Looking at one for sale, its a 1899 300 Savage TD rifle. Wood is pretty much shot, splits, nails, cracks etc Forearm has a piece missing, and also missing the takedown button, lever, (?) rifling doesnt look too bad, and action seems to function fine.
Any ideas as to value ?
Thanks,Ken
Does it weigh enough to use as a boat anchor?
The takedown latches aren't very easy to find but if you wait long enough on will eventually turn up. Original wood in decent shape is very expensive, duplicated stocks usually need a lot of work to make them fit and look right.
Hard to say a value. I'd say 300$ tops? I might give a little more than that because I have the parts to fix it and really like putting more money into something than it's worth.
I'd run away unless it was chambered in 25-35, 38-55 or 32-40.
The juice isn't worth the squeeze.
With high cost of everything Savage 99 these days it could become a money pit pretty quick. I'd leave it be.
Walk on by, unless you have a pile of needed parts and as stated "...really like putting more money into something than it's worth." Put your money into one that does not need work.
I'd buy a project rifle like that if it had something I just had to have, like a pristine oct barrel in 25-35 for example, but as a rifle to fix, no way.
NOT more than 100.oo it will take you 6-700 to fix it .
norm
I am surprised at you. You've been around the block more than once. NO DEAL there.
I went through a stage where I couldn't pass up a "cheap" deal, not necessarily a good deal. Then I had a chance at some "good" deals on really nice rifles and had to pass. I had to pass on a really nice 250 K, mostly because I spent so much money on junk, I was short on the K. I was just down in my gun room and found a T/D forearm for what I think is an 1899 A, or short rifle T/D. It's an inch or two longer than the T/D on my 1899 H or 99 F, so it's not for a carbine length rifle. It's complete with latch and metal band that butts against the action. I got it because I figured I could use it on a project I had going. I sold all the parts to that project to a friend. Including two complete forearms. So why is this thing taking up space in my room. I'm trying real hard to stay away from cheap, just because it's cheap.
It's all about perspective. I have way more nice/decent/good 99s/1899s than I could ever need. Added to all the old Marlins and Winchesters I have ( and the S&W, Ruger's, etc ), I don't really need anymore decent+ guns. However, I love to work on guns and even if it's a "grey rat" that's all original I won't mess with them much. So project guns are mainly all I buy anymore. JoeMartin, if you're interested in parting with the latch, or maybe even the latch and wood, PM me. I'm looking for some parts.
I'm here to tell you that resurrecting a Savage lever gun basket case is the best way to gain empirical knowledge of the details/workings of said rifles. A labor of love with no correlation to practicality, common sense, or fiscal responsibility - and one helluva good learning experience.
Yeah one of the reasons I like the old guns is they were made by hand/manually. Replicating or figuring out what was done to make them is exciting and very interesting to me. Worth way more than the money I spend to bring them back. Not sure to mention the money, it's the thrill of making something usable that would have been scrapped or sold for parts. Like the old trucks I rebuild, I have enough decent ones, but want to save some. The term basket case always opens my pocket book
