rifles are my fav.my 22 hp is my favorite rifle of all the guns i own.reload your own ammo an you will see what i mean.i load mine with a.224 65 grain bullet h 380 powder at 150 yrds i have 2in group

[TehK1w1]

We've got 3 savage 99s at the house but my fav is the 300 Savage. The 22 Hi-power looks like fun, but no ammo atm.

[Harve Curry]

My 1st high power rifle I saved and bought for myself, the Savage 99A cal 308, after gettin talked into to it by my brother, who always had his nose in a gun book. It has never failed me except it made hunting to easy after I started learning how.

[rbernie]

I have had close to a dozen of 'em. I like them a fair bit, but the design has a few weaknesses (principal of which is the extractor).

[Shawnee]

I would rate the Browning BLR as #1 - the Savage 99 as #2 - and the Win. 88 carbine tied for 3rd with the Win. 92, the Win. 94 and the Marlin 336.

More importantly, all of 'em are finer hunting rifles than nearly any bolt-action ever made.

:cool:

[foghornl]

Never owned oned, but I have shot a few Savage 99's. One was .303Savage, all others were .300Savage.

Ex-brother-in-law still puts a Bambi or 2 in the freezer every year with his .300Savage 99.

[Speedo66]

I would say the Browning BLR might win that title. Shorter, lighter, arguably better looking, greater range of calibers.

The fact that I have one has nothing to do with it. :rolleyes:

[woof]

I guess it is a matter of what chord "lever action" strikes with you. To me lever action means cowboy gun. My favorite is the Marlin 1894, but for deer the 336. And I say this as someone who owns a prized family heirloom 99 in .250/3000

[SwampWolf]

As much as I like my 99 "brush gun" (.358 cal.), if I had to pick the best lever-action ever, I'd vote for the long-discontinued and never really popular Sako Finnwolf.

[k9870]

isn't savage bringing the 99 back? i heard on some forums. i wish the 24 would come back, i want a .22/.410

[AKGuy]

Well, I've never touched, fired, etc, an M99 in any caliber, but as someone who cradles his BLRs in "precious" fashion, I have to give my opinion that the BLR is in fact the greatest lever gun ever :cool: I'm not saying that to "diss" the M99, but just like there are folks who think the BLR (or whatever rifle) is ugly, I have to say that the M99 don't look like no beauty queen to me! To each his/her own!

[planetmobius]

The greatest lever gun ever is the Winchester 1895 in 30-06. In my humble yet infallible opinion.

[goon]

They are great rifles but they're also out of production.
If I had one I'd feel a little guilty about using it.
I'll stick to a Marlin that I can replace for $200 if absolutely necessary.

[M'bogo]

If its not the best lever ever then it still would get silver or bronze. my vote would be for gold though.

I have a 99-E carbine in .308Win that was given to me by my wife as a wedding gift. I could not have asked for a better gift, lever gun or wife. :)

A side note here are two of the best levers ever made looking for a new home.
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=117496383


M'bogo