New-to-me Savage 99, first day at the range

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david58

david58

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About a month ago, I swapped a SW 95 and $300 for a Savage 99 in .308, built in 1961. Has a 4X Weaver 'Scope, nice wood, and that wonderful patina of a well-used and loved rifle. It is going to need a new scope, as this past hunting season the previous owner managed to give it a knock and a bit of the glass spalled or flaked off the objective. Figure a Leupold VX-1, 3X9 will do nicely, and even as a budget Leupold, it will be a much better scope than the technology allowed for us to have in 1961.

So, me, a dyed in the wool open sight shooter (I have shot 1000X more rounds through muzzloaders than centerfire, though my wife's AR is helping me catch up), shooting this old scope, on an old rifle. First day out, I was pulling 2" groups at 100 yards, my best was about 1-1/2". Plus, I was ringing clangers at both 200 and 300 yards, although I had to hold about 6" high for the 300 yd clanger.

Sweet!

Now I understand why the Savage 99 is a collectable rifle. It is quite the shooter, a pinnacle in lever-gun development with the rotary magazine, and is easy on the eye. I have a sneaking suspicion that this will not be my last 99 - I had a goal of collecting one each of the basic lever guns, and may have found myself stopping at Marlin 336 and Savage 99. I love the rifles from the '40's and '50's, and seein' as I need a Marlin in 35 Remington and 45/70, and a Savage in 300 Savage and 25-3000, it may be a while till I make it to the Model 94 and the BLR.
 
Sorry to hear that your Weaver is out of commission. I also have a Savage 99, albeit in .300 Savage, and it proudly wears an El Paso vintage Weaver 4X. I wouldn't have it any other way on that particular rifle.
 
Congrats on getting a nice used rifle. It's always fun to see what they'll do at the range. I just put together a 6.8 AR and am getting ready to do some range work with it.
 
I like my scopes as compact as practical on any rifle I own, but especially so when mounted to a rifle as svelte as the classic Model 99. If it were me-wait, it is!; I wouldn't want glass any bigger or heavier than a 2x7. I have a 1x4, Redfield "WideField" scope mounted on my Model 99 "Brushgun", chambered in .358 Winchester that has served me well over the last many decades.
 
SwampWolf said:
I like my scopes as compact as practical on any rifle I own, but especially so when mounted to a rifle as svelte as the classic Model 99. If it were me-wait, it is!; I wouldn't want glass any bigger or heavier than a 2x7...
Click to expand...
Agreed, here's a 99F .358 Winchester on my back porch with a 2x7 Leupold, anything bigger seems out of place to me.

408810172.jpg
 
oiling018.jpg


The middle is a 59 99F in .308 and those 50s to early 60s .308 (and other calibers) are the best of the bunch. I have had a half a dozen in my life and only the .308 99F remains, and will till I go.
 
my 99 sav currently has peep on it. I too also like trimmer scopes from yesteryear. my dads k4 had gotten yellowed inside so what now?. weaver did make a anniversary steel scope with a timex watch in a metal box. it does have jap optics but that maybe better than the current options (china).
.....luepold vxi 2 to 7 is compact, works good on lever guns might be another good option. dc
 
OK, you guys win. Shot better than I expected with my 4X that is broken, I might even put a fixed power scope back on it. I should slow down my horses a bit and realize that I should match the scope to my rifle and its use - I am hunting within a couple hundred yards (me and 308 say so), I have a classic rifle that needs a scope that fits the vintage of the rifle, and I don't need a scope that lets me see my heartbeat as the crosshairs bounce around the target. Thanks!
 
I too love the "older" rifles, although most of mine are from the '60s or '70s. However, my pride & joy is a .30 WCF Model 94 that was manufactured in 1947. It's about the same age as me, but looks and gets around a whole lot better.
 
I need to get a scope for my 99 in .300 Savage. I really like t he looks of the Burris Signature Elite. It has the vintage look golden B logo on the side. Something like a Zeiss would be a great scope, but the blue logo on the side looks out of place.
 
Wait till you see your first Savage 99 multi barrel set! Also keep a sharp eye out for the takedown 99. The multi barrel sets are rare as hens teeth. The 99 was never an inexpensive rifle. There are 99's chambered in .410. usuallly seen as part of the aforementioned sets.
My favorite lever action.
 
I've always wanted a 99. When a teenager, I despised the hump back appearance from catalog pictures. After I first held one, I changed my mind.

Now days the only ones I see for sale are DOGS for $$$$.

I really wish that Savage would take a break from "tacti-cool" foolishness, and re-engineer some CNC produced Model 99's. If "Remlin" can do it with the Marlin rifles, I'm sure Savage can too.
I've presently got 13 l/a rifles to include Marlin, Winchester, and a BLR '81 in .358. I believe I could make room for a 99 in .250-3000 !!!
I've even got a Leupold VX-3 2.5-8 that I got on clearance at Gander Mtn on clearance for $200. It's not married to a rifle yet.
 
The top one, .308. carries an ancient 6X Redfield wide view. A 4X Leupold adorns the .250/3000.

 
X2 on the scope should complement the rifle. I have a couple of 99's. If you look on line you can find some vintage Weaver 4X El Paso scopes for sale in the various classifieds. Also, there is a company that repairs older Weavers. I believe it is Iron Sites. Google is your friend.
 
My 1921 250-3000 is my favorite leaver gun, it has a new in 1983 bull barrel and Bushnell 3x9 same year it's the best shooter I own.

CC
 
I was going to add a comment this morning, but family stuff ...

My 99 in 308 was rough when I got it. It had a fixed 4X Tasco. Had rode in a pick-up for years as a ranch rifle. Went to Arizona Response Systems for a high tech black coating. Looks amazing.

I redid the wood (Birch) with 10 coats of Birchwood Casey and it's as good as it'll get. We now call it Blondie. Black and blond go well together. And it wears a Nikon that matches the black metal finish, and it shoots well.

Point being that the scope needs to match the rifle for a 99. They are superb rifles. So spend the time and energy to do it right.

In my estimation, if that rifle is blued and walnut and the metalwork is in good shape with just a hint of hunting wear, it needs a blue-tube Weaver in blued Talley mounts, maybe Weaver blued with new Torx fasteners ... I'd make sure it was a Micro-Trac Weaver and that the lenses were in good shape. Prolly a 4X and maybe a wide field (W) as the 99 is a bit thick in the action area so it will look fine.

It'll shoot with the rest of them. It'll return to zero w/o question. The finish will compliment the rifle. And it just fits :)

And for those that think old steel tube Weavers are thing of the past, look at the prices they are bringing on the 'Bay ... Old Micro-Tracs in good shape are darn close to new scope prices. Two reasons; they fit older rifles, and they work well - and have for many years :)
 
Outstanding thread and pictures!

Question:
What was the largest caliber that the 99 was chambered for?
 
I'll never turn loose of my 99C in 308. It carries a 4x Weaver and has for as long as I can remember which goes to the mid 60's.
I picked up a 243 with premium left hand wood for my dad at Gene Taylors in Grand Junction years ago in repayment for the 308 and he turned it at a time of weakness and still laments it. He has quite a few of the older ones and a good friend was quite a collector.
The 99 has a huge following and for good reason.
 
I own a 1950 Mdl. 99 .300 Savage. I have never hunted with it. It does not wear a scope. I shoot cast bullets in it using iron sights. It is an amazingly accurate firearm. These rifles were way ahead of their time.
The .300 Savage is the parent of the .308. :)
 
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