Savage 99 lever gun question

Try here
http://www.savage99.com/savage99_dates.htm

Rom828 said:

While pawn shopping today I found a Savage 99 in good shape in 308 win. It's wearing a vintage made in USA Weaver K31? scope. It's got the cartridge counter on the side that I thought was only on the earlier guns. It's serial #912937. I've always loved these rifles, as my grandfather hunted with one. Anyone have an idea how old it is and a ballpark price?

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My Grandfather Also had one, I have it now. Same set up, but the scope was purged and glass was no longer clear or usable. Plus the mounts were off center, so I had to change mount over to a one piece Leopold rear adjustment for windage base. It's a good shooter now, but I eventually will buy a real good quality scope, as I only have an interum cheap scope on it now.
It sure has a lot of recoil for a .308 mostly I assume due to it being very light wieght. It is a great classic, but the really expensive ones are the older ones, and in other calibers too. I think the take-down model in .300 savage is one of the higher priced, more saught out versions. If I remember reading right some years ago that is...

I just bought a Savage 99E in 300 Savage in November. Condition was fair it had some light freckling but nothing that a good oiling couldn't remove. The wood(not walnut) was beat up, I would say heavily used but not terribly abused. Old enough to still have the rotary magazine but did not have the round counter window. Picked it up for $325.

Walnut stock and the brass rotary mag with round counter and you are into the 600 and maybe more depending on model range easy if the gun is in good condition.

I'm thinking, if my memory is correct, that with a serial number in that range, 912XXX, it was probably made in the mid to late fifties. 1950 ended at about 566,000. The 308 Winchester cartridge came out in 1952 but I'm not sure what year it was first offered in the 99. I think 1953 is in the low 700,000 range. In 1960 Savage moved from Chicopee Falls, MA to Westfield, MA and the rifles before and after 1960 are thus marked....
There is a code on the lever boss:
Lever Boss Codes:

A = 1949
B = 1950
C = 1951
D = 1952
E = 1953
F = 1954
G = 1955
H = 1956
I = 1957
J = 1958
K = 1959
L = 1960
M = 1961
N = 1962
P = 1963
R = 1964
S = 1965
T = 1966
U = 1967
V = 1968
W = 1969
X = 1970

Besides the round counter, it should have a brass rotary mag follower, not aluminum. I'd like to give you more precise info but I don't have my Savage book or rifles handy at the moment. As far as what it is worth, 99's with serial numbers below 1,000,000 are considered the most desirable. As far as value is concerned I'd have to see a picture or at least a model letter but if it's in good to very good condition, somewhere in the $500-$700 (maybe more) range if I had to venture a guess sight unseen.

I have seen Savage 99's go for $350 all the way up to $1200.
I have one dated to 1951 that will group 3 shots into an inch, with all 5 at 2 inches,
I would rate it at 80% with hunting/handling marks and some scratches & blue fading in spots (guessing worth $600)
I will never part with it as it was a gift from a friend who's grandfather passed, grandpa killed many animals with it and was a true outdoors-man from another era.
yours sounds like a dandy, never seen one with a barrel band sling mount.

Congrats Rom... Sounds like a nice rifle....

My dad and grandfather both loved the 99 Savage in .300 Savage. I will have one eventually, but I will seek one in .308 for the better availability of ammo and components.

But nice find! My grandfather's was a 26 inch barrel, schnabnel forend, and was very light but hellishly quick handling! IIRC, both his and my dad's were 99 F's (feather weight).

I bought one built in 1952 in .300 Savage about six months ago. Blue is nearly perfect and wood is 95%+. Bore looks new. Paid $499. As with most hunting rifles, value is slowly declining. A few years ago that would have been closer to $1,000

Redneck2 - $499 sounds like a great deal for a 99 Savage in that kind of shape!
When I get one, I will need to seek out a few small parts to have as spares - the 99 has been out of production for a long time so there is no support for them if you break an extractor or something.
Still though, they are great rifles.
My grandfather's was bought new in the 1920's, my dad's semi-pistol grip stocked 99F was bought new in the late 60's or early 70's. Both are remarkable rifles. They won't be leaving the family as long as I draw breath.

I was given my Savage 99 to me from my father. His father gave it to him for a gift, I will give it to my son. I heared a couple years back the big ammo companies were going to reduced ammo runs and may stop all together for the .300 Savage, but I have seen no slowing. I will begin to reload for this caliber and pass that to my son as well to keep this caliber alive and well. My gun through its history has taken many deer, elk, and coyote, even grouse. A fun fact: The polar bear that is on display in the Smithsonian was taken with a .300 Savage. In it's day the .300 Savage was well known to be an elite round for Elk. In my travels here in WA state I have found more .300 Savage ammo for sale at small mom and pop stores located out in the middle of no where of the wilderness. Everytime I ask how long they have had the ammo they say not long, because a lot of the residents still use the .300 Savage as their go to guns for hunting. The Savage 99 was the begining of my love for Savage Arms!