Savage 99 Ins-and-Outs

Post by **Hobie** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 8:56 am

Ok, so I'm not tied too tight or whatever. Anyway, I just came into a Williams FP for the 99 which mounts in two holes on the receiver/tang top. Not being overly familiar with the variations of the 99 but knowing there are variations and have been variations in D&T for sights, I'm betting that this sight is for later versions D&Ted for scope mounts. Which would those be?

For those guessing that now that I've got a sight I'll be looking for a rifle, you're right. I'd prefer a straight grip gun in .358 Win, .250 Savage, .300 Savage, or .308 Win in that order and am well aware of the cost. I'm patient so if it takes a couple of years, well that's what it takes. Any input is welcome.

PaperPatch · Post by **PaperPatch** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 9:31 am

I have the same sight on one of mine. The peep-sight mounting holes are found on the rear-most portion of the tang; independant of the scope mount holes...and are found on very, very old Savages.

Good luck with your Savage shopping.

Post by **Old Savage** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 9:45 am

Welcome to the fold. On a 54 manufacture there are two holes spaced at what looks to be 1 1/8" with the rear most 3/8" forward of the back of the tang. Indeed these are behind the scope holes. I will we on the lookout for you.

Pete44ru · Post by **Pete44ru** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 9:57 am

[For those guessing that now that I've got a sight I'll be looking for a rifle, you're right.]

Wal - Thet at least gives ya a wider choice, then if'n you only had some ammo & was lookin' fer a gun ! (like some others I could name)

Rimfire McNutjob · Post by **Rimfire McNutjob** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 9:58 am

Note to self ... tell wife I bought sight, now have to have matching rifle. Falls under acceptable use policy per Hobie.

Post by **Hobie** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 10:27 am

Pete44ru wrote:[For those guessing that now that I've got a sight I'll be looking for a rifle, you're right.]

Wal - Thet at least gives ya a wider choice, then if'n you only had some ammo & was lookin' fer a gun ! (like some others I could name)

I've done that, too!

Jayhawker · Post by **Jayhawker** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 10:44 am

I think the Williams receiver sight just mounts in the rear two scope mounting holes, much like a Marlin. I don't think Savage D/T the receiver top for scopes until the early 1950s. The tang sight mounting holes are farther back on the tang. Lots of models to choose from but you would be real lucky to find a 358 anywhere except at collector prices. 300 Savages are probably the most common chambering I come across, but most are pistol grip models (EG). The pre-mils are more desirable-serial number less than 1,000,000. That serial number was reached in 1960 when they moved their factory and quality is generally thought of as having declined as well. The post mils are good shooters though.

Check here for model variations: http://www.savage99.com/

Rusty · Post by **Rusty** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 12:45 pm

Sounds like a good song in the makin... I got it one piece at a time. Oh never mind, too late.

Fer me I'd go with the quarter bore.

BIL has one and it's a tack driver but I'd never tell him that. His is a takedown from sometime in the 50's. A woman's husband owned a sporting goods store. She was coming home from town after picking up a bunch of stuff for her husband to put in the store when a blizzard started. The lady ran off the road in front of my BIL's house and his dad saw it so he went and got the tractor to pull her out of the snaow bank. When she was out she was so grateful she reached in the back seat and brought out this box. She said I'm so grateful, here take this. She didn't even know what it was. He tried to give it back but she wouldn't hear of it. She drove off. When he got back to the house he opened the box to see a brand new Savage 99F, in .250 Savage. He still has the rifle. To me the story is worth as much as the rifle.

Rusty <><
Rusty <><

PaperPatch · Post by **PaperPatch** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 2:22 pm

Rusty wrote: She drove off. When he got back to the house he opened the box to see a brand new Savage 99F, in .250 Savage. He still has the rifle. To me the story is worth as much as the rifle.

Priceless!!!

Mike D. · Post by **Mike D.** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 7:46 pm

My little vintage 1925 99TD has a Redfield receiver sight. I love it.

Mojo · Post by **Mojo** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 7:56 pm

Been there, done that, got a hat and tee-shirt to prove it. I once bought two boxes of 16 gauge shells just because they were on clearance for $1.64 a box at a hardware store that was going out of business and I didn't even own a 16 ga. shotgun but having the shells gave me a good excuse to buy one

Tumbleweeds · Post by **Tumbleweeds** » Thu Sep 27, 2007 3:28 pm

To me, the great thing about a 99 is the rotary magazine. The 99, the Mannlicher-Schoenauer bolt rifle, and probably nobody else ever had that and it is the most reliable magazine there ever was. True controlled round feed - what more could you want?

I don't know if any recent (factory D&T'd) 99s were made in straight grip other than the later ones with the box magazine and tang safety. To get the rotary mag, lever safety (quietest safety in the world) 99 factory D&T'd you may have to take a pistol grip. If you can get one with a pre-mil SN, so much the better.

Mine is a 99F, which weighs 6.5 lb and has only a 22" bbl. Great to carry, and for woods hunting is great. The regular weight 99 with 24" bbl steadies down better, but I prefer the lighter rifle. The 7-lb version will be easier to find.

A lot of the earlier 99s have been D&T's after market, and they bring less money because the collectors don't want them. That is another option you might want to consider.

One of the best sporting rifles ever made. Enjoy.

Post by **Hobie** » Sat Sep 29, 2007 2:11 pm

So, here's a photo of my new-to-me sight looking for a home on a rifle.

I guess I do need to invest in a good book on the Savage 99.

J Miller · Post by **J Miller** » Sat Sep 29, 2007 4:34 pm

Hobie,

What is the # for that sight?

Joe

Post by **Hobie** » Sat Sep 29, 2007 8:00 pm

It isn't marked but I've seen others just like this in boxes marked FP-99.

JDL · Post by **JDL** » Sun Sep 30, 2007 8:56 am

Hobie, That looks like a FP-99S, which was for the later 99's that had a tang safety but, it probably will work on any that is d/t for scope mounts. -JDL

Buffboy · Post by **Buffboy** » Sun Sep 30, 2007 10:11 am

Hobie, if you're looking for a 243, I saw one at Gary's Gun Shop in Sioux Falls for around $450(IIRC) Thursday. http://www.garysgunshop.com/ A later E model with the lever safety, cheap wood, cheap scope, and no round counter. It still had the rotary magazine. My wife was thinking she wanted it but it ain't in the budget, and I didn't have anything for trading stock with me or it might have followed us home.

Post by **Hobie** » Sun Sep 30, 2007 12:23 pm

Thanks Doug but a .243 is probably the ONLY cartridge in which I have ZERO interest.

As to the sight number, thanks for that info. I was at a show today but they only had ONE 99 and it would not have worked with this sight (unless I got it D&Ted). Because the 99s are discontinued I'd rather avoid that unless it is a pig of a gun.

Post by **Hobie** » Sun Sep 30, 2007 6:58 pm

There was only one Savage 99 at the show this morning. One. Of course this is Sunday! I can't go on Saturday. Thought about renting a table just to get in on Friday night!

mescalero1 · Post by **mescalero1** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 4:10 pm

I have a .250 Savage 99,straight grip, there are NO holes in the reciever, is that odd?

big bear · Post by **big bear** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 4:41 pm

HOBIE TURN BACK!!! I have traveled the slippery road down which you ventured. First I said to myself, self you NEEd a Savage 99. Got a 99 in 308 not a collector...recoil pad added and fine tang crack. Shoots cloverleafs at 100 yds though. Can't sell that but would like one nice 99, for the kids , you know, an heirloom... now I've got a 250EG, a300Savage EG, 308R,300Savage R and a 358Brush gun. I have put vintage receiver sights on two of them, it gets worse, I have two vintage Lyman receiver sights (one new in box) and no rifles to put them on, They deserve only nice 99s to put them on and something different from what I have. I want to retire soon and have told self, self you don't need no more durn rifles.Like I said, TURN BACK BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE

Post by **Old Savage** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 7:58 pm

Depends on when it was made, SN or the # in front of the lever pivot. Is Savage 99 stamped on the left side of the receiver or on the top?

Post by **Old Savage** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 8:00 pm

Big Bear - that is called a "good start".

Post by **Hobie** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 8:55 pm

It is a slippery slope indeed.

Savage 99 Ins-and-Outs

Savage 99 Ins-and-Outs

I luv my 99