Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Savage Collectors 1899 dates of manufacture

Been awhile since I've posted--its too bad when making a living gets in the way of having fun. This may have been treated before but here goes--I believe Murray states that manufacture began in January of 1899; and that the serial numbers started at about 10,000. However, his dates chart, as well as the one in the Blue Book states that the s/n at the END of 1899 was 10,000. So---were there some below the 10k range made in 1899?? I have never seen a true 1899 with a 4 digit s/n before--all that were claimed to be were actually 1895's.
I remember some years ago, someone on this forum from NY said he had seen a 99 with s/n 10,030. I recently pick one up in Cody, Wy. with an s/n of less than 10,020--the seller said he thought it was made in the first week of production, but he was not an expert or even knew much about Savages. It is, of course, a .303 Sav--in pretty good shape, with the correct forearm, but, alas, has had the butt stock replaced with a Bishop.
At which s/n did production REALLY start??

I`ve found 1899`s over 10,000 that were wearing 1895 wood on them. I believe it was a parts use up from the 1895 rifles. To bad your buttstock had been replaced, would have liked to see what it left the factory with. I`ve never seen any 1899`s under 10,000, all were 1895`s.

Always heard that 1899 production started at 10.000 - and that it is an engraved rifle, though nobody knows where it is. Every letter I've seen for early rifles has production in 1899, nothing earlier - though I wouldn't be surprised if the first couple were "prototyped" in 1898 before the factory got running.

Murray's dates for early rifles really aren't that accurate. There was a list published in American Rifleman long ago (that was republished in Kimmel's "Savage & Stevens Arms" and is even used on savage99.com) that seems to be far more accurate up to WWI. Don't have my book with me, but I think it shows 1899 production to go up to about 14.000.

"...his dates chart, as well as the one in the Blue Book states that the s/n at the END of 1899 was 10,000."

That date chart starts wrong and doesn't correct till the WWI numbers. Kimmel's book has a NRA listing of serials that is better. There are also numbers for 1941 though 1945 that are pretty good.

JTC said production actually started in 1898 but I have not seen a letter on an early rifle that had an 1898 production date. Probably very few from that year.

Since the standard production rifles were not finished in serial order you will find serials that are as much as 4 to 6 months out of order. And, the bigger the years production the bigger the serial spread.

Seems like it takes me a half hour or more to finish a posting and by that time someone has already beat me to the answer. ...

Thanks, md,c and rick.I entered the sn of my early rifle at Savage.com and it came back as made in 1898. I have a number of rifles I need to get lettered--should have done it back when it was 15 bucks per. How much is it now? and how do I contact JTC? Steve

There's a sticky up in Misc good information.