Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Savage Collectors Lightfoot Mount Update

The other guy was me. Here is part of the correspondence between Mike and I. " It will be my last mount so maybe that's a good way to close the book.

Let me know if you need the details again." There is quite a bit of correspondence about this one and I have all of it. I saved it just because I guess I thought it was neat.

I know there is a thread here somewhere. Glad you kept the trail. So, I got the last HP22 mount.

I can live with that!

I am curious if Lightfoot has totals of the different types he made, and a total count of the complete run.

Still, a piece of unique Savage history and creativity by those Savage 99 addicts like us!

He at least should be noted somewhere in all this history. Would only be fair.

In all fairness, I built the mounts in groups of 5 and completed the various stages of the build on all 5 before moving to the next step. It is difficult to ID the absolute 'last one' since they overlapped in the process. I went by when they were shipped. Got very close to 500 total.

I have pretty detailed records on each mount. There are basically 2 models. The 1899 with a long front strap and all others for the 99s and a few 1899 carbines. The only difference in the 99 mounts is the length of the screw slots for the dovetail block. The rear sight dovetail moved from as close as 2-7/16" to 3-1/4" from the receiver ring. I thought strongly about building all of them with the full length screw slot so it would be a universal mount but never followed through due to the extra work.

The mount Jay Ward has for a prototype does have the long screw slots so it will fit nearly all the 99s but not some of the 1899 carbines. I'm recommending the long screw slots for a production version of the mount. Much easier for a milling machine to do. I have a commercial drill press that I did the work on. Not great at milling steel though.

I show a Lightfoot mount on my 99K on page 88 of the engraving book. It will also appear in the revision to the "Collector's Guide". Thanks Mike for the great service you provided with the Lightfoot mount. David

Mike's original design is based off the old Redfield SR one piece base. Jay is looking at changing the design to a CNC one piece with Weaver Picatinny top. All yet to be determined after talking to manufacturing companies.

At this point I don't think the picatinny is locked in for the design. Still back and forth on it. The production cost of that Vs. the old turn in Style rings will certainly be a factor. I have to think going to a Weaver style ring is simpler whether it is a full picatinny or not.

Please don’t put a picatinny rail on it.
It would just not look right on a classic Savage 99.

Someone here posted a picture of a 99 with a picatinny rail on it. It looked a lot better than I thought it would ( I'm not a fan of them though).

The conventional style picatinny is pretty ugly on a 99. I would like to see a rail that takes Weaver rings that is also low profile. Like this:

you are right.
that was me that posted the pic of the 99 with a picatinny rail

IMO they should be produced the same as the time proven and popular 'Lightfoot' mount. Doing anything else would make it not a continuation of the original, would not be a 'Lightfoot Mount'. So many times manufacturers get the idea of changing a time proven product only to have it 'bomb'. Same as some sequel to a movie or car manufacturers changing a time proven, popular vehicle this or that. My vote is to keep 'as is' if anyone is interested. A picatinny rail would detract from the looks/lines of a 99 IMO. Who was it Ruger that put a picatinny rail on one of the classic Marlin line of lever gun models, added fiber optic sights. Ugly, Ugly. Might as well hang a light and a suppressor, maybe a mount for a cell phone also.

I get what you're saying but the weaver style rings have been used for a long time and have been proven to work. The original Lightfoot mounts are probably great but it's not like they'll be selling thousands of these things. So having to buy and modify a Leupold mount for each one may bump the price up. I doubt anyone doing this is doing it to lose money. If it ends up being too expensive they'll have a lot of original Lightfoot style mounts few people will buy. If the design is changed so it is one piece of metal that will also open up the possibilities of different, and probably better, finishes.

I'm not involved and most likely won't buy one anyway. Just my two cents.

Savage 99's have been factory drilled and tapped since the mid 50's. So, a Lightfoot style non drill mount is really only useful or desirable on guns over 70 years old. Who going to put a Pic rail on a classic pre war H or R or G or K? That will be a bust IMO. Classic and expensive is going to sell better than cheap and ugly.

You got to know your market and remember who is buttering your bread. Ask the people at AB about Bud Light....

I took it as not a picatinny rail but having it machined similar to one. Like the Weaver mounts.

Like just two grooves, one for each ring? Suppose that could work without being too offensive...

Howdy! I think I have my account issues corrected here on 24hourcampfire. I will do my best to keep everyone updated here along with the MeWe and Facebook groups.

I will resume work with Matt Cook on the CAD 3D file modifications after the first of the year.

—Jay

Thanks for the update, Jay.

AdBlocker is your friend if you have problems here.

Has there been any update on this situation? I was fortunate enough to purchase one of these from Lightfoot and regret not having purchased 3 more!

Hi Guys, I am new to the group, but did get any update from Jay yesterday and will just post what he posted on MeWe.

"Reverse engineering almost complete. Delayed due to strep and Covid with the engineer. Today we added in Micheal Watson's inputs and then also added some changes on our own. Close to a point to start negotiating with the metal shops on material and labor. The traditional style will be offered first and then another option with weaver base wil come after. quote from Jay Ward on MeWe.

He also posted some pics with this but they were too big to post on here.