Looking to buy my first 99 and I've found a nice looking
one from 1926.I believe its a B model. Haven"t bought it yet. What should I look for that should scare me off buying it
I want to shoot it. Also , is it practical to load for the .303?

Very practical to load for the 303 Savage. Brass isn't too hard to find right now, and you can use the same bullets and even the same load data that you use for 30-30, the case capacity is that similar. As always, start at the low end and work your way up. The 303 Savage is a .308" bore, not a .311", just as an FYI. Lee still sells dies which work well.

A 1920's 99B would have a crescent buttplate and a forearm held on with a latch rather than a screw (since it's a takedown rifle). Look behind the tang of the receiver for cracks, look to see if the bolt locks up tight and the lever stays in position (though lever droop can be fixed). Not too much different to look for in a 99 than other used guns, if you are looking for a shooter/hunter rifle.

You'll like it. I've taken a couple of deer with the 303 Savage and 150gr Hornady roundnose bullets, and it performed wonderfully.

The .303 Savage is a great deer cartridge. I like to load it with the 170 grain .30-30 bullets.

Can you show us some pics of your prospective purchase?

welcome Don to the group.. dam bunch of enabler's .. tell us more about the rifle your looking at.. there are a lot rifles out there that are over priced due to condition. tell us more and of course photos are a plus.
I've been loading the 303 for years and they'll shoot lots of different bullets ..a real fun caliber to load for

plab

I'm sure a whole bunch of us have our own special cook book for 303s. Mine (only 2 presently) shoot 180 grain Sierra round nose with Varget exceptionally well. Results so good people might question my integrity.

303 works on elk too. David

You guys sound just what I'm looking for. Glad I found this forum.The gun I speak of is at a dealer and I wanted to take it home with me but being ignorant on the subject. I wanted to do some research.It has the crescent butt plate, someone drilled it for scope mounts (still attached) and the rear sight is missing.All metal looks good as does the wood; although the finish is not the greatest.Sounds like reloading for it would be fun.I'm thinking the $595 asking price is to high for western
Penna.

Deer jump in the truck bed at the mere sight of a 303 Savage!

https://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/category/categoryId/224?
Graf and Sons has brass, dies, and ammunition in stock.

30-30 bullets and loads work well for reloading, but there's no reason to limit one's self to blunt tipped projectiles with a rotary magazine.

I figure if it's in a shop, they marked it up a little, so you can deal it down a little. But, for a nice "B" that has not been drilled and with pretty good condition, you would be looking at twice that much. I love my "B" in 303 and plan on hunting it this year, Joe.

Iv taken several deer with My "B" also! its a tack driver, one of the best shooting 1899/99s iv owned!