Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Savage Collectors Engraved 99

What do you see here?

Dang!

Post WWI after market work. I like the engraving more than the carving.

my skill level makes me unsuited to offer any criticism of the work but some things stand out to me as being not quite a master engraver or carver.
the treatment around the left side screws changes and stands out to even me. some of the borders on the carving have wowies in them for lack of a more educated term.
I seriously think that who ever owns that rifle should send it to me and save himself the shame of having a absolutely beautiful 99 that is not perfect. I am more than willing to accept the shame.

Hmmmm. Interesting. In general I like the wood but it looks a bit “heavy”. The animals just don’t seem quite right to me. Moose with more of an elk head; Hog? with more of a wild cat head; can’t see the bottom animal very well. Over all look - pretty cool. Up close look - not so sure.

Waiter! There's a hair in my schit soup!

LOL

Who is Lister engraved by the underside of lever?

Looks to be a 99B, after market engraved & carved and signed by the lever "Lister".
Lister sounded familiar so pulled out American Engravers of the 21st Century and sure enough, master engraver Weldon Lister is featured along with many others.
Weldon Lister is a third generation master engraver who is from and lives in Texas.
His father also a master engraver was perhaps better known as Big Billy Lister a country singer who opened for Hank Williams Jr. and played the Grand Old Opry with Minnie Pearl, String Bean and other artists of the time.

I contacted Weldon Lister and he was very kind and gracious.
The rifle was his Dad's who he said loved Savage 99's.
The rifle was carved by Sr. Lister and the engraved by son Weldon.

Weldon provided some additional pics of his Dad's work.







Big Billy Lister was 6"7" and known as the tallest singing cowboy.

I made an offer that was accepted on this rifle, but when I went to check out there was almost $200 additional to put it on the credit card/ taxes/ fees so I cancelled the order.

Well, gotta say this second one is a big Wow! from me. Amazing detail.

Always wanted scope rings and bases like these to put on the De and Pe grade rifles

I like everything about that second one.. except the bobcat face looks like something from a medieval painting of hell.

I like everything about it, except the animals. The buff elk looks a little strange or maybe out of proportion. But I'd own it if I felt like spending that much money on a rifle.

I admire the art and the hours of toil and skilled labor but, have no desire to own such a contraption.

Shot a buck this morning on top of a Virgina mountain and in the process of trying to get him down off the steep mountain he got going faster than me downhill and wiped me out on the lose rocks. Gun, deer, backpack, gear and Randy all went tumbling down the mountain. It went OK for the buck because he was already dead. The gun and I took a beating though. I don't fall as athletically in my 60's as I did in my 30's.

Luckily, I got up and walked away from that wreck. However, my model 70 Winlite Winchester doesn't look as nice as it used too. And in addition to the cosmetic damage, the barrel is plugged with dirt and leaves and gravel and God knows what else; I'll have to get that straightened out tomorrow.

I do love beautiful guns, and especially beautiful wood, and I do have a few trophies, but it's still hard for me to justify owning one that's "too nice" to hunt...

"Raisins on the cookie", as my old friend Larry Shull used to say.