I have been waiting months to receive David Royal's updated 99 book, which I received today, just to clear up the one 99 that I had never seen before. It is listed below, which is currently on layaway through a dealer on GI.

http://www.gunsinternational.com/gu...1719-77761AC6-D129-888C-156104192784F88A

I looked through David's book intently, but aside from establishing the year made as 1974, I can not find this particular 99 listed anywhere in 358 Winchester with 24" barrel. So it remains a mystery to me. I wish I would have bought it instead of hesitating because of the unknown.

Savage99F358

Yeah, it is odd, but didn't hold any $2K appeal to me. Course not much does!

That sure doesn't look like 1974 wood. Isn't that what's seen on last built models?

At least some of the 1974's had blued levers, and that one is case.

Well, I also collect graded Parker and Fox shotguns, so 2K is a give away price in comparison to the SxSs. I just wanted it because there wasn't another one, that I have ever seen.

I wonder if that came out of the Savage custom shop Brother Steve down in Florida ran for a few years??

So how can you rule out a put together 99 if there is no solid evidence of it being a factory offer?

That's not a 90's stock, the checkering looks like a good type of pressed checkering rather than cut.

It looks like one of the non-cataloged 99 configurations that were put together in the mid-1980's from whatever leftover parts they could find in the warehouse.

I sure wouldn't pay that kind of $$ for a non-cataloged configuration that didn't have any provenance, not even a factory letter. Looks you'd be paying 50% for the rifle and 50% in the hope that it is something more special than it really is.

Haven't seen or heard from him in I bet close to ten years.

24" 358 barrel with correct stampings? That seems like an unlikely left-over part. Very interesting rifle, even if it does have a tang safety.

It appears as though Savage doesn't stamp barrels until they are staged for assembly. When I bought a 6.5 Creedmoor barrel from them in 2014, it came without any roll stamps, just threaded and chambered. Same/same for the 22-250, 7mm-08, and 375 99 barrels that GPC used to sell. The 24" barrel could easily be explained as a finished, or partially finished, 99EG or 99R barrel.

However, since the rifle in question is a non-cataloged configuration and there isn't even a factory letter to validate what it actually is, any story a seller or buyer want to concoct is as good as any other. The better the story, the higher the price.

Thus rendering it a problematical rifle to own and a giant pain in the butt should you ever want to sell. If i decided to sell I'd have to ask myself if I was comfortable pitching the story to someone else with no factory provenance or any other supporting evidence. I wouldn't find that too comfortable.

Used gun dealers are no better, as a group, than used car sellers or antique sellers, etc. Lot's of people have no problem lying about something that they are selling, if the lie will move the sale forward.

I knew of some of these types of rifles and mentioned in the book that they were out there. At that kind of money a letter is definitely needed. I doubt if it's a leftover EG or R barrel. It has the later front sight held on by screws plus the EG and R barrels would have square threads not compatible with a post mil receiver. David

The wood likes like the style the C went to in 1976 now that I dig into it. Still thinking it was a custom shop put together.

that gun may very well be correct IMO. I recently saw a clip model in 358 that looked just like that..I'd have to a close look at it ..

plab

The non-cataloged configuration 99s that Savage put together from parts back in the mid-1980's could have had the receivers cut with square threads just as easily as with v-threads. I wouldn't make any assumptions without taking the thing apart and verifying. If it isn't cataloged and/or it doesn't have a Callahan letter, it could be anything.

It is not the first we have seen here on the Forum. The first was reported by Miki any years back. I think about four have turned up with serials from Feb to Apr, 1974. Barrel markings and sights, butt plate are correct for 1974. I think the others have the standard 1974 Model C wood.

This one has the C style wood but the finish looks more like what was used when the stock had cut checkering in the 70's. Also has a case colored lever. I don't know if the other did or not.

I don't know the history behind this group of .358's but I think (for whatever that is worth) that they came out of some part of the Savage operation in 1974.

Might be worth checking with JTC to see if there is any infor in the records (I don't know what info is available from this time period).

PS... 1973 was the last year for the F and DL (rotor receivers with the window cut)

Rifle is not correct. Serial late 73 very early 74. Wood got 74 C written all over it. Metal got DL written all over.

How do you get a .358 without a re-bore...

Look at the fore arm....totally too short for a barrel of that length.

Well that rifle is almost a repeat of the one I posted here a few back.

C wood (cut checkering)
Stamped 99A
F barrel in 300 savage

This rifle was sold NEW in N.Z. in that confiuration I think it dated to 73 or 74. Like Harry many here thought it had been built up by someone, I don't reckon it was sold as I was told by the seller his father bought new in the box from an Auckland store.

It was an exceptional rifle, lovely balance

Johno

The 99A (reintro) was a straight stock, lever would not fit a pistol grip. All 20" or 22" barrels.

It's a DL .308 rebored for a .358 with C wood and never built by Savage other than an employee.

The forearm tells you all you need to know.

Disagree.

You can get allot more gun that that for 2K.

I agree with Roy, I would like to see a clear stamping of the calibre.

As I said mine was stamped 99A, it had a pistol grip C stock and lever and was sold new that way.

I believe there were a batch of rifles around that number that were made up as either special orders or just using up parts

Johno

Longbeardking wrote:
"You can get allot more gun that that for 2K".


That is exactly what I said when I saw this result of a recent Julia auction lot that sold ...

https://www.proxibid.com/aspr/EXCEP...CASE/28793756/LotDetail.asp?lid=28793756

And there were over a 100 Parker 410s made. "Rare" trumps engraving, gold and fancy wood sometimes.

Savage99F358

JohnO, was the barrel stamped "Model 99A" or" Model 99 Series A"? Not the same.

Rick,

Your testing my memory as I sold the rifle when I had the bad time health wise, a lt a few get away. I can only say to other members " never make decisions like this when you are unwell"

I will try and find some photos if I can locate the old thread.

Johno

Lightfoot,
What is the last name of "Steve" that you mentioned earlier in this post, who ran the Savage Custom Shop, for a period?
Also, any idea what years it was that he ran it?

Just curious. Other than Roland Lussier, I forget the names of the guys I worked with. Ron Coburn had just gotten there, roughly 1986, but not exactly sure. There was a guy there though who was amazing with the wood. I also remember he cut his hand badly and missed some work from slamming a butcher knife into a picnic table, and his hand slid down the blade. Really bad cut he said. Might be this Steve you mentioned.
Thanks,
Bob

He is still around,, Got a Bayo Blade from Him 6 Months Back

IIRC, "Steve" used to own, or run, a gun shop in Inverness, FL, called "The Small Arms Shop". TSAS was an "authorized Savage repair station" that got a lot of "mixed" feedback across the 'net.

I bought a factory jig used to d&t Savage 99s from Steve and it was worth the $$$ paid. I also bought an assortment of miscellaneous bases and rings that was 90% junk and had so much dirt mixed in with the bases, rings, and used screws that it appeared to have been swept up off the shop floor.

EDIT: A quick search shows that TSAS has an active FFL thru 04/01/18.

Steve worked for Savage and left the Company with a pile of 99 parts and set up shop in Florida.

I well remember the ebay auction for the D&T jig and still kick myself for letting you outbid me.

Steve also had a number of the Spanish 99s he tried to make serviceable. I orchestrated the sale of the last 3 of them to friend Ralph (another mistake).

He sold most of the parts to Numrich and was working as a prison guard last I talked to him.

Didn't Steve come out of Savage Services? They handled parts and repairs. They were responsible for creating some of the Never say "never" guns from that period. Seems I remember statements that the right hand (Savage Corp) didn't always know what the left hand (Savage Services) was doing.

I do know that Steve provided us with some older paperwork that provided some very useful info on pre WWII sales.

Rick is this a new model ?? 99NsN LOL

plab

I don't recall 'Savage Services' but I may be confusing that with 'Custom Shop' In any case I thought he was on the Savage payroll until he went to Florida.

Wasn't "Savage Services" the source of the 99Cs with the 1895 75th Anniversary 24" octagon barrels?

I don't know but I would think that small runs would be something they would have done.

Just looked and Savparts hasn't logged in here since 2010.

Plab: Model 99NsN (I'll have to remember that) ...lucky Savage didn't make special runs for distributers like Ruger does now. We might have all kinds of odd ball rifles out there.

Lightfoot: I don't know if Savage Services included the "custom shop" at that time. I would think it might have. Some of the red plastic covered parts manuals state Savage Services on the cover. It would be nice to know more about how they operated.

I'm still waiting for somebody to pop up with a catalog page from Sears or Spiegel or somebody showing a model 99RT.

Rick,

The buyer got back to me

SAVAGE 99
Serries A

As I said its a dead ringer for the op's rifle except its 300 savage and 22" barrel

Johno

Bearrr264 had a 99C Series A in 250 Savage that he and I felt was one of the mid-1980's vintage non-cataloged parts guns, but could have been a Savage Services parts gun.

I have a weird one too that I'm pretty sure was put together and shoots/functions flawlessly. A .375win stamped barrel with a clip frame(243/308 mag), finger groove forend, monte-carlo butt with no numbers stamped on either. Serial # is D9824++ on lower left frame edge and no boss stamp.

I would sure like to see a photo of that rifle. I wouldn't think that the 375 would function in a standard magazine since it's a rimmed cartridge. I plan to put some of these anomalies in my next book. David

[img][IMG]http://i421.photobucket.com/albums/pp296/450yukon/375%20Savage/160.jpg[/img][URL=http://s421.photobucket.com/user/450yukon/media/166.jpg.html][/URL][/img]

Well ain't that an interestin development... Feeds like it's supposed to?

It does feed better if fourth round is not in clip. I bought this about 10-12 years ago and was always my thought that someone up here had pieced it together.

Any and all guesses/thoughts are welcomed!! I am confused by the "D"serial #, I thought D was used on the solid frame Saddle 99 and "A" was on the C and CD clip 99's?s

And each round that's loaded, it's rim is forward of the one below it?

Well that's an interesting one, ive asked the guy who bought mine to send photos to me.

David I think you will end up with a chapter on on odd ball post mils

Johno

Yes, just like the Win95's. It's just a natural movement as the next cartridge I always start forward of the heel even with rimless.

I've had that in mind since early in the work on the current book. Loggah's half octagon SRC probably started me thinking this is a subject that needed exposure. You guys start contacting me with any of these rifles that you have. I'll have some time in Ohio after the gun show there in early May. David

THAT'S WEIRD BECAUSE I TRYED THAT WITH A 243 MOD C and it would not feed i even tryed to build a new floor for the clip would not function properly , but i aint that good with metal work, i believe i tryed it with a 284 clip with no success as well, can you give me pics of the feed floor with no ammo init please ,,

norm

Once the serial numbers went to the letters, A, B, C, etc. all Savage production was numbered as they were produced. In the 1970's they started putting "series A" in the barrel address on all models. This has nothing to do with the serial number. During this time the 99C had a unique barrel address that included the patent number for the detachable magazine. There are 99C's with serial numbers starting with all letters from A to G when the 99C was discontinued. The 99A was produced from 1971 to 1982 or 83 and will have serial numbers from A through D with possibly a few with E's.
David

I hope this is what you needed Norm. [img]http://[/img]

You can get anything you want.....at Alice's Restaurant.....



https://www.gunsamerica.com/993072458/SAVAGE-99F-1959-PRODUCTION-358-WINCHESTE.htm

...excepting Alice...

"with 8X10 color glossy photographs with circles and arrows and a paragraph on the back to be used as evidence against us."