Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Savage Collectors Who Inspired You To Collect Savages?

I dropped a huge black bear that was packed full of elk meat with a 99 in 375. I found the elk he had killed and half eaten when I walked up to the downed bear. I was so impressed with that 375 it started me down the Savage rabbit hole.

I wouldn't say I collect Savages. But I have had my share!
The first rifle I ever fired was a model 6. My first centerfire was a 340 ( 30-30). Had a handful of 110s and am on my 3rd 99.
I also have a wonderful 6A that is the most accurate rimfire rifle I've ever owned.
They're just good " salt of the earth" rifles. Everything ya need. Nothing ya don't...

Inspired? I don't know if that is the right word. My father in law bought me my first as a first Christmas gift after he became my FIL. I posted a question on the campfire in 2004 just for grins and it was all downhill from there. I met Fug1899 at a gunshow and wanted a catalog I believe it was a 1958 and he wanted $15.00 for it. I could NOT afford it. Things have changed since then. Guys like Fug, Loggah, and Saddlering have all been part of my passion. Thanks to everyone over the years, I now have over 100 Savages. Not ALL levers, but Savages nonetheless.



He gave me my first. A post mil 99E in .358 winchester.

It was an EG that the father of a buddy had. I saw it and had to have one. And after a number of years I finally did. But that first experience was back in 1969 and I was in fourth grade and guns were very expensive items for us. That’s what started me.

And I still keep in touch with that buddy and he still has his Dad’s EG.

My Dad.

He always spoke highly of them. I don't know if he knew anyone that had one (or HUNDREDS!), but they were "the best". The only rifle in our house was a Westinghouse Mosin-Nagant with a broken extractor, which made it a single shot. Fire. Drop cleaning rod down barrel. Remove fired case. Remove cleaning rod. Reload...My son has it now. (with a new extractor)

Then I found Jeff Cooper. Then I found a good job. Then I found this forum...

Doug

My Dad. He went bonkers for them but I always was disdainful as I considered them to be 2nd tier rifles below Winchesters and quality European rifles. He also had a thing for US milsurps and Colts which was common ground for us. When he died in 1990 I inherited his Savages and promptly sold/traded them away, keeping only his lowly 340 as that was his primary (only) hunting rifle through the years when we kids kept him poor. Fast forward about ten years or so and a very nice 99A (not 1899A) in .30-30 caught my eye for what I recognized as a dirt cheap price so I bought it to flip. Looking the thing over, good memories of Pop came flooding back so I decided to at least shoot it first. Oops, the Savage spell was on me. Now, my interests have shifted again just as with cars and women in my life. Sorry, I get bored very easily.

Back in the late 80s I recall browsing a gun catalog and noting that the LINES of a hammerless lever rifle appealed to my eye. Simply sleek!

My uncle and mentor however, was a single shot and bolt man who thought little about the accuracy of lever guns. In 2005 I bought my first pre-mil Savage F in 300 at a gun show and have been on a slippery slope ever since.

Long story short, I like the look the svelte look of long barrelled 1899s, especially 250-3000s and trim Model 1920s.

So no one, but you have all been enablers!

Probably the neat Savage ads in the gun mags and "men's magazines" that I got to read in the tool shed during lunch break from my kid job at the local prune orchard/dehydrator.

My boss was an recently demobed Okinawa US Army vet and a gun nut as much as he had time and $$ for. Made a living off 30 acres of the bottom of an old volcanic vent: pigs, poultry, prunes, apricots, all the truck crops that he could sell at his farm stand from snow peas to pumpkins, watermelons and sweet corn. A few "primitivo" (what old timers called Zinfandel) vines to make home red wine, and a big pot still to make grappa from the grape skins and the prunes that the jack rabbits had ruined (excellent arthritis medicine and much in local demand). He also ate a lot of blacktail venison.

The Win '94 carbine in .30-30 was the gold standard up where I lived in Northern CA (now Chardonnay and aromatherapy capital of the world....) but my boss had a bunch of '94 rifles that he'd got cheap because they were old and nobody wanted them old things--.38-55s and .32-40s. He also had several Japanese Arisakas and a "sporterized" O3A4, but he hunted deer with a 99 EG .300 that somebody had pawned. We thought it was a blacktail death ray!

Savage really conquered my 8 year old heart when my grandfather gave me his 23AA with a Lyman receiver sight and three clips (yeah, CLIPS)! Still got it; still shoots minute of ground squirrel (keep in mind that California ground squirrels are the fattest of the family).

Never been more than a meat hunter for big game, but have had a few 99s and a LOT of the "economy" Savages: 340 smallbores, all the 23s and "Sporters," 5s and 6s, 85s and 86s, smallbore 24s, all known 220s and 219s except the "L" models (yuck) and the .32-20 and 28 ga, and all the "Finnish Savages." Still got a few!

This is probably kinda OT since it becomes clear as I write that I'm not really a collector, more of a "serial consumer" and shooter/hunter. In my defense, my heart has always been with Savage for long guns (and Ruger for short).

Mesa - Sounds like you hail from around Napa country, or at least north of Clear Lake?

Back in 1966, I went to the NRA Annual Convention in Chicago (Chicago!). There I saw some beautiful high grade Savages in a collectors association display. Until then, what few dollars I could spare went for Winchesters and Smith and Wessons, on a pretty much rotating basis. It was many years before I bought my first 99, and I have never really caught up with the serious collectors here, but I have been blessed to find a few nice ones. I was an enabler for my deer hunting/trap shooting buddy, and once we found the midwest Savage fests is was all up hill.

Dad gave me a Marlin 336 in 35 Rem when in 1957 when I was 12. Saw a 99EG in 300 a few months later and thought it was the most beautiful rifle I had ever seen. Traded the 336 for it. Hunted with it with open sights in 1958. Decided it needed a scope. Had it drilled and tapped in 1959. I'm left handed and didn't like right handed bolt guns. This added to the appeal for a lever gun. Sold it when I was in college. Went on active duty in the Navy (was making a little money). Came home on leave Thanksgiving 1966, wanted to go hunting. Wanted another EG in 300 but the only Savage lever rifle for sale in Ocala was an 1895 round barrel. I killed a deer with the next year (1967) while on leave. I still have it. Got magnum-itis after I reenlisted. By then I could afford a left-handed Weatherby. Still got it. I picked up a few 99's over the next 35 or so years but kept hunting with the Weatherby and other Weatherbys I've acquired. About 2005 I saw an 1899 saddle ring carbine at the gun show in Rock Springs. I told the guy selling it that I didn't think Savage made a SRC. He pulled out Murray's book and showed me the section on SRC's. I bought his, got a copy of Murray's and started accumulating. After a few years I realized I had quite a few of the models so I set out to get a complete collection. I began to realize that Murray's had a lot of omissions and some errors. By then I knew some of the top collectors from the forum. They didn't want to write a new book but said they would help me write one. Writing wasn't entirely new to me, I had done some free lance magazine writing in the 1990's. I learned a lot more about 99's while writing the book and this motivated me to collect more. Now I've written a book on engraved and special feature Savage 1895's, 1899's and 99's and this has encouraged me to go after more of the high end 99's. The engraved 1895 is supposed to be here Tuesday. So this process started in 1958 and has escalated continuously but sporadically since then. It probably won't end until I die.
pic of my first 99EG and flat top haircut shortly before I got the rifle D and T'd. I still love EG's and have at least one of each caliber. They were produced in eight calibers over the EG's lifespan from 1935 to 1959.

Circling back around I'd have to say it was my buddy's dad first, and many many years later Mr. Murray.

Guess I got my 1st savage 99 in 2004, before that I had a Marlin 1895 in 45-70, first rifle I bought, killed alot of deer with it! In the hunting camps of my youth, one guy had a Savage C in 308, never shot it well and I rembered it rattled when he walked. I was in the 45-70 guns for years levers and single shots, I'm left eye Dom. Got into the black powder cartridge stuff for about ten years. One day at a gun show saw a early 250-300, nice walnut ,case colors, nice blueing, also engraved, it was 2k, in 2004, the best I Could afford, than was a silver rat 303 saddle ring. Got on the campfire in 2005, just to learn more about 1899 99s, had 46 at one time, some rare guns a few one of a kind 1899s drove 12 hours to the 1st savage fest! At Jed's, meet a large fellow unloading guns to display offered to help, probably 30 guns later Loggah thanked me! We hit it off good, meet LBK and Nancy there, Fug1899 all good friends since! Never saw guns like I did that weekend! Well till the next fest! Health troubles ended my collecting days! Have just a couple of 99s now 22hp my favorite. But have owned around 100 total. Some of my friends own some of my better rifle now ,but I know I'm invited to come visit them when I like!

S99VG, no I was raised on a small a (half-section) ranch on the north face of Sonoma Mtn. about ten miles east of Santa Rosa, now a wildlife refuge managed by the county open space Land Trust. My mother bought it in 1947 for south of $8K because it was in such poor shape--full of erosion with gullies ten feet deep and no way to drive in because the Matanzas Creek bridge was out. That part of CA was utterly different than it is now--all agricultural but almost no wine grapes. Mainly cattle, beef and dairy, sheep running off the government wool subsidy for uniform material (and wrecking the land), lots of orchards and almost no people. Our "next door neighbor" was 3/4mile away by shank's mare, about 4 by pickup. Different world. If you walked up to someone's back door without a .22 or .410 or fishing pole, they wondered what you were up to....

Sorry for double post! (Not that interesting for anyone should have to read it twice....).

I've always had an interest in Savage 99s, ever since I can remember. But, I guess it was you guys here that pushed my into the pool.

Growing up, my dad, grandpa and uncles all had Marlins, Winchesters, and Remington pumps. My dad only ever had 3 rifles and one shotgun that I can remember. A Marlin 336RC in 35 Rem, a Rem five diamond 760, also in 35 Rem, and a Rem 742 that I gave him, were his life long deer guns. I have all three, now. Gramps had a five diamond Rem in 300 Sav. and a few Winchesters in 32 Special and 30-30. I have his 300 pump and my older brother and cousin have the Winchesters. Nobody that I knew ever had a Savage 99.

When I was 6 y/o my dad started taking me with them on their annual deer hunts to the Adirondacks. It was at those camps that other guys would show up with their Savages, and I got my first exposure. I used to tell myself that when I got older I would own one of those rifles. When I turned 15, in '71, I asked dad for a Sav 99 for Christmas. My dad, not really a gun loony, thought he'd go one better and gave me a Rem 742 instead. Hey, I was 15, it was Christmas and I had a brand spankin' new deer gun. It was my only centerfire rifle for years and I killed a boxcar full of deer with it. As I got older, and my career afforded me the opportunity to buy another firearm from time to time, I still thought of the Savage 99, but something else always seemed to be a bit more enticing at the time.

I joined The Fire in 2013, but was never very active. Pretty much just lurked for awhile, and finally stopped visiting all together. Then, one day in 2018, I signed on and was scrolling down the forums list, when I saw a sub forum called, Savage Collectors. That was it. Within a week, I won my first 99 on GB for openers. It was a '51 99RS in 300 Sav. with a Redfield 70 LH and very high condition. I've since added 1 99EG in 300 and 4 99Fs (my favorite varient) in 308Win, 300Sav and 250Sav. I'd like to continue growing my collection, but at current prices, I haven't bought any firearms in 2 years. I have more than enough rifles to hunt and keep me busy for awhile, so for now, I'm on the sidelines.

I became interested in Savage firearms through several paths. The first was the 340 in 30/30. I would buy one and then give it to my nieces and nephews as their first deer rifle as the ammo was cheap and it was safer to unload. I think I went through a dozen of them before prices rose to more than I wanted to gift.

Another path was through the 300 Savage cartridge. I spent a number of years acquiring Remington M-8/81 rifles so the 300 Savage was a given. From there I began to purchase whatever guns I could in 300 Savage. Eventually, I picked up 99s.

My first 99s weren't in 300 Savage though. They were in 25/35 and 38/55. I bought them at an auction as no one else would bid on them due to the chamberings and the poor condition. I got both for 1/3 or less than what a Winchester 94 in similar condition would have run. Those two went down the road when I found a couple in better shape.

I was also into early 20th century mouse guns and the Savage pistols caught my eye. They were pretty cheap back then which was an additional bonus. I bought a few but prices rose quicker than I could find the money. I saw a first edition 1907 this afternoon that was tempting except I was across the state line from where I live. I might go back tomorrow and see if the seller will negotiate on price as well as agree to send to my FFL.

For me, it was my dad. Some of you met him (& I) at the 2007 Savage Fest @ Jed’s family farm (upstate NY). Mine is more an “accumulation” of over 50 99’s/1899s. I thought I had a good collection till I met Don/Loggah, FUG & a few others.

It’s an addiction I tell you!

I hadn’t purchased a 99 in several years till last weekend…..

A 300,xxx s/n barrel band carbine, in 250-3000 “followed me home”. I bought it as a pile of parts, and took it home in about 25 pieces. Had to replace the sear (never saw one cracked at the “pin hole” before. After about 5 hours (cumulative) of TLC on the gun bench, gently cleaning and oiling it, the old girl is respectable again. Btw, I LOVE that Old West Snake oils, when sparingly applied to the stock. While not a safe queen, pretty respectable as a Hunter IMHO. Off to work now, but maybe tonight, I’ll take some pics, and start a post with some “99 porn”. :-)
Best part, unmolested as far as d&t, or sling swivels……and….. get this…… $400 OTD!!!!! My buddy thought I was crazy for spending $400 on a stock, receiver & bag of parts, but I knew what I was looking at (40year rear view mirror of savage collecting), he didn’t :-)
…. Don’t hate me :-)

Light foot, I will be Pming you soon for one of your kick butt mounts for this thing. I plan on killing something with it this Nov.
-Tom T

Note to add…. I HAD a spare sear sitting in my gun room. I laughed at myself, as I swapped out the part, wondering how many people (that don’t frequent this forum) would have a spare 99 sear sitting around, waiting to be used?

My Dad's 99EG in 300 Savage. I have 5 brothers and we were never allowed to touch the Savage. It was my Dad's prize possession and as a farm laborer he had few. All us boys learned to deer hunt with a Marlin 1893 in 30-30 until we bought our own rifles. Even after Dad quit hunting we never hunted his rifle. Now my youngest brother has it. 3 of us now hunt with our own 99's. My Dad bought the EG from his younger brother entering the air force in 1952 who needed cash more then a gun in cabinent back home. My uncle got it by trading leather jacket to neighbor gal who tired of hunting with only guys. Her dad hunted with 99EG in 30-30 that my youngest brother also owns now. Bottom line, once I tired of hunting and shooting those super accurate bolts, I sold em off and put all gun $ into Savages. And many here have taken some of that $.

In 1973 my father designed a machine gun and the federal quality inspector dropped off cases of 7.62x51 ammo on belts, every 5th round was a tracer.
My 15 year old little brother talked my father into buying a used 1969 Sav 99e in 308.
I drove my little brother to the range taking some of the non tracer rounds.
The old guys at the range in NRA jackets looked through a spotting scope and adjusted the open sights with thier tiny screwdrivers.
One old guy in an NRA jacket said he could not shoot as well WITH a scope.

So an old man in an NRA jacket inspired me.