I saw this one on an obscure bid site. I put a max bid of $400 on it and logged off; to my surprise, I ended up winning the bid. It is an 1899 Takedown in 30-30. Description said 20" barrel and SN 1391xx. I think it is a 1899H. Help me ID it for sure and let me know what you think. With buyer premium, shipping and FFL at this end, I'll have about $525 into it.

Hoping for some good news from the group to use in preparing my speach to my wife.

Thanks, Keith

Has the lever been blued?

Perhaps you mean 3911xx instead of 13911xx, in that case it appears to be a later 1930's model "F", but not late enough for checkering.

The front sight isn't right, guessing it's a cutdown 1899A or 1899A SR, or swapped barrel. Pull the buttplate, if there is just the one circular hole for the bolt it's an 1899 or 1899A SR with shotgun buttplate. If there is more wood removed, it's an 1899H. Also check serial number on buttplate to see if it's original or replacement.

Serial on the tag is 139,xxx.

Good catch on that!

Yup, I had one extra 1 when I typed above; fixed that, SN 1391xx

I'll guess that it is an early 1899F (straight stock profile not perchbelly), perhaps with an early 1899H barrel. That front sight is how they looked on the early H's. Perhaps too they were using up leftover early barrels on somewhat later rifles. All in all $400 is a darned good price. Too bad about the add-on costs driving it up so high. I would've jumped on it like a duck on a June bug.

I hope the bore is nice. Lever looks like the typically oxidized levers on so many from that era whose case colors have faded away.

Yeah, I missed that it doesn't have a perch belly. That confuses things a lot with that serial number.

Looks like a gooder 2 me!

Here are some links to some other early 1899Hs I scrounged up to compare stocks and front sight.

Rifle 1, 1912, 130215 www.rockislandauction.com/viewitem/aid/58/lid/83
Rifle 2 http://www.gunsamerica.com/906193616/49o-SAVAGE-1899H-CARBINE-TAKE-DOWN-22HP.htm
Rifle 3, 145xxx, 20” www.rugerforum.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=41&t=217486
Rifle 4, 124550 www.cabelas.com/product/Savage-Model-H-Win/1660784.uts
Rifle 5, 1912, 126xxx http://www.gunauction.com/buy/10532686

But the early F started in 1920 and the SN on this one would be 1912 or 1913.

That's why I said I guess it's a very early F or very late H. I too would like a peak under the butt plate to see what its serial number is. Could be a swapped out stock, too.

Far too late of a number for that time period, no?

Heh, figured if I spoke up on the front sight I'd end up wrong.

SN on this rifle is 1391xx. Murrey shows 1912 ended around 131,000, 1913 around 146,500, 1919 ended around 212,000.

Yep, you (and Murray) are right. I'm home now and I looked at the "newest" H I have, 147,xxx and it lettered as being finished November, 1913 and shipped February, 1914. Sometimes my mind is like a steel sieve. ( Coulda been the Sailor Jerry rum wrestling with my synapses, too! 'Tis the human condition, I fear.)

Still and all, if the better half challenges your decision to buy this fine piece of American sporting history, send her (or him) to us and we'll set things right! Burp.

Let's put this one on hold until it arrives at your door. Then signal us what all the numbers say (receiver, buttplate and hind end of butt stock.) We'll continue critiquing it then. (Or wait and see what John Callahan says, hint hint.)

take out your added 1 and it's the right number , front sight is from that era ,, nice gun Keith you did well, looks proper.

norm

Off topic.



Does Sailor Jerry work for Captain Morgan?

It is a shame $400 bid = $525 out of pocket. That is easily 30 % mark up.

Low bid and then walk away. That's the way to do it. Congrads!

Angus1895, regardless, I'm a happy camper to get a 30-30 for that. The auction house charges 18%, and I figured $30 to ship and $20 to my FFL at this end, so it will up about $525 out of pocket.

Once I get it and have the complete SN, I'll take gnoahhh great recommendation and letter it.

You are right on there! Nice rifle like I said earlier....congratulations. The Featherlite pencil barrels are my favorite.

I received this 1913 30-30 rifle today. Numbers on the stock and butt plate match the SN on the receiver. I did not remove the forearm. We were discussing what model. Has a 20" barrel. Here are a few better pictures. NOTE: I have the butt plate removed on the photos.

[/URL]




[img]http://i798.photobucket.com/albums/yy263/KeithNyst/Savage%201899/00920-20Left20barrel.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i798.photobucket.com/albums/yy263/KeithNyst/Savage%201899/1120-20Tang20top.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i798.photobucket.com/al...99/2020-20barrel20top20marking.jpg[/img]

1899H takedown. Looks pretty clean. Most of them had a hard rubber buttplate, but steel was an option.

Thanks, David. I was worried when I took off the butt plate. I've not seen a picture of an 1899H butt with the butt plate removed, and was expecting to see more than the one hole (other that the screw holes).

1899H's usually have lightening holes in the buttstock and some even have them in the forearm. Maybe someone was in a hurry that day and didn't drill the buttstock. The only photo I have of that is going in the book and I'm not supposed to be posting pics from the book before it's published. David

Just following up on this one, as I did send out to have it lettered and received the letter back from John Callahan yesterday. Lettered as a 20" 30-30 shipped June 19, 1913 to the original consignee listed to be Abercrombie & Fitch of New Your City; it was returned to to Savage for unknown work documented November 28, 1921. Based on the information and pictures I sent to John, John said this is a Model 1899-H.

Well Found
A Rifle to enjoy

Winner! We would have been really PO'd if you got it home for $400. Good for You.

That's great. All those famous hunters like Teddy Roosevelt and Earnest Hemingway went to Abercrombie & Fitch to get outfitted for their hunting trips. Maybe the rifle belonged to someone famous originally.

I'm guessing the non-perch belly stock was from the factory trip in 1921, which would also explain the lack of extra wood drilled out under the buttplate. Nice!

Rory, that makes sense; but was it the practice to re-apply the serial number on the back of the stock if replaced?

OT, re: low max bid. I had an unusual experience this week on eBay. I bid a max of $20 on a complete year (1953, year I was born) of American Rifleman magazines. It was entered at the $.01 minimum opener, and I was the only bidder. Got 'em for a penny. I didn't gripe about the $12 shipping cost!

Keith, we're not sure. We have seen a number of stocks with codes on them rather than numbers - but I think those are all later production rifles rather than 1920'ish. I'd say the evidence definitely points to the buttstock at least being a 1921 factory stock.

I think Rory is correct that the butt stock and plate were replaced at the factory. Stamping looks factory so I would say that they serialed the replacement parts...at least on this one.

We have seen butt stock and plate with a matching number, not a serial, which might have been non-factory installed factory replacement parts.

Hmmm. Perhaps I shouldn't have numbered the new butt stock and plate I put on the rifle I built last winter. Might make some old greybeards scratch their collective heads on a forum 100 years from now...

We can only hope!

I thought Murray invented the model letter designations, but in looking closer at this 1899H (1913), I just found this H mark just forward of the lever. I will also post a picture of an "F" stamp I found on my early 99F (1920).

1899H


Early 99F

Neat gun. Nice getting that letter with the original consignee and also the return for work. I had a rifle lettered earlier this year and it was nice to see the original destination in the letter.

O/T Gary, I have every Rifleman from 1948 to date. A couple years ago I sold 3 years of Mopar Collectors Guide on the Bay for $5. Turned out Mopars are big in Sweden. Cost $55 to ship them. Pay Pal took their cut of the total transaction, and ebay took their cut, I wound up owing more than the $5 they sold for, Joe.