Savage 99 guys?

[SaxonPig]

Just bought one on Gunbroker. In photo serial appears to be 23670 and a 99 web site makes that 1902. I know very little about these (other than they look cool and I wanted one) so maybe someone can help me out?

I read that they mostly had crescent butt plates. Could the stock be altered or replaced or could the "shotgun" type be original? No checkering... again, should the stock be checkered or could it have come that way? Is the straight pistol grip unusual?

Any idea on what this model would be called? I see letters like 99E and 99F in discussing these rifles. Would this have an alpha suffix?

Any other info would be useful and appreciated. Thanks.

 

[DAdams]

Congrats. I inherited a 99e in .300. Nevered fired it. Yet.

This seems to be the site
http://www.savage99.com/ And the f...tions. [url]http://www.savage99.com/butts.htm

 

[redneck2]

99's are awesome. That one looks way nice to be over a hundred years old. Back then guys actually used their rifles. A LOT. I'd have to wonder if it's been refinished.

What caliber?? I'd assume either .300 Savage or .250 Savage.

 

[SaxonPig]

I'm thinking the whole gun (certainly the wood) looks refinished. Bought it as a shooter and price was OK so no problem. It's in 303 Savage. Not the best choice but it will do. I have dies and cases are on the way.

 

[Patocazador]

I've got a relatively new one that looks like that one but without the shiny varnish/urethane finish. I bought it new in the '80s. It's in .243 and called a 99A and has a rotary magazine. If I remember correctly, they only offered 2 versions when I bought this one - an "A" and a "C" model. The "A" cost less and was available in different calibers than the "C".

I never laid hands on one until I bought mine and was surprised that it was so heavy. I guess I expected something that weighed similar to a Win. 94 since it had a lever action.

 

[Gordon]

They were sold with your choice of either butt design. I am guessing it is a 99F rifle but I can't tell if that is a round or hex barrel. I have a similar one in .303Savage and I have killed a deer with it although it slew many for the old rancher I got it from.Top one is the .303

 

[Patocazador]

Gordon:

What model is the middle one? That pistol-grip stock should make that one handle well.

 

[midnattsolen]

Looks like a nice rifle. The first rifle I hunted with was my Dad's 99F in .300 Savage. The F stands for "featherweight". My Dad bought the rifle new in 1965. His rifle has a checkered grip with the curved lever. My Dad told me that the fore stock was replaced due to a crack when the rifle was new. The original was checkered. The replacement is plain. Very balanced rifle. My Dad has taken quite a few deer with this gun. The 99 is unique in that it has a rotary magazine rather then the tube of the Winchester 94 and Marlin 336. This allows the use of pointed bullets where as the other lever actions are limited to flat nose bullets. I had a later 99 chambered for .375 Winchester.

 

[tahoe2]

99's are awesome, I have a 1951e that was passed on to me from a friend, who's Dad and Granddad both hunted with it for years, he doesn't hunt so he gave it to me ten years ago, it will still put three shots into 3/4"-1" and five into 1-1/2" @ 100yds. That straight lever & stock is probably just the way it came out of the factory. I would love one in .375 Winchester!
168189

 

[goon]

My dad still uses the 99F he got in the 60's and my grandfather's old 99 bought in 1923 is still in the family - both are in .300 Savage.
Dad's has a pistol grip stock and the thumb safety on the tang. My grandfather's has the straight stock, schnabel type forearm, lever safety, and a steel buttplate. My grandfather's handles like it's an extension of your body - that rifle is so graceful. I think SaxonPig's rifle is pretty much exactly as issued.

The shame of the .303 Savage is the scarcity of ammunition. There was a box around our house built by mistake and when I used to work at a gun store my dad asked me to trade it to a guy who needed it in exchange for a box of .300 Savage. The guy was ecstatic to get that almost full fifty year old box of ammo! Glad you got a line on reloading components. What diameter bullet does the .303 Savage use? I'd assume .311 but I've never done any research on it.

 

[bubba15301]

definatly refinished

 

[hogshead]

The butt stocks are notorious for cracking around the tang on these guns . Someone may have put another stock on it but it wont hurt the shooting a bit.

 

[Gordon]

The middle gun is a 1959 F model in .308 and is extremely well finished about the perfect deer rifle IMHO. The bottom rifle is a 1971 "1895" commemorative in one of the VERY few made in .358 Winchester. I sold it last year for all most $1800 on Gun Broker, the .308 flavored 1895 Comm. goes for $8-900.
I occasionally shoot the .303, and it has a .309 bore FWIW as I shoot cast boolits out of it.

 

[Snag]

Cool info, I never paid enough attention as a kid to notice all the possible differences. My Pa has four 99's, now I'm curious to see exactly how his are configured.

 

[goon]

Gordon - is the bore big enough in the grooves to use a .310 or something that might have been made for the 7.62x39? I don't have one and unless I fall into one with seven boxes of empty brass, I probably never will... but it might be good for others who own them to know what might work and what won't.

Thanks.

 

[Gordon]

I think they were designed for .308" bullets, mine is well used!

 

[SaxonPig]

Savage called it a 303 but it uses standard .308" bullets. Since it has a rotary magazine you can load spitzers and are not limited to flat-nosed bullets required by the Winchester M94's tubular magazine.