Guesses for timeframe and model?

R, serial 356xxx-406xxx range

But... forearm?

No grooves.

But you did nail it... SN 374320

Have we ever seen a Version 1 99R without the double lines? It's pretty high grade gun, doesn't look sanded off or refinished.

Correct, no grooves. Very nice looking rifle. That last photo of the butt stock looks like it was "string stained".

String stained?

I was thinking the same thing, Rick. Though the forearm does have nice figure to it.

I was hoping to see it in person, but somebody called the local Cabela's and bought it before I could get there.

damnesia - there's several ways to add tiger striping to a stock. Usually involves heating stripes onto the stock - either by wrapping a string and then having it burn off, or covering areas and burning the rest. They do it on muzzleloaders and even guitars and such.

But not all tiger striping is fake.. this one has very regular stripes though.

I don't recall seeing other prewar 99R/99RS rifles without grooves. But I can't remember everything. Have we seen others?

I was almost wondering if it didn't go back to the factory in the late 50's and it got a modified 99F forearm fitted to it.

Wow!

Learned something new today! Thx!!

FYI, 386777, 412094, and 442982 still had the double-line forearm. The 99R post is the only one I have seen w/o the double groove.

Yes, 1st I remember without the grooves.

That's natural fiddleback. It mostly occurs in quartersawn wood. The reason you don't see it very often is that slabsawing is more economical than quartersawing.

I missed it by just a few hours. I even took off a bit early from work. Didn't think I'd buy it at $1399 price, but sure wanted to check that forearm for serial numbers and a closer look.

Ran into a dandy 1941 99EG in 300 Savage hunting rig at a pawn shop. D&T for scope and had studs, but otherwise didn't look like it'd ever been shot. It'll make somebody a good hunting rig that needs one. At $750, that's probably going rate any more.

1954,,55 F

Closely compare the checkering differences.

Forearm checkering switched from 3 point (bottom rifle) to 2 point (top rifle) at around 356xxx.

The length of prewar R/RS forearm are shorter, and width/height at the front end are wider/shorter than later model F. The front end also has a distinctive roll on the top edge to the barrel channel.

Here's another 1938 99R, Roy.

If you look at the very first picture,it sure looks like it has the lines around the forearm. Very shallow lines may be blending with the wood grain,maybe !! Don