Explain This: Savage 99 vs. Win 94

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L_Kilkenny
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Explain This: Savage 99 vs. Win 94

Post by L_Kilkenny »

I have a question. Doing some research I found a couple little tidbits of info I'd like some clarification on:
Finally, Mr. Savage's development is considerably handier in the hunting field, especially for the mounted hunter using a saddle scabbard.
Leaders of the Cheyenne nation were so taken with the Savage rifle – they considered it the ideal hunting rifle for a horseman
Now I have never handled a Savage 99. I have owned Win 94's and handled/shot Marlins. But it was always my understanding that "traditional" slab sided lever guns were the best guns for mounted riders. I also can't imagine the Savage handling better for IMO, traditional lever guns handle as well or better than any gun produced. I realize the Savages have advantages but most of those seem to be caliber and accuracy related.

What am I missing?...The only thing I currently like about the Savages is their caliber selections. The looks to me are odd but do have a certain appeal. But if they are truely better handling I may have to get my hands on one. For to me, handling trumps all else.

LK
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Re: Explain This: Savage 99 vs. Win 94

Post by fordwannabe »

I have actually heard this before, when I was looking at some 99's(my name is Tom and I am a savageaholic). The main reason was the more enclosed receiver and the rotary magazine, which feeds well and is not mounted to the barrel, to get caught while slipping into a scabbard. I have a 99, some winchesters, a couple marlins and a henry and don'r find a whole lot of difference in the handling my self. Tom
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Re: Explain This: Savage 99 vs. Win 94

Post by mescalero1 »

For me, the 99 lends itself to a very compatible partner to my shooting style, it snaps up fast, on target, ready.
Today we would hang the term ergonomics on it.
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Re: Explain This: Savage 99 vs. Win 94

Post by Old Ironsights »

A full tube of Caliber X will make a gun more muzzle heavy than a similar length '99... thus, faster out of the scabbard & up to battery... but also a little more "front sight whippy" than a nose-heavy tube gun.

Six one, Half dozen the other.

I like 99s for pointy bullets and 92s for GP.
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Re: Explain This: Savage 99 vs. Win 94

Post by homefront »

I just don't like the feel of the lever action on a 99. I don't even know why. :shock:
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Re: Explain This: Savage 99 vs. Win 94

Post by Old Ironsights »

homefront wrote:I just don't like the feel of the lever action on a 99. I don't even know why. :shock:
I feel the same about Win 94s... :mrgreen:
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Re: Explain This: Savage 99 vs. Win 94

Post by homefront »

Ah, but a Marlin 94....
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Re: Explain This: Savage 99 vs. Win 94

Post by Pete44ru »

Quote:
Finally, Mr. Savage's development is considerably handier in the hunting field, especially for the mounted hunter using a saddle scabbard. -

Handier than what ? A bolt-action hunting rifle ?
Out of context quotes are hard to clarify, IMHO.




Quote:
Leaders of the Cheyenne nation were so taken with the Savage rifle – they considered it the ideal hunting rifle for a horseman -

And I like Brand X, you like Brand Y, and Hobie likes everything.
They fell in lust, or the citer's in love with Savage 99's. ;)


.
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Re: Explain This: Savage 99 vs. Win 94

Post by 86er »

The American Indians and some white settlers were using poor bullets, obviously most were cast lead in those days. They were not always sized just right, and may or may not have had good lube, grooves, etc. The tubular fed magazines on rifles held in a scabbard or otherwise carried on horseback slammed the cartridges back and forth. Moreso with a less than full capacity magazine tube. This resulted in mashed bullet metplat, and some bullets either pulling out of or pushing into the brass case. The Savage 99 eliminted those issues since there was less movement of the cartridges in the rotary magazine (and later the box magazine - but does not apply to this vintage of course).
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L_Kilkenny
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Re: Explain This: Savage 99 vs. Win 94

Post by L_Kilkenny »

Pete44ru wrote:Quote:
Finally, Mr. Savage's development is considerably handier in the hunting field, especially for the mounted hunter using a saddle scabbard. -

Handier than what ? A bolt-action hunting rifle ?
Out of context quotes are hard to clarify, IMHO.




Quote:
Leaders of the Cheyenne nation were so taken with the Savage rifle – they considered it the ideal hunting rifle for a horseman -

And I like Brand X, you like Brand Y, and Hobie likes everything.
They fell in lust, or the citer's in love with Savage 99's. ;)


.
I'll agree Pete, kinda. The article that I pulled the quotes from was about the history of the 30/30. It's comparisons were basically against the Win94 but also the Marlin. Yes, if the Cheyenne's were used to guns that dated prior to 1875 or so the Savage must have looked/felt like the greatest thing since sliced bread. Or since they didn't have sliced bread, better than ANYTHING.

So would the general concensus be the 99's handling was different but equal? These statements just thru me off a bit and was curious. Frankly, I was hoping to find justification to as why anyone would want a 99. LOL :o
Last edited by L_Kilkenny on Tue Jul 14, 2009 1:55 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Explain This: Savage 99 vs. Win 94

Post by 2ndovc »

Maybe it has something to do with the lack of an exposed hammer.
One can grab the receiver just about anywhere and get a good grip on it
to yank out of a scabbard and get it into action.

Just a thought.

I got my first 99 about a week ago and have been toting it around the house since.

I'm betting it would slide in and out of a scabbard right nice.

Not that I'm giving up my Winchesters but I've been obsessing over this little
99 carbine.

jb 8)
Last edited by 2ndovc on Tue Jul 14, 2009 3:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Explain This: Savage 99 vs. Win 94

Post by mescalero1 »

2ndovc,
That was what I was trying to convey, there is a " feel " to the gun.
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Re: Explain This: Savage 99 vs. Win 94

Post by Old Ironsights »

homefront wrote:Ah, but a Marlin 94....
Is inferior to a Win 92... :twisted: :wink: :twisted:
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Re: Explain This: Savage 99 vs. Win 94

Post by Old Savage »

Short barreled 99s handle to me much different than 24" models.
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2ndovc
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Re: Explain This: Savage 99 vs. Win 94

Post by 2ndovc »

mescalero1 wrote:2ndovc,
That was what I was trying to convey, there is a " feel " to the gun.
I'd missed your post.

But yeah, there is a definate "different" feel to the 99s. Not saying better or worse just different.

jb 8)
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iceman
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Re: Explain This: Savage 99 vs. Win 94

Post by iceman »

The difference in the feel of the action is the cocking on closing the action rather than on opening. Pistol grip vs straight maybe have something to do with the feel also. It has been a long time since I have handled one but may be able to answer once mine arrives next week.
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BigSky56
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Re: Explain This: Savage 99 vs. Win 94

Post by BigSky56 »

Maybe the Cheyenne liked it better cause in return for using the Indian Chief logo savage gave them a bunch of rifles. 99 are darn good woods guns come up nice. danny
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Re: Explain This: Savage 99 vs. Win 94

Post by Noah Zark »

Leaders of the Cheyenne nation were so taken with the Savage rifle – they considered it the ideal hunting rifle for a horseman

This one puzzles me. The predecessor to the Savage 1899 was introduced in 1895-96. From what I recall of US history, most of the fighting between the Army and the Native Americans was over before then. If the quoted statement is true, then the Cheyenne preferred the Savage 99 for the same hunting-related reasons that white hunters did. The Savage Arms trademark was not politically correct, and apparently that didn't seem to bother the Cheyenne, again assuming the quoted statement to be true.

Probably just some gun rag hack misquoting a reference like they are wont to do and frequently.

No offense to Terry. :D

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Re: Explain This: Savage 99 vs. Win 94

Post by L_Kilkenny »

Old Savage wrote:Short barreled 99s handle to me much different than 24" models.
Not that I'm giving up my Winchesters but I've been obsessing over this little
99 carbine.
Maybe those 2 statement clarify the problem I've had with the Savage. All the Savages that I recall seeing have been "rifles" not carbines. In my mind I just couldn't see the rifles being better saddle guns or better handling.

Does anyone have a pic of the Savage carbine next to the competition? Maybe some actual dimension? Length, width, etc?

LK
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Re: Explain This: Savage 99 vs. Win 94

Post by TNBigBore »

I love the 99s as well as the Marlins and Winchesters. I have to say that a 99 with a 24" barrel and pistol grip is one of the best handling rifles I know of. You have to handle one to understand. The thing I don't like about the 99s is the somewhat awkward and sometimes noisy safety and the tendency to crack where the wood meets the tang. The 99 action is fast, but is very different that the 336 or 94 and takes some getting used to. As for overall length, a 99 carbine with a 20" barrel will be a good bit longer than a 336 or 94 with the same barrel length.
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Re: Explain This: Savage 99 vs. Win 94

Post by Bogie35 »

The Savage 99 is an excellent rifle. Possibly the best lever action ever made. But IMHO, it's too ugly to fall in love with. I would rather have the beautiful wife who can't cook, as opposed to the vice versa. :wink:

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Re: Explain This: Savage 99 vs. Win 94

Post by Ben_Rumson »

From the 1967 ED. Shooter's Bible. All w/20" barrels
Winny M 94 6.5 lb 37.75" long $84.95
Marlin 336 7 lb 88.5" long $89.95
Sav 99 7 lb 39.75" long $107.50
My 99E carbine fits me perfect. I can cycle the action with my thumb resting on the stock, I just extend my fingers the squeez her shut. Safety is on the lever. Love it!
The 99H carbine weighed 6.5 lb w/20" barrel
Last edited by Ben_Rumson on Tue Jul 14, 2009 7:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Explain This: Savage 99 vs. Win 94

Post by msmith1228 »

A friend has her grandfathers saddle,lariat,scabbard and his savage model 99 from before 1920. I think they may have been more popular than we think. Perhaps we have watched too much television.
Last edited by msmith1228 on Tue Jul 14, 2009 8:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Noah Zark
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Re: Explain This: Savage 99 vs. Win 94

Post by Noah Zark »

People in this neck of PA that own Savage 99s tend to keep them, coming available only after the owner passes on.

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Re: Explain This: Savage 99 vs. Win 94

Post by tman »

the win 94 IS much more handier than the the savage 99a. [ both straight gripped and 20" barreled. the .308wcf IS a better cartridge than the 30wcf. it's a trade off.
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Re: Explain This: Savage 99 vs. Win 94

Post by bogus bill »

Just some trivila here that you probley never read. Many years ago my dad and I got into a old caved in log cabin. There was a lot of newspapers and brochuers from the 1916 era as there was news accounts about poncho villa raiding colombus new mexico, and I found a sales brocher advertising the "new" 1916 Indian Motorcycles. There was also a savage sales brochure showing a early lever. I remember it said "Injun medicine" on the front!
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Re: Explain This: Savage 99 vs. Win 94

Post by Hobie »

Personal opinion and local preference. Peer pressure and local leader examples often have a great influence on local "preference". IOW, it don't matter if you prefer something else.
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Re: Explain This: Savage 99 vs. Win 94

Post by Noah Zark »

bogus bill wrote:Just some trivila here that you probley never read. Many years ago my dad and I got into a old caved in log cabin. There was a lot of newspapers and brochuers from the 1916 era as there was news accounts about poncho villa raiding colombus new mexico, and I found a sales brocher advertising the "new" 1916 Indian Motorcycles. There was also a savage sales brochure showing a early lever. I remember it said "Injun medicine" on the front!
One other but of Savage trivia, the .300 Savage cartridge was the "model" for what became the 7.62x51 NATO / .308 Winchester cartridge. I have a Savage 99E in .308 that sort of "completes that circle."

Noah
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