Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Savage Collectors altered 99's

Those are some pretty high prices and I'll bet Drew will agree with me. However, we'll have to point out to him that the M1899-H was a .25-35

I'd like to know where the dealer got the 250 number... unless he has had the opportunity to go through all of the early ledger books, I think he is talking out his ass. There is no published information of that sort that I know of.... and yeah, drilled and tapped does not equal $1750 in my boat...regardless of caliber... it was otherwise perfect and was a P/G with checkering, I could see it fetching $1500 or more.

IMNSHO I think that most sellers are talking out their ass. 99s have flown under the wire for so long that only a relative few know the real value scale. In most cases they don't even have a clue as to what it is that they are trying to sell and don't know the difference between a shooter and a collectible. Anything other than an EG or an F being correctly identified is seldom seen. Most sellers only know what they see on the auction sites and sites like the Wildwood boys or Cabelas. They don't pay much attention to actual auction or face to face sales but rather to the opening bids and reserves. If I hadn't stumbled on to this site 10 years ago I probably wouldn't know any better either. Consequently there are a lot of 99s out there with really inflated prices. Sellers that do actually know what they have still pump up the prices because they think that small production numbers of a model equates to a high price regardless of condition. If there's one thing that I've learned from Jed and others on this site the cardinal rule is condition, condition, condition. To me a 99% EG in .300 Savage, probably the most common 99 there is, is worth a lot more than a Monarch grade .303 that has been drilled and tapped, recoil padded etc or looks like its been dragged from Florida to Texas behind a pickup truck on a dirt road. Again, JMNSHO.

Drew,

I didn't bother asking about the 250 figure he quoted, it was part of his story for the gun. He was trying to convince any prospective buyer that the D & T wouldn't hurt the value as an "investment". This is the same guy that hits local shows selling this cloth saturated with his mystery oil and it performs miracles for metal and wood. He comes with his own salt shaker. He is oddly entertaining.

The other guy thought his would be a "great" investment if you would get a chechering man to duplicate the front checkering to the rear. It was pointed out that it still wouldn't be factory. No matter.

Lesson: Know what you're getting into.

I realise this is a "collector's" site, so my views are probably a bit "out-of-step" with most. To me, every gun I own is there to be used and hunted with....including the dozen or so Savage 99's in the gun room. I do NOT own for long any "safe queens".

I actually WANT them to have sling swivels, scope mounts and in some cases recoil pads installed. I want my rifles to look good, but don't mind a few dings or blemishes. Replaced wood and reblued metal are fine with me if it makes the rifle more attractive and useful. I do prefer the Pre-mil rifles because of their quality and style....but don't care at all if they are in "original" condition or not.

However, I have learned over the years that those things DO make a big difference to some. In my youth I admit I did drill and tap a few really nice 99's and swapped the original stocks on some for "better" wood and even used a little blue to touch up defects. I beg forgiveness and plead youth and inexperience. This site has taught me a lot about my former errors.

Now, when I find a nice "original" rifle I may buy it....but no longer alter anything. I know enough "collectors" I can call and either sell the rifle for a profit....or better yet, trade it for a good shooter and cash difference. Everybody wins. I get a rifle I can use, they get a collectable they want....and sometimes the difference in cash means I get "my" rifle for free!!

I appreaciate and respect the desire for "perfect" rifles, but even now if given the choice between an untouched 99 at $900 and a scoped, reblued, refinished rifle with sling swivels installed at say....$450, I'll most likely buy the "modified" gun and let the true collectors have the untouched one. The "flaws" that would make many here pass by a rifle actually make it MORE desirable to me as it will be a "shooter" anyway. Those "defects" just mean I get a rifle that I want for a very much lower price!

"(1)" just went through one of those deals. finally got my money back

I kinda stand philosophically with FatJack and TexasRick.
I don't let a "blemish" stand in the way of obtaining a good shooter or a good deal. Most of my meager accumulation have suffered at least one of the aforementioned atrocities listed above. I appreciate a pristine collectible whether Savage or others, but have a hard time resisting those queen sized ladies (as Jack refers to) when they happen by.

Here's an example some of you have seen before:

A post-mil 99A in 250-3000 found at a N.VA gun show a couple years back. Swivel studs installed, rear sight was gone and it had an after-market Monte Carlo cheek piece epoxied to the stock. Three strikes! Oh yeah, post mil to boot - strike four. Other-wise in great condition. Price was under $300.

I can't find my "before" pictures, but luckily the cheek piece popped away from the stock in pieces, and the little fold-down Lyman was easy to find. So today it looks something like this:



I can't help but believe that even the snootyist Savage aficionado wouldn't pass this up in - say the $500 range.

The three aftermarket things I hate most:
1. recoil pads
2. recoil pads
3. recoil pads

Guess I'm in the same camp as FatJack, TexasRick and Dons1! Here's a couple to raise the blood pressure of the purists:
A 1929 99H carbine in 303:


A 1911 1899 in 35/30-30 AI:

I have a bunch of so-so savages , but i don't try to buy them any more. you can hunt with a club ,or a spear or a bubba tinkered rifle!! what ever makes you happy , but when it comes to collecting they just don't cut it !!!!! Don

I don't care what anyone says that 1899 is a beaut, love the stock color and the case.

A shooter is a shooter and a collector is a collector.

I think what gets some of the guys here steamed up is when a misinformed or ignorant seller tries to put a pig in a dress and high heels.

I know a lot of the die hard collectors here also posses many "shooters".

Nothing wrong with a "shooter" as long as you call it a "shooter".

I think what gets some of the guys here steamed up is when a shooter or seller tries to put a collector in a dress and high heels.

I know a lot of the die hard collectors here also posses many a dress and high heels.

only one and i think it was a mumu !!!

Hmm.. sure it wasn't two? Jed and Steve? Or was it just one of them?

I got a few that have been altered, one is a 303 B, that had the barrel cut and stock broke, I had a smith cut the barrel to 16 1/2 in. reworked the hole gun, now I can work on them! inside & out, One of my favrite 99s! to shoot! But the main thing it was a learning Exp. I wasnt afraid to break anything, a good buddie just gave me a beater 38-55 A, going to have the same treatment done to it with a 18 1/2 in round barrel!

Saddlering,

Way to go! I had JES rebore a pitted 30-30 bbl to 38-55 and cut it off to 18 1/2". Makes a neat "brush gun":

Who This Guy????

Hi Rich,
I could say the exact same things about my 99.

I saw a 99E 308 with a muzzle brake on it about 3 years ago.
I also believe I handled a 30-30 that had been rebored to
32-40 also.