Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting A classic New England deer rifle.

Savage 99 EG .300 Savage or Marlin 336A .35 Remington. I inherited a 336A .30-30 that I worked over and still carry at least once a year: rechambered to the Improved 40°, cut and welded a square butt lever like the Marlin Deluxe, action/trigger job, and new Ballard style stock set.

Winchester 94 .32 Special

I've always been a pump rifle guy. But, ever since beretzs mentioned the Savage 1920 in the "Close in Deer Rifle" thread and then I read Mule Deer's mention of it in Gun Gack III, I think? I've been thinking about that gun and "eastern" bolt guns. Also, folks talk about Larry Koller when the Model 1920 comes up and I've got to read Shots at White Tails which is sitting in my local library right now. Interestingly, I've read that the Savage Model 340/Stevens Model 325 gets an honorable mention by Koller. Turns out my paternal grandfather's "stalking rifle" was a Stevens 325. It's mine now, odd little bolt action 30-30 that I never even thought of taking out. But, I'm looking at her now as a sweet little diamond in the rough that has been neglected for too long! So, WWII just ended, you're back from the pacific theater like my grandfather and like my grandfather you don't have much folding money in the deer rifle budget - you need a rifle to head to deer camp with your buddies, you've read Shots at White Tails, you can't afford a Model 1920, you buy a Stevens 325 in 30-30. 6lbs, iron sights and points quick and the $38. does not offend your swamp yankee sensibilities.

That was my dad's one and only.
Open sights.
Took it to New Brunswick every year in the1950's.
Always brought home the venison.

I got a 1920 in 250-3000 as marked on the barrel. The early rifles like mine averaged just under 6 lbs from what I read. They got that by carefully selecting the wood. Amazing doing that with full length 24" barrels back in 1920 that were not pencil thin like the ultra lights of today. Mine has a bolt peep on it and weighs 6 lb 3 oz IIRC. Sweet shooting rifle. Carried it a few times, haven't killed anything with it yet.

Damn, with the bolt peep, too! Nice. I'm covetous of your rifle, sir!

My dad's NH deer camp in the early to mid 1960's was populated with model 94's and a couple bolt action rifles. No pumps and no 99's until one of the guys needed to put a scope on his lever action rifle. One of the most successful guys, an ardent grouse hunter, used a model 94. Another used a bolt action 30-06 on everything from deer to woodchucks. I have never felt handicapped by a bolt action rifle in the NH woods.

Stand back sir, I called dibs a few years ago

Lol. Yes you did. Forgot about that. No worries, it's still here.

2nd dibs, then!

1920s in 250-3000 have 22" barrels, while 1920s in 300 SAV have 24" barrels.

20/26s in both 250-3000 and 300 SAV have 24" barrels.

Ha! Fair enough.

Damned cool recount buddy. I’d bet there were a million rifles bought like that after the war. One grandpa got a 32WS 94 and another got a M99 300 Savage.

You might be right, I'd have to measure. I was thinking it had a 24", too many guns I guess.

i will always have a soft spot for a Savage 99 ! its a heck of an grand old rifle .

I'm normally an honorable man but, I just pm'd ShadeTree that I'll give him whatever you offer plus 10%

Either the 1948 Marlin 336 in 30-30 at top or the 1960s-ish Savage 99 in .308

Model 94 or 336 in 30WCF 30-30 winchester. My self a win 88 in 308.

I like to think about those old guys when they were young and those times. It was a different world. A 94 and a 99 - yup. We're lucky to know those things. Peace, brother.

The Win. 94, Marlin 336, Remington 760 and 742 accounted for about 80% of the rifles I saw in the Catskills deer woods in the 1970's. A 94 and a 336 Texan, both .30-30's, were my first two deer rifles back then. By 1980 I had added a 336C in .35 Rem. and a 760 carbine .30-06. I don't think I'd have chosen much differently in the 50's or 60's. Oddly I never ran across a single hunter with a Savage 99. Hardly saw anybody perched in trees back then either. Still hunting and deer drives were widely practiced.