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Hey guys,

I've been wanting to own a 1899 Savage in .22 HP for a while now, but I have been somewhat shocked buy the prices that .22 HP seem to bring. The brass, bullets and bore diameter hurdle would seem to me to make the .22HP the least desirable of any of the Savage cartridges (.300, .303. .250). Stuff off of Gun Broker seems to be in the $900 -$1200 range. I saw one a while back on GB that had a bulged barrel and asking price was $875...$875 for a rifle with a bulged barrel?

So why are .22HP so expensive? Did Savage really not make all that many?

Maybe after the initial marketing hype wore off and guys figured out that the .22HP was not so good for deer or elk hunting, did the public's reaction and need for the .22HP tank? Winchester had lack-luster sales of the .219 Zipper in the model 64 because the shooting public I think really didn't see the need for a .22 center fire in a lever gun and the accuracy wasn't what shooters had in mind either.

So any thoughts or comments are welcome.

Thanks!

Welcome to the fire 99shooter.

Opinions vary on the Savage 22HP.
Plenty of reading mat'l is available, Google search or search this forum. Probably too much info for a member to type, but may get lucky.

The 22HP was the fastest bullet available back in 1912. Small but fast. Pros and cons.
The 250-3000 followed shortly after (~1914). And Savage 300 (~1920).
Things changed quickly during the decade after the 22HP was introduced and Savage included it in a number of different models during that time.
How many produced? Hard to say. Probably closer to fairly rare than abundant.
But as you see, there are HP's kicking around in mostly well used condition.
They kind of have a "cult" following. Some love them and the challenges they present, some avoid totally.

Do your homework and be patient and persistent. Eventually one will turn up. I wouldn't get your hopes up for an inexpensive one, but one never knows.

Good advice, Rick.

I sure don't have an explanation for the exorbitant cost of HP's. Could it be a lot of folks misunderstand its rarity? ("Wow, this was a crazy cartridge for back then, it must be worth a lot!") Never mind the fact it's not all that rare. My gut tells me it may represent 1/8 to1/6 of production during the 'teens, maybe? If so, that's still a lot of rifles.

Brass, bullets, and the .228 groove diameter aren't really a stumbling block, as we've hashed over before. Again, a misconception that fuels the psyche of sellers somehow? Who knows.

I have a hard time not liking any Savage lever gun, but I didn't warm up to the HP. Have had a couple. Just sold one to a member here for in the neighborhood of $800 iirc, and it was nice.

10 years ago you had a hard time trying to sell one! Im a big Fan of the 22HP, I think they are Great Light rifles, anything from Bunnies to Bucks! But thats Just Me I Guess!

I like mine too. It's number one on the hunting list this year.

I don’t know what it is about the 22HP? I guess that I really like the hype associated with it’s introduction and the idea that some tried to take large and/or dangerous game with it.

Lions and tigers and bears! Oh my!

I like to think of the .22HP as a prehistoric .223. Muzzle velocities are similar, if the HP is pushed a bit past its recommended pressure levels (which I DO NOT advise). If Barnes would only make a 50-55 grain TSX in .228 diameter the hoary old Savage round would be as modern as one could hope.

Bear in mind too that .228" was the standard size for .22 centerfires before WWI (what few there were). It was soon thereafter that .22 development segued in the direction of .224 diameter. I'm not sure why, but even at that .228's retained a degree of popularity with a few wildcatters for quite a while after the shift to .224's. (Usually those guys were the wilder-eyed ones of the bunch, trying to drive 70 grain bullets at Mach 3+)

There is just something about the 22HP. I will be taking mine for deer at least one day this year.

Joe