Hi All. Savage 99 .30-30

[Muddly]

As a former bolt gunner, I am continuously amazed by the accuracy of a good lever gun.
Recently, I was looking for a project gun, so I would leave my others alone and not bugger them up... Anyway. I was in my favorite LGS and spotted a very nice M99 Savage, caliber .30-30, my favorite caliber btw. The price seemed ridiculously low for a 90% rifle. Asking was $465. I wondered out loud why so low? The answer was that apparently there is little collector interest in .30-30 M99's. Got her for $440. Had to sell 2 TC Hawkens and my Savage 110 .243 to get the money...
The bore was heavily copper fouled. Old fuzzy green stuff, and I was worried it was hiding pitting. Nope! Bore is pristine. The wood was dry, so some linseed oil went on and she drank it in. Dry to the touch in less than an hour. Dismounted the stocks and cleaned/greased her up. Doubt that had been done since she left Utica in '37!
She is the un-fussiest rifle I've ever owned! With the bead and semi buckhorn open sights, factory and reloads stay under an inch at 50 yards( sometimes around 1/2 inch)and I've just started her at 100 and she shoots 3 rounders at or under 2 inches consistently. I'm using CFE223 powder and Sierra 150 and 170 grain bullets at factory advertised velocities. Another wonderful thing is every load has hit the same vertical line! The only difference is elevation.
I've shot Winchesters and Marlins. Fine rifles! But this little Savage is in a class by herself. Never thought much about the M99. Kinda funny looking till you get used to it.
I don't know why the previous owner used her so little. VERY little finish wear on the operating surfaces seem to point that way. She does shoot a bit high with her sights at their lowest, but that's ok. I'm going to put an aperture sight on her. I think I need to get more tension on the magazine spring as the last 2 rounds don't always feed smoothly.
I believe she's an EG , 22 inch with pistol grip uncheckered stocks. Serial number 37603x would be 1937 production or so I've read.
I wasn't looking for THIS rifle, but I'm over the moon to have found her! Not sure why the .30-30 is in low demand. I've only seen 2, including this one, the other was a poor unloved octagonal barrel 1899. No finish, pitted and scarred with fence post wood and a chimney for a bore. I don't think the .30-30 was as common in this model as the 300, 303 or even the 250-3000. To each his own. I've got my dream rifle and never even knew what I was looking for!
Any other M99 .30-30 owners out there?

[gamekeeper]

Welcome to the fire Muddy, there are 99 lovers and 30/30 users here for sure.....

[Nath]

Hi and thanks, I just turned green

N.

[Muddly]

Thanks for the welcome. Sorry about the " Thou shalt not covet" thing... <(;
I had my lucky day. You will too! Mine only took 54 years...

[JerryB]

Welcome to the forum, looks like you have been bit real good by the lever bug. I have always wanted a '99, just never found one when the cash was on hand. Just think in a couple of months you'll be sitting in the woods waiting for that big buck with your Savage in hand.

[Pete44ru]

.

Welcome to the board, Muddly !

According to the Savage production records, your Model 1899 comes back as being made in 1938; which year saw (among other variations) the take-down Model G & the solid-frame EG - both of which were issued with 22" bbls (in .30-30), plain/uncheckered buttstocks, and a slender/tapered knobbed forend.

FWIW, I was fortunate enough to steal (from a Cabela's) a .303 Savage (chambered) 1914 Model 1899-H lightweight (straight-grip, 20" pencil bbl), and found that these later Model 1899's are MUCH better handling & fitted than any of the other Model 99s' (three) that I've owned/shot/hunted over the past 40-odd years that I got interested in Savage leverguns.

Good luck with yours !


.

[Pisgah]

The Savage 99 is one of the true classics, as is the .30-30. What could be bad about a combination of the two? I've noticed that the .30-30s tend to be less pricey than other calibers, but I think that's largely because of the allure of the .250 and .300 Savage. I guess I can see some justification for that, but an affordable 99 in .30 Win. is something to be desired to me!

[OldWin]

Welcome aboard! You're in a great place. Good score on that 99!
Nothing wrong with bolts, but they will never have the "cool" and "panache" of a lever.

[M. M. Wright]

Welcome to the fire Muddly, and sit up close as that 99 need not take a back seat to anyone.

BUT WE NEED PICTURES!

[Twodot]

this_thread_is_useless_without_pichers.jpg

[earlmck]

Dang Muddly, sounds like you got a peach of a '99. And a heckuva deal too.

When you go tang sight shopping you probably know that Marble's make 'em so they are available new if you have trouble finding a "vintage" one. But while you are looking keep an eye out for one of the old babes that use the tang holes but are built like a receiver sight -- they have become my favorites. Here's a pic of one of mine, a Lyman 57 style

Lyman57SAsight8661.jpg

[ollogger]

HI from Wyoming
Sounds like you have a fine 99 at a very good price, I have a old 1899 B in 30-30 along with a few others in 99




ollogger

[Sixgun]

Here in Pa. the 99/1899's that bring the most money are the ones in Winchester/not Savage calibers with the 38-55, 25/35, and the 358 at the top of the list with the 32-40 and 30-30 a bit lower. .22 H.P. bring about what a 250 does and 250's don't bring much more than a 30-30. .300's and .303's, even .308's bring close to the bottom of the scale.

Ya done good and take Earl's advice on the receiver sight, made by Redfield or Lyman.----6

[BenT]

It's nice see you have new addiction to feed. The 30-30 and 303 Savage calibers are the most affordable and then the 300 savage. The 99s aren't as common in Wisconsin as 30-30 Wins and Marlins. I picked up my first 99 about 12 years ago. It was in 308 and I bought it to have it rebored to 358. But I started shooting it and it was so accurate that would of been a shame to bore it out.

Keep shooting yours and you can even give some pointed bullets a try. The rotory magazine might just be full of gunk is why the spring may seem a little wimpy

[piller]

Sounds like a nice gun. Welcome to the campfire.

[Muddly]

Many thanks for the kind responses.
I'm located in south eastern Pa. Just north of Allentown in fact. Been here 40 years, originally an upstate New Yorker, but in all these years of prowling Lehigh, Northampton, Butler, Bradford and Luzerne counties in search of plump tasties I've never seen a Savage 99 in the woods. Very odd that as when for sale they disappear like cheap gas! My .30-30 was only there 2 days before I scarfed her up.
I want to stay traditional with this one. Round nose/ flat points are just fine, as are factory level velocities. Tried some Leverevolution powder and even mid level charges had me crowding 2500 fps. with 150' s. Factory Federal 170s chrono'd at 2250! No need to make a 300 out of her. Never found the .30-30 wanting for any task.
This rifle was so clean internally it was amazing. No weed seeds, grass stems heck not even packed powder fouling or gummed up oil.
I'm leaning towards a new Marbles tang sight. Major cool factor, but I do like a good receiver sight too. Preferably with target knobs... They're rather expensive though.
The CFE223 powder is working as advertised. She does copper foul easily. But this powder has reduced that considerably and with excellent velocities and accuracy.
My first 2 deer were taken with a pre 64 M94 with a Lyman receiver sight and PMC 150 gr factory loads. The 2nd was a doe at 200 yards. My biggest buck, a 140 class 9 pointer, fell to a Marlin 336 and reloads. My other .30-30 kills were from a NEF Handi Rifle.
I'm very content with this new Savage. Other than the sights, I don't want to change a thing. She's THAT good.

[Muddly]

How do you post pics?

[Bill in Oregon]

Muddly, another welcome and congratulations on your swell find -- and especially the wonderful condition she is in.
Posting pictures usually requires you to first find a photo hosting site, such as Flickr. Open a free account, upload your photos from your computer and then copy and paste the URL from your uploaded photo on here in your post, and bingo.

[Muddly]

Will give it a try. Thanks.

[3leggedturtle]

Welcome to the best Enabler’s Forumn on the web! Glad you could give that 99 a good home. Todd/3leg

[Nath]

Thems good velocities! If you do run with them watch you don't turn the bullets into varmint granades!