Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Savage Collectors When did Savage change the length of the "tang" on 99?

Remember that nice looking stock for a Savage 99 recently on GB? I paid top $ for it but hey, how often does one find a factory stock, without pistol-grip, with matching forend, for sale, regardless of the price? So I bought it thinking I would put it on my primo 99 serial number 10,000 in .303 Sav. So I am down in my gun-room and guess what? The tank is about an inch shorter on this old model 99. It has the cocking indicator in the top of the breech-bolt, so it may well be a modified 95, but the internet says it is a 99, built in 1899. So I kept the old stock on it, which is not that bad but my plan is shot in the a--. Can anybody tell me when this physical change happened? I was under the impression that no dimensional changes took place since the inception of the 1895 (except for cocking indicator and other minor changes). Thanks.

Murray

They shortened the tangs at the 90,000 mark, give or take a couple digits.

The tang on my newer models are all "longer" than the tang on my 99 with the 10,000 serial number.

Maybe I got that backwards, but I know the switch was at 90,000.

You would think a guy with as many 1895's as I have would at least get that one correct.

Your first response is correct.

That's what I thought, then I second guessed myself.

Old age is creeping up on me at 44 years old, but I don't mind cause my oldest daughter just brought me home a peanut buster parfait from DQ so getting old ain't all that bad.

Lightfoot, the older 99 that I have with a 10,000 serial number, has a shorter tang than anything newer that I have. So the initial response by "Mad Dog" must be opposite of what the situation is. Please confirm. Thanks, Bob

I'm thinking that nice stock on GB that you paid top $ for is a bit screwed up.

No, its right on as I put it on another 99 and it fit fine. The 99 that I have with a 10,000 serial number on it has a tang that is shorter than all my others, all of which are newer than it. If you have an old 99, prior to 10,000 serial number, hold it along side a newer model and you will see that the older 99 has a shorter tang. It was news to me. I appreciate your input. Bob

I just put 5898 up against 926XXX and the 1895 tang is longer.

Wow. Well, now I am seriously confused. I am traveling on business this week but when I get home I will post a photo of my 99 with the 10,000 serial number, next to one of my other 99's (all of which are somewhat newer than the 10,000 model) and will be interested in your comments. Thanks. Bob

Just to throw some terms out that might help to keep the discussion clearer....

Serial numbered rifles under 10.000 == Savage 1895
Serial number rifles from 10.000 to 220,000'ish == Savage 1899
Serial number rifles above 220,000'ish == Savage 99


A 10.0xx rifle should definitely be a model 1899, I don't think we've identified any receivers made at Marlin that has an 1899 serial number.

So you have a very early 1899, which you can't fit a later stock onto.

Quick measuremens:
1895 receiver 464x has the tang extending about 3.15" back from the sides where the side panels would hit.
1899A SR receiver 10.7xx is 3.15".
1899A receiver 46.0xx is 3.15".
99T receiveer 350,xxx is 3.02".
99F receiver 936,xxx is about 3.02".


This correlates pretty good with what I've heard, which is that there was only about a 1/8" change at 90.000. As Joe said.


Pictures of your receiver are definitely in order, with a measurement if you can.

Will do. I get home late Friday night but as soon as I wake on Saturday, I will post some photo's and some measurements.
Thanks for the input!

two possibilities ,
one previous owner ground it down to shorten
2 somebody at the factory screwed up and they built it anyway
3 somebody in R+D thought a shorter tang would not precipitate as many tang cracks ,,,,

ya I know I said 2

norm

My apologies to Ralph. After a phone conversation with Steve in IL, he explained to me the substantial size differences between an old 1899 and a 70's era 99. Until I took this new stock, that would not even get close to fitting my 1899 regardless of fine tuning, I would not have believed there was such a huge difference in dimensions. I took this replacement stock and put it on a 70's era 99 that I have, and it fit perfectly. I will now call Ralph and apologize to him for my comments. Frustrating. I really thought I was being swindled.

Can somebody tell me how to attach a photo to this forum? I tried to copy and paste, that does not work. I can't find anything that will allow me to attach a picture. Thanks.

Are you trying to tell me you met one of Ralphs reserve prices?

Don't believe it.....

I know I over paid but I really wanted this.