My earliest memories of deer hunting in my family was the grown ups shooting at the tops of small Pine trees with punkin balls to sight in. Tress about 8' high. Then I have a vague memory of my mom buying Dad a new marlin 336 for Christmas. My Aunt got my Uncle a new scope for his model 94. Dad traded the new Marlin for the old Whinny, so his brother could mount his new scope. In 1968 my Dad won a Remington pump 30-06 at the Deep Creek Lake Volunteer FD Raffle. He gave me the old 30-30, which I promptly stripped and refinished. Around the time they bought the property in WV, the early 70's, I noticed my Uncle and his SonIL had 99's. My uncle's is a 308F, my cousin has it now. I think his SIL's was a 300. Unfortunately the SIL Started drinking and couldn't stop, he lost his business, and his family. Move to Florida and quit drinking. I saw him at my Uncles funeral and asked about the rifle. He said he sold it when he was drinking. This picture was taken in 1975 and I think is the seed to my enjoyment of the 1899. But, I went through years of hunting with my own 336 in 35 Rem, and a Thompson Center Contender in 35 Rem.

Me

The first rifle I hunted deer with was a Savage 99 TD in 250-3000. It belonged to my grandmother. It wore a Lyman Alaskan with the dot reticle. Now I have several. - T.S.

Now that I think about it a little more, I think Charles Bronson may have given me a little nudge.

Another thing that helped was being a poor kid and tripping over 99's at gunshops/pawn shops that could be bought for pennies on the dollar, compared to the new, shiny bolt actions.

This is the only picture I have of my Dad and I together, when we both got a deer the same year. Dad has his Remington pump. I think Bronson in Death Hunt may have given me a nudge also.

My wife's uncle from Connecticut. He gave me a model 99eg in 308 with the agreement that I would give him a package of deer meet from the first deer I shot. Well he got all
the tender loins for a few years.

I’d have to say you guys. My first deer seasons was spent carrying a 99C in 284, and I ended up buying an early engraved 1899 from my father-in-law’s collection…

But you enablers got me hooked on collecting. It’s all YOUR fault!!

My Dad piqued my interest in 99's with his 50's 99F.

The rest is my own problem.

My great grandfather. He had a 99F 303 that he killed deer with after ww2 most notably one in 1945 and damn nice buck in 1946, and later he had a 99F in 308. We have some vintage photos at camp. My grandfather loves them too. I bought one and became addicted, you guys sure haven’t helped !!! Hahah

Nobody in particular, I came into them fairly recently.

I'm left handed, so I've always had a preference for pumps and levers, but I never had much interest in the Savages until 5-ish years ago. I had just casually shot a few rounds through one off a bench in 308 quite a few years back, and found it pretty unpleasant.

I finally really handled one in 300 Sav at a LGS, fell in love with it, and it came home with me. The accuracy I was able to squeeze out of it didn't hurt, either.

Makes me wish I had bought a few when I was in MN years ago. Quite a few were floating around lgs and pawn shops cheap. I always thought they were pretty ugly at the time and never really gave one more than a passing gaze.

I only have 3, so not much of a collector, but definitely an 1899/99 enthusiast. Actually, I guess it would be 4 Savages, counting my 840 in 222.

I had started hunting with a Model 94 Winchester, and I inherited a Model 73 and a Model 1886 Deluxe with a 30" barrel and full magazine (talk about heavy!). I was interested in collecting Winchesters, but prices were just too high for my budget at the time. In the early/mid 1980's a co-worker opened a sporting goods store just down the road from me. One day I was in the shop and I spied a nice 1950's EG, and the price was right. As the saying goes, the rest is history.

Roy and this forum. He did warn me!

my brother LOGGAH is the blame for my savage collecting !!! at one time i had well over 100 1899 and 99s . Now down to around 80 and still looking for really GOOD ones getting harder to find .and a lot more money

Pops had a 99E in .300 savage cal as I was growing up. When I was around 14, dad picked up a used 99EG in .300 savage cal and gave it to me for my BDay. This was back in the mid 80’s. Today, I have pops 99E and my 99EG in the cabinet. My son will get pops 99E in another 5 years or so. I’m pretty confident this would have put a smile on pops face. His only grandson taking possession of his old savage hunting rifle.

I grew up in a house full of guns, including a couple hundred pre-WW2 Savages.

Sounds like you and Loggah need to open a museum. It would be a fantastic museum if you partnered with LBK and Fug. And none of you would have to travel very far!

Between my Dad who owned one, and the guys at camp, it was sort of a given that I would own them. At camp, there was usually one bolt action 30-06, one Win 94 and 3 or more 99’s.

Dale

I don't remember, but they need a butt kicking as it is an illness. GW

Gun/hunting magazines, ie. Outdoor Life, Sports Afield, Field and Stream with their pictures and articles back in the 50's and 60's of a hunter laying a bead on a deer, elk, moose with the hunter holding a Savage 99, Remington 8/81, or maybe a Winchester 94. Used to dream of being one of those hunters. As a kid I used to pour over those article and drool over the pictures. But since Iowa had no moose/elk to hunt and for years only shotguns were allowed for firearms use to hunt deer (besides shotgun, muzzle loader rifles and certain straight wall cartridges are now allowed). Having and shooting such rifles was on the back burner, but the 'want' of such rifles never left. Being a certified 'gun nut' attributed also. A collector of Savage 99's who was selling some of his collection got me into the idea of 'why not' around 3 years ago. My first 99 was a 99G in 250 Savage, since have added two more, 99R (300 Sav) and 99 EG (250 Sav). Also have two Rem 81's in 300 Savage that are a joy as the 99's are to look at, handle, and shoot. Should have made the plunge years ago.

I actually inherited (so to speak) my HP 22 from my best friend and drummer of 14 years when he passed at 44 in 1998. His wife didn't know what to do with his guns, and asked if I wanted them. I gave her $100 for the HP, not knowing what it was, and here I am all this time later, still reading and learning. I did own a 1952 EG in 300, but had to part with it when I became unemployed.

Still looking for that elusive T in HP22....

I dropped a huge black bear that was packed full of elk meat with a 99 in 375. I found the elk he had killed and half eaten when I walked up to the downed bear. I was so impressed with that 375 it started me down the Savage rabbit hole.

I wouldn't say I collect Savages. But I have had my share!
The first rifle I ever fired was a model 6. My first centerfire was a 340 ( 30-30). Had a handful of 110s and am on my 3rd 99.
I also have a wonderful 6A that is the most accurate rimfire rifle I've ever owned.
They're just good " salt of the earth" rifles. Everything ya need. Nothing ya don't...

Inspired? I don't know if that is the right word. My father in law bought me my first as a first Christmas gift after he became my FIL. I posted a question on the campfire in 2004 just for grins and it was all downhill from there. I met Fug1899 at a gunshow and wanted a catalog I believe it was a 1958 and he wanted $15.00 for it. I could NOT afford it. Things have changed since then. Guys like Fug, Loggah, and Saddlering have all been part of my passion. Thanks to everyone over the years, I now have over 100 Savages. Not ALL levers, but Savages nonetheless.



He gave me my first. A post mil 99E in .358 winchester.

It was an EG that the father of a buddy had. I saw it and had to have one. And after a number of years I finally did. But that first experience was back in 1969 and I was in fourth grade and guns were very expensive items for us. That’s what started me.

And I still keep in touch with that buddy and he still has his Dad’s EG.

My Dad.

He always spoke highly of them. I don't know if he knew anyone that had one (or HUNDREDS!), but they were "the best". The only rifle in our house was a Westinghouse Mosin-Nagant with a broken extractor, which made it a single shot. Fire. Drop cleaning rod down barrel. Remove fired case. Remove cleaning rod. Reload...My son has it now. (with a new extractor)

Then I found Jeff Cooper. Then I found a good job. Then I found this forum...

Doug

My Dad. He went bonkers for them but I always was disdainful as I considered them to be 2nd tier rifles below Winchesters and quality European rifles. He also had a thing for US milsurps and Colts which was common ground for us. When he died in 1990 I inherited his Savages and promptly sold/traded them away, keeping only his lowly 340 as that was his primary (only) hunting rifle through the years when we kids kept him poor. Fast forward about ten years or so and a very nice 99A (not 1899A) in .30-30 caught my eye for what I recognized as a dirt cheap price so I bought it to flip. Looking the thing over, good memories of Pop came flooding back so I decided to at least shoot it first. Oops, the Savage spell was on me. Now, my interests have shifted again just as with cars and women in my life. Sorry, I get bored very easily.

Back in the late 80s I recall browsing a gun catalog and noting that the LINES of a hammerless lever rifle appealed to my eye. Simply sleek!

My uncle and mentor however, was a single shot and bolt man who thought little about the accuracy of lever guns. In 2005 I bought my first pre-mil Savage F in 300 at a gun show and have been on a slippery slope ever since.

Long story short, I like the look the svelte look of long barrelled 1899s, especially 250-3000s and trim Model 1920s.

So no one, but you have all been enablers!

Probably the neat Savage ads in the gun mags and "men's magazines" that I got to read in the tool shed during lunch break from my kid job at the local prune orchard/dehydrator.

My boss was an recently demobed Okinawa US Army vet and a gun nut as much as he had time and $$ for. Made a living off 30 acres of the bottom of an old volcanic vent: pigs, poultry, prunes, apricots, all the truck crops that he could sell at his farm stand from snow peas to pumpkins, watermelons and sweet corn. A few "primitivo" (what old timers called Zinfandel) vines to make home red wine, and a big pot still to make grappa from the grape skins and the prunes that the jack rabbits had ruined (excellent arthritis medicine and much in local demand). He also ate a lot of blacktail venison.

The Win '94 carbine in .30-30 was the gold standard up where I lived in Northern CA (now Chardonnay and aromatherapy capital of the world....) but my boss had a bunch of '94 rifles that he'd got cheap because they were old and nobody wanted them old things--.38-55s and .32-40s. He also had several Japanese Arisakas and a "sporterized" O3A4, but he hunted deer with a 99 EG .300 that somebody had pawned. We thought it was a blacktail death ray!

Savage really conquered my 8 year old heart when my grandfather gave me his 23AA with a Lyman receiver sight and three clips (yeah, CLIPS)! Still got it; still shoots minute of ground squirrel (keep in mind that California ground squirrels are the fattest of the family).

Never been more than a meat hunter for big game, but have had a few 99s and a LOT of the "economy" Savages: 340 smallbores, all the 23s and "Sporters," 5s and 6s, 85s and 86s, smallbore 24s, all known 220s and 219s except the "L" models (yuck) and the .32-20 and 28 ga, and all the "Finnish Savages." Still got a few!

This is probably kinda OT since it becomes clear as I write that I'm not really a collector, more of a "serial consumer" and shooter/hunter. In my defense, my heart has always been with Savage for long guns (and Ruger for short).

Mesa - Sounds like you hail from around Napa country, or at least north of Clear Lake?

Back in 1966, I went to the NRA Annual Convention in Chicago (Chicago!). There I saw some beautiful high grade Savages in a collectors association display. Until then, what few dollars I could spare went for Winchesters and Smith and Wessons, on a pretty much rotating basis. It was many years before I bought my first 99, and I have never really caught up with the serious collectors here, but I have been blessed to find a few nice ones. I was an enabler for my deer hunting/trap shooting buddy, and once we found the midwest Savage fests is was all up hill.

Dad gave me a Marlin 336 in 35 Rem when in 1957 when I was 12. Saw a 99EG in 300 a few months later and thought it was the most beautiful rifle I had ever seen. Traded the 336 for it. Hunted with it with open sights in 1958. Decided it needed a scope. Had it drilled and tapped in 1959. I'm left handed and didn't like right handed bolt guns. This added to the appeal for a lever gun. Sold it when I was in college. Went on active duty in the Navy (was making a little money). Came home on leave Thanksgiving 1966, wanted to go hunting. Wanted another EG in 300 but the only Savage lever rifle for sale in Ocala was an 1895 round barrel. I killed a deer with the next year (1967) while on leave. I still have it. Got magnum-itis after I reenlisted. By then I could afford a left-handed Weatherby. Still got it. I picked up a few 99's over the next 35 or so years but kept hunting with the Weatherby and other Weatherbys I've acquired. About 2005 I saw an 1899 saddle ring carbine at the gun show in Rock Springs. I told the guy selling it that I didn't think Savage made a SRC. He pulled out Murray's book and showed me the section on SRC's. I bought his, got a copy of Murray's and started accumulating. After a few years I realized I had quite a few of the models so I set out to get a complete collection. I began to realize that Murray's had a lot of omissions and some errors. By then I knew some of the top collectors from the forum. They didn't want to write a new book but said they would help me write one. Writing wasn't entirely new to me, I had done some free lance magazine writing in the 1990's. I learned a lot more about 99's while writing the book and this motivated me to collect more. Now I've written a book on engraved and special feature Savage 1895's, 1899's and 99's and this has encouraged me to go after more of the high end 99's. The engraved 1895 is supposed to be here Tuesday. So this process started in 1958 and has escalated continuously but sporadically since then. It probably won't end until I die.
pic of my first 99EG and flat top haircut shortly before I got the rifle D and T'd. I still love EG's and have at least one of each caliber. They were produced in eight calibers over the EG's lifespan from 1935 to 1959.

Circling back around I'd have to say it was my buddy's dad first, and many many years later Mr. Murray.

Guess I got my 1st savage 99 in 2004, before that I had a Marlin 1895 in 45-70, first rifle I bought, killed alot of deer with it! In the hunting camps of my youth, one guy had a Savage C in 308, never shot it well and I rembered it rattled when he walked. I was in the 45-70 guns for years levers and single shots, I'm left eye Dom. Got into the black powder cartridge stuff for about ten years. One day at a gun show saw a early 250-300, nice walnut ,case colors, nice blueing, also engraved, it was 2k, in 2004, the best I Could afford, than was a silver rat 303 saddle ring. Got on the campfire in 2005, just to learn more about 1899 99s, had 46 at one time, some rare guns a few one of a kind 1899s drove 12 hours to the 1st savage fest! At Jed's, meet a large fellow unloading guns to display offered to help, probably 30 guns later Loggah thanked me! We hit it off good, meet LBK and Nancy there, Fug1899 all good friends since! Never saw guns like I did that weekend! Well till the next fest! Health troubles ended my collecting days! Have just a couple of 99s now 22hp my favorite. But have owned around 100 total. Some of my friends own some of my better rifle now ,but I know I'm invited to come visit them when I like!

S99VG, no I was raised on a small a (half-section) ranch on the north face of Sonoma Mtn. about ten miles east of Santa Rosa, now a wildlife refuge managed by the county open space Land Trust. My mother bought it in 1947 for south of $8K because it was in such poor shape--full of erosion with gullies ten feet deep and no way to drive in because the Matanzas Creek bridge was out. That part of CA was utterly different than it is now--all agricultural but almost no wine grapes. Mainly cattle, beef and dairy, sheep running off the government wool subsidy for uniform material (and wrecking the land), lots of orchards and almost no people. Our "next door neighbor" was 3/4mile away by shank's mare, about 4 by pickup. Different world. If you walked up to someone's back door without a .22 or .410 or fishing pole, they wondered what you were up to....

Sorry for double post! (Not that interesting for anyone should have to read it twice....).

I've always had an interest in Savage 99s, ever since I can remember. But, I guess it was you guys here that pushed my into the pool.

Growing up, my dad, grandpa and uncles all had Marlins, Winchesters, and Remington pumps. My dad only ever had 3 rifles and one shotgun that I can remember. A Marlin 336RC in 35 Rem, a Rem five diamond 760, also in 35 Rem, and a Rem 742 that I gave him, were his life long deer guns. I have all three, now. Gramps had a five diamond Rem in 300 Sav. and a few Winchesters in 32 Special and 30-30. I have his 300 pump and my older brother and cousin have the Winchesters. Nobody that I knew ever had a Savage 99.

When I was 6 y/o my dad started taking me with them on their annual deer hunts to the Adirondacks. It was at those camps that other guys would show up with their Savages, and I got my first exposure. I used to tell myself that when I got older I would own one of those rifles. When I turned 15, in '71, I asked dad for a Sav 99 for Christmas. My dad, not really a gun loony, thought he'd go one better and gave me a Rem 742 instead. Hey, I was 15, it was Christmas and I had a brand spankin' new deer gun. It was my only centerfire rifle for years and I killed a boxcar full of deer with it. As I got older, and my career afforded me the opportunity to buy another firearm from time to time, I still thought of the Savage 99, but something else always seemed to be a bit more enticing at the time.

I joined The Fire in 2013, but was never very active. Pretty much just lurked for awhile, and finally stopped visiting all together. Then, one day in 2018, I signed on and was scrolling down the forums list, when I saw a sub forum called, Savage Collectors. That was it. Within a week, I won my first 99 on GB for openers. It was a '51 99RS in 300 Sav. with a Redfield 70 LH and very high condition. I've since added 1 99EG in 300 and 4 99Fs (my favorite varient) in 308Win, 300Sav and 250Sav. I'd like to continue growing my collection, but at current prices, I haven't bought any firearms in 2 years. I have more than enough rifles to hunt and keep me busy for awhile, so for now, I'm on the sidelines.

I became interested in Savage firearms through several paths. The first was the 340 in 30/30. I would buy one and then give it to my nieces and nephews as their first deer rifle as the ammo was cheap and it was safer to unload. I think I went through a dozen of them before prices rose to more than I wanted to gift.

Another path was through the 300 Savage cartridge. I spent a number of years acquiring Remington M-8/81 rifles so the 300 Savage was a given. From there I began to purchase whatever guns I could in 300 Savage. Eventually, I picked up 99s.

My first 99s weren't in 300 Savage though. They were in 25/35 and 38/55. I bought them at an auction as no one else would bid on them due to the chamberings and the poor condition. I got both for 1/3 or less than what a Winchester 94 in similar condition would have run. Those two went down the road when I found a couple in better shape.

I was also into early 20th century mouse guns and the Savage pistols caught my eye. They were pretty cheap back then which was an additional bonus. I bought a few but prices rose quicker than I could find the money. I saw a first edition 1907 this afternoon that was tempting except I was across the state line from where I live. I might go back tomorrow and see if the seller will negotiate on price as well as agree to send to my FFL.

For me, it was my dad. Some of you met him (& I) at the 2007 Savage Fest @ Jed’s family farm (upstate NY). Mine is more an “accumulation” of over 50 99’s/1899s. I thought I had a good collection till I met Don/Loggah, FUG & a few others.

It’s an addiction I tell you!

I hadn’t purchased a 99 in several years till last weekend…..

A 300,xxx s/n barrel band carbine, in 250-3000 “followed me home”. I bought it as a pile of parts, and took it home in about 25 pieces. Had to replace the sear (never saw one cracked at the “pin hole” before. After about 5 hours (cumulative) of TLC on the gun bench, gently cleaning and oiling it, the old girl is respectable again. Btw, I LOVE that Old West Snake oils, when sparingly applied to the stock. While not a safe queen, pretty respectable as a Hunter IMHO. Off to work now, but maybe tonight, I’ll take some pics, and start a post with some “99 porn”. :-)
Best part, unmolested as far as d&t, or sling swivels……and….. get this…… $400 OTD!!!!! My buddy thought I was crazy for spending $400 on a stock, receiver & bag of parts, but I knew what I was looking at (40year rear view mirror of savage collecting), he didn’t :-)
…. Don’t hate me :-)

Light foot, I will be Pming you soon for one of your kick butt mounts for this thing. I plan on killing something with it this Nov.
-Tom T

Note to add…. I HAD a spare sear sitting in my gun room. I laughed at myself, as I swapped out the part, wondering how many people (that don’t frequent this forum) would have a spare 99 sear sitting around, waiting to be used?

My Dad's 99EG in 300 Savage. I have 5 brothers and we were never allowed to touch the Savage. It was my Dad's prize possession and as a farm laborer he had few. All us boys learned to deer hunt with a Marlin 1893 in 30-30 until we bought our own rifles. Even after Dad quit hunting we never hunted his rifle. Now my youngest brother has it. 3 of us now hunt with our own 99's. My Dad bought the EG from his younger brother entering the air force in 1952 who needed cash more then a gun in cabinent back home. My uncle got it by trading leather jacket to neighbor gal who tired of hunting with only guys. Her dad hunted with 99EG in 30-30 that my youngest brother also owns now. Bottom line, once I tired of hunting and shooting those super accurate bolts, I sold em off and put all gun $ into Savages. And many here have taken some of that $.

In 1973 my father designed a machine gun and the federal quality inspector dropped off cases of 7.62x51 ammo on belts, every 5th round was a tracer.
My 15 year old little brother talked my father into buying a used 1969 Sav 99e in 308.
I drove my little brother to the range taking some of the non tracer rounds.
The old guys at the range in NRA jackets looked through a spotting scope and adjusted the open sights with thier tiny screwdrivers.
One old guy in an NRA jacket said he could not shoot as well WITH a scope.

So an old man in an NRA jacket inspired me.

My brother in law Jerry got me started on Savages. He is a huge Savage fan and was always talking about them and his latest finds, usually a 99 of some sort. After seeing his 99’s and hearing him talking about them and doing a little homework on them I finally took the plunge and bought my first 99 in 30-30 cal. As soon as I seen it, held it and noticing the good condition it was in I realized I had to have it. All ready looking forward to my next one.

Welcome JW19.
Good first post!
What is in the pic?
S.N.?

Sorry I guess the pic didn’t turn out very well. It’s my 99A #330287.

Looks like a model 1895 cheek pad. ??

My bro in law has a History of the Savage Model 99 Rifle handbook and we looked it up and it states it’s a Model 99A featherweight w/ 24” barrel. Produced between 1926/27 to 1937 with serial #’s 290,000 - 370,000.

I posted a few more pictures in the image section. Hope it worked and they came out ok. Still trying to figure my way around here.👍

Well that's probably what it is then.
Do all the serial numbers match?

Might just be the photo, but the cheek pad looks more 1895 than 1899.
Can you take a close up?

Yes, all the numbers matched.

Welcome JW! I know your BIL (and the rest of us here know him too, but I'll keep his ID a secret for a minute), and must say he is a gentleman of impeccable tastes in fine firearms and good whiskey and a raconteur of note. If he blessed this rifle then it's as you say. (We had a phone conversation pursuant to it the other night.)


.......6 5 4 3 2 1. Ok. He's the oldest otter on the Campfire.

lol
That sounds like him. 👍
Many nights drinking whiskey and listening to him talk guns and Savage.

Yea, 1899.

I'm not sure exactly how I was inspired, growing up on a 1960's farm and only 3 miles from the Duck Mountains Park (550sq miles) with moose,elk, whitetails and bears every farm had a 303 Sav/British,30-30 Winchester or Remington 14. I remember my brother buying a 1899 303 for $15 in about 64' and taking a hacksaw to the too long barrel as I guess a 20" was easier to push through the swamp spruce

I don't remember a year that we weren't eating moose or elk for supper all year, that has all changed for the folks that still live up there as hunting has been decimated to the point of being closed for the last few years due to traditional rights using atv's with 3mil spotlights and .300 loudandboomers.

My first Savage 99 that I bought in 2003 was the .375-CD that I'm still trying to figure where/when/who made it. I had seen it in an Alberta gs for about 3 months for $425 and had fondled it a few times on my stops there. One stop in there ,old George convinced me that it would go great with the .375 Win and Marlin that I already had so that was about 28 Savages ago. Funny how they grow in numbers,and watching and listening to you all has only made it worse-but I thank you all!

You guys did!

A buzzard! Shot out of a tree a long way away, with a scoped Savage 99 300 Savage 55 plus years ago! Never shot a scoped rifle before that.

If we had a "Like" button, I would have clicked it twice!

My dads oldest brother had a gun store in west plains mo, when we went in to see him he would push a chair up to the gun rack so I could get up close to the guns and lookem over. all my dads brothers were big lever fans ( early 60s ) so there was always 99s in the rack. when I turned 13 my dad gave me a 336 in 30-30 ( that I still have ) but I always hunted with an uncle that was 99 fan and a horse trader, every year he had a bunch of different guns to trade. one year his 99f in 308 was in the bunch to trade , I begged him to put a price on it but he wouldent. later that yr I was given that 99f for christmas . that was the begining of my addiction ! IF only someone would have warned me !

a freebie! that's a good way to start a collection.

Hey Gary, my BIL is impressed with the fact I've buffaloed a schmart guy on the Savage collectors forum. I have talked him to coming to this years get together. Only hope Joe says its copacetic with count.

Just what I was going to say. Bought my first one this year at age 72, and in 358 Win, because Iowa made the chambering legal for deer. A 99A of year 1980. I really would like to use it on elk, but those days are probably behind me.

I like it.

This also parallels my attitudes toward 99’s, early on thinking they were odd-looking, and resembled a disemboweling with the action opened. Never had one until this year though I had some 336’s and BLR’s over the years.

But reading here and recognizing the cult-like following, the knowledge of guys like Calhoun, and seeing the collection of LBK, along with some other interests finally tipped me over.

I always was somewhat intrigued by the 358 Win but it didn’t seem to fit the kind of hunting I did — ten of my bull elk were taken over 400 yards for example, and deer hunting in western states was also mostly a long range affair, relatively speaking.

But then the Iowa DNR came out with a bizarre list of legal cartridges for Iowa deer last summer including the 358 Win. This coincided with my growing interest in 99’s so I found the 99A with a tang safety (I’m a lefty) and probably paid top dollar, but I have it and it’s in excellent condition.

With a doe tag, I was blanked this year but Lord-willing, there’s next year. I have plenty of Win ammo, bought back when it was in the $ mid-thirties/box. I notice now they are over $50/box if you can find them. I also have components coming in, so may try some different loads.

George, I've had good luck with both Hornady 200 grain spire points and Barnes 180 grain ttsx loads.

Thanks FB.

My brother-in-law moved to Vermont's Northeast KIngdom in 1970. He bought a 99 F in 308 from a tiny general store I knew well. He and three other guys started a camp in the foothills of Jay Peak. My wife and I visited him often and I checked out his firearms. I thought the 99 was a odd rifle, but somehow it stuck on me. I was familiar with Winchester 94s and owned a couple of Marlins, but 99s were a mystery.

Later, I became interested and started buying them. I don't have many, only three. But I have the bug. I called Murray on the phone in 1995 and spoke with him. Talked to the old Savage historian too. One of these years I will shoot a deer with one of my 99s.

My dad has hunted in with his 99 .243 since I was a boy. The only thing I’ve known him to carry. I bought him a browning blr but he refuses to put down the 99. My grandfather had a .284 99pe. I have been looking for one for a couple years now. Hoping to cross one so I can scoop it up one day.