Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Savage Collectors Scope mount riddle...

I've got a riddle for you gents...

I've taken an interest in 99s as of late, after getting to shoot a buddies 303 this fall. Lo and behold, I check out the local prom broker today, and there is a 99 takedown, nice bore, worn blue, 300 Savage. Drilled and taped a few times and someone added a pad. $700 out the door. I think it would make a nice shooter. Not sure of the year, I think 1925 but I know the numbers aren't precise.

At any rate, it is drilled twice for a scope base. First are a pair of holes angled into the sides of the receiver at approximately 45 degrees, front and rear of the bolt.

Second set of holes looks like they may be for a one piece base. I measured, from t two holes are 3/4" apart. Rear hole is 5-5/8" from front hole.

I'd like to add a scope. Any idea what base it uses?

From your description, $700 seems high for the rifle. You can find better, albeit, maybe not cheaper. Weaver U mounts. Kind of sort of hard to find, but they can be had.

The 1 piece hole spacing sounds too wide for standard bases. The front 2 holes should be 1/2" apart. It may be for an uncommon Redfield 1 piece base which had custom spacing for the front holes. Hard to find base.

Sounds like the top holes are for the ancient Redfield. Either those or the weaver mount that uses the side holes are hard to find. I wouldn't touch it. Drilling more holes for modern mounts probably isn't a good idea either. It would be a lousy buy at half that price.

Could never get past the extra holes.

With the extra holes and pad, seems like they are pretty proud of that rifle.

Yeah, that sounds like the first version Redfield before factory drilling.

I think I still have 1 or 2 of them.

LBK - those are some nice U mounts.

Thanks for the information gentlemen. Sounds like a hard pass on that one. I'll keep looking around.

That should be on your tombstone.

"Here lies Ted"

"Could never get past the extra holes"

Lightfoot, you still making your no drill mounts? I'm seeing plenty on GB that haven't been d&t.

Look familiar?

Still at it but now the Leupold mounts have disappeared again. Backorder city with no projection of a ship date. It's getting serious!

I just sold a .303 carbine (had a teny crack at the screw on the forarm) I fixed, sold for $525. the new owner took a nice muly in N.W.Tx., so keep looking

Low ball the seller with a clear concious. The gun is a shooter. And if the seller refuses you can walk away with a clear concious too. These days, for about 300 to 400 more you can get a decent 99 and one that is a "keeper" and not a "shooter."

If the price was low, like $300 - $350 maybe even $400, I'd buy it. At least the D/T holes are different and it would be fun to have one with an old and uncommon variation of scope mount. But I have a pile of butt stocks I'm looking to put on some 99s so I'm biased and have a specific need.

Whip out about four hundred dollar bills and wave them under his nose. Point out the extra holes and explain that negates any collector value.

Since it has a nice bore $400 doesn't sound bad. If you want to scope it and can't come up with the mounts that fit the holes you could go with a Lightfoot mount.