Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Savage M-99 vs Browning BLR

I’m thinking of selling the old M-99e in .308 Winchester and finding a BLR. Anyone done this lever gun transition?

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Having owned both, I prefer the 99. While neither has a great trigger, I’ve generally had better on the 99s. Both have been accurate enough for deer at any range I’d shoot, and the 99 was easier for me to strip/clean. If you like detachable magazines, all the BLRs have them as far as I know. Is there a specific issue with the 99 that makes you want to change?

Old70

The 99's original trigger--which is the one on your 99-E--is a LOT easier to "tune" than the BLR's. And generally pre-1960 99's shoot very well, with at most a little tweaking. (Have not always found this to be true with post-1960 99's.)

On the other hand, the few BLRs I've owned have been very accurate. My first, a .30-06, grouped almost as well as my NULA Model 24 .30-06.

Whether tiny groups matter for your hunting is another question.

Both are great rifles.

Why do you want to sell the 99 and replace it with a BLR?

I've got a BLR in 308, and it's a fine rifle, but to my mind, the 99 is more gracefully styled, and just as accurate.

Regards, Guy

I own Savage 99's and also owned and tried the BLR in .308 a long time ago for one hunt. Maybe just just a love affair with the 99 my family has had since they started making them, but I could not warm up to the Browning for several reasons but mainly the trigger sucked and I did not like the feel of it compared to the Savage 99. It comes down to preference and ease of maintenance as regards take down & assembly. The Savage wins on the take down and assembly, all other aspects are preference as they both shoot very well.

I'll second MD's words on the potential of the 99E's trigger. I found a 99E in 308 for peanuts at a Tucson pawn shop, and scored a new-old-stock never installed original 99 .358 Win barrel off of eBay for equally cheap change. Frank Wells of Tucson swapped the barrels for me and did a trigger job. I ended up with a really nice rifle with a fabulous trigger. after some bedding work it's a real shooter.
I'd hold on to yours if it was my choice to make.

Best of luck,
Rex

I have a couple of 99’s and, while I’ve never had a BLR, my brother has a couple as do a couple of friends. I will say they are more accurate than such a rifle has any right to be. I have loaded for theirs and shot them quite a bit. I have also been their go-to guy when they’ve had problems. The biggest problems have been when they’ve gotten foreign matter of one kind or another inside that’s put them out of commission. They seem particularly susceptible to that and they are the sort of mechanism I don’t like to disassemble anywhere but in the shop, on a clean workbench. It just seems to me the 99 is a more robust action in that regard. All that said, my brother has had his .308 BLR since the late’70’s or early’80’s and it’s been all over with him. It’s his “last rifle to get rid of.” For me, the 99 is a nicer carrying and handling rifle as well.

Savage 99 for me any day. Have several 99f and c. Fit me better than the BLR or the Henry Long Ranger I had. Sold them and kept the 99s in 250-3000, 300sav, and 308win.

I've heard of a Savage 99. Are they any good?

I know the 99 has a well-deserved loyal following, but the one had, a.308, kicked like a mule. It was one of my first rifles and I tried to like it, but it gave me a bad flinch. Years later I shot a friend's BLR in .308 and it didn't seem so bad. I've always believed the Savage just didn't fit me well.

I have a few 99s and love them, but they do punch WAY above thier weight class for recoil.

300 Savage is my upper limit for a cartridge in them. I have absolutely zero desire to ever own one in 284/308/358. Imho they're best paired with lighter cartridges like 250, 300, 303, 30-30, etc, unless pain is one of your kinks.

For me its mostly the extraction issue, I want a rifle that's close to 100% reliable.

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BLR's are usually quite accurate. 99's a little less so but still acceptable as a a hunting rifle. In nearly fifty years of gunsmithing, I have probably worked on as many 99's as Brownings, but the Brownings often had weird problems. Trigger issues gear timing, occasional misfires for no apparent reason.
The Browning is a little more reloader friendly as the Savage tends to stretch brass a bit if loaded hot. Load the Browning too hot and I have seen lug setback and stripped gears , if a case got stuck.
I would probably choose the 99 just because I think they are kind of classy, and they've been around for a long time. GD

i own both 99`s and BLR`S i do use a 30-06 BLR s.s. that has a better trigger now this rifle is more of a workhorse blood trailing rifle , i like to keep my 99`s in the safe and maybe shoot them a little they are kinda safe queens for me. both the 99`s and my BLR`s do shoot well .

The only way I would go down the BLR road is if I was looking for a magnum cartridge, all other calibers the 99 is better handling gun to me and no exposed hammer.

I’ve had both, like the 99’s much better. I don’t think they have any more recoil than a bolt in the same calibers. My 358’s are pleasant to shoot.

Winchester Model 88 for the win

I have an 88 and a 99. I can never decide between them really. I have tried a BLR and wasn't all that excited about it. Never owned one though

Why not keep the 99 in 308 and look for a BLR in .358?

Unless you really don’t like the 99.