Finally Found a Decent Savage 99 in .250-3000

[Old No7]

Ahoy the forum from the coast of Maine!

Rifle season for deer ended 2 weeks ago and the muzzleloader season ended today (it was a balmy 7 degrees when I left the house and I was in the wood for 10 hours). 68 hours spent out in the woods over both seasons, and I never tripped a trigger... But I enjoyed it. Oh well, so now instead of deer, I've been hunting for rifles -- and for a levergun too!

Although I have a wonderful checkered Savage 99F Takedown (1939 Vintage) that I've posted about here before, I'd been on the hunt for a decent 250 Savage for quite awhile now. I have passed up many beaters and quite a few decent rifles that were 2-3X what they were worth or what I wanted to pay. Sure, like anyone, I was looking for a bargain, if possible, but I also didn't want one that was mishandled or molested by "Bubba" or his gang.

I think I did OK with this one, but I'd welcome any thoughts from the gang here.

It is a Savage 99A in .250-3000 with some decent case color left on the lever, with the rotary shell counter and as you'll see in the photos it was D&T'd at the factory (I believe) and it has the top-tang safety. The blueing looks great, as is the bore, and overall it's in great shape except for a few slight handling marks on the wood. I don't have it in my hands just yet, so I can't determine the serial number...

Based on what you all see in these photos, can anyone please answer these questions:

* What is the approximate value for a 99A in this caliber, in this "almost fine" condition?

* Are the QD Swivel Studs a factory addition, or were they added by an owner?

* OK, I'll admit it... I paid $625 -- so how did I do???

Thanks all!

Old No7

Savage 99A 250-3000 01.jpg

Savage 99A 250-3000 02.jpg

Savage 99A 250-3000 03.jpg

[ollogger]

Mighty fine looking 99A you did not over pay for it, they are a fairly rare gun
seems like they had the studs but not sure?
but who cares ya stole it!!


Brad

[Old Savage]

An excellent acquisition. Price was fine in my opinion. In more than 25 years on the lookout I have not come across one like that and $625 would not have kept me from it.

[Mainehunter]

You did good! That 99A will have the faster twist rate for heavier bullets. Looking forward on the range report.

Mainehunter

[JerryB]

Wow!!! another beautiful old classic deer rifle.

[Sixgun]

Ole #7,
Ya did fine. I looked in the Blue Book and it's listed at $420 in 98% condition but it says to add 50% for the 250 Savage cartridge so that means you payed "Blue Book". While I use the Blue Book, you have to know how to "read between the lines". I find mistakes all the time and the one thing about the Blue Book, it does not and cannot know the current trend as far as geographical pricing and "what's hot" at the current time.

The 250 Sav. chambering is "hot" and that's why they say to add 50% but in my view, it's hot hot hot and a rifle so chambered around here goes off the shelf very fast, the same way a Winchester 94 sells instantly in 25-35 where it will sit in 30-30.

I looked at a 1982 Gun Digest and the picture of the A does not show sling swivels. It's no big deal either way as it's an accepted change with post war guns.

$625? I'd say that is a low end retail price and would expect that to be priced from 6-7 c notes.----6

[Old Savage]

That is about the handiest 99 ever made.

[EdinCT]

Old#7 That is a good find! I would love to have one like it. I knew of a warden who picked one out of confiscated poachers weapons and carried it for a truck gun for years. He loved it and said he really missed it when he had to turn it in upon retirement. I sure hope the ST didn't melt it down.

[JOHNNY WACKO]

it is hard to find 1 that has not looked drug through the woods behind a dead deer on a rope around here. I have that caliber in the clip fed model.not sure the # and i know its a mag but in them they called it a clip back in the day,i guess because you just clipped it in.

mag ,,clip i ain't opening that can of worms this early.....
this was from a pawn shop back when they went for $265.00
i bought the brass counter or piece that tells you when the chamber is loaded but never got around to puttin it in yet.
it saids 250 thats all no 3000






this 1 is a 308 i bought it 3 times in 5 years so i keep it now




300

[BenT]

Good snag! That is the 99 configuration I have been looking for but don't run across. 1 in 10 twist , perfect for Wisconsin whitetail woods hunting. I don't care about the collectablity, it just seems like a handy setup for hunting. You done well at that price.

[earlmck]

I'd say you did very well, No 7. That is just about a twin to the one I got from fellow levergunner Redlevel a few years ago, shown here as I set about chronographing its 20"/10" twist barrel vs. the 22"/14" twist bbl on my older model.

250Sav99A7399.jpg

Turns out that in my two babies, the 20" bbl gives 50 fps more velocity with 39 grains RL17 (2970 vs 2920). And here is the older 250 that same chrono day

250Sav997402.jpg

And that 10" twist will stabilize anything you want to shoot in it but this old lazy kid goes ahead and loads up the 90 grain Sierra h.p. which stabilizes in anything of 25 cal persuasion I own (I have yet to take any game with this bullet, though I have packed rifles on hunts...). Actually both rifles mostly shoot the 90 grain Lyman 258312 casty. (9.5 grains of Green Dot or 10 grains Unique for about 1750 fps from either rifle).

[Sixgun]

I'm gettin' jealous....everyone here has a 250 sav. except for me. Well, I do have a 300 ---6

[Pete44ru]

It is a Savage 99A in .250-3000 with some decent case color left on the lever, with the rotary shell counter and as you'll see in the photos it was D&T'd at the factory (I believe) and it has the top-tang safety. The blueing looks great, as is the bore, and overall it's in great shape except for a few slight handling marks on the wood. I don't have it in my hands just yet, so I can't determine the serial number...

Based on what you all see in these photos, can anyone please answer these questions:

* What is the approximate value for a 99A in this caliber, in this "almost fine" condition? - $600-$700

* Are the QD Swivel Studs a factory addition, or were they added by an owner? - Added aftermarket

* OK, I'll admit it... I paid $625 -- so how did I do??? - Just fine

Thanks all!

You did well - It's certainly not a "grey rat" (heavily-patina'd) Savage 99.

The early Model 99A's were made from 1920-36; but you have a "recent production" 99A, made from 1971-81 (I had a 1971 M-99A in .308) - which was at least 15 years after Savage started to D/T the front receiver ring for a front scope mount base (rear scope bases always used the factory tang sight prep holes).

The give-away for a non-factory D/T is that when Savage started to D/T the front ring, the model designation was moved from the top of the receiver ring to the side (molested 99's have the holes drilled through the logo).

BTW, Johnny - Your .308 appears to be a Model 99E, and the .250 a Model 99C, which AFAIK cannot be fitted with the rotary magazine due to the bottomless receiver in the magazine area.

FWIW, I was never really happy with the (IMO ungainly) weight of most of the various Savage 1899/99's (5-6, in .300 & .308) I've owned, but the .303 M-1899H (20" rapid-taper bbl, feather weight) that I stole from the CT Cabela's last Winter is VERY light & handy - it's a keeper, IMHO.


.

[KirkD]

Beautiful find. If I wasn't so highly budget-constrained, I'd have some lever-gun Savages in my collection. I like the look of them.

[JerryB]

To me the Savage 99 is the classic north woods deer rifle. When I started deer hunting with my dad in the early 1950's I saw a lot of 99's in the woods of Michigan up around Grayling where we camped.

[JOHNNY WACKO]

I never set out to own any they just found me like most of my guns do. but they are nice rifles and the 300 is the only 1 i have ever fired and it was fairly accurate at 100 yards or so.I have never fired the others.I have 2 meany to shoot them all,some are just for looking at and taking pictures of.

after my dads guns were stolen from me in 1974 i did not own a gun again till 1990 and then i never stopped buying,must be a mental thing i guess. but better then being a cross dresser or gay or any crazy stuff like that.

[Old Savage]

Well Six, I have two 54 99s And, one is a ...

250