I picked up an unloved Savage 99E .243 at my local gun store. It is drilled and tapped and has scope mounts already on it, but that's not the bad news. The stock & fore end was spray painted with a camo pattern. I put an old Weaver 4X into the scope rings and bore sighted it and shot it to bulls eye in 9 shots. They also removed the rear sight.

The stock has a split at the end of the receiver which isn't too bad, but I want to give this old gal some love and replace the stock and maybe the fore end. I don't know how much I would have to sand off the fore end to remove the spray paint.

Also, I would like to find a tang sight and remove the scope bases. Anyone have a lead on a Lyman 1A or Marble's Automatic Flexible Joint Rear Sight?

I do feel kind of ashamed since I bought it for $225 plus tax. Is that bad?? (he he, I think I stole it since I was looking for a 99 and a .243 and I got them both! )

All the model 99 243's ever made by Savage were factory drill and tap for scope, so that's not a bad thing. The 99E is not drilled and tapped for tang sights, though you can find receiver sights for it that will use the rear scope base holes.

I'd have bought it for that price, and then probably tried to find some EG style stock to fit to it.

Good price for a project gun.

Any idea on where to look for the receiver sights you mention? Are they a peep style sight?

Thanks, I plan on projecting a couple of deer with this gal!

For a receiver sight, check link.

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbth..._WTS_Williams_FP_Receiver_Si#Post5799468

No association with the sale. Just passing along information.

The Williams looks like this, should be a good sight. I prefer scopes, myself.

We gotta break you of that habit Rory!

99D- have you tried stripping the camo paint job off of the wood? Probably a birch wood stock hiding under there, so you wouldn't be screwing much up by attempting to strip/sand/refinish it. PM me and I'll give you some pointers.

I've got a FEW with peep sights...

Leader..



32-40..



A2 Special..



Even a 308!



And weagle had an old thread about stripping and refinishing a 99E. Got it bookmarked at home, worked pretty well for me when I refinished a beat up 99E.

I can live with refinishing the fore end, but the stock has a piece missing right at the tang and it's split a little there too. While I have it broken down I might as well replace the stock and be done with it.

I might try to do this as a project with my Dad over Thanksgiving. Since the old man turned 80 this year it would be fun to do wood work with Pop.

Thanks for the pics calhoun, makes me drool just a little.