Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Savage Collectors Savage 99 Featherweight - What to look for?

I take issue with the notion that the only worthy 99's are the older ones! Right off I admit that my experiance is very narrow.

I have only handled the older ones with the single exception of one in 38-55 that I shot with cast bullets. I just could not see scoping it and the butt plate was 'rifle' and hard steel. I sold it.

I have had a 99 with a tang safety and sn over a million since 1966. This has been my main woods gun for 43 years now. I admit the experiance is narrow. I also have another similar 99 in the same caliber .358.

This 99 has been perfect for me. I always considered it super reliable and I don't like to read that somehow because its 'new' that its bad.

To add here is a pic. of that 99F that I like so much with some other rifles.

its great that you had a good experience with a post-mil and I don't think anyone is really out and out saying the post-mil is a "bad" gun but I don't think that anyone can argue that the pre-mils are just better made... hand fitted, etc... there are always exceptions to the rule but the simple fact is that Savage HAD to make the post-mils cheaper to be competitive.

The market also bares this as it is clearly reflected in the price.

I also don't see in here where anyone stated that the pre-mil was the only gun worth owning... most are just of the opinion that the pre-mils are more collectible or more-reliable.

Lastly... not to be nit picky... but that gun that you have pictured is not an F...not the difference in checkering on the forearm and the monte carlo butt stock...

just so you know that is officially a model "DL" and assuming that is just a little dirt on the butt stock is a BEAUTIFUL gun with a ton of condition...rare to see a post mil with such nice lumber... and in 358 is probably extremely rare... it would likely fetch a good penny from a collector interested in collecting the full gambit of 99s including post mils. The few years that I have been collecting 99s... I have only seen a few DLs and almost all were in 243.

The gun was sold with sling swivels also though those don't see to match the picture in murrays...some one with more experience could probably tell you what was original...

NICE set of guns!!!

To all,

The pictured 99 has "---MODEL-99F---" stamped on the right side of the barrel over the chamber. This must be how I thought it is a 99F!

I paid $67 for it back then as a used gun.

The one to its right is also marked a 99F yet it has a regular stock. They are both close in sn, just over a million.

What is fitted better on an old 99? I had one that was like new, the 38-55, and I would take the tang safety over it.

Here it is again on the left with some other .358's.

again, beautiful guns... the one of the left is the DL and the right one is a traditional F... either way they are both great looking rifles in a rare caliber and I bet they are great deer and elk killers....
as a comparison there are a few 358 post mils Fs for sale right now... highest I saw was 1250... a like new 38-55 would probably go for $3k and could go way higher... but if you don't like it then its not worth much to you... beauty is in the eye of the beholder...

I think his F is an F with a monte carlo stock added.

Going by the checkering on the forearm and Murrays... it should be a DL (not sure if that was actually ever a factory designation or just something Murray came up with)... but I am no pro and will default to Jed and most of the other pros around here....

I'm no guru of the post mil rifles. I could be mistaken.

What was the bbl length advertised as on the DL's?

Savage 99, Those mannlichers chambered in 358 also? i see you also got a Ruger 77R in 358 . nice rifles all. I got a EG, F,E, Brush Gun and a early Griffin &Howe model 70 featherweight in 358, i kinda like the 358 also Don

Jed:

Believe the barrel length of the DL's was 22". If I'm mistaken I'm sure somebody will speak up.

Randy

Then you have more .358's than I do! I thought I had the most but I met a guy at a shop near here in CT who has 11!

In the photo of the rifles on the bench the top one is a 8-57, second 30-06, third the .358 99 and last a MS in .358.

The DL was supplied with 24" barrels.
Standard swivels, not quick detachable.

24" sounds correct. Thnx Joe.
Nice gathering of 358's in that picture. Good work.
I had 10 pre mil 358 F's all about new. Had all 5 calibers for the 50's era EG's also about new. Turned mine into a home.

Just measured the barrel on my 1964 .284 DL, 22"

Randy

Maybe they made them in 22 and 24?

All .284's that I have seen wore 22" barrels without the rear sight boss. Both my .308 and .358 DLs had Monte Carlo stocks with cut checkering, 24" barrels with rear sight boss, and marked 99M. Another thing to look for is the forearm on the F model is thinner and less rounded profile than on the DL.

What to look for......
This one showed up in the classifieds here at the 24HC...about 100 folks nosed it over before it sold.

Looks to me like a smart guy snagged it,however...

Thnx Bruce. I ain't no rocket scientist...but I know enough to pick up 100$ bill when I see one layin on the floor. I'll let my lad buy into it,if he has the where-with-all. He's 16 and needs a good F.