My Dad had one he bought right after he got out of the Navy in WW2. He used to make mention that it was under 7 pounds. He got it in Arizona from a gunsmith friend he had down there. 6 pound and something....but I was a kid and I can't remember the numbers.
It had a crescent butt and the slimmest barrel I ever saw on a center-fire rifle in those days. I think it was 20" but I don't know for sure. The stock felt too long for me and I though it kicked hard. Later I thought it was probably because at the time I was using it I was about 5 foot 4" tall and weighed 95 pounds but my dad was 5 foot 10" and weighted 220 and he thought it kicked too. He said it hit him in the face, and I also remember it hitting my cheek bone as well as my shoulder especially when we used 180 grain ammo.
The rifle was in very good shape, but from what I gather by talking to Savage experts, it was likely made in the early 20s. I was very light.
Now own a 99 now in 300 Savage, and it's a 1951 made rifle, with a pistol grip, 24" barrel and a flatter steel butt. The rifle weighs a bit over 8 pounds and doesn't kick bad at all. A real pussycat to fire even with the heavier bullets. The stock on it was butchered when I got it so I made a new one and just used the old plate, but it fits me well because I could make it to my liking. No scope, just a Williams peep. I have come to like it a lot, and that's a bit weird because I really hated to use my dads gun when I was a skinny kid. I loved to hunt, but I remember not wanting to shoot the deer or elk with that rifle. It's the only rifle we had in those days, so I did kill game with it, but was REALLY happy when I got my own M70 Winchester in 270.
