Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Savage Collectors Savage Model 99- .284 Winchester question's ?

Hello:
To Start I have Both of Douglas P.Murray's book's and he only touches "LIGHTLY" on the clip fed model's and anyone that has really tried to look into these clip fed version's would know that. Like I also said earlier I have owned Several model 99's so this aint my first rodeo with one of there product's.He also point's out that he missed alot of information on several different model's and learn's of these differences all the time so the issue at hand may not be chissled in stone according to him. Other than a basic start date caliber line up and subtle changes it is worthless on newer model's. Now I have a 51 EG model that he does a decent job researching and providing pertinent information about important changes, barrel addresses and proof mark locations.. I am not convinced a letter would even solve the the wood issue as I have a model 220-A single shot shot gun That was bought brand new in 1937. Savage has no notes nor information that would let one think it came with anything but a plain smooth forend or a pistol grip stock.As A matter a fact they refer to this model as a utility grade shot gun but mine has many custom "FACTORY" features. The one I have has a beaver tail forend that is checkerd and a monte Carlo stock that have been on it since the Day my Grandfather bought it for 16.52 cent's back in 1937 and it was ordered and delived by mail through the Montomery Ward Catalog. He forot to check what caliber he wanted so they actually shipped two. One in 12 Gauge which he kept and one in 16 Gauge which he sent back this one I have also has a 36" Full choke barrel.I did meet a guy and I do not recall his name that claim's to be a historian for The Savage arm's corp or the one that bought all there previous record's. I told him of it at a large gun show where we met. He had a large Savage display that sparked my interest and he stated they never made nor shipped one like that when I explained all the different features mine had. At the time I lived 65 Miles from the show and could not run home to retrieve it to show him. I made arrangement's to bring it back the following year for him to see as he said he would return there to the same location. As planned I returned with it the following year and he was able to see the wood I was talking about when I handed him the gun. It also has a ivory looking front bead sight and a grouse scene on both sides of the receiver. He explained he had never seen one like it but heard of them. To me this showed that not all the factory record's may be complete nor show that a new model may have had all these bell's and whistles so to speak since this was a first year production. As far as the wood on my 99 goes I was told it is original and that is good enough for me if you look at and older EG model these are exact and it may be the original owner may have requested this style over the checkerd one instead along with the famous Savage Schnable style fore end it has.. The recoil pad is and add on and for 200.00 who really cares ? As I said earlier in the thread I have no desire to part with it just shoot it and enjoy the unique caliber that it is. I am not a collector just a hunter and one who uses every rifle or revolver that I have. Just my point of view on it. The rifle really is a tight grouping piece and that is one of the reason's I have kept it along with the fact I believe the .284 never got the credit it deserved from the start as it was dwarfed by the 7MM Magnum instead. Douglas Murray has a decent book and I am not aware if he has come out with one since I purchased the third edition dated 1985.If he has maybe he has put forth more effort on the newer model's But like I said he only touches lightly on the clip fed model's as far as deep research goes. as far as getting my drawers in a bind. I feel the original owner should know what he ordered or changed out on this rifle more than someone getting paid to look up information that may not even be available to them. Did savage have a custom shop back then ?I really do not know myself but would be interested in knowing this. I have also read that many of Savage's record's are lost so is it just and educated guess when you receive this letter ? I have seen other gun firm's that were not able to explain changes or differences in a make up of a firearm as well. Just a thought. thegeneral