Round cartridge counter window went out about 1909 at about serial number 90,000. 250-3000 wasn't introduced until 1914 about serial number 146500 or so. Another "never say never", a factory conversion or a Bubba? We need more info. This would also be another receiver heat treating question that was covered in another current post. David
David - here's the problem I see in dating that receiver. The round cartridge counter does look like an item that was characteristic of older receivers but the milling feature you see in the first photo on the left side of the front bridge directly below the scope's elevation turret is V-shaped at the back. I'm no expert, but in my experiences that milling feature is distinctly U-shaped in all pre-war 99s and distinctly V-shaped in all post war 99s. I don't know if this denotes a change or an expediency in Savage's production techniques for the 99 but I have observed these difference in pre and post WWII guns. I also don't know what's up with the OP's receiver, but I do see those two features as being in contradiction to each other in the chronology of Savage's production of the 99.
Regardless, it is a damn nice looking 99!
