Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Savage 99 hunting.....

Wondering if there are many people out there hunting with a the Savage 99? In any caliber for what every critter. And how is yours set-up, scope, peep sight.....?

Recently I found a good, 1958 vinatage, Savage 99 in .300 Savage. It now wears a nice ol' Lyman 57SA peep sight. Can't wait to get it sighted in then take it out chasing deer & hogs!

It will be loaded with the Remington 180 grn round nose cor-lokt ammo (recently discontinued). Used a rifle / ammo set up like this to take my first bull moose in Alaska when I was about 12 years old!

So what do you have??

I use an early 50's Savage 99EG in 300 Savage with a Leupold M8 4x with Weaver tip mounts. Been using 180 grain corelokts. Gun seems to like about anything I feed it. Good luck.

I have a "few" Savage 99's that get into the woods quite a bit. By preference, most are scoped....but are mounted in the old Weaver Swing-mounts that allow instant use of iron sights if needed (desired).

I do have one with a tang peep sight in .30-30 that is used for brush hunting at times and the peep works just fine. I hunt mostly deer and hogs and depending on my mood that day the caliber of choice may be .300 Savage, .308, .358 and even occationally a .243. The .308 and .358 are my normal choice for any game larger than deer size.

The sentamental favorite in the gun room is a .250-3000 that has taken deer for 4 generations of my family.

Came across a good deal on a M99 in 300 Savage about a year ago. Put an old Redfield 2 3/4X ccope on it. 1st group with factory Remington 150gr was less than MOA! Had some old 150gr Ballistic Tips on the shelf; picked a light load of 4064 and took her hunting last year. Dropped a mature buck in his tracks. Hoping to encounter a sounder of hogs this fall. Fun gun!

This year I got a 1940s EG in .300 Savage. It's not drilled, so I'll hunt it with open sights. Haven't had time to get a good load for it and sight it in, so it'll probably sit at home this year, but a some point, it'll go out after deer.

hunt with a 99 every year... all sort of configurations... open sights, tang sights, stith mounted scopes, factory scoped. Actually not sure if I have ever hunted with one with a tang sight though no reason not too at all... planning to soon as I am planning to take an early SRC buffalo hunting with a tang sight.

I have a mid 50's 99EG in .300 Savage that is not drilled and that I put a period correct Marbles tang sight on after removing the rear sight. I've hunted deer a few times with it but never killed anything with it yet. One of these days I will.

The 99 likes to travel. Been to Canada, Argentina, but it really liked Africa:

I hunt with a 99 every year. This 99A has always been scoped and gets carried the most. Scope is 1x4 Leupold.

1910 savage 99 in 3030. took a few texas deer, 1 hog and going to canada this october for larger deer. hornady leaverlution 160 gr. shoots really nice.

I didn't even know you could scope them....

I've hunted whitetails with my pristine 1953 Model 99EG for a good many years. I reload Nosler Ballistic Tip bullets in front of 40.8 grains of H4895 sparked by standard Winchester large rifle primers in Winchester cartridge cases.

This combination gives me a chronographed muzzle velocity of 2635 fps with a deviation of only 3 fps (+1/-2 fps) and shoots into less than an inch (3 shot groups) at 100 yards.

This is a very accurate load and .1 of a grain less than the MAXIMUM load.


Strength & Honor...

Ron T.

Ron T, what bullet weight?

Wayne

I bought a 99 while a senior in highschool with my ranching money... was a hundred bucks used and had a redfield wide angle scope... in .308

I killed my first and also many deer with it... after getting into archery in my late twenties, it sat. Later, when my daughter was still young, she wanted a special Bday gift, it was out of our budget... I looked at that old gun, put in the paper for 175.00 and the phone wouldn't quit ringing, it sold to the first guy that ran over, no haggling... lol...

Of course, the older I got the more I regretted that impulse sale.

Last year, Enrique had an old 99 in 308 he needed to sell, to purchase a 7mm... well, he made me a good deal and I used that gun to take a cow elk last fall, had that same daughter accompany me on that hunt... It was like an old friend returned.

I put an old weaver 3X post and crosshair on it, I had laying around... would love to find a peep for it, maybe one of these days.





Kent

Lovely lady and a nice rifle! Where are these deals when I need one?

Each year my wife and I make a trip to Anticosti Island and each year I take two different 99's this year my rifles will be a 99K in .300 Savage, and a 99EG in .308 Win. Here is a pic of the K.



And here is the EG

Every deer(around 30+) I have taken since I was twelve has been with a 99, mostly an old rat 300 savage(love that gun)a 30-30 and recently a few with a 308. There were a few I shot in NY with a shotgun, but just a handful, the rest with the old lever action. I bought a fancy bolt action 7 mag a few years ago to hunt elk, got a shot at a running bull through the dark timber less than 80 yds and blew it. I Knew I would have punched a few holes in him with my savage, and when I got home I sold the gun and bought my 99C in 308. Haven't got a chance to take it out west with me yet, but next year is probably the year. This fall heading to NW Ontario to see if the old 99's work on the bigger bucks there, not too worried.

99C .308 3x9 scope 130grn TTSX and I'm good to go - for deer and antelopes

Brush Gun in 358 wearing a Weaver K4W scope in standard Weaver rings. First rifle I ever bought after I turned 18. Deer, black bear (when I go) and will go for elk if I ever go for elk.

Dale

I have (2) Savage 99s and (2) Savage 1899s that I use. They are my favorite guns to hunt with.

I have all 4 of the savage rounds.

.303 Sav


.300 Sav (no gun in pic, but this mulie had a date with it)


.250-3000


and finally a 22 hi-Power that as yet has only killed bunnies

Gotten a few, most with a 1945 99EG in 300 but also blooded a 99T in 300 and a old rebarreled 1899 in 250-3000.

Taking out a 1899 made in 1901 chambered in 303 for doe season next weekend, also dragging along another in 250-3000. Putting a Weaver K4 on the 303 right now.

Bottom one is the 303 I'm scoping.




Couple of my EG..

I've got a nice EG in 308 but don't use it because of the terrible trigger pull. Probably should get rid of it.

VernAK, I volunteer to remove that burden.

Calhoun,

Stop by with check for $750.....I'm not at home dawn nor dusk as I'm trying to shoot a few birds to put in the freezer with my dall sheep and moose.

You have a PM................

All we have around here is whitetails, but they're so thick they're practically a nuisance. I hunt them with a 1956 pre-mil 99F in .300 Savage. It was factory d&t'd so I went modern and scoped it with a Leopold VXIII 1.5-5x in Leupold rings. The whole rig weighs around 7 lb., so toting it up and down the ridges is not difficult.

When I was a kid I sometimes hunted with my uncle's M99 300 Savage. It was set up with a 4x Bushnell Scope Chief. It was a cool scope that had a retractable heavy post, the broad post reticle went up and down by turning a dial on the scope. It also had a red rubber recoil pad and leather sling. It wasn't much to look at as he had bought it in "very used" condition in 1948, but it had a real good feeling trigger and it was accurate enough to hit beer cans at 200 yards from a rest. He used Remington or Peters 150 bronze point ammo.

I hunt with 3 99's, all .300's, handloads. I have 2 EG's, one a '50, the other a '54, first with open sights second with Redfield peep. These i use for whitetail in the big woods.

I call coyotes and use my '53 model R with a Lyman peep. It's an accurate gun with the peep. This year i mounted a scope (getting serious about more 'yotes) but haven't hunted it yet. Now that i put it on, i'm leaning towards the idea that i don't need the scope - i haven't yet. I don't think i've ever shot anything further than 100 yards, and the peeps work just fine for this range. I find scopes cumbersome in the woods and my personal feeling is they totally ruin the aesthetic of a .99 - they look like a sore thumb on these guns, although i realize many don't care about this, (but on the other hand, i doubt if anyone who has a 99 isn't interested in the aesthetics - otherwise there are plastic guns that will do the job as well or better I'm a still hunter anyway (except for coyotes.) I sight my deer rifles in at 50 yards. 100 yards is a long way in the woods, and i've yet to spot a deer that wasn't inside 50 - often closer - you certainly don't need a scope for that.

An old 1949 article reprint in Sports Afield (current issue)Whelen considers the .300 Savage "entirely satisfactory for all game up to about 150 or 200 yards." (The game he's considering is "grizzly and black bear, moose, elk, caribou, mule deer, sheep, goat and wolves.")

99 in .308 with a 2X7 Redfield scope and a lace on pad so my eye actually lines up w/ the scope. Has yet to be blooded but accurate and cool. I was stopped by a game warden 4 years ago who did not know what it was. WTF?

250-3000 for me, I believe it is the R model. It wears a Burris 1.5 x 6?. It has been along time since I had it out of the safe.

Why the hell did Savage ever discontinue the Model 99?????

Way too expensive to produce with all that hand fitting. Rumors say Savage is thinking of reintroducing an improved model with CAD/CAM design, but I doubt it would sell if it didn't look and act like the old model. Remember what happened to the Winchester Model 70 in 1964 when Winchester tried to "modernize" it?

I think Savage discontinued the 99 in two steps. They first messed up badly when they switched to the last version with tang safety and lower quality parts/cheaper looking wood.
Those who loved the older models didn't buy the newer version in sufficient numbers.
At the same time newer shooters/hunters were convinced they neeeded a bolt action magnum to take deer at 400 yards.
Sales dropped below profit point for the 99 and it was a business decision to drop it entirely.
Production/machining costs would make the return of a quality 99 prohibitive so enjoy the ones you own.
BillR

Grand dads 99

spike buff...Saddle Ring Carbine in 38-55

Nice pics, I have a 1924' vintage 250-3000 with a williams peep sight that may just get the nod here this season.

I really wish Barnes would start loading their 130 TTSX at 2850-2900 for the .300 S.

Expat

LOVE that pict!!!!!!!!!!!

I be dragging the 250-3000 EG around starting next Saturday for blacktail. Have to say I'm looking forward to it.

I know this is a big game forum but this is the 99 I have the most fun with.

It's a 1899H in savage 22HP with a Marbles tang sight, shooting cast bullets loaded down to about 22 mag velocities.

I'm not opposed to paying extra for a product of quality even if it means doing without until i save up enough to buy it.
I think most people,especially when it comes to purchasing something for their "passion" are willing to pay extra.

I inherited my grandfather's 250-3000 in 2001. I have only taken it on one big game hunt. I got this antelope in 2008 I believe.

It has also taken some coyotes.

25-35 made in 1911

250-3000

The "K" seen earlier in this thread is going hunting again this year. It will be in the company of this "F" t/d. Right now the "F" is wearing a Lyman P&CH scope. I made a modification to the back ring. If it works for me there will be a Leupold sitting on her this evening.

1899A Short rifle .30-30, 130gr Speer HotCor dropped this charging woodchuck at 40 paces. I could smell his hot breath and see the saliva dripping off his nasty pointy teeth!

I wish Barnes would make an tsx that would work with the 1/14 twist!

i will be using a 99 in .22 sav hipower this year ,as i have done for the last 20 years

.308 Model 99

savage 1899 in 30-30

Savage eg in 250-3000

Savage 99 308 featherweight

308 featherweight again


99 eg in 250
[img]http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c102/kenster99/HPIM0229.jpg[/img]
Savage99 eg in 300
A savage1899 in 250-3000 was my first deer rifle I got when I was 12 yrs old. Killed my first buck with it the same year. Still own it today, and it has taken seveal others over the years. Also have taken game with some of the other calibers in the Savages. They will always be one of my favorite classic rifles for hunting!

I,'ve hunted with a 99F in 358 Win for years and my nephew uses my 99A in 243 Win. we both have killed whitetail deer with them.

These two coastal blacktail bucks were felled within moments of each other. .308 is a keeper!

TR

And here it is with the Leupold. It's bore sighted. Now all I need to do is shoot it to see if it will maintain zero consistently.

+1000 an 85-90 grain

It would have to be a 70 or 75.

Savage lost money on each one they sold. If Savage were to redesign the 99 it could be built using modern computerized manufacturing. However... then they would be in the market competing again the million plus Savage 99's already out there.

It makes no business sense to compete with yourself in the marketplace.

We'll just enjoy our old Savage 99's

BTW: My bet for what is sold today that will be a Classic in the future is the CZ 550 rifle

I have a 1952 .300 Savage EG, and love it. Have killed a couple of deer and a bunch of hogs with it. Working up a load with the 130 gr TTSX for it's turn in the rotation this season.

I think it would sell if they did it as a special edition, pre-mil quality with really choice walnut and maybe a little engraving. Then they might be able to charge whatever they wanted - there are quite a few folks out there paying lots of money for guns.

Of course, in these economic times you'd not want to be wrong. Savage has been in trouble before. I'm sure that factors in.

Any guesses as to how much they'd have to charge?

Wow! That is cool! Would love to see some pictures... not too many ppl hunt the 22HP! You reload for it?


In general, I think its cool to see how many hunt with a 99 regularly as I figured most on here that did were regulars in the Savage Collectors forum.

Good luck to all that will be touting a Savage 99 this fall/winter!

I empathize with you but it I'd be shocked if it happened. Perhaps if Savage ever has a Custom Shop?

yes i load for it i use 30/30 brass. i traded a 30/30 marlin for it because he couldnt find ammo for it

Great pics and stories.

A 1948 EG in 300SAV. Hard to improve on that, really, particularly on foot in woodlands. Found previous owner's business card in the stock bolt hole, gentleman from Pennsylvania.

Have had this EG 250-3000 in the safe for awhile. Bought a Williams FP off eBay and picked up a box of Remington 100gr and a box of W-W 87 gr(NOS) at a gunshop up where I'm working in NE Wyoming. The Remington wouldn't shoot better than 3" but the Win 87gr shot just over an inch. Wish I could find a few more boxes. Bought a leftover antelope doe tag since I'm a non-resident. Haven't hunted or eaten antelope since moving to Colorado.
Got this doe last night at about 100-125 yards with the 87 grain. Must have hit a rib or just blew up since you can see the entry wound and there was no exit. Destroyed the lungs. No damage to the backstraps or shoulder so should be good eating.

He's just a little guy, but accomplished my goal of three generations of deer hunters taking a buck with this Model 99 .300 Savage.

To all that have posted, great photos and guns. I enjoyed the entire 7 pages. Me, I am not a Savage 99 guy as I was raised with Marlin leverguns but do understand your passion for them. After going through this would not mind picking one up and giving it a workout.

Nice EG. Looks like some interesting grain in the stock. (I like your quote about freedom, by the way... you might add that while it tastes like chicken, it's deader than a Dodo. Except, I sincerrely hope, in our minds... cheers.)

Well I got a 99R in 358 all sighted in the other day in preparation for a BC moose hunt next week... can't wait...

Moose hunting.............................Doesn't get any better than that. Best of luck.

Have fun Drew.

That definitely requires some pics to be brought back. Good luck!


Gotta keep this thread going.. 2010:

Thanks! I'm pretty excited! Might take another one or two 99s as "back-up" (and admittedly, I am taking a custom LH 700 in 300 Wby)... I also have a black bear, mule deer, and wolf tag... not expecting anything, hoping to shoot a moose. Compared to the overall costs, the tags are just cheap insurance that if an opportunity presents itself, I have what I need.

From this morning using a 99K in 300 Savage. Gotta love them old ones..

not many ppl hunting with engraved 99s, congrats Jim!

First shot was about 35 yards maybe. Not sure. Bear didn't appreciate it. Typical reaction it turned and bit at the wound. Second shot hit the shoulder and it died.
My kid was 15 on this hunt and was his third bear I think.
27 year old, 7' 7"
Bullet was a 180 grain silvertip

I can think of one other crazy guy that would do it.....

Good luck with the moose hunt Drew and Calhoun said, pics are in order.

I thought i'd drag up this thread, because I just bought a 99. I've been looking around for a .243 for deer and coyotes. Maybe elk, but i'm not sure about that.

I've always wanted a 99, but got stuck on my Winchester 94 all these years. When my gunsmith said he had a 99 in .243 my ears perked up. I wen t to look at it this morning, and feel in love with it on first sight. It fits me perfect, and it has nice looking wood. I'm a fan of all classic guns, and I should have bought one of these years ago.

I'm not sure what I have. It has a Monte Carlo stock with what looks like a factory recoil pad. The safety is by the trigger. I don't see one like it in this thread. What do I have?

Mauser, I'll PM ya.

Got it. Thanks.

My first trip into the field with a Savage 99.
99F in 300 Savage.

Nice, what caliber?

Wow, it doesn't get anymore American than that.

Great thread!

Did he stalk it to 35 yds, or stumble onto him?

Most of 'em shoot like this 375 winchester caliber 99 w/group-

I'll spare you all the details. The details and other pictures are all posted over on the Savage collectors forum.

Anticosti was consistent again this year for both my wife and me.

This is my 99K and a "not too awful bad" 7 pointer that met his fate by a .300 Savage.

love the story's and pics didn't draw out this hoping for next year! savage 99's rule!!!

Barkoff asked

"Did he stalk it to 35 yds, or stumble onto him?"


Dredge up a 3 year old question just because I'm not all that punctual.
That one was spotted from a couple miles away. Did stalk the bear to within 35 yards. I was next to him with my .300 Weatherby but wanted to let him kill the bear with the .308

Anyway. He's killed a few more since that bear. Here is one that I decided to have a rug made for a Christmas present for him. Another 7 1/2 ft. Seward Peninsula grizzly killed in the spring.

Great thread...I missed it first time around...so lets keep it going....
35/30-30--200 gr Rem Core Lokt


303--190 gr Win factory Silver Tip

Talked with a Savage rep at Harrisburg show last year. He said that when they calculated cost of a new 99 they'd have to sell it for over $1500 for a standard factory grade rifle, and couldn't see any market at that price range.

Seven of us in my hunting club have 11 model 99s between us:
2 30/30s
5 300 Savages
3 .308s
1 .358