Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Savage Collectors what would you do with a full rat?

300 savage, gray, swiss cheese, compass, and swivels.

Haven't shot it yet.

gotta shoot it first - then decide.

If it shoots pretty good , Id hunt the Heck out of it!

Watch someone else own it.

Wouldn't have brought it home....

Even old Rats need a little lovin now and then. Feed it something good and see how it treats you, Joe.

At first blush I thought "project gun". But with extra holes, and .300 caliber, my next thought was "blechhh". Even a bottom feeder needs to know when to stop feeding.

This.

Consider the purchase price as tuition, and start down the dark road of 99 tinkering.

I think I'm going to agree with Gnoahhh on this. Can't make a silk purse out of a sows ear. If you want a cheap beater, one of that cal can usually be had on the cheap in more better shape for a project gun.

Trade it to Fireball and let him work the magic. GW

You feed it bullets til it dies.

did I miss anything in full rat-hood?

Sycamore

Crack rat? (Tang cracks) Sewer rat? (godawful bore) Rubber rat? (recoil pad) Sh*thouse rat? (So bad overall that no one would stop you from dropping it in the outhouse)

tag, save for future reference

haven't looked at it in a while, probably rubber, maybe crack, I'll shoot it in a week or two, good excuse to load a box.

Sycamore

Assuming this is a jab, I'll just say some people don't get it.

If your 99 is beyond restoration, powdercoat it and waterproof your 99 while concealing those extra holes (welded shut), thereby creating a more functional firearm, while opening up a new market of buyers that hunt in foul weather.





If anybody acts cute about it on the internet, laugh all the way to the bank and show them where they can plant their lips.

First, shoot it.

Second, don't put any more money into it unless you just like dinking with project guns that won't give you a return on your money (nothing wrong with that, done it a few times myself just for fun).

If it shoots decent (or very well), either shoot and hunt it as is and enjoy the "character" and thinking about all the hunts it's been on over the last 60-80 years. If it's so bad you're embarassed to be seen with it, do a home reblue and stock refinish. You'll be amazed how many guys will still ooh and aah at the range even over a nicely refinished 99 (hey, my dad/uncle/grandpa/etc hunted with one of those!).

I've taken multiple deer with old, gray ratty 1899's and 99's.. they still hunt fine.

Ain't hardly any blue left on this gun..

Rory! That deer has the bleeds, as my infant nieces used to say!

The rifle on the left was a very rough 99F 358 that I purchased for $400. I put $125 and a few hours tinkering into it and sold it for $1100. Funny stuff.