Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Savage Collectors Savage .375 Truck Gun

So some time ago I bought this bit neglected .375 Win Savage Model 99. Someone had circumsized it.... at the naval! 16.5" barrel!!! Never fired it, never any ammo!

Several questions. First, nomenclature. It was sold to me under the term "Brush Gun". But is marked as "Model 99 Series A". Apparently the "A" was made longer and with a schnabel forend. Obviously this isn't with such forend! What do I have? Conerning the chambering, seems pretty useless! Perhaps to rebarrel and if so.. What? With the rotary mag and bolt head for .375... What else?
Otherwise, anyone see much of any use beyond "truck gun"? That barrel cut really did a number!
Got it on the cheap, which 'stuff', I'm sometimes (as here), a sucker!
Pix below.

Best & Stay Safe!
John

This is a Savage Model 99-375, commonly called a Brush Gun by collectors. It has the rounded forearm with finger grooves.

The "Series A" doesn't refer to the model, it was just used by the factory to indicate there was some change to the specifications from earlier 99's - might have even been a cosmetic change. The "SERIES A" is seen on all models of 99's from that time, I think.

The model 99A in 375 was made, and it's the one with a schnabel forearm.

I don't know that it's useless. As a woods gun or saddle gun it seems like it'd be handy.

big bore short barrel, it would certainly be an attention getter whenever You touch it off. maybe just lean it behind the kitchen door for when the next bear comes to the feeders.

I would carry that when pushing through the briars on a fresh track.

Talk with CTW Gunsmitthing about what other cartridges might be compatible with the bolt face and rotor.

It's a shame that the barrel was bobbed so short. If it were mine I would ship it to CTW and have another .375 caliber barrel installed, contoured to match the factory barrel so the forend fits, and chambered for .38-55 (which would undoubtedly work sweetly through the current magazine). As such it could soldier on into the next century as a brush-busting, truck-riding, meat-getting sonofagun (Good Lord willin' and the Democrats don't rise!).

Personal opinion: I think such nasty short barrels suck mightily. Balance is horrid- a rifleman needs some weight forward for steady offhand shooting- muzzle blast is atrocious, and recoil mounts accordingly. As for being ideal for "the thick stuff", I've bird dogged my way through as much thick nasty flora&fauna in my life as the next guy and never felt handicapped by carrying a "normal" length gun, including a couple long-assed muzzleloaders.

I think it's pretty cool the way it is, I happen to like stuby blasters! If it's useless to you, I would sell it as is (to me ) rather than put several hundred $s into it and have it worth about the same. JMO

"I think it's pretty cool the way it is, I happen to like stuby blasters! If it's useless to you, I would sell it as is (to me grin) rather than put several hundred $s into it and have it worth about the same. JMO"


Ditto!
I like it!

The 375 is a bit of a rare bird that a lot of guys would like getting their hands on. Beyond the bobbed barrel the rest of the gun looks pretty good so I wouldn't be too quick to kick its status down to the level of a truck gun. There are plenty 99Es out there that can be had for that. Or for that matter there too are plenty basterdized milsurps to be found. As Gary said, you should stick on a new barrel. Either that or put on a Lyman peep or low powered low mounted scope and give it some respect. If you do rebarrel then one thing I would take into consideration is the rifling. I've never had a 375 and there are guys out there who would know better than I but I do remember Ken Waters commenting on the rifling of the factory barrel on the gun he had being a bit shallow. That's a nifty looking little 99 you have there, even with the cut down barrel.

Been hunting the 16" .358 lately. Yes, it barks and bites, but it's not a magnum by any stretch. It's fast for flushing blacktails in brush and has enough power if I come across the right bear that needs killing. The .375 by contrast is mild to shoot. Some guns you shoot for fun, some you shoot to kill game. It's like the difference between taking a date to the movies and having sex with her later.




Here's the 375 carbine (bottom), but it's 18". 358 on top

In my opinion, the best thing about a short barreled carbine is the ability to hang it on the end of your arm without hitting the rocks with the muzzle when you're walking around. Of course you can always carry them conventionally as well, but the short barrel gives you more choices. Even if you don't like walking around with the rifle hanging there on the end of your arm, it's a nice break every once in a while to switch it up.

To keep the weight of the gun from cramming my hand into the end of lever, I switched both of mine to a curved grip levers and of course added the vintage pistol grip wood. This allows more of the fingers to support the weight of the rifle when "dangling".

The pre-war R forearms were a good match to the carbine length barrels due to their short length.

Maybe not for everyone, but for the walking I do, they're perfect.

It should make a fine deer rifle for out to 150 yards or so. I have a Contender pistol with a 12" barrel and get over 1800fps with 220 grain loads that are 3 grains under published max. I'm sure you can get over 2000fps with 200- 220 grain bullets with safe loads with the 16.5" barrel.

Don't underestimate a carbine length Savage. I was ringing a 10" steel plate at 300 yards with every shot today with the 16" 358. Scope set on 6x, 180 grain Barnes ttsx (extremely accurate bullet!)

Thank you for sharing your expertise! Do you have any recommendations... What movies work best?

Of course, the 16" barrels are handy. I have a 'new age' Win trapper 94 of 1982 which doesn't seem particularly compromised. Yet many chamberings, seeming considerable compromise. Seems like your .358 Win would be in rhw considerably compromised category! Of couse each to their own!
Did I ask about the movies... ???
Best & "Stay "Safe" Home & Movies - Double entendre working here!
John

Back in the day, Sleepless in Seattle was the meal ticket. That's what I was told, I hated that movie. Probly why I never got past the date.