I recently took delivery on an 1899 Savage 303 in pretty nice shape. What I REALLY like is the Lyman Alaskan sitting proudly in Stith mounts on top. Anyway, I've got a question. The rifle's SN is 186952 and the forearm matches that. The buttstock and buttplate are both numbered 186987, a 35 number difference. The buttplate also has what appear to be inspector initials. Here's a pic.
[img:left][/img]
The perch-belly buttstock has a crescent butt and straight grip. Pic.
[img:left][/img]
It's got a 22" barrel that appears uncut. My question - Murray says the 1899 short rifle didn't come with a crescent butt and that the 1899A didn't come with a 22" barrel. I plan on sending pics and info to Mr. Callahan, but in the meantime I'm dying to know what you guys think. And is the difference in the buttplate/buttstock numbers from the gun SN significant? And just to gloat a bit, another pic.
[img:left][/img]
Thanks for your thoughts.
yooper

I also have an mod 1899 A short Rifle with a cresent butt plate with a 22" barrel, ser 1206xx,30-30 .

22" is standard for the short rifle, stocks could well be factory ,

norm

I would guess its factory, to meet someone's request. I'd also guess the initials were added later by an owner as a way to identify the gun if it were ever stolen.

I would agree with Drew...assuming that it has a factory 22" brl.

I haven't seen the end of the brl.

did they notch that forearm?

Here's the end of the barrel.
[img:left][/img]

Yeah, somebody notched the forearm to denote the number of Sasquatch they accounted for with the rifle.

yooper

same front sight definitely factory barrel, rear sight would probably have been a #14 Rocky Mountain [buckhorn] or after 1912 sporting windgauge sight,

norm

It will be an interesting letter, you hope for at least a clue.
it sure looks right.

Hey, that's my rifle.

steve99= Steve Voorhees=SV

PM me and I'll send you my address. Tell JTC to reroute the letter.


Nice rifle by the way.

Well, I'm glad I found the rightful owner, Steve. I'll start getting it packed.

Is the charge for a JTC letter still $30? It's been several years since I sent for one.
Thanks
yooper

you forgot to tell him shipping charges are 850.00.

norm

Check out the "Misc. Good Info" sticky up top. Scroll down and you'll find a post with the current letter info.

I got my JTC letter yesterday. It gave me the usual dates of acceptance, shipment, etc and I found it went to Schenectady NY . As to the differents SN's on the buttplate and buttstock from the receiver and forearm, he said this:


Here's the numbers on my buttplate and buttstock:


And it's definitely NOT a shotgun style buttplate! How did my gun get its stock and what, likely, is on #186987? The stock from #186952? In the opinion of this esteemed Forum, would my rifle be considered "correct"?
yooper

There have been several guns with wood that is from a relatively close SN. It is generally accepted that this happened in the factory from time to time. The reasons can be many I would imagine. I wouldn't condemn your piece for this discrepancy.

There is a chance that 186987 has the correct wood with the correct SN stamped on it. Who knows??

I assume that the letter says that both were a short rifle with shotgun butt? With one having a factory serialed rifle butt and plate it is obviously a factory error made in the log book.

When and where the stocks were switched is still unknown. But as long as you have the letter to show that both were logged as short rifles I would say you are okay. Would have been nice to know if both SR's were shipped to the same location. If they were the stocks might have been switched at the store. If not then probably done at the factory.

Just my $.02 on the subject.

Rick, looks like his is a SR with crescent buttplate.

Wonder if it was a long weekend and somebody stamped 35+ buttplates and buttstocks all with the same number?

Yes Rick, both are listed as short rifles with shotgun butts. JTC did not give any shipping info on #186987. But even if they were sent to the same place, both are listed as having shotgun butts, so there'd be no need to change anything at the store if indeed they shipped as stated by the record.
yooper