Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Savage Collectors Model 99H with uncommon stampings

Recently I purchased a 1931 Model 99 H in .30-30, ser. no. 337113. It is a Style 3, or V2-1, depending on whose terminology you wish to use. Here is a link to the GB listing so you can refer to the photos:
https://www.gunbroker.com/item/983507240

This carbine has two stampings I don't recall seeing before.

See photo 6 of 14. Note that there is an apostrophe between the "Model" and "99". The apostrophe appears to be part of the factory stamping - not something added later. Is this something that was done for a very short time, or just on carbines, or ???

I have a hand written note in my Murray's that says there were Style 8 barrel addresses with larger letters and no dash in the serial number range ~337XXX to ~344XXX. I have two rifles in that serial number range. The height of the letters on those two rifles is 0.065". I also measured the height of the letters on later Style 8 small letters with dash. Those measured 0.050". Now look at photo 9 of 14. Those letters measure 0.120" in height. (Extra large with dash?) So evidently, there are three variations of Style 8 barrel addresses. This prompts the same questions as above.

I'd be interested to learn of others' knowledge of these stampings.

Not going to learn anything from me unfortunately. But what a great rifle at a reasonable price. I have more 1899s and 99s in 30-30 than chambered in anything else. Surprisingly I only own one 300 out of all of them.

I ran into one of those stamps on gunbroker a couple years ago, and the seller had the mfr date wrong at 1921.. so I was REALLY confused because they stamped them as 1899's at that time. Once I got the serial number, I think it came out very close to yours.

I have a 99H at 336,7xx and it doesn't have the apostrophe. Exactly identical as to letter size and spacing, just no apostrophe.

I'm just getting back to this posting...

I have 2 (now 3) in my data with the marking. The other two are 8 numbers apart while Jaacks is a little over 400 prior. I have a rifle in between that has just the standard marking. Appears that the receiver ring marking was not done at the same time as serial numbering. We need more data.

Appears someone might have made a booboo when making the roll stamp. Question is did they use the stamp till it needed replacing or was it replace when the error noticed?

Another Savage puzzle.

Thanks Rick.

I would think that stamp was the way it was originally intend for the guns be stamped. That was just another way to represent a date - 1899, or '99, or even just 99 based on the context, can mean the same thing. It had nothing to do with the change in models done by Savage in the early 1920’s; those occurred before they started to drop the 18 from the date. In the parts catalogs they use '99 from 1924 until 1928, finally dropping the apostrophe in the 1931 issue. Starting with the 1924 parts catalog all models based on years were truncated using an apostrophe and the last two digits, even for models that were discontinued. The change in the way a date was represented had nothing to do with a change in the model, this was being done by most gun manufactures around that time, Winchester & Marlin dropped the 18 from their models and there were no changes in the guns.

The first Savage models to not be represented that way were the Model 28 & 29, even the model 23 & 25 were represented as a truncated date.

I did not have a Murray’s for many years since I collect Savage’s other than the lever actions and I got my information from Savage catalogs and other literature. That’s why I never saw a distinction between an 1899 and a 99, because for Savage Arms there wasn’t any, it was just another way to represent a year.

I guess regardless of circumstances the '99 stamp had a very short life.
Don't think I've seen it in hand... yet.

I’ve seen ads using ‘99 as early as 1919. Sporadically tho. And the use of 1899 disappears around 1924 in ads. ‘99 vs 99 is mixed for quite a while.

The 1920 and 1919 models changed to models 20 and 19 in catalogs and price lists at the same time as the 99, as Gene said.

Since getting into the catalogs and price lists, I’ve been on the same page as Gene.

It’s just a marketing name change.

The big physical changes happened pre-WWI/post-WW and 1926/1927, nothing in 1921-1923.

And I think the apostrophe was an intentional feature on these stamps, but apparently was pulled after just a few rifles. They spec’d out everything, I don’t think it’d slip thru. Shame, I kinda like it.

...and back to my question of did they run 10, 100, 1000 or till the die wore out? Hard to find data without rifle owners checking within a serial range. Hard to see detail on GB or auction site.

If we've seen 3.. I'd guess it's more in the 1000 range or so just from odds. It is hard to see in pictures, and most of us wouldn't look for it or possibly notice it. I had to pull out my 99H that's 400 lower to see if it had it.

A few pix of my 99H in .250; era '37-38, SN 3730xx. Quite decent but not as nice as yours. Ironically can't compare much nomenclature since w/a Stith "no drill" scope mount and scope covering comparable areas. Making file pix a dozen years ago! Model differences I note are barrel with integral sight ramp and steel carbine style curved butt plate. Nonoriginal in butt stock and forearm-barrel band for Q.D sling. But I like the Stith. Just wish the scope was a prewar Lyman Alaskan! I have several but all 'employed' on prewar Model 70 rifles, etc.

Yours is a beautiful specimen I'd be happy to own!
Congrats & Thanks for sharing!
Best!
John

Thanks John. That's a nice looking carbine too. I have one of the same vintage, but mine is a .303.

Anyone have any thoughts on the "extra large" Style 8 barrel address? I should have pointed out that the HI-PRESSURE STEEL-PROOF TESTED stamp on the right side of the barrel is also larger than normal. See photo 3 of 14 in the link in the original posting. However, the 30-30 stamp is identical to the 30-30 stamp on my 99 G, #3360XX.

The barrel address and left side barrel stamp letters look to be the same size on my 99H at 336,7xx.

The gunbroker rifle:

336,9xx stamp on left side of the barrel.. unfortunately the Stith blocks being able to see the top of the receiver ring.




Smaller barrel address stamping on 334,866, and stamp on right side.






This is 337577 and I "think" it has the apostrophe.. but the picture is too blurry to be sure.

https://www.gunauction.com/buy/7418889

336083 looks like it has the smaller barrel side stamp.

https://www.gunauction.com/buy/7418889



340796 has large barrel address and side stamp. No apostrophe.

https://www.gunsinternational.com/g...-takedown-made-1931.cfm?gun_id=101939263

One more with the mark 337XXX

99H
308865 style 8 with dash; correction, correct Serial Numberr s 380865. (I revresed he 8 and 0)
344764 style 8 w/o dash
345041 style 8 w/o dash
346535 style 8 with dash
365595 style 8 with dash
395531 style 8 with dash

99G
362283 style 8 with dash