My 1899 Savage in .22 Hi Power serial # 247389 was mfg in 1923 per savage99.com. I had a collector look at the rifle and he declined to purchase it because he said the barrel wasn't original. I thought maybe it was made as a different caliber and the owner sent it back to change it to the Hi Power. How do I find out the original caliber or how could he say this wasn't the original barrel? Any help would be appreciated. Can post pics later. need to know what to show. It came with the first scope Leopold made: Plainsman 7/8" 2-1/4 power.

Pics would help. (Especially closeups of the writing on the barrel.) A letter from the Savage Historian would be the final arbiter as to what caliber it left the factory as.

Assuming it's a takedown, does it have interrupted threads or uninterrupted threads?

Be unusual for somebody in 1923 to convert a non-22HP to a 22HP by shipping it to the factory. Not saying it didn't happen, but the 22HP had plummeted in popularity by then and they weren't selling many originals in 22HP. But they still were selling them.

Somebody later may have swapped barrels, but as gnoahhh said we'll need pictures to help there.

The fact that it was drilled knocks a pretty good amount off the value. I might be the only one here that looks for 99's with vintage glass on them. There is Gene, but he's more into the vintage glass, than the rifle hanging on it. I have a 1912 22HP with a Malcolm scope on it. I got a letter from the historian that says my rifle was originally sold to the Malcolm Rifle Telescope Co. So, that adds provenance to my rifle. A quick search shows the Plainsman was introduced in 1947. So, even though it's an early Leupold, it definitely was not put on buy the factory, or even by a period scope fan. Don't give up though. The barrel can be dated to an era by the adress and stlye of stamping on it. In 1923 the barell would have style 4 stamping.
it would say in all caps: MANUFACTURED BY SAVAGE ARMS CORP. UTICA, N.Y. U.S.A. on the first line. Then on the second there were 5 patent dates beginning with July 25 1893-June 1, 1909. If the barell stampings don't match this, if you can post a pic we can match the barell to a time period.

You serial range falls in the syle 4 range also, serial 200,000 to 283,000.

As previously stated a picture of the barrel address would answer a lot of questions.

Also, in this case, a factory letter would probably shed light on how the gun was born and if indeed it was returned to the factory for further modification.

Welcome to the Fire Johngreg. Bet this won't be your last 99. Bruce

You guys are great! All this knowledge available to guys like me who have questions. The pics on the barrel didn't turn out BUT I bought my wife a GOOD camera for Christmas and I'll have her take a few. Since I'm new at this I need to find how to post pics once the original post is uploaded. I really appreciate the address for John Callahan found on this forum. The post by Lightfoot says 'New prices as of 12/1/2006 is $30.' So I'll see what it is today. The knowledge is well worth the cost.

Callahan retired a while ago. You have to write directly to Savage for letters now. Last I knew price has gone up to $65. Sorry for the bad news.

Wait till we get the barrel info before blowing $65. If the barrel info is correct for your gun, I'd assume it's correct, and the dealer is wrong. On the other hand, a letter may tell you a bit of extra info.

don't know where the op location, around here dealers are not in the no pertaining to savage lever guns, had one tell me that the tang holes were after market, when I said they were for tang sights, then he said "I don't much about savage 99's"