Recently I purchased an 1899 H in 22 HP, s/n 122,xxx. It letters as a 22 HP and as being accepted in the warehouse and shipped March 21, 1912. It was also returned to the factory for unspecified work on factory job #18088. No date given for the work.
This rifle has the following differences from an original rifle:
- The receiver has been reblued
- The top of the receiver is stamped "SAVAGE" over "Model 99" just like the post 1920 factory stamps
- The bottom of the barrel is stamped in the smallest font I've seen on a Model 99 with the s/n followed by an R
- The web (if that's the correct term) of the lever is stamped with the s/n followed by an R. The case on the lever is virtually 100%.
- The amount of blue on the automatic cutoff leads me to believe it has been replaced or reblued.
- The blue on the forearm collar does not match the blue on the receiver, but the difference is not as noticeable as on squeelers rifle.
- The forearm collar has been modified. The original transverse screw is still there, but the wood on the end where the s/n originally would have been has been cut off, and the metal plate that is found on the later forearms has been screwed on. But the original collar is modified to accept the plate so that the plate is screwed on with the screws aligned vertically. Removing the plate shows where two horizontally aligned holes have been filled.
I would like to think that all this work was done at the factory, but obviously there's no way to prove it without knowing what was done on factory job #18088.
Before someone asks, the s/n on the buttstock matches. No s/n on the hard rubber buttplate.
For what it's worth my vote is that the work on squeeler's rifle was done at the factory. Obviously, a letter on this rifle would be interesting.
Jaack i would like to see pictures of the back of the forarm with and without the hardware , i have a forearm with both seta of screws which i believe is factory ,, quite a bit higher ser no,,
norm
