My 99

[Silent Sam]

Just browsed some of the 99 threads here. Mine isn't as pretty or rare as most posted here but it's honest and goes in the deer woods every year. It's an EG from 1935 in 300 Savage. I won't say what I paid for it. I added the Marbles tang sight and that cost more than the rifle . The compass was gone and the hole filled and it is drilled and tapped but I don't want to scope it until I "have" to. The group is at 100yds w/a medium aperture using 150gr Federal blue box ammo. I haven't bothered hand loading for it...

[JerryB]

Sure is a classic rifle.

[KeithNyst]

Great classic Savage in a classic Savage cartridge. Your's looks pretty darn nice to me. I'm always amazed how accurate they are. If you PM me your serial number (first 4 would work) and I'll help you with the year; Savage did not start checkering the EG until 1939.

[ollogger]

Nice one Sam! The Savage is just one of my favorites!!




Brad

[gamekeeper]

Well, that's what I would call a really great Deer rifle, what great tales of hunts gone bye could it tell, if only it could talk...

[Silent Sam]

I've already researched it. The checkering is not factory. Neither is the drill & tap for scope mounts or the rubber buttpad not shown in the picture, so it's not a "collector". The blueing on the receiver is about gone. The barrel blueing (except around the muzzle) and the color case on the lever is still good. It is just a well used, solid hunting rifle that still shoots. I'm almost afraid to scope it and see what it will really do. The pic hides it's flaws pretty well. I looked for years for a 99 and they were all high priced collector pieces that I would hesitate to use or absolutely beat to death, pitted metal, missing sight parts, and cracked wrists. This one I bought off a rack at a gun store that had bought an estate and were looking to make there money back on the whole package which they had already done and then some by the time I got there. They agreed to let me take it and function check it and bring it back if I didn't want it. I took it and a box of ammo they had. It put three shots into an inch and a half about an inch high at 100yds with the open sights. I ordered the tang sight and went back to the store and bought the rest of the ammo they had. I had more money into the ammo than I did the rifle and as I said the tang sight cost more than I paid for the rifle too. I imagine it has taken a few deer over its lifetime... and it continues to do so.

[Old Savage]

My EG, 54 vintage, will put 3 shots in .6" at 100 yds. It has a 2 1/2 power Leupold.

[JohndeFresno]

Nice one Sam! The Savage is just one of my favorites!!

Brad

Mine, too - even though I have never owned one. I love my Marlins, but that Savage is one of the great leverguns of all time.

Welcome to the campfire, Levergunner!

[Rodfac]

Great guns to be sure, but heavy when compared to my Marlins. I've got a 99 EG from the early '50's in .300 Savage that's a shooter for sure. It was drilled and tapped when I bought it off GB, so I mounted a period correct early Weaver K4 on it. The pic shows the results...as good as a few of my bolt guns, and a deer/antelope/elk gun that get use each fall. You've got a keeper there padnuh....That's a hundred yard target, shot off the porch rail...the 2nd is last year's buck...with the same gun...Rod

[Pete44ru]

Great guns to be sure, but heavy when compared to my Marlins.

That's what I once thought too - having owned/shot/hunted a 1971 M-99A in .308, a pre-war .300 Savage Model B, and a 1953 M-99EG in .300 Savage.Last month, however, I stumbled across a .303 Model 1899-H lightweight from 1914, that weighs a little less than my Marlin 336/1895's did, and is certainly nowhere near as porky as the Model 99's I noted above.

(I was able to order a few boxes of Hornady 150gr JSP loaded cartridges for it, online)





In keeping with it's lightweight theme, I mounted a reflex sight (red dot) that weighs about the same or less than a receiver peep sight.


.

[Silent Sam]

Well heavy is relative. Not as heavy as any 24" barreled bolt guns I have. They carry, balance and swing on target well.

[missionary5155]

Fine looking 99 to me ! Mine is a 300 also made in 51. Fine shooter and great to carry about. Have a receiver sight also. Good addition.
For a small glove size hand the 99 is about as good as it can be. Have a passel of Marlins and Winchesters and the only other lever rifle that carries better is a Marlin Ballard... but then it is a single shot.
Mike in Peru

[Old Savage]

Old Matt Crocker said, well if it gets to heavy to carry I guess I'll just sit home and play tiddly winks.

[tman]

The 99A in .308 is only slightly heavier than a 94 30-30. A tiny bit of added weight yields dramatically increased down range performance.

[KeithNyst]

The 99A in .308 is only slightly heavier than a 94 30-30. A tiny bit of added weight yields dramatically increased down range performance.

Savage made several lightweight models. The 1899H 30-30 with 20" barrel is a couple ounces over 6lbs; the early 99F .303 (1920) is also in that range, the 99T 20" is an absolute dream carry rifle, and the later 99F Featherweight ( 1955-73) has a hollowed out stock and weighs in at about 6 3/4 lb.