Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Savage Collectors 99 RS

It has been my understanding the RS rifles were so named and equipped with better sights than the other rifles because they were more accurate. Does anybody know the protocol for determining which rifles became a RS, how many rounds were fired and at what range etc.

Mike

The sum total of knowledge about that is:


Nobody has any idea what "selected for accuracy" means.

How do you determine whether a 99 is a Version 1 99R or 99RS? I'm fairly sure this is an RS that I'm looking into (1937), I understand the easiest way in my thinking/research is the forend with 2 lines cut perpendicular to the stock length (which this one has), (I assume that an RS should have a sight on the tang equipped from the factory, is that the only difference, same rifle otherwise?) But did Savage install T-7 mounts from the factory on either the 99R or 99RS version 1's? (the one I'm looking into has the T-7 style mount). And if Savage did equip either the 99R or 99RS with T-7 mounts on either, how would you tell if it were an R or RS, if the only difference is the factory installed/equipped rear tang sight? Does this look like an original sling mount on a 99R/RS?

That is not an RS sling swivel stud. In my opinion that rifle is a pre-war R with a T-7 mount. No way to be certain if the mount came with the rifle from Savage or was added later.

So, for clarity, I'm learning, forgive me . Upon further research, an R has no studs for sling mounts or rear factory installed tang sight? and an RS would have flat topped sling studs and a factory rear mounted Tang sight? could either R or RS be ordered with a factory installed T-7 mount? (just no way to verify this? or is there?)

The RS .250-3000 that I acquired in the early 1980's had the forend lines like the rifle in the picture. Also had sling swivel studs like pictured, it was equipped with a windage adjustable Lyman tang sight. It was one of the finest Savage 99's that I've ever owned.

I'm pretty sure there isn't a way to tell if they came with the T7. Does anyone have an RS that they know for sure came with one? I also wonder if they would have D/T them at Savage or if they would have shipped them elsewhere for that work to be done. In any case, I lean towards that rifle not originally coming with that mount. I would hope Savage, or whoever they paid to do the work, would have installed it better. Looks a little crooked and like it covers part of the rear screw ( mayb there is a reason?). Since everyone here had seen that rifle for sale, if the majority of people here thought it was original it would not be for sale any longer.

TBigBuck. First off the studs are not correct. They should be sling eyes. Secondly. The T-7 is an after thought to that particular. The mount is mounted to far to the rear partially covering the head of the screw. I don't know if you have Rory's book, "The Savage 99 Pocket Reference", but that will answer the bulk of most questions in an easy to find manner. David Royal also has a book on the market that works as well.

Thanks for the schooling! I do have that book and David's, but some of the pics are small for my eyes 😁 in the pocket guide...and I misunderstood the difference between sling eyes vs studs...sorry for my ignorance, thanks...that's what makes you guys the experts (mine lies in other areas!)

Here's a 1933 with original sling setup. I believe 1937 would be the same. A 1937 would be 2-point (not three) and would have a Lyman 30 1/2 tang sight.

The RS didn't have the sling eyes. It had what is pictured above.

The sling eyes showed up on the later R model. Why they used eyes in that time period defies logic.

I've learned one or two things from this thread. Maybe relearned is more accurate. Glad you started it.

My 2cents, I worked for Small Arms Manufacturing, now Shaw, in another life and not all barrels are straight. We had experienced people who could straighten them with an overhead clamp by observing the shadows in the barrel. It was an art, and I'm sure Savage did something similar. Perhaps RS barrels were as close to perfect as could be determined without straightening. I believe Douglas also did this with their barrels.

Mike

Don't apologize for anything. I am by no means an expert.

Here is the Weaver ad showing the mount in the same position as OP's photo.

I think that's a shadow covering the screw.

No one here said don't buy it.

So, the general thinking is this is an R rifle (Not an RS) that got sling studs added at some point and possibly a T-7 mount, likely after the factory sold the rifle?...not a bad looking rifle, just not all original, correct?

I would say that's a correct assessment.

I like the way a T7 looks. I may have bought that rifle if it had been cheaper. All the extra holes kill the value but doesn't make it any less of a pretty cool shooting/hunting rig. A couple years ago I passed on a T with a side mounted scope. I don't recall the exact amount but it was under $800. I wish I would have bought it. I still think about it.

The R and RS wood was the same.

Keith's remark about 2 point vs 3 pt, refers to the checkering design of the time.

R did not have sling attachments while the RS did (Keith's photo). The ones on the rifle in question are modern with flats on the sides for modern swivels. That might have been changed or added. Main thing would be that the holes are in the correct location.

The R had only a standard rear sight while the RS had a 2 leaf folding Lyman #6 rear sight (Keith's photo) and a Lyman 30 1/2 tang sight. Note: if the elevator of the R rear sight is moved it will leave a wear mark on top of the barrel. This mark can sometime help in determination should sight have been removed/changed.

Savage stopped logging rifles before the rifle in question was produced. The scope and mount was an option but with no way to verify where or when it was added. I would think that Savage would have used a jig to locate the holes for drilling but at this point we have not been able to pin point where the factory holes were drilled.

Adding back the missing tang & rear sight plus locating a complete sling and parts is in the $500 to 600 range.

I started 20 plus years ago on the net answering questions about Savage lever rifles. Most I didn't have answers to and required a lot of digging/research. Most were questions I hadn't thought to ask myself. Any question you have after reviewing the books are more than welcome here.

The 1948 (or maybe '49) RS I had from my Grandfather -- ident by consensus here, in older threads and chambered in .300 Savage -- had the sling swivels (same as on our Winchester M71), RS fore end and checkering, folding Lyman #6 rear sight, Lyman tang sight (1A), and a Griffin & Howe cam-lock scope mount with a steel Weaver K2.5 positioned low over the bore.

The screw slots on the side mount were still there; no idea if that meant Savage or aftermarket installation. The G&H design at the time meant the 'scope had to be dismantled first to get a one-piece ring in between the ocular bell lens and the adjustment housing... so IOW the 'scope had to be put back together after that G&H ring was added. (G&H fixed me up with a two-piece solution to that...)

I've just recently passed that on to younger relatives...

-Chris