Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Savage Collectors New Model 99 Owner

New Model 99 owner here�.

A week ago I stopped by my LGS/Chain, in Tampa on a Sunday afternoon see what if anything was in stock since the madness began in Dec� Usual suspects�nothing interesting. Cruised by the used gun rack where I saw the normal beat on 870 & 1100�s, used Mil crap, beat up no name SXS,� Then at the end of the rack I saw something a little �different� from what you normally see here in Florida. Now I�m from New England, so that lever action popped out at me. It was a Savage 99, but no letter designator, missing rear sight, K-Mart Special Bushnell 4X on top of the receiver�. .300 Savage. Picked it up, quick look and put it down.

Thursday night on my way home, stopped by again and it was still there � in this day of �I want a �Black gun/5.56�� I�ll bet no one picked it up since I did the week before. This time I had spent a bit more time on Savage99.com and found this forum, doing a bit of stalkin/lurkin & learnin. Gun had the original metal butt plate, brass metal bead front site, a broken Lyman 6 rear, no tang site, and lever lock safety. The Case Coloring on the lever assembly was 90+%, bluing is original and in good shape as well.

Stock was in VG shape with no scratches and one small dent on the L/S pistol grip, checkering is good as well, BUT, there was a repaired crack on the top on the stock where it meets the receiver. Made note of the SN# 4154XX and looked for proof marking on the front of the lever assembly, but only a number �3�.

Got home and called my OCD shooting buddy. I had mentioned it to him at lunch that day and he was fired up with research for me � just in case.

The shop�s asking price ($499) was high IMO based on my visual inspection and my buddy�s research, so when I went back yesterday, I brought my checkbook and a new target price�

A bore light inspection revealed a clean bore (salesman didn�t understand what I was doing). Action seemed to cycle properly. Pointed out the cracked stock, missing sling swivels, broken off rear sight, � Salesman took the gun to the manager and we negotiated a more realistic price and got him to throw in a box of Remington .300 150gr Core-Lokt PSP (tried for 2 boxes, but that wasn�t going to fly�.)

My intent is to hunt this gun, have always loved the lines and feel of the Savage 99 � it won�t be limited to the range and gun safe. Either deer in AL/GA or NH/ME this fall, followed by a trip to my old Army buddy�s home in Idaho when he retires next year for Mule Deer and maybe an Elk tag if I�m lucky.
So here it is�.

Savage Model 99R
Caliber: .300 Savage
SN: 4154XX
Barrel Length: 24�
Year of Manufacture: 1940-42 (I think)












The tell-tale double lines on foregrip:


[img]http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b205/griffintm/LeverActon_zps9b1655ea.jpg[/img]

Looking to keep learning from you guys. Any comments/suggestions are really welcome.

The gun goes to my local gunsmith on Tuesday for a function & safety check before taking it to the range next weekend. Gary grew up in New England like me and is very familiar with the Savage 99. First project will be to dump the scope and rings. Would like to know what you think for sight options � both open and scope. Sources as well.

I don�t want to go crazy, but I want to keep the gun period-proper regardless. Not sure if I�d ever put a scope on it. Looking at the new Weaver K4s, or fixed Leupolds. I have a line on a used Leupold VX-2 lightweight 3x9 in excellent shape -- I'll probably pull the trigger on that regardless.

Hopefully the stock repair is a good one and it�s shoot-able. If not, I�ll start making some calls for a good repair/restore options.

After that, order a set of dies, cases, bullets� and start working up some loads. Again, any input is appreciated. Looking at starting with H4895 and 125/150 Nosler Ballistic Tips to start. They should be fine for Whitetail & Mulies. If decide to use the gun for Elk or Black Bear, I might try 150 grain Barnes X or Nosler Partitions.

Thanks again,

Tom

Oh no, another 99 guy in FL. I'm gonna have to step up my game. Welcome to the forum .

Nice pre war R.

One of the best models Savage ever made IMO.

Welcome to the club

Welcome. That's a very nice old shooter. The pre-war R is not a common gun to stumble upon. You're going to enjoy hunting with that one.

The gun has been after-market drilled and tapped for scope mounts, so I'd keep a scope on it for hunting. A nice old steel tube Weaver, Lyman Alaskan, or early M7 Leupold would be nice on it.

Rod

Appears that gun has seen little use. Thump a couple of pigs with it, just to break it in right. You are gonna love the way it shoots. Excellent first 99, bettin you will own another one within six months. GW

Nice rifle . I don't know what others opinions are on glass bedding these guns, but I had one of mine done. I don't find it very enjoyable shooting and waiting for a crack to grow. Relieving the wood a thousandeth or two will help as well.

You mention missing sling swivels. Can you show us where those should be? Just want to rule out you having a 99RS and not knowing it.

Good job, if you got that for under $500 I'd say you did very well. Wouldn't do a thing to that rifle until you shoot it and see how it does, most of them are pretty darned accurate.

Looks like it had a side mount scope mount on it at one time. You have a very nice pre-war 99R, and if its your first it will likely always be your favorite. Nice score!

I'll take a couple of pictures of where I "think" the sling studd/swivels should be and post them tomorrow.

Thumping some wild hogs sounds like a good idea after the first range check. The damm things are everywhere here. Not as big as the boar in NC, but damm too many!

Tom

Nice rifle. Why would you choose 150 grain bullets for elk?

I wish I could find one like that. All the ones I find are usually really beat up, or way out of my price range. Very nice find!

Why not? Put them in the right place and elk fall down. What do you think the guys a generation or two ago were using in their 30-30s and 25-35s? The rifle really don't make no nevermind. Its the guy behind that rifle that counts. A lot of folks in my Father's generation put down a lot of whitetails with .22RF. They needed food for the table and an economical means of getting it.

George, Old guys from Wisconsin and Minnesota know that 180s are needed for whitetail. Youve been away too long.

So let me get this straight, if you were traveling from Florida to Idaho and bought, I am assuming, an out of state tag for Elk. You would choose to fill your tag with a 150 grain bullet out of a 300 Sav? If this is true I am sorry. Especially for your hunting buddies! Never mind the elk.( With my limited research looks like a Speer 180 grain BTSP and H4895 would be a good choice.) Do not know the amount of powder yet, will work some up soon!

Don't see that it would make any difference between 150gr and 180gr, where the bullet goes is far more important than if it's BIG.

I never saw much difference in good sized whitetails when they died to a 95gr bullet out of a 243 versus a 180gr bullet out of a 300 Savage. Dead is dead.

Running away in eastern Nebraska, is not running away in the Beaverhead mountains! True Story!

Let's not start an argument, but ANY 30 cal. 150 grain bullet will kill any deer. Any WELL CONSTRUCTED 30 cal. 150 grain bullet travelling at a velocity to develope enough energy will kill any moose, elk, or bear in the lower 48, PROVIDED the shooter does his job. That is NOT a guess. It comes from experience. This is MY opinion. Yours may be VERY different but mine is the ONLY one that matters to me.

Then you missed....................

Now we are going to CHOOSE to hunt moose with a 150 grain 30 caliber bullet at less than 2800 fps? The coyotes bears and camp robbers are gonna love this. Boy Howdy!

So.. arrows obviously can't kill moose then, right?