Hi'Bwana mad dog:
I confirm: positively no sign of any drilling/tapping on the bolt sleeve (or elsewhere).
The rifle's serial number is 7710 and I presume rifles of the same production period came with the sporting open rear sight only.
Of course I understand your reluctance toward mounting an optic on the rifle and the logic behind it.
I will offer the rifle for sale if anybody is interested because I believe that collectors must be given access to firearms in original condition.
With regards to this, I like to mention that Savage Arms maintains a beautiful collection of firearms and various articles produced over the years, including a washing machine at their plant in Westfield.
I was priviledged to visit the collection in the early 90's under the guidance of Carl Hildebrand then Savage's Senior firearms engineer.
The Mod. 99 was still made, but it was very expensive to produce.
I have bagged a fair number of game animals with either my own series A 300 Sav. or 358 Win. of the early 70's. Both rifles were left in Europe and continue to hunt in the hand of friends I met over the french Tirmailly forum.
The vintage Mod. 99 that thrones in the gun cabinet belongs to my son. It was purchased for him at a small gunshop in the Gatineau area around 1998.
He also owns a vintage Mod. 110 in left-handed version. This one chambers the 270 Win. round and still has the horseshoe extractor upfront the bolt. The original stock was re-shaped/ rewamped and checkered by the late gunsmith Charles Marboeuf ("Armor Arms"/ Hochelaga street, Mtrl.) who was a very good friend of mine.
I did send piuctures of the finished rifle to Carl Hildebrand and this may well be the debut of Savage's Mod. 14/114 Classic rifles series, for the ressemblance is obvious.
At any rate, it became my son's pet rifle and he bagged a large number of roe-deer, wild boar and red-deer with it in Alsace.
If you ever fall short of Savage parts, the Company's bible is Ms. Effie Sullivan. Hopefully she 's still at the employ of the firm in Westfield.
Our friendship with Savage started in the early 90's when Savage Arms Canada accepted to provide my son with a heavy barrelled 22 LR bolt-action repeater. The platform for this rimfire rifle was the Lakefield 900 target rifle. It was delivered to him with a hardwood stock that Savage later replaced at no charge with a black/gray laminate. About 3 years after the initial purchase, Carl Hildebrand sent us the improved trigger group for the rifle that served extensively for varminting and training purposes.
A key person at Savage Canada was Ms. Heather Martin then responsible for the customer desk. She was always extremely kind and responsive towards the demands of the pre-adolescent would-be hunter.
Consequently I have regularly recommended Savage Arms to french hunters and shooters for the years I spent in France, both in person and as a forumner in front of the computer's screen.
Terry Mc. Cullough, present V.P. of Savage Arms Canada is a man of great class, flair and personal involvement. He was helpfull getting my 250 cal. Savage Mod. 14 from Westfield.
I have lots of respect for several other firearms manufacturers, but Savage Arms is in a class of it's own.
