All:

I am being totally honest when I say that I haven’t looked at the selling prices of 99s for many, many months. Holy smokes! Either the sellers are totally on some primo dope and too proud of them OR the realized values for them have skyrocketed by about 30 to 50% or more.

What is it? I understand there are nuances for details but looking to hear about the overall market.

I have only bought from people I know for the last year or so. And the ones I want are sitting in collections with me waiting for a call.

Take care,
Jeff

They are going for some crazy money these days. Drilled with butt pads are going for 800. Crazy.

The really good ones are getting harder to find.

The one thing that I have noticed is that high condition post mil rifles have gone through the roof in the past 2 years or so. Much more desirable than they were 5-10 years ago. I've even added a few to my stable as well. Something I would have considered unthinkable 10 years ago.

Pre mil high condition rifles are holding steady, but haven't made the same jump.

I think the market on common stuff in general has depressed in the last year.

I see people asking 1300 for 50's 300 EG's, because they see the crazy money people paying for 1967 pressed checkered 308 F's

Don't confuse asking prices for market value....

You can thank Tommyguns for that!

I just signed on to mention that. He has done more for the 99 market in the past 2 years than any single person in history.

Where he found all those guns is a mystery to me....

Somebody hoardin' da Savages.

Yep. He says: "you can't believe what comes through the front door".

Apparently a tractor trailer load of minty post mil 99's drove through his front door.

There's more to the story that ain't being told.

Anyways, let's get back to the game....

Not just Savage lever guns. The prices on nice pre-WWII '03 Springfields is burgeoning also, and don't get me started on Garands. Nice antique falling block single shots continue to rise as well. Those genres have been capturing most of my attention of late, having added a small pile of them to my "hoard".

I got it in my head that I needed a K-22 S&W to replace one I let go of long ago (5 screw, 6" pinned barrel). I didn't want to spend $1000+ (the going rate for a minty one) but after only a couple days diligence I found one for $700 and asked myself "what's my time worth spending it in a stupid search for a gun", so I bought it. That attitude, plus the very real concern about future gun ownership in America if the election goes sideways in November, I think is what's driving gun buying a lot now- and buying drives pricing.

I think it's gun show withdrawal.. guys are needing their gun fix and can't get to any gun shows.

Even the local Cabela's and others are very low on used guns.

So they're buying what they find.

i have been talking guns with young guys lately. by young i mean 35-40 age group. i have noticed when i mention savage 99's their eyes light up more then any thing else. even black rifles. they seem to have as a group started remembering "grand dads" or some such. had a new pump put in my well and the well guy thought hard about a f 308 i have and wanted to trade. he didn't trade because of a new baby but he was really turned on by the 99.
seems a new generation is starting to get turned on by them.

Record gun transfers.

Tweet mor not doing well in the polls.

Bought a equity position in Ruger yesterday.

Firearms like Evan Slack the Idaho livestock market analysis......" higher higher higher!"

Does someone's tweets upset you?

tweets always upset liberals!!!! JMHO!

I’m number 4578 inline for Oregon background check on a cheap rifle I finally got to a FFL recently. They say a week and half wait.
It is a little insane, the prices are high and the shelves are bare in a lot of places do to the craziness going on now, I don’t think it is going to change anytime soon.
Dealers can ask what they want and get it. These are not the good old days.

This is surprising to me. I put my 1920's vintage 99A, 99B, 99C and 99D on here some time ago and no one was interested. All the gun shows have been cancelled so I haven't been able to take them to a gun show. Does this post mil thing mean I might be able to sell my early 99C in 308?

Still thinking about this 300 G with a small chip at the toe for $800.

Doesn't mean the guys here are buying everything up.. we're still a bunch of tightwads. But folks out there seem to be. How early is that 99C? Wouldn't happen to have the double diamond checkering?

Rory, it doesn't have the double diamond checkering. The serial # is 11160xx, it has the lightweight barrel with the raised boss for the rear sight, excellent straight grained walnut stock and a steel buttplate. It looks like the higher quality F's and DL's that were produced at that time. It's a nice looking rifle as opposed to the 99C's that were made a few years later. It shows almost no bluing wear, some case fading and no marks on the wood. I want $800 plus shipping in a hard case which will probably be about $60-$80. Let me know if you want photos.
Squeeler. The front sight on the barrel of the 99G looks like the last style of lightweight barrel sight which was discontinued about 1925/1926. I would want to see the barrel address. The serial # is either 33xxxx (1931) or 38xxx (1938 or 39). Neither of which should have the light weight barrel. It could be the earliest medium weight barrel which had a similar sight but that sight was only on the rifles produced about 1926/27. But then with Savage never say never. See page 68 of my book for a photo showing the various early sights.

Thanks, David. The double diamond 99C's look like they are under SN 109xxxx, and I've only seen 2. They were catalogued with double diamond the first year, but I think they were pressed checkering as soon as they went into full production.

I don't think I've ever seen one.

Might be the rarest variation of catalogued 99 that was actually produced that there is.

The one fully confirmed one that I have info on is rough.

That is butt ugly...................... At least your sock is clean.

Not my picture or foot.

But yeah, that stock is so ugly I'd suspect a 99E stock was swapped onto it except for the serial number.

I laughed so hard at that I spit out my coffee, from this morning!

Yep.

His most classic tweet was congratulations to the great state of Kansas for a super bowl winning team/ effort.

IMO

What has happened to the 99s is that people have discovered what a high quality rifle the 99 is.I have been in the gun business in one form or another for 45 years.The 99s have always been undervalued in my opinion.Younger hunters have just now begun to discover them.I recently tried to buy a 99F 308 on gunbroker.It was mint and built in 1958.I did not get it because it went for $1650.I believe they will continue to go up as the supply of good condition guns dries up.At the end of last deer season I put a photo of a deer and my 99EG on a local deer hunting site.I had over 30 responses,most asking where I got the cool rifle.Quality will always hold value.

The only problem is the youngsters think that an "old 40 year year old 99" is a good representative of what a 99 was. Little do they know that that the post-mils suck compared to the pre-mils, like post- and- pre 64 '70's. Trouble is there are a lot of guys old enough to retire now who were born when the post-mils were and hence the guns automatically are garnering "revered elder statesman" status now. We're doomed.

Still have a Hillary sticker on your Subaru?

during Savage`s last years of production of the Savage 99 as a dealer i could have ordered a 7mm-08 and that still haunts me. i did get lucky when one kind 99 guy sold me a 284 win which is a very great rifle too. i still wish Savage built that 99 rifle yet at least for a year or 2 ,i was told by Savage that if that Savage 99 was built again it would cost around $1500.00 to buy, i told Savage i want one.

I got a BLR Texan style stock in 7 08. Neal from PA got the trigger real sah weet!

Having the wood refinished. By an Amish furniture maker.We will see how it turns out.

Guess I bought my one and only 99G just in time.
Really nice shooting gun. Just like my dad’s, (and that is what I wanted) except for the Redfield aperture sight on his; I have a tang sight on mine.

My brother ended up with my Dad’s G and that is ok with me.

Thanks for the perspective guys. I appreciate it.

Glad I bought when I did. Starting off a decent collection today is a small fortune.

There is an obscure, but strictly enforced law that mandates NO Savage 99, regardless of caliber, model, or condition can be sold for under $700. Sell one for $650, they'll toss your ass in jail.......

Oops, I sold two at a recent gun show, a 99E in 300 for $450 and an EG with a mismatched forend for $600. I guess the gestapo will be at my door any minute now.

After reading this thread, my last year’s deer should have been really happy to have been shot with a ‘57 pre-mil 99F .300 Savage.

Since I got the NTA bug (Need To Acquire) several years ago for a Savage 99 and following 99 prices on GB and GI, I've noticed a jump in prices. Not drastic, but there, esp for the prewar and pre 1950 models it seems. Of course prices for M1 Garand's, 03 Springfield's, and other MILSURP firearms I collect/shoot and am interested in have also. (Colt Pythons and older S&W K and N frame hoglegs aren't immune either). At the last Gun Show I attended before the rest were cancelled last spring (mid March-due to Covid) there was a large consignment auction in a nearby building at the large complex I was at. A friend advised there was a bunch of firearms and accessories to be sold. A local collector was thinning his herd by a 'big' amount. Included in the vast array of about every kind of caliber, gauge, brand, and model of firearms were two Savage 99's. A EG in 250/3000 from around '47-48 and a early 50's R in 300 Savage. Both were in very good shape, with good bores, no after factory add-on's or drilling. The building was packed with not only items from A-Z and people, but there were a good number of gun buyers drooling and waiting for the sale of the firearms and all kinds of ammo, components, hunting gear, etc.

It was late morning and I talked with one of the auction helpers and he advised the firearms and related stuff was going to be some of the last sold, probably mid afternoon. I had a afternoon family function that I couldn't miss and knowing the history of the auctioneer of getting top dollar and even more than a item is worth at times, I left. I talked to a friend several days later and he advised that both Savage 99's sold in the $1500 range, didn't think they'd go that high, but not surprised. I've missed a couple of nice EG's in 250/3000 the last 3-4 months that I was watching on GI/GB that were in nice shape and sold for a decent price. One of those times when ya think "I should have paid more attention and placed a bid." The way it goes. 'NTA' a cut checkered version prior to 1950 of a EG in 250/3000.

All I can think to add is "You can't win if you don't play".

Amen to that! Glad I wasn't asleep at the wheel when I bought that 99R!!!

About a month ago a local gun dealer had a reediculous rough R in 300 savage.

He thought if he could find a sight it would be worth $900.

A few years back he wouldn't have offered $425 for same rifle.

early 99C with impressed checkering and 99E/S with double diamond checkering.

The C is serial #11160xx, LBC 23T dom 1966
The E is serial #11813xx, LBC 13W dom 1969
They should both be T according to their serial numbers. Maybe the E got held at the factory a few years?

David, I think you are misreading the E serial. It is a 1968 (
by serial) and the C is a 1966 production.

Just double checked the serial # on the E it is 1181317.

David, I have 1181317 as near the end of the number serial numbered 99's in 1968. The letter prefix started in 1969.

Thanks Rory

From what I see of Tommy Guns, he's just buying 99's off of auction houses, marking them up 30%-50%, and reselling them.

Good racket if you can find guys who can't be bothered to buy the guns from the auction the first time around.

If that is what he is doing then all the more power to him. Buy low sell high. He knows his market. It's working for him.

Nothing wrong with it.

Except it shoots down the concept that his prices are the "going" rates. If you can buy those guns from the auction houses for what he's paying, that's the going rate. He's just like Cabela's, selling guns at price+ for a profit.

I'm not arguing your point, I'm agreeing with you.

A lot of guys just don't have the patience to do the work. Tommy is charging a finders fee and apparently his customers are willing to pay for the service.

Capitalism is what made this country great.

You really think it costs Apple $1000 to make a new iPhone?

Yup, I know a little round fella from Ohio that put his kids through college doing that.

You still looking to sell the 308C David??

Lineman, yes it's still for sale. been having computer problems. I sent you an email on Sunday that you may not have gotten. Feel free to give me a call at 307-231-0869. I'm leaving on a road trip to take pics for my next book in a few days. You can pick it up from me when I'm in Ohio if you would like to get it and save shipping and paperwork. I'll be on a really tight schedule so can't take any side trips. I also have the early 99A, B, C and D for sale. David

I have bought a couple rifles from Tommy. I paid up to get them, but I wanted them.
He told me almost all his sales are consignment.
He is one heck of a nice guy!
Ed

I received a phone call late Friday night about a gun auction Saturday and it was going to have some really nice 99's. There was a new 99A 375 ,99c 308, 99c 284, there was a F 358, 99c 22-250. I went to the auction and these guns were all in great shape. Auction was in the backwoods of PA and I really had intensions of picking up the 284. I wrote down the closing bids of these guns and this is what they sold for: 99C 284 2,000.00 , 99C 308 2,300.00
99F 358 3,000.00 , 99C 22-250 3,300.00 and the 99A 375 3,800.00 The seller had the box for the 375. I didn't buy anything LOL

Wow! I got more $ in my safes then I thought.....

Shaking my head in wonder....

Sounds like a good time to start selling

Seems like auctions here in PA 99's will often bring higher $ than if you buy from individual but this was crazy yesterday!!!! They all started around 600.00 and bounced to $2,000.00 in a blink of a eye. My jaw was in my lap. lol

Can add 6% sales tax plus transfer fees plus any buyers premium to the winning bids...

going by those prices, i haven't been lying to the wife all these years about" its better than stocks" lol

308 99c for $2300????

I know.

That's about what I would pay for a really nice 22 HP T.

Pre-mils are out. Post mil are in right now. See above. ^

Who saw that coming?

Sounds like there were a few intoxicated bidders with fat wallets and big egos at that auction.

Jeeeez, guess I’m going to have to look for a BLR in .358 instead. Oh well.

I was at an auction once and there were several really nice 99's there. I had a stack of 100's in both my pockets. I was there to buy some guns. There was a guy there that bought every single one of the best ones and never blinked an eye. And all those Benjamin's went home with me. I heard later that natural gas has just been discovered on his property.

He wanted those guns and he didn't care what they cost and he wasn't leaving without them.

You just never know when you go to an auction.

Come to think of it, of all the auctions I've gone to, I've only managed to bring a couple of 99's home. But the ones I did get were really good and really cheap. It all depends on who is there that day and you don't know that until you go and the bidding starts.