I have a chance to get one of these on the cheap. It's in .300 Savage. I drawn to it because it is a refugee in need of a rescue. Basically, no finish and it needs a rear sight assembly. These are readily available. So, no real issue there. My guess is that it was removed to install a scope which is no longer on it. It is tapped.
What are the production years for the .300 Savage 1899s? Is it ballisticly close to the .30-30?
The 300 Savage was first designed and built in 1920 and continued till the end of production of the 99. It was designed to duplicate the original ballistics of the 30-06. A 150 grain bullet at 2700 fps. It never quite got it done but it was close. Modern ammo is loaded a little more conservative these days. The 300 Savage came close to being the first Nato cartridge. The 7.62x51 eventually was adopted. It is nothing more than a 300 Savage with a longer neck and a different body taper. Put the 2 cases side by side and it becomes evident. Early testing for the new Nato cartridge was done using 300 Savage cases. The 300 Savage came in early Remington 760's. My first deer rifle. This chambering was also quite often seen in converted Jap Arisaka rifles. Cool little cartridge. Many elk have fallen to it in my neck of the woods.
Great gun in a great caliber! When I lived in Montana you could find factory .300 Savage ammo even in little gas stations that sold ammo, and it seemed like every old empty case I would find while hunting was a .300 Savage.
As others have said, it is closer to a .308 than a 30/30. Rescue that thing!
The .300 Savage is an excellent caliber, but relatively unknown today. It has been eclipsed by the .308 Winchester/7.62 NATO, and as previously stated, they are near ballistic twins. And it was the inspiration for the 7.62 NATO. The military decided that a longer case neck was required to better secure the bullet for use in full auto weapons.
Savage's purpose in 1920 was to create a round with essentially the same power as the .30-'06, but short enough to use in the shorter Model 99 action. This was important because many returning Doughboys from WWI were very familiar with the .30-'06. Quite a few different rifles from all domestic makers have been chambered in .300 Savage, almost all of which pre-date the introduction of the .308 Winchester. I have two Remington Model 81 autoloaders in that caliber.
For those who may not know, .300 Savage brass is simple to make by FL resizing .308 Win brass in .300 Savage dies and trimming the neck to length. I have made hundreds of them. Federal cases don't seen to work so well as the neck wall thickness is too much, but Remington, Winchester/Western, and US GI 7.62 NATO cases work fine.
The only thing I can add is the older models with Rotary mag
and brass counter are more desirable.. They also made 300s in
the Take Down models. I've had many 99s, the most of them
were 300s. On making cases I agree with Dewalt, with the exception , I don't use Rem brass for any reforms. For effort
put in, it doesn't last. Win or GI Match is best for case life, in
my experience. The older models also have the safety on the
lever. Easy gun to take apart and work on. Biggest PIA on some
of them is the Chicago Type screw in lever. I have fought this
so many times I made a jig with a lead slug insert to hold blind
side from turning, with out marring gun.
I have a chance to get one of these on the cheap. It's in .300 Savage. I drawn to it because it is a refugee in need of a rescue. Basically, no finish and it needs a rear sight assembly. These are readily available. So, no real issue there. My guess is that it was removed to install a scope which is no longer on it. It is tapped.
What are the production years for the .300 Savage 1899s? Is it ballisticly close to the .30-30?
Any other pros/cons would be appreciated!!
Thanks!
Charles
How about approx. serial number
Pre-1,000,000 is considered more collectible by many.
Does it say "99" or "1899"
The early ones were not drilled in the front of he bridge for a scope. If "Savage" is on the top of the front bridge and it has holes they were not drilled at the factory.
I post on the "Savage" site on another forum and will get answers if you post or PM some more information.
Here is mine from 1927 with a "Stith" mount that uses the rear holes and the front dovetail:
What model is it? Is it a takedown or solid frame? As stated previously, the 300 Savage is a great deer round, and much closer in ballistics to a 308 Win than a 30-30 Win.
While not extremely popular, 300 Savage ammo is widely available.
"While not extremely popular, 300 Savage ammo is widely available. "
While it is still manufactured, and may be available at some outlets in some parts of the country, describing .300 Savage ammo as being widely available is a stretch. A large gun store may have some, but it's not often seen at most retail outlets. It is at best an obsolescent caliber, as no popular mass-market rifles have been chambered in .300 Savage for quite some time. But as it is very simple to make your own brass from .308 Win if you are a reloader, there is no reason to hesitate because of ammunition availability in buying one if you find a real deal on a rifle chambered in .300 Savage.
"While not extremely popular, 300 Savage ammo is widely available. "
While it is still manufactured, and may be available at some outlets in some parts of the country, describing .300 Savage ammo as being widely available is a stretch. A large gun store may have some, but it's not often seen at most retail outlets. It is at best an obsolescent caliber, as no popular mass-market rifles have been chambered in .300 Savage for quite some time. But as it is very simple to make your own brass from .308 Win if you are a reloader, there is no reason to hesitate because of ammunition availability in buying one if you find a real deal on a rifle chambered in .300 Savage.
While it ain't at WalMart, its' regularly at Cabela's, Academy Sports, and most local gun shops, along with just about any internet ammo selling site. I don't know your definition of "widely available", but that fits mine.
I only own one Savage 99 - an "M" model (M = detachable magazine) in .308 Winchester. Though the trigger on mine is nothing to rave about, it is a very accurate rifle. Though some look down the nose at the "M" model, as well as the .308 chambering, those are the two criteria I had on my list when I decided to go looking for a Model 99. I'm very happy with mine, and yours sounds like it could be a fun project.
300 Savage is my go to big game cartridge. I have it in a 1930's Savage 99 and also an early Rem 760. love to shoot it, mild recoil but effective out to 250-300 yards. I have 10 round magazines for the 760 in case we get invaded from the north.(I live on the Canadien border, aliens love to cross the river around here)
I only own one Savage 99 - an "M" model (M = detachable magazine) in .308 Winchester. Though the trigger on mine is nothing to rave about, it is a very accurate rifle. Though some look down the nose at the "M" model, as well as the .308 chambering, those are the two criteria I had on my list when I decided to go looking for a Model 99. I'm very happy with mine, and yours sounds like it could be a fun project.
Good luck,
Dave
I believe the "M" was a designation for a monte carlo stock, and not a model designation. I once had one like yours, and it kicked like a rented mule. Perhaps the monte carlo stock just didn't fit me well.
I picked up a late '50' Savage 99eg in .243 about 3 years ago. I don't think it had ever been shot, it had cosmoline like substance all over the bolt. I payed $350 for it, and was offered $600 walking out of the estate sale. Needless to say my 2 daughters presented it to my father for Father's Day. After he had thought I sold it and had cussed me for a week.. lol
I believe the "M" was a designation for a monte carlo stock, and not a model designation. I once had one like yours, and it kicked like a rented mule. Perhaps the monte carlo stock just didn't fit me well.
I stand corrected - mine is actually a Savage 99C (photos enclosed). Sorry for any confusion. After replacing the existing recoil pad with a Limbsaver, mine shoots great.
Attached are some pages from the Savage Firearms and Ammunition, Catalog Number 63. The various models of the 99 are explained. Mine is a Model 99-G, Take-down version. I plan to be buried with it.
Unfortunately, as good as the Savage Model 1899/99 is, the design is just too expensive to manufacture for sale to a mass market at a competitive price. Plus lever actions are no longer in vogue. The design superiority of the Savage over the Winchester lever action models should be evident to everyone. So far as I know, the last change to the Savage action design was the incorporation of a removable box magazine to replace the internal rotary magazine, which is actually a good thing.
I want a 99A, which I believe is a straight gripped .308.
The Model 99A from around 1971 is a great gun made in the style of the early pre war Featherweights. What a great little .308 that would be. I have a 1955ish Featherweight (marked that way) in .243. It was the first "big rifle" (HaHaHa!) I shot as a little kid. My dad carved the stock in the early 60s. He also bought a well used 1948 Model EG in .300 for $100. This gun fit me so well he gave it to for my 40th birthday. A friend gave me the Stith mounts and I traded for the Alaskan scope. Pictured here with contemporary items. The Model EG is the most common Model 99 you'll come across, especially in .300. It has great lines, length of pull, and pointability.
Here's my other .300 Savage. A 1948 Rem. Model 81. My favorite.
Last edited by Wyatt Burp; 03-27-2017 at 11:01 PM.
In my Remington M81s, I download the .300 Savage substantially, to a level which is adequate to function the action reliably. I also shoot 165 grain gas checked lead bullets, which perform very well in the M81. Shooting full power .300 Savage loads in the M81 is a little more painful than I can tolerate for more than a very few rounds. As the M81 has a long-recoil action (on the same principle as the Browning Auto-5 or the Remington Model 11 shotguns), there's quite a large mass of metal rapidly moving rearward upon firing which stops suddenly against your shoulder. Gas-operated guns have much more tolerable recoil.
I have a 1955ish Featherweight (marked that way) in .243. It was the first "big rifle" (HaHaHa!) I shot as a little kid. My dad carved the stock in the early 60s.
Wyatt: I never get tired of seeing photos of your Savage 99 as modified by your father. The man had the eye and hands of an artist.
Wyatt: I never get tired of seeing photos of your Savage 99 as modified by your father. The man had the eye and hands of an artist.
Regards,
Dave
Thanks. He was great wood carver. Normally I wouldn't like folk art carved stocks because they can be kind of lame, but I think my dad did a classy job on this one. I have his carving tools, too, but sadly not the carving talent.
When Savage began factory D&T the Model 99 for top mount scope, they moved the 'Savage' marking from the top of the recv'r ring to the left recv'r wall so it would be obliterated by the holes.
That was in the mid 50's.
I believe they also dropped the factory D&T for the Lyman tang peep sight at about the same time.
The 300Savage came out in the Mod 99 and in the Savage Mod 20 bolt action rifle at the same time. Great cartridge.
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