Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Savage Collectors 2nd printing

I now have copies of the second printing of my book. For a signed and inscribed copy send $60 to: David Royal, p.o. box 1271, Pinedale, Wy., 89241. Include how you would like it inscribed.

Is this the 2nd edition?
With updates & corrections?

Expanded section on 1960 99E's?

And mention of 800,000 serial's?

It is the second printing with corrections of errors from the first printing and updates that we came up with after the first printing. The publisher wanted me to make it a second edition with greatly expanded coverage of the Enoc Tue engraving and a bunch of other stuff and he wanted the info in 30 days. I told him that there was no way possible in 30 days.
Both books mention the 800,000 serial numbers on page 80.
I did not get into the 1960 E. If there is a third printing, which is doubtful, I'll go into great detail on the 1960 E. I now have two that I got from Fireball2. I hadn't ever seen one until I go these two.

If you only had one someone would tell you it wasn't legit!

I'm very interested in the 1960 E model.

My Dad had a 99 rifle when I was a kid. My recollections are as follows.

.308 Winchester
20 inch barrel, with no sight boss that I remember
rear sight was leaf type, not folding
damascened bolt
lever lock safety
walnut stock with "F" type forearm and nicely checkered like my "F" models
NO cartridge counter window.
steel buttplate
my recollection is that the carrier was blued steel. But less certain of that than the other features listed above.

Dad had grown up hunting usually with Grandfathers 1892 Winchester in 32-20, but occasionally an uncle would let him use his Model 99 in 300 Savage.
In about 1957 Dad bought a Remington Woodsmaster pump in .270 and hunted with it for 2 years. Said he never saw a deer while carrying that rifle. Decided
it was jinxed and sold it and bought the 99-E that I remember.

Wish I had it, but it was stolen in 1973 while I was in the Army.

I've never seen another 99-E like it and have always assumed that I was imagining things.

So, am I crazy or what?

Susi, I did cover the 1961 and later E's in my book. As far as anyone knows they (1961 and later) E's didn't come with walnut stocks. It sounds like you mean hand checkered, the E's weren't hand checkered. All of them had plastic buttplates. The bolts weren't damascened and they had straight tapered barrels, no sight boss. I have seen some variations on this in E's produced in the 1980's near the end of E production. Someone probably upgraded the wood and damascened the bolt on your Dad's E. Early one's could have had brass rotors but most were a silver colored steel. Blued steel rotors were much earlier and I don't think they would fit the later receiver. I don't have photos of my 1960 E's but will try to get some later today post them.
Roy, I guess I'll have to keep both. David

pics of 99E's
1960 variation, high 900,000 serial #'s: 9686xx and 9688xx, walnut stocks, round counters, steel buttplates. No pistol grip cap. Both 300 Sav. Obviously left over EG parts.

1965, 1966 and 1969 variations. Serial #'s 1105xxx, 1181xxx and A3706xxx. The top rifle probably had the stain removed and the stock refinished although I've seen several like this. 1966 was the first year for the stamped checkering on the E. Both 308's. Technically the 2nd one is a 99E/S. It has the folding rear sight and Savage scope and mounts. The bottom one has the serial # on the side of the receiver and starts with an A. It's a 300.

Those two 1960 E's in your photo are for sure not the standard versions. May be one or two more of that variation will turn up in that serial range.

David, don’t forget about the 1961 99E .308 with round counter I picked up last year that we discussed here. Had that one on the table at last fall’s fest in WI. 969806 LBC:12M


1961 99E 308

I've seen at least two more.

Rick, it seems to me that the 1960 catalog shows a photo of a gun similar to mine and the specs said 24" barrel and available in 250 and 300. The bottom line, Keith's 1961E being another example, is that the factory used whatever parts were available. They didn't throw away left over parts but in the case of my two 1960 E's I am sure they were cataloged. I think they were using leftover pre-mil parts to transition to the ugly E we all love and cherish. Unfortunately I don't have a copy of the 1960 catalog. But it anyone has a copy they want to sell PM me.

From the 1960 catalog.

The 1960 250-3000 that popped up here last year is the closet example to that catalog that I've seen discussed:
1960 99E 250-3000

Later version of the 1960 99E with round counter (most common version we've seen)
1960 99E 300 Savage - most common pre-mil 99E Configuration Seen

A toast to the Second Printing! Cheers.
The Savage Collector Forum is fortunate to have David Royal check in from time to time.

I have a 1960s 99E in 300 Savage. It has a 20" barrel and no cartridge counter window. It also has the old style trigger mechanism. I think it was made in 1964. I bought it as a barreled action.

And catalogs were never wrong.

Thanks for posting that video Rick. I hadn't heard of it.
Rory, I hope that 1960 catalog is a little wrong, my two E's have steel buttplates. The catalog pics and the other two posted above have hard rubber buttplates.

I think there were very, very few 99E’s made in the catalogued 1960 configuration with a schnable forearm. We see 20 of the other style E’s with 96x,xxx serial numbers for every one of these. Like the uncatalogued octagon barreled 99C’s, I think they were using up old parts. The EG and R are also catalogued, but who has ever seen a 1960 stamped one of those? Just there to sell of old inventory, or testing to see popularity? I’d guess to sell old inventory.

The different styles of 1960 99E are all probably right as rain.