Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Savage Collectors Savage 99 serial number ranges

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FJ... #6905xx could have been made in either a 1953 or a 1954 depending on the Lever Boss Code ("LBC"). E = 1953, F = 1954. "ST" is not any part of the LBC.

The LBC is located on the lower, front side of your rifle's receiver, opposite of the side into which your lever mounts and rotates.

The LBC is a number followed by a letter faintly stamped inside a faintly stamped OVAL (not a "circle")... the number is the inspector's number and the letter indicates of year of manufacture.

Savage began using the LBCs in 1949 and began with the letter "A" indicating the year 1949. In 1950, the letter was changed to "B", in 1951, it was changed to "C", in 1952, it was changed to "D" and so on. The final letter used was "Y" in 1971.

The letters "O" and "Q" were skipped due to their similarity.

Your #A7602XX was made in 1971 which may have a LBC of "Y" and B0566xx was made in 1972 (no LBC) according to the rifle's serial numbers.

I hope this is of help to you...


Strength & Honor...

Ron T.

Rory,
Re 700.000 range, I have 782275, it's a 99F in 300 sav.
john

Rory,
Re #5. I have 969517. It's an uncataloged late parts rifle in 308. What is latest serial number produced before move to Westfield ?
john

I think you own it, thats the highest I've got in my data, never wrote down who owned it though, now I know.

John, technically that would be in reply to #4 rather than #5.

Is your LBC stamp 1959 or 1960 on the 969,517 rifle? Some of those high 900,000 numbers were used on the early 99E style rifles, but the LBC shows 1960.

I own a 99F rat in 243 that's serial number 981,xxx - but I'm firmly of the opinion it was restamped. The LBC is 1957.

Here's what Rick99 wrote to me several years ago:


�Ron, I think the cut off point for 1959 (end of lever safety F's and EG's) is at about the 968000 range. There are higher 900,000 serialed rifles (lever safety receivers) but they were used to build the 1960 99-E and the 1960 99-R. The new 1960 F and DL had the tang safety and were the start of the 1,000,000 serial range."

"The 1961 99-E was in the 1,000,000 serial range. It has the lever safety but no counter window."-Rick99

"So you see again in 1960 the overlap of production using the old and new.�

I passed on an E in 300 Sav for $400 back a long time ago, didn't know it was an early E cause it had a schnabel forearm. It was a 900's E and I haven't seen one since. Wished I had picked it up.

#3..."783235, shipped 5/29/1957. Last recorded one made (per John C)."

I think it is the highest serial though maybe not the last to ship.

The balance of the early receivers were used to make the 1960 E and R's. Which leads to the next question...has anyone seen a 1960 "R". They were shown in the 1960 catalog but I do not have one in my data that I am sure of. The serial would probably be in the 968xxx or higher range.

Thanks Rick. I've never seen a 1960 R or any E with a schnable forearm.

Hi fellows, I have a 99R # 834,9xx I sent pics to Calhoon some yrs.ago. He said there had been a couple R's in that range spotted over the years. I've had it since the early 80's. My question is, how much is a gun of this rarity worth? It is not original, has been customized. As far as I know the configuration is original though. I'm the culprit who customized it(in my defense, I knew nothing about 99's at that time) The configuration is exactly as it was when I got it in the early 80's(83 I think). Has jeweled bolt, Original stock, case hardened rotor(not brass). I sent for a factory letter and it says it was shipped in 1955.

Welcome.

You might get more responses starting a new thread and posting some pics. The pics are easy using postimages.org.

What modifications did you make to your gun? Should have already been drilled and tapped and had sling eyes.

Recoil pad? Refinish? Carved the stock? Inlay a compass in the stock? So many things that people do to them..

Pictures would be needed. And this is a collector forum, so any prices you get are likely prices that a collector would pay for a 99 - there might be hunters/etc out there who would pay more.

300 post war R's aren't exactly rare or unusual. The 800xxx serial number makes it somewhat rare and may be worth a small premium to a small number of actual collectors that have a hair for a 800xxx rifle. However, most collectors are more concerned with original condition than serial numbers.

Pictures would be useful but still, not exactly sitting on a gold mine.

Yes, it was drilled and tapped from the factory. I refinished the stock, rejeweled the bolt, checked the side panels, rechecked the forearm and grip, put a Macasser ebony tip on the forearm, pachmayer flush mount swivels on it, and reblued (properly) it! I think last time we talked you told me you weren't fond of customs, but you thought It looked nice and said if the wood was original(which as far as I know it is) it had some of the nicest wood you had seen on a stock rifle.

I realize that collectors are more interested in condition. I apologized in my first remarks about messing with it. I got it at a show and somebody had hauled it around in their truck rack with no rubber on the hooks and gouged it through the checkering about a eighth inch deep and I just couldn't stand that. Hence the refurbish. I would think it would be more than (somewhat) rare since there were only 502 made to begin with in that serial range all of which were supposed to be EG's.

I'm not too computer savvy, I have tried to send a couple of pics but they wouldn't go through. what is postimages.org?

To be honest, and I presume you don’t want us to lie to you..

The guns made in the 800,000 range have rare serial numbers, but the rifles in that range are exactly the same as the hundreds of thousands of rifles in the 500,000 thru 700,000 serial number ranges.

If it’s redone/modified, just having an unusual serial number is unlikely to add much to the value. Depending on quality of work, probably $800 or less. Likely sale would be to somebody looking for a cool hunting rifle.

Thanks so much for the honest reply and yes it is what I was looking for. By the way, did you ever find that saddle ring you were looking for? I looked back through my correspondence with you and boy does time fly it's been 8 years! Thanks again!

The last I saw sell was a like new R, $850 plus auction fee and shipping.

The value of one not original is only known by the person buying it.

I’ve seen regular 99R’s in 300 go for $1600 in the last couple years. Prices have come down from that insanity, but it’s still tough to find any functional 99 for under $600.