Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Savage Collectors Condition by cartridge?

I've been looking at 25-35's for forever and have yet to see just one nice one. Almost as bad with the 22HP, although I've had a couple of those that were great. An argument could be made for almost any other cartridge Savage chambered their lever actions for that you see more good one's in that specific cartridge than others, but it'd never fly with the 25-35. Them things are beat to crap.

And I know I just feathered some of ya'lls nest cuz you're hogging all the good ones! LOL.

I've said the same thing for years. It seems to me that .25-35's have a highly disproportionate percentage of rotten bores, speaking in terms of 1899's. I've quit wondering why.

Too small of a sampling to draw that sort of comparison, Roy.., IMHO. Maybe if you compare percentage of 25-35's that are pristine, you'd find there is a similar percentage of 303's that are pristine. Just more 303's out there than there are 25-35's

I'd say vintage and special features would be a better indicator of how well they've been cared for.

Special features-You don't find too many abused Victor grades, or PE's. Vintage/life span-I'll bet there's a higher percentage of bubba'd 1895's than the percentage of bubba'd DLs.


You should spend a little more time shopping for a new phone and wallet, and less time worrying about which Savages you don't have yet..., just sayin'.., as a friend. By time You pull out that star trek communicator phone to take a picture, and that Snuffy Smith wallet to pay the man, Your prize 99 will already be sold to LBK and on it's way 3000 miles away...

I don't think I have ever ran into a 99 chambered in 25-35 out here. In fact that is a rare cartridge in my neck of the woods. Years ago when I used to work for he USFS a part of my job was to find or relocate historic sites in the forest. Once, while working on the east side of the Sierra Nevada (in absolutely beautiful country) I located an old cabin site that happened to have one 25-35 case lying about in the ruins. That instance of finding a 25-35 was pretty much representative of my experiences finding anything with those numbers stamped on it. Rare. Given the observations made by you guys, I have to ask if anyone has seen a fair share of Winchester 94s in 25-35 in as tough condition as the 99s are reported to be? If so, maybe it's the cartridge more so than the guns that got no respect. Maybe the lowly 25-35 and the rifles they were chambered in were considered little more than tools - which is as honest a description of a firearm as any.

In person, never seen a 25 35 with condition. Rarely see a 22 HP with condition.Have a 25 35 saddle ring carbine, one abused rifle, the bore sucks big time. Shoots decent groups at 50 yards, would have never guessed that. GW

I was seeing a fair amount of Winchester M94s in 25-35 for sale a few years back and the condition of them wasnt bad at all. Havent seen one in awhile though, the last Savage 99 in 25-35 I saw was horrible and needed a stock.

I bought a 1899 SRC in .25-35 pretty cheap. The bore was dark with strong rifling so I took a chance. I used Pro-Shot Solvent, Hoppes #9, Hoppes benchrest and JB bore cleaning compound with Kroil and it cleaned up pretty well. I'm not saying the bore has a shiny/mirror finish but it cleaned up nicely and shoots well enough now.

I had one really good Winchester 25-35. Buying it was more the act of a desperate man than any affection for the exposed hammer abomination. I traded it off for a good set of bino's.

I have an 1899H solid frame in 25-35 with high grade wood, checkering and very good condition. There is a picture of it In "A Collector's Guide..." probably at the beginning of chapter 3. It's not for sale.

Most of them look like they spent the first 70 years in Alaska on a fishing boat used for scooping salmon below decks then off to Arizona to be drug behind a Border Patrol truck for the next 30 years. Listing on Gunbroker says, "Lots of character, if this one could talk".

In other words, a POS.

Put me out of my misery!

I posted a picture of mine a few years ago, "1899-CD DELUXE (not engraved) it was 99%, kind of wished I had it back, think "lightfoot" commented on how good it looked

"Good condition for its age" is one that gets me. Age has no bearing. Guns don't go sour through aging. They go sour through abuse and neglect.

I seen a nice 1899H in 25-35 and could of bought it for $800, but hesitated and regretted it ever since.

I have always thought that if you wait long enough you will finally find what you were looking for. I’m starting to doubt that with the 25-35.

Waiting works sometimes.

Did okay on 25-35's, though they do seem to be heavily used more often than most. Like saddle ring carbines.

The 38-55 is the one killing me. Never run into a good deal on one yet. Someday.

Have you seen a good one at a high price? I don't think I've ever seen a good 25-35 for sale at any price.

I've seen good ones of both at higher prices than I'm willing to pay at the moment. Are they actually "high"? Well, apparently not. Somebody is buying them. My problem is I'm too cheap.

25-35 here, sold for $2500.




38-55 here that went for $1725 plus fees.



https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/63/62/savage-arms-corporation-1899-brifle-3855