Savage 99

[SAKO]

Looking to get more info on this Savage 99 I picked up in 25-35. Any info on the variant or what to look out for are greatly appreciated.

[Chuck 100 yd]

Now , that is a classic rifle. I am sure there are guys that will be along shortly who know all about the 99. They,for some reason, just never peaked my interest. I do admire the craftsmanship and quality that went into them though.

[BigSky56]

Your 25-35 will hold the hdy 117 RN in the xring by the ser# it was made in 1908 or 09. danny

[Pete44ru]

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Welcome to the fire !

You appear to have a solid-frame (as opposed to a takedown frame), standard Model 1899, made in 1909, before Savage started to assign model names/letters (A, B, E, F, G, EG, RS, etc) & before the model was changed from M-1899 to M-99.

The standard Model 1899 sporting rifle was upgraded in 1907, along with the introduction of the .25-35 chambering into the lineup.

The octagon barrel was one of the barrel options at the time (Round, Half-round/Half-octagon, Octagon).

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[SAKO]

Was this sight configuration a factory option with the peep and half colored front sight?

[Daisyman]

Now , that is a classic rifle. I am sure there are guys that will be along shortly who know all about the 99. They,for some reason, just never peaked my interest. I do admire the craftsmanship and quality that went into them though.

I'm with you, they never melted my butter like I thought they should have. I guess I just never got started with one, so maybe I missed out on some good ones. For one thing they are just not very prevalent around this area, and hard to find a nice one. That's a nice old gun in what I would think would be a hard caliber to find. Ya did good.

[Old Ironsights]

when I get home I'll break out Murray, but I think Pete is pretty much spot on.

I really like that tang sight. It looks like, with a little modification, a scope mount could be set over it so that one could use a scope, but in a pinch, take the scope off, raise the tang and get back to work without resorting to a screwdriver in the field...

[JerryB]

Looks like you picked up a real winner. That is about as CLSSIC as you can get. It sure would be nice to sit down with a cup of coffee and let that rifle tell some tales of it's past life. Make good use of it this coming season.

[Daisyman]

Was this sight configuration a factory option with the peep and half colored front sight?

According " Old Gunsights" by Nick Stroebel, the Savage numbering system of 1909 shows the standard sights to be a Savage #4 Rocky Mountain front sight and Savage #14 Rocky Mountain rear sight. That new numbering system incorporated the original makers model number in its model designation. As example, Lymans No.6 folding sight became Savage's No. 6B folding leaf rear sight. Several new sights were added to the catalog in 1909, and one of them is a Savage #9B front sight which is a Marble Sheard gold bead front sight. Two optional rear peep sights were offered, among others, Lyman #1 and #2 combination tang sights. I can't tell which one you have, but it appears both could be and probably are original to the gun!!

Irv

[Daisyman]

Here's my Stevens 425 with a Lyman #1 combination, third variation. I doesn't quite look like yours but maybe its the difference in the bases.

[IMG]
http://i376.photobucket.com/albums/oo20 ... vljmos.jpg[/IMG].

[ollogger]

You Sir have a very nice 1899 in the rare 25-35, my twin to that in 30-30 is not that nice
I shoot the 117 RN in my 94s or a Speer 75 gr. FP great bullets, if I had a 99 in 25-35 I would have to try some spitzers


ollogger

[Old No7]

Nice rifle!

I have a slightly younger (1938) vintage takedown model in 300 Savage.

That rear tang sight along is worth well over $200 by the way!

If yours has the "fold down" small peep inside the larger peep, it is a Lyman Model "29 1/2", and if it has a screw-in peep it's a "30 1/2".

Tight groups!

Old No7

[Old No7]

Forgot to add...

I love the octagon barrel too! Looks sweet! What a classic.

Old No7

[Grizz]

That's a real beaut. I would love to shoot that model.

[BenT]

Nice rifle. The sheard front sight and Lyman peeps where very common upgrades. It seems to me you need to find some 25-35 ammo. The 25-35 is very pleasant to shoot.

How is the bore?

[Ray Newman]

In picture #8 -- the close up of the sight -- there appears to be crack on the left-hand side of the stock starting where the receiver base/end/tail meets the wood. Keep an eye on it. From what I have seen, it is not unusual for Savage 99's to develop stock cracks/splits in the twist area by the receiver. I passed up a few 99's with such problems. This summer,I assumed "caretaker duties" of a circa 1936-37 99-H in .303 and was lucky that the stock had not dried out and/or started to crack.

Now you need to start looking for a .303 to keep it company.

As an aside, be wary of takedown as there really is no way of tightening the action up if loose. Never could understand Savage's thinking on building such a takedown action, especially since Winchester had a simple screw to tighten the action when/if it became loose from repeated take downs.

Good luck with it!

[SAKO]

In picture #8 -- the close up of the sight -- there appears to be crack on the left-hand side of the stock starting where the receiver base/end/tail meets the wood. Keep an eye on it. From what I have seen, it is not unusual for Savage 99's to develop stock cracks/splits in the twist area by the receiver. I passed up a few 99's with such problems. This summer,I assumed "caretaker duties" of a circa 1936-37 99-H in .303 and was lucky that the stock had not dried out and/or started to crack.

Now you need to start looking for a .303 to keep it company.

As an aside, be wary of takedown as there really is no way of tightening the action up if loose. Never could understand Savage's thinking on building such a takedown action, especially since Winchester had a simple screw to tighten the action when/if it became loose from repeated take downs.

Good luck with it!

Yeah, I'm also looking for some disassembly tips so as not to damage anything. I want to give the internals a good oiling and check out the extent of that tang crack. It looks like it may only be surface. The peep does have the smaller, flip down aperture. Also, I heard something about brass internals on these. Is that anything?

[Chuck 100 yd]

The magazine spool is brass, IIRC, the rest is steel. That brass spool will last forever.

[guido4198]

VERY nice...thanks for sharing.
Curious to know (from anyone..) what is the twist in that barrel...????

[Pete44ru]

It looks like, with a little modification, a scope mount could be set over it so that one could use a scope,

Maybe it's just me, but since that puppy's still unmolested, I'd forgo any D/T for a scope mount base.

The only way I'd scope it would be to pony up the (big) bucks for a vintage Stith "no gunsmithing" mount - if a Stith would even work at all, on a Model 1899 that early (only 10 years into a 80+ year run of Savage leverguns).

AFAIK, Savage set up their .25-35 Model 1899/99's with a 1:8" twist.

I like that the cartridge count window is round ILO oval-shaped like the later (early 1950's & mid-70's) Model 99's I've had.

The crack in the stock can easily be addressed/repaired, so the repair would be virtually invisible, via removing the buttstock (throughbolt under the buttplate) & working on it from inside the inletting.

Here's a few videos, about disassembling/working a Savage 1899/99:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiwuPKv2LlQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5vDpIFiKFM

http://www.gun-tests.com/special_report ... g6bgGrKe0s

More are available via googling "Savage 1899 disassembly".


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[Ray Newman]

Daisyman: that is one very niece looking Stevens 425! What calibre? Been looking for one of those for ages, but have only seen one for sale and it was very well used and abused....

[SAKO]

I'm predominately an elitist milsurp collector so the thought of messing with anything that's not factory original makes me sick. That being said, any idea on what the going rate for these 25-35's is? I could only find one comp on Gunbroker and it didn't have the peep so it's not fully accurate.

[Daisyman]

Daisyman: that is one very niece looking Stevens 425! What calibre? Been looking for one of those for ages, but have only seen one for sale and it was very well used and abused....

Thank you Ray. It's in .32 Remington. Less than a thousand made, hard to find.

[guido4198]

Thank You Pete.

[Old Ironsights]

It looks like, with a little modification, a scope mount could be set over it so that one could use a scope,

Maybe it's just me, but since that puppy's still unmolested, I'd forgo any D/T for a scope mount base.

...

That was my point.

My Scope Mount uses the existing receiver sight holes.

If a mount could be made that set on TOP of flip-up receiver sight - one that was low enough that the flip up went above the flat between the rails - and used long screws to hold the two together, then you could have the best of both worlds.

Use a carry handle, or pop it off with QD rings and flip up the receiver sight... Same holes, longer screws...

[SAKO]

Still looking for a value as I might be looking to let this go for something that scratches another itch. Based on what I saw a similar one go for on Gunbroker, does $850 sound like I'm selling myself short or am I high as a kite?

[Pete44ru]

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$850 for your/that Savage seems reasonable-to-low (due to the chambering), to me - but what do I know ?


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