Savage 99 in .358 Win?

[86er]

I am soliciting information, opinions, experiences and first hand observations about the Savage 99, specifically in 358 caliber. If you can contribute or point towards magazine articles or books please do so. I don't mind 358 Win only information, but I don't require any Savage 99 only (in other calibers) info. Thanks

[Old Savage]

There was a book on hunting cartridges - Popular Sporting Cartridges by Clay Harvey that relates the experiences of Rick Jamison as using one. Of course 99s are generally accurate and those come at a premium.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/ ... ition=used

[Les Staley]

I picked one up a couple of years ago for $750 buy it now price.. almost broke my fingers clicking on the buy-it-now box...came with all the reloading dies bullets, new brass and about 200 loaded rounds and a Leupold 4 power scope....That price was about half the going price at the time... still is, as I look at Gunbroker.. I've killed three deer with it... they stayed shot.. DRT... love the 358 Winchester cartridge... Les

[Hobie]

The last one I saw has been asking $1295 at the local gun show for a year now.

[Levergun]

WOW! A 99 in 358 for $750??? GOOD PRICE. They pretty much go for the 1200 to 1500 buck range pending condition.

I bought mine approx. 10 years ago off Auction arms. I had been looking or months and the same seller had two of them for auction. One he wanted $1200 bucks with a scope and the other just had a reserve. I contacted him and ask what his reserve was and when he told me I aske if he would close early if I paid his reserve and he did. I got mine for $700 bucks.

Mine had tang cracks and blemishes in the wood but the bore is good and all the case color harding is in place. So I refinished the wood and took care of all the cracks and to this day it is my "GO TO" rifle for any game. One shot one kill and I have taken a few bucks with it and they pretty much stop in their tracks when hit!

Trigger pull on the 99 is not very good, but accuracy and collectiblily is awesome. Besides, I just think they look cool and you can put a scope on it!

[smokenrust]

99's have a rough, loud action to them but wow, can they shoot straight. 243 win, 300 sav, 303 sav, 35rem, 308, would like to find a 22-250/250-3000 & 7mm-08. Didn't remember them in the 358, Well another one to put in my wish list, its getting longer all the time ... how many can a guy have on that list?

[Mainehunter]

I have a few Savage 99's two of them are in 358 Win. One was a 99F which has been sold and the other is a 99A. For some reason the 99F was not as accurate compared to the 99A with the same loads, I couldn't figure that one out. I find the straight grips handle better in recoil than the pistol grips. Triggers on most of them are a bit tight but can be corrected. When hand loading I do need to full length size the brass after each firing session and keep a close eye on the OAL length. Overall they are well built and accurate rifles!

Mainehunter

[Levergun]

When hand loading I do need to full length size the brass after each firing session and keep a close eye on the OAL length. Overall they are well built and accurate rifles!

Mainehunter

Not every rifle is the same even if it is the same caliber and maker. I have two 94's that will not shoot the same load. One likes 150 gr bullets and the other 170's and they have the same twist, but one is a 20"BBL and the other a 26". One is 1916 the other is 1964.

I full lenth resize my brass as well, the OAL can change as much as .015" each shot!

[Old Ironsights]

If I had my way and a huge pile of money, I'd be building 99C takedowns with 3 bbl sets - 358, 308 & 243.

[Henry McCann]

I can't speak to a 99 in .358, but my dad bought one of the first BLR's in .358. A great caliber, and drops animals quickly. I have continually told him, that rifle has my name all over it!

[86er]

Thanks for the info thus far -
O.S. - I bought that book, thanks for the lead!

[Ben_Rumson]

My Savage book, THE NINETY-NINE says starting in 1956 the.358 Win. was offered in the following models...99R, RS, EG, F and DL... It’s interesting to note that Winchester didn’t offer their 88s in .358...
Myself I’d like a 35 cal 99.. But my pipe dream is for a custom 20” barrel band carbine in 35 Remington...There’s room to hop it up a tad in the 99, but still get and use good ole 35 Rem. just about everywhere...

[1886]

Hi Joe, I had the F model. Someone with lots o cash wanted it real bad. It was a beauty and shot very well. I know you are aware that the .358 is a dandy. Given your crush on the .35 Rem., I think you would really like the .358. The Ruger Frontier Rifle is a dandy but no lever. Just an FYI, not to take the thread in a different direction. God Bless, 1886. http://www.chuckhawks.com/winchester_88.htm?vm=r

[HillbillyGadget]

About 20 yrs ago as a new apprentice, an old journeyman who also had a gun store and was very fond of leverguns and single shots had a '99 in .358 that he thought I'd be interested in, he said he'd let me take the rifle home if I bought a box of ammo, $22 bucks later! I had it out at the farm and loving that rifle, he wanted $450 for that rifle back then, but $22 was a days wages after uncle got his share. I read everything I could about '99s and found very little on .358, I did learn that I could use the same bullets my .357s did. When the tranny went out in my pick-up on the way to take back the rifle, I had the answer on whether or not to buy that great little rifle.

I wish I had that little rifle! I think it would make a dandy Wyoming rifle.

[Sixgun]

Man, that hit a nerve. I HAD one back in the early eighties. It was a Series A that was put together at the factory when they found a dozen barrels in .358. (parts clean up)

I do remember it was a tack driver with a 250 gr. Hornady and a dose of IMR 4064 that I can't remember the quantity.

Traded it for a Marlin 336 in 219 Zipper.--------------Sixgun

[86er]

Well my repaired shoulder and broken hand can't handle it, so I have one for sale in the classifieds....

[Hecter]

I have a bunch of 99's including a .358win. It shoots 200gr. and 250gr. Hornadys very well. I have a Lyman 57 peep sight on it. I also shoot 205gr. cast bullets at reduced velocity for fun. This load would kill almost any critter I would ever hunt. I like 99's and the .358win is a great cartridge. Recoil with 250gr. loads is a bit stiff , I don't shoot that load often. I bought the gun for black bear hunting in close quarters and have not harvested one yet.