Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Savage Collectors Help me ID my 99?

I posted for the first time here over on the "Savage 1895/99 Orginals" and JoeMartin suggested I start my own thread to get more info on my new-2-me Savage Model 99 so here goes...
Day before yesterday it was handed down to me from my step-Dad. He's no "Spring Chicken" physically or mentally, but knows how much I like shooting.
He had told me it was a Winchester lever action 30-30 before I got it, but within a moment out of the case, I knew it wasn't and found it to be a Savage 99 chambered in .300 Sav.
This is a gun I knew absolutely nothing about 48 hours ago. A few hours on the internet landed me some info and I found this forum.

Here is what I can tell you and if there is anything else needed to help me narrow down what exact model, vintage, and possible book value... but I ain't sellin it!

Serial number reads 4074XX. I found two savage data bases say that makes it a 1941(!)
http://www.savage99.com/savage99_dates.htm
http://www.savageshooters.com/showthread.php?55730-General-Model-99-Date-of-Manufacture-Info
The Lever Boss Code is not a letter, it is a number "3"
Stamping reads Utica N.Y.
It is hand checkered on the forearm and pistol grip.
It is beautiful case hardened colors on the lever
It has a brass Mag counter.

If this gun is actually 78 years old , it is in amazing condition.
The blueing is flawless aside from one small, fine, scratch on the receiver opposite of the counter. No visible wear at all.
The action is not jeweled like some I have seen.
It does have a Redfield tang mounted dioptler peep rear sight.
The old leather sling is the similar to WWII style you would see on an M1

The bore needs cleaned before I can tell it's actual condition but to be honest, I am a little nervous to run a brush down it without knowing more.
I want to clean and lube it before firing it, but until I get a .30 boresnake, that has to wait.....the last thing I want to do is push crud from the barrel into the receiver by running a brush down the muzzle.

Very nice 99RS.

From here it looks like a pre-war M1907 sling. If gov't issue and as nice as it seems worth a few bucks too.

Go ahead and clean it with a rod. You would be prudent to use a bore guide so as not to rub the rifling unnecessarily at the muzzle. Avoid pushing crud into the action by the simple expedient of wadding up a rag behind the chamber. (Keep the bolt open.)

Yeah, as Gary said its a very nice prewar 99RS. In case you didn't know, the RS was pretty much the top shelf 99 in the 30s. The only thing you could get above it would have been a special order rifle which, considering it was the Great Depression, I doubt were being done much by Savage at the time. The 99R was one gun in the line below yours. The difference being the RS had sling swivels and the Redfield 70 for later made guns. The earlier RS had a windage adjustable Lyman tang sight. The distinctive pre-war R and RS was discontinued at the onset of WWII. Post war Rs and RSs are different. And the flutes are cool too!

Stick with this forum as its probably the best location you will find in expertise on the 99. You will get the bug.

Noob alert... "flutes "?

The notches in the comb above the wrist. You don't find them in most 99 stocks..

Grooves in the top of the stock above the pistol grip.

It's likely that the sling is original, also. Can't tell from the photo.

Nice rifle. I've learned to use undersize boresnakes so for 30 I use .270/.280 size boresnake.

Better pics...

Nice rifle!

Lee

Looks 100% original to me. You got a good one.

Daaayum.


You don't even know what you got there...

Purdy!

Very nice rifle, a special one for sure. Congratulations!

I don't know if you are a hunter or not but if you are and you want to take that deer hunting for example, and need it scoped, don't drill it. There are other option to destroying the collector value. What a nice find.

+1

All you need now is a pair of knee-high lumberjack boots, jodhpurs, Woolrich coat, and a soft felt hat. Stylin'!

Thanks for the info all, as well as the kind words.



You got that right, 99guy.... that's why I came here!

I litereally had not heard of the Savage 99 before this weekend.
My other Savage is a 93R17 .17HMR
My other Centerfire is a Remington 721 chambered in 30-06.

Other than that I got Scatterguns, pistols, and airguns

Excellent, simply excellent.

All the guys on this forum, absolutely including me, are green with envy.

Blessings,

Steve

Anybody have access to the Blue Book of Gun Values?
That is...Just for reference sake, and maybe update my rider on the home owners insurance.

Once again, a Step-Dad inheritance... I am NOT looking to sell.
I am 56 YO.
All 4 of my daughters are done with college and onto families of their own.
We just paid off my truck and the camper.

Me thinks with several years of pits... now comes the peaks.

Savage 99RS - introduced in 1932. Originally had a Lyman 30 1/2 peep sight, that changed in late 30's to the Redfield 70LH. It was the premier hunting model, though the engraved 99K existed for most of the same time and would have been the top of the shelf 99. The sling studs are distinctive to the prewar 99RS, very rarely do you see them on any other 99. The double "rings" at the front of the forearm are also unique to the prewar 99R / 99RS.

The "prewar 99RS" like yours was last catalogued in 1946/1947, but VERY few show up after 1941. Just a couple have been seen, iirc. Another style of 99RS was introduced around 1950, but the stock configuration was totally different.

THAT is a beautiful gun, and extremely collectible. Take good care of it, and thank your step-dad profusely.

So add a pair of knee pads to the cost?
That makes it what... $10.

OH AMMO $ ... DAYUMM!
Today I picked up a box of 20 for $38 locally. I have seen it mail order for $32... but this was here now.

The bore cleaned up nicely. Here is a shoddy pic but the best I can do.