Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Savage Collectors two more 99's

I have been on the hunt for a 358 win for the fall season. Found one at auction, but had to buy the package of two to get it. The other is a 308, both are series A guns, both in excellent condition, and both with the best trigger pulls of any other 99's I have had.

My only disappointment is the 358 has some sort of hard glossy finish. I like the 308 finish much better which looks like hand rubbed oil finish. What is the stuff they put on the 358 brush gun and why are there two different finishes?

Will try to get some pics up soon.

Charlie

If its not NIB and shows use, you might consider what I did to mine as I also didn't care for the high sheen finish. Lightly dull the finish with steel/copper wool grade 0000. After taking the glossy sheen off, then hand rub the stock with True gun stock wax or a similar wax product. If done correctly you will have a stock finish that is sturdy, but also a pleasant soft simi gloss finish. GW

Precisely what I do.

Yep, I always enjoy taking a $1000 gun and turning it into a $700 gun for hunting.

Or not... your opinion may vary.

That works-

Why not, if the gun was acquired for the expressed purpose of hunting? I did that very thing to a Browning BR-78 .30-06. Somewhere out there somebody probably gnashed their teeth when they saw what I did to a gaudy, but factory original, finish. Bah. Would I do it to a 100 year old collectible with 90%+ finish? No, but a recent gun of which a bazillion were made? Sure. (Sorry, but I don't consider 25-55 year old Savages as being anything but hunting tools, and care not a whit of their current or future value.)

As anybody who has read my monographs on stock finishing knows, I advocate the rub out and paste wax even on freshly varnished new stocks too.

Would it be possible to flip-flop the two stocks: remove them and put the one you want on the gun you want it on, then sell the .308 (or not)?

Never done this with a 99, so don't know how practical it is, but I've done it with several pairs of Ruger #1s and it worked fine.

I bought a Marlin 45-70 when they came out back in the early 70's. It had a hard, shiney finish on the stock. The first year I took it hunting, it snowed real hard. Light fluffy snow that piled on you and the deer while walking. I got some on my gloves and the rifle slipped out of my hands like it was wet ice. Dropped right into about 18" of snow and disappeared. You bet I put an oil finish on that stock.

It would probably work pretty well, exact fit may or may not need some work.

For the $300-$400 loss in value of refinishing the stock of a desirable 99, a guy could get a duplicate stock made with the finish of their choice.

But.. just my opinion.

It's not always about money, every time, with every gun. That would be enslavement to the things you love.

Loosen up the belt a little and have another helping.

Isn't that the exact reason one is a collector and not just one who acquires them regardless of condition....hell, I am just one who acquires them to have them. I can find as much beauty in a rat as a collectable one. If those gray rats could only talk......

Amazing that in a collector's forum that a guy can get so much guff about giving advice to retain the collectibility of a rifle.

In my opinion, every Savage 99 is either collectible now or is a future collectible. To blast people who bubba'd up 1895's and 1899's or whatever, and then to go and do the same thing to a later rifle just because "it's not collectible now" is ridiculous. I've never altered ANY 1899 or 99 which wasn't already way past the bubba stage and it was probably on it's way to the parts bin.

But you own the thing. Go ahead and buy an 1899CD and put a red recoil pad on and chop the barrel to 16". It's your right.

A gun is only original once....

I can't say I ever altered an original one (Not counting beaters) for myself, but put on scopes, barrels, new wood, sights, sling swivels and who knows what else on other peoples guns. Seems like not too long ago the 99 was a working gun. Still, there are so many beaters out there that there is really no reason to go into a nice one.

I am not really a collector either. It does look like this forum is more shooter/collector oriented. I have no idea what it was like when it started.

Hi, all...
I'm new here, so excuse me if I mess up.
I have an old Model 99C in .308 that is missing the magazine. Any idea where I can locate one? Internet searching hasn't yielded anything usable.
Thanks in advance for any help you may render.

They sell on ebay pretty frequently at insane prices...

Savage doesn't stock them any longer.

I don't see the big deal smoothing the finish on a 1980 brush gun, but that's JMO. If you want to keep everything original feel free. I use my 99's first, let some other schmoe worry about the smoothass finish being wrong on the Brushgun, or 99-375 as it were.
I've been using the BG since it was nearly new so it's too late to worry about condition now. Plenty of folks will like it as-is if the widow has to sell it, so I ain't worried.

I have seen two magazines for sale recently. One was on Ebay and I believe the other was on Gunbroker.com

Fireball2 has it right. Keep the existing stock, refinish it if you want, but use the thing for what it was made for, why keep it original just for somebody else. Use it to the maximum of enjoyment for your lifetime.

I'm kind of in the middle on the issue of altering an original rifle. There weren't all that many Brush Guns made in the first place......and even fewer in the .358 chambering.

It does seem a shame to alter (and reduce the value of) a really nice example of any Savage 99.....just to change it's eye appeal.

On the other hand, I also cannot disapprove of anyone who wants to make their rifle more useful or attractive. None of my Savage's are safe queens and they do get some dings that a true collector would cry over, but I bought them to use.....not look at and as an "investment".

It seems there are two easy solutions to this "problem". First would be to find someone who owns a less than pristine example of the Brush Gun....who would trade for a more "collectable" rifle.

I have done this several times and keep a list of "collectors" who appreciate a really nice rifle more than I (as a hunter/shooter) do. Everybody wins. I get a nice hunting rifle and they get a "collector".....and I often get a lot of my money back on the deal too.

The second option (and also one I've used) is to change out the stocks. Used Savage 99 stocks aren't hard to find and easily interchange. The used stocks may not fit as perfectly and be a little more "used".....but who cares on a "user" type gun. The original stocks can be stored and replaced later if you want to trade or sell. As long as you don't do major damage to the metal, the value will not be much effected.

That's what I did with my own .358 Brush Gun. I don't care for the Brush Gun stock style, but do love the .358 chambering. A set of good used '99 wood and a replacement of the straight lever with a pistol grip style.....and I now have what is basically a Savage 99EG in .358 that I love.

The original wood and metal can be returned at any time and I get a rifle I much prefer.