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Oddball Savage 99

clutchh
I just inherited a model 99. No one left alive to give me details on it. Brass cartridge counter, schnabel forearm, take down barrel. which is just short of 21", from the receiver ring. NO markings, other than SN 164,XXX. Take down barrel, with sling mount ahead of forearm. It appears to be .25 caliber. The front sight is a huge ramp, with Marbles #5 insert. The ramp is marked Rex. It has a scope mounted, and the rear sight is missing. WHERE did Savage mark the caliber? This rifle has nothing but a serial number on it. I would like to take it out and fire it, if I knew what caliber it was.
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Comments

5 comments

Date Votes
  • Hawk Carse
    I am not a 99 expert but the lack of caliber and company marking on the barrel and its odd length are not normal.

    Rex was best known in the 1950s for their muzzle brake but they also made sight ramps.

    That serial number dates to 1914-1915.
    The .250-3000 came out in 1915 but some number of older guns were rebarrelled.
    I don't know that the 99 was ever made in .25-35.

    Sounds like you are in the market for a chamber cast.
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  • He Dog
    Caliber and other information are stamped on the barrel near the receiver as on many other firearms. If yours does not have it there, likely the barrel has been replaced. It appears yours was manufactured in 1914 or 1915 which makes it possible that yours is chambered for .22 High Power or .250-3000 (.250 Savage). It would be best to have the chamber cast by a smith to be certain you are trying to shoot the right cartridge. From those years neither the front sight nor the scope (mount, nor bored and tapped holes) are factory original, so it is likely not at all collectable, but it may well be a fine and fun shooter.
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  • MIKE WISKEY
    I recently had a similar one in the shop, it had been rebarreled to .219 ZIPPER and had NO cal. markings
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  • sandwarrior
    clutchh,


    Did it look anything like this one? The one in the bottom pic.

    http://forums.gunbroker.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=390781

    That has the original Marbles rear peep sight. I don't know if you can blow up the pic on your computer but the front sight on mine is original too. What you probably have is a .250-3000 first years of production. They only came in takedown with perchbelly stocks. After a few years they came standard like the rest of the 99's being produced.

    Here's a good website on them:

    http://www.savage99.com/

    This will also tell you the year of manufacture.

    Edit:

    You should see on the left side of the barrel just forward of the receiver, the caliber. and about 5-6 inches down the barrel it should also say "Savage Hi-pressure Steel" and under that the model of the rifle. According to your serial number model 1899. If not, have a gunsmith look at it.

    fz53li.jpg

    Edit II:

    The barrel length you have is normal for 1st-2nd year model 1899 250-3000's. Also, if you get a chance, post some pics.
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  • ochoco
    I have a Savage 1899F in 25-35 it is so marked on the barrel just in front of the receiver. I was taught the correct way to measure the barrel lenght on a rifle is to close the action and put something down the barrel and mark and measure that.
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