I was reading a post above, speculating how many 99’s are still out there, and what is the oldest?

Well how about this, what do you think would be the most sought after individual 99?

Maybe Albert Johnson’s 30-30?
Maybe the rifle from Joe Kidd? Was that Robert Duvall’s rifle or that country singer, can’t remember his name?

What are some other notables? Didn’t Theo Roosevelt own an 1899?

Enoch Tue's 1899..

Either of the Dodge brothers' 1899's..

Thomas R. Proctor's 1899 - serial number 10.000..

I go with the Dodge bros,either one,my old snowcats have Dodge running gear!

Not truly a 95/99 but for me, the original military trial prototype(s) would be the most desirable, if any still exist.

This is of course subjective. Some people like fancy, some like utilitarian, some like provenance (movie rifle). Personally I would say the John Dodge rifle. It's more intricate than the Horace Dodge rifle which would come in #2. There is an article on the internet saying the Joseph V. Falcon rifle is the most intricate. It doesn't hold a candle to the Dodge rifles. The answer will vary from individual to individual.

Uhhh,...let's go deluxe & engraved.

"Not all art is framed"

I hear there's supposed to be some dandies in the forth coming Savage Engraving book.

Savage Engraving Book

Who are the Dodge brothers, auto makers or movie characters?

I'd just be happy as HELL with a PE in 284.

The very same .22HP that H.R.Caldwell used for tiger hunting.

Either of the Dodge brothers rifles. But I'd settle for a Monarch.

Auto makers

Had no idea they were hunters, I’ll have to look into them.

I have read all of Corbett’s books, but nothing from Caldwell. Any recommendations?

I'd settle for an HP 22 T. The "unicorn" of 99's.

Or so I've read...

Is that 'T' for Takedown???

No, there was a thread on 99 T’s about a week ago.

I want a T in 300, to hunt with, anyone got one to get rid off???

The "most desired 99" is the one that calls out to you. And it doesnt have to have a storied history to make it "the one." The history of 99.9-percent of all Savage 99s has been forever lost to time and there's nothing to say that their pasts were any less colorful or honorable or stalwart as the few, the very few, we do know about. Keep looking and you will find your "keeper." But don't look to the stars in determining what that quality is.

What a great California answer

That's true. I just think the trials rifles would be cool because of their place as the first. My own taste for personal usage runs to the very plain. A boring old 1899A in 25-35 or 32-40 are probably top of the want list.

The new book has a biography of the Dodge Brothers. They were machinists in the 1890's, built major components for Ford's first production car. Got totally tied up with Ford, had a lot of Ford stock, then sold it and built their own car. I've seen a few of the 1920's Dodges, they are cool cars. They died during the flu epidemic in the late nineteen teens. I don't know if they were hunters. They had no intention of using the guns, just wanted them for cool's sake. I handled them for the new book and didn't see any wear, blemishes or whatever.

For the every day guy a 99 "T" in 22 HP I got to hold one ,once that a Friend in Maine has!

Hmmm. A 99T in .32-40 would stimulate my Savage juices. 😵‍💫🤪😁

My choice also.

Most of those are way out of my budget. I'd be happy with a 99A 300 Savage, or a 20" 99A 250-3000.

Dodge Brothers were exceptional hunters and hunted with Lou Anderton in 1916 up Chitina Glacier. They got exceptional trophies and spent 7000 dollars on the hunt. This would be about 356,000 adjusted for inflation.

A prewar non-checkered EG is doing it for me. A buddy of mine once said everyone should have a pre-war Winchester 94. I once did but not anymore, although I do think his comment holds stock for pre-war EGs. However, I just saw a decent 26-in octagon barrel 99 in 303 that has me thinking about getting back into the 99 game!

Not sure if this counts but the R&D 32-20 would be my pick, always wondered how well a 99 in those short cartridges would have sold I like to think they would go well

Johno

For guns that I have a realistic chance in getting, I would say a 99R in 358. Already have one in 308, and killed two bucks with it.

Most others I have already found.

RAS

How about a 1899 saddle ring carbine in 32 40 Winchester new in the box lol

Handled a factory (heavily) engraved .25-35 once. Half octagon/half round. IIRC..........coined receiver. Can't remember what the wood was like. I was just totally in awe of this thing. Many of the details escaped me then and escape me now. I'd like to hold it one more time and pay a whole lot more attention.

My aspirations are relatively modest.

A really crispy pre war checkered F or T in any caliber.

An 1895 SRC BB used in the NY trials still holds a KOOL factor in my eye like no other. Scarce as hen's teeth!!

There was one displayed to the NY trials commission, but I've never run across documentation about any that were tested.

So yes... rare.

Would love to know which was was displayed to them, tho!

I have seen both Dodge guns they are no better than and maybe not as great

as those special order 1899 done for P.J.Noel his 22H.P Monarch is just out of

this world. The Nash gun is another of the greatest 1899's ever built .

Yes, splitting hairs to pick the "greatest" Savage 99/1899. More like top 10 or 20...
Here are several of the rifles mentioned.

P.J. Noel




Nash




King



H. Dodge




J. Dodge




William Gough

STUNNING MUSEUM PIECES EACH AND EVERY ONE!!!

Thanks for posting.

You are correct about the top ten or twenty Rick. All of the six above except the Nash rifle appear in my new book. I did include an E grade engraved 1899 that belonged to Nash.
but then again different things appeal to different people. There are people who could less about the high end guns. Several on here have said rare ones like the military trials rifles and the 99T in 22 HP are their favorite.

This is how I see it too. And I prefer one to be unembellished with engraving or fancy checkering, or anything fancy, for that matter, except I do appreciate a nice chunka wood. More important to me is condition and chambering. I would not want a rare chambering for which cartridges are not readily available. I no longer hand load.

I've always admired the Savage 99's but, because my dad hunted with a '94, I wound up with (2) Winchester '94's built in my birth year (1943), which I foolishly sold. May even prefer a '99 to the Marlin Model 336 I now have, built in 1971. Perhaps it's too late for me. Still enjoy looking at them though.

Well the subject query was a little lost, I guess I meant the 99 with the greatest providence? The famous 99’s that would be valued by those that owned it.
Many S&W 44’s (or 41’s) but only a few carried by Dirty Harry.
Many model 19’s, but maybe only a few carried by Bill Jordan himself.

The weapons carried by Alvin York. The famous 99’s. Guessing there really aren’t too many?


So not really about the rare caliber or grade or engraving, but the famous 99’s

I had read all of Corbett’s books, but have never heard of Caldwell, it seems he didn’t write that much about hunting with his 99, but I did order a paperback of “Blue Tiger”.

I'll bet Teddy Roosevelt had one. "Bully! Bully!" For me, his would be 'it'.
Best!
John

You’d think..but all I’m seeing is that his son owned one.

Savage gave one to Teddy, Teddy passed it along to his son.

I saw his son had one, it is still in the Roosevelt museum pieces.
I watched a YouTube clip on the rifle but I don’t think they mentioned what the caliber was? Or I missed it.

Maybe one of Frank Bucks rifles.

It appears Reverend Caldwell was not a writer or a professional hunter, but a very good hunter out of necessity. Church attendance fell due to the tigers, so, ...

The Great Tiger Hunter of Fujian

(went off topic...)

Looks like both Caldwell and his partner were Savage men.
The link in the previous post claims he killed 48 tigers! With a 22HP? Who da thunk?

If I remember, Caldwell switched to a 303 Savage for some later hunts.

You know, as much as I like HP's, I think I'd rather have used a .303 for tigers. Or a .404 Jefferey's.

In the top picture above it looks like he is holding an H (22HP?) and in the bottom picture an A (303?)

Roy Chapman Andrews was one of my childhhood heroes. I know he gave up Mannlicher 6.5s for Savage rifles but have forgotten if he used Model 20s or 99s. If he used a 99, I'd love to have it. Probably a .250-3000.

If not, I'd settle for an excellent condition SRC 30-30 that had documented use in the Mexican Revolution of 1910 or the "Christiada" in the 1920s.

Failing that, I'd love a .25-35 SRC in decent used condition with a nice bore. Don't want much, do I?

Mine was a Pe in 284, then when you get you got to have a back up LOL Some really nice guns in this thread.

I wondered when someone was going to mention Roy Chapman Andrews. For those that don't know he was the real Indiana Jones and the person the movie franchise was modeled after. I heard he advertised using a model 1920 but he had and used with great skill an 1899 in 250/3000 and claimed to have been in numerous gun fights with felons and made incredible long-range shots on game with his 1899.

I wouldn't be too bummed out by a 303 Savage take down with a 25 - 35 barrel in pre x mirror blue finish cased.

"Father had several Savage rifles."

China Coast Family

I have a poster of Roy Chapman Andrews with a 99 T

If it something exists, I believe there is a good chance YOU have it.

I have that gun but no case. Started life as a 25-35 then went back to the factory to add the 303 barrel. Its a crescent grade.

I've thought of getting a case made for it... or seeing If I could have one of my shotgun cases modified for it... but it wouldn't ever be original and I'm not going anywhere with it where I would use a case... so I fairly quickly talked myself out of it.

OK ,How much is shipping ? ,or I could rendezvous at the next Pyallup gun show.....just kidding.

I think you should be sending me gifts and trying to butter me up to get my 1912 22HP with the Malcolm scope and factory letter stating it was sold to Malcolm. You could claim it was sold to your grand father.

Just a teaser, it’s not going anywhere.

This one, don't know anything about it, my note says "Custom Shop 1899B", maybe someone here owns it.

Just the right combination of "plain & fancy"

Howdy, I’ll throw this out there for notables , I’ve a 1899 Savage Montreal Homeguard Rifle with Bayonet number on butt plate and bayonet is 397, I’ve read 803 were Mfg’d in 1914-15 in caliber.303 Savage anyone out there with one ? This one is not Sporterizd ill
ill

Wasn't it Blair that you used to post pictures like this with his guns on the fence... I'm like 85% sure this is Blair (99Trix) gun.

I remember that pistol grip..

Me too, I've had B grade checkered guns and mine had the "Marlin S' pistol grip.

Yeah, we've only seen a couple of the rounded pistol grips.

You write a big enough check, like one with 5 digits ahead of the decimal and I'll meet you in Puyallup and hand it over, no problem. Or i'll ship it to you in BC, I've done it before and don't recall it being a huge ordeal, at least not on my end. I ran across the letter for it last night while digging a different letter for someone else and read it again. It didn't go back to the factory per se, just had a work order number written against it... which was more likely for the crescent grade checkering and engraving, hard to say if it was also to include a second barrel or if that was added later, but the baseline build was a 25-35 per the letter.

Man, you have got a good memory, but I believe you are right.

What ever became of 99Trix?

Thanx for the offer but I think I'll pass.
When is the next show in Puyallup. Are you planning to go?

Yah that's right Joe ,but seriously I'm always watching for a long scope for my Visible Loader . They have to be the coolest with barrel length glass and simple leaf spring
mounts. I'd be looking for one here and there and sometimes you get lucky but it doesn't matter so much if things don't pan out all the time because sometimes is enough.

I like this one. It sits in my gun rack and I can look at it any time I desire.

Is the one on the far right a Rem maybe 8 or 81

It's actually a Presentation Grade Walther 22 Bolt/Semi-Auto that was made sometime between WWI & WWII.

With the bolt down it operates like a bolt action, if you flip it up it is a Semi-auto. It has a 5 shot clip.

Great looking gun very good shape

My favorites are ones I can use. Not a collector, but for me it is the one I desire to hunt with the most and this one is it.
Old faithful, so to speak.

I’m actually reading Caldwell’s book now, the bulk of his game hunting was with the .250-3000 which he raves and says was his favorite, but I think most of his tiger hunts were before 1915. 2/3s of the book are game hunts for other species using the .250
Pretty good book, but not as good as Corbett’s books.

NICE everything in the picture. Congratulations.

Caldwell wrote a book titled "Blue Tiger".

The original photograph that was the genesis for that poster showed RCA with a 1920. The 1920 that Savage sent directly to RCA was chambered in 300 Savage.

Thanks Roger. Just dangle the carrot, and call me Dunkey

Pretty much his only book, that is the one I am reading. It looks like the back half of the book is big game hunting with his .250-3000, where his earlier tiger hunts were with a 22 high-power and .303.
Caldwell would have defiantly been a contributor to this forum, he loved the 99

Blair- Trix 99 is still around i talk to him from time to time,he lives on Vancouver Island .

norm

So, Malcolm, how do you know about the Puyallup gun shows? I lived in Tacoma for about 30 years and attended them monthly. Used to have a Canadian firearms permit or whatever it's called now back in the 80's when that could still happen. Came in handy when I'd go to BC, Victoria mostly and find a gun I wanted. Buy the gun, declare it as mine going through customs and go home with it. Good deal back in the day. Not so much these days.

I will solve this debate, the most desired 99 is..... drum roll..... the one your friend/fellow collector has and you cant buy. LOL...

I have a bunch of those

So thats where all the good ones went, i started collecting Savage levers in 65 then had to stop and feed kids i am sure i missed some good ones in the 20 years that i did'nt have the coin to buy.

norm

I like em with a sahweet trigger……

Keep the brass tight……and the groups tighter……

R light….and get small…

And can thump a wapiti……

Just braying

I attended Puyallup in the 80's as well. I was hunting for an 1873 Winchester after watching the movie " The Bear ". There was one there I would have purchased but it was $ 1000. and I was worried about getting it across the line. We weren't supposed to have firearms in our posession in the U.S.A. ,and still aren't. It was a lot of fun going down to Seattle though and attending the show just to see all the stuff that was there and bring a few things back that were allowed.

So Norm 99 and Malcom, did you guys partake in the auction a week or so ago with the 55 1899/99 Savages?
I was finally able to catch up to a 99-358 Brush Gun, an early one in about 98%- C19082X.
I skipped by some others I would have liked as I was trying to hold out for the 2nd last one, a 1899-A 25-35 Special order.

never heard about it or i would have, but i did pick up a B25-35, not the best condition but all numbers match. Not i need a B 32-40 to complete the 1899 Bs

There was two 32-40's, a C that was maybe 65-70% and a B that was better- each went for $800.
I was watching the B but holding out for the 25-35 SO.

Those sound like darn good prices.

Any condition issues?

Dang, those are good prices. I wish I'd happen upon an A or B in 32-40 with that kind of sticker on it one of these days 😕

No issues they were both vg-exc for the age.
The C was supposedly a SO with straight stock,grip not checkered but cheeks and forearm were. Lyman tang and average wear on what looked like a high polish blue.sn#49.5xx

The B was straight stock no checkering barrel sights and VG condition.sn# 993xx

There was also a 99 Deluxe in 250/410 sn32527xx no case that went for cheap that I'm still wishing I had gone after.
But by then I had bought 2 non savages the previous day that I had to have? and had two on this one.
I think my problem is I'm too eclectic!

Checkered cheekpads and forearm but uncheckered buttstock sounds aftermarket. B sounds good.

That was my thought on the checkering too and it sure didn't look done by Savage, the Lyman is all that kept it price wise with the better B.