250-3000 Savage 99

45/70 hunter

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Very nice collection! I'm betting the 22 Hi Power and 358 are pretty rare. Any idea what 99 mine is? As in 99, 99A, etc....
 

kilerhamilton

Old Mossy Horns
What did the gun print on paper? I’m excited to follow this. Any ideas where you are going start with powder and charges?

From brief amateur reading it sounds like light bullets and light charges around 2750fps are producing the best groups.
 

45/70 hunter

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
What did the gun print on paper? I’m excited to follow this. Any ideas where you are going start with powder and charges?

From brief amateur reading it sounds like light bullets and light charges around 2750fps are producing the best groups.

I only shot 25 and 50 yards, very limited ammo. The long discontinued 100 gr Winchester Silver Tips seemed better than the 100 gr Remington's. Photos attached are what I'll be trying out...
 

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45/70 hunter

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
I'm enjoying researching the history of this old rifle. I'm looking forward to getting her back in the deer woods. It likely hasn't been there in years. I was told it was owned by an elderly man in deteriorating health. Thanks to our resident 99 expert woodmoose, I think I've figured out exactly what I have.

A 1929 Savage 99G takedown. (Early version)

The model 99G was roughly the same as the early 99F only it was furnished with a pistol grip butt instead of the straight grip, checkering was always used on this model and looks very much like a model 1899 250-3000 deluxe. It was actually the predecessor of the 99G. The checkering on the 99G started at the butt’s grip cap and rose curving to the side pad while splitting to each side of it. An early model G will have a dovetailed front sight into the barrel and the later ones were switched to a ramp front sight.
 

45/70 hunter

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Any ideas how to find out when this Weaver scope was made? The Stith scope mount? Details are gradually coming together on this old girl....
 

45/70 hunter

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
ya might want to ask at www.savageshooters.com maybe there is discussion there bout 99's
There is also, where I go for MOST gun info, since those 2 places have the most folks pooled to learn from www.shootersforum.com and www.go2gbo.com (greybeards) which has 80 forums for each make firearm, etc
dint ya know there was a forum for everything?....JK..but there is if ya think about it

Thanks! I actually found savageshooters yesterday, been on GBO for years.
 

TravisLH

Old Mossy Horns
I’ve had several laugh at my 99s but they’re probably the best shouldering weapon I’ve ever used and I have an old 99 in 308 that’ll hold its own with or out shoot a heap of modern bolt actions


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Mr.Gadget

Old Mossy Horns
Sure is a nice steel tube weaver.
Have several in my collection but not one with that shade.
Very cool package.
 

nccatfisher

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Any options to make the old Weaver brighter/clearer? Will a newer scope fit the Stith mount?
They weren't exceptionally clear to start with. But most likely the years hasn't been all that kind to it. Weaver will refurbish the old scopes but the charge for it is fairly hefty and quite honestly the end result isn't usually all that great.
 

45/70 hunter

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
clean the glass

could always see if Weaver will do a refurb on it - or check out the folks at Iron sight inc



GASP,,,,,blasphemy,,,,,,

I did clean the glass with my eyeglasses cleaner. It helped a little.

HAHA, I figured. Drill and tap the front would be a big NO too I reckon...
 
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45/70 hunter

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
They weren't exceptionally clear to start with. But most likely the years hasn't been all that kind to it. Weaver will refurbish the old scopes but the charge for it is fairly hefty and quite honestly the end result isn't usually all that great.

Thanks. I guess it's better than iron sights, especially with my old eyes.
 

45/70 hunter

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
All my reloading supplies have arrived. With the incoming weather I'll get some test rounds loaded. Pleasantly surprised the 87 gr bullets are longer than what I expected. I test resized a few 22-250 cases just for giggles since I have a bunch and they upsized fairly easy.
 

45/70 hunter

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Off work today, thankfully, because I'm fighting a bad head cold. Decided to take this rifle apart for a thorough cleaning. Got the scope off and cleaned with eye glass cleaner. I had cleaned it the best I could on the gun but with it recessed in the front mount appearantly not clean enough. WOW, what a difference!! It's like a different scope. I took gun oil and a q-tip to the brass round counter and it cleaned up nice too. Working on getting the take down to work. The lever now moves but no joy separating things yet.
 

45/70 hunter

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Got the forearm off. The barrel is stamped off with an arrow for direction but it won't budge. Decided to just leave it since with the Stith mount it won't take down anyways. Scrubbed the bore but it didn't take much. The previous owner must have took good care of it as it looks great.
 
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Frostcat

Twelve Pointer
I picked up a Savage 99 in 250/3000 last spring that was made in 1926. I did some reloading with Sierra 90 grain HPBT and Hornady 117 RN. It had not been drilled or tapped for a scope. I am reluctant to change it. I have been looking at this barrel mounted peep sight sighthttp://www.skinnersights.com/barrel_mount_6.html. I did not hunt with the 250 this year but hope to next year. This makes my second 99. The other is in 300 savage that was made in 1961. I got this deer with it this year in the last hour of the last day of the western season and in a snowstorm. This makes the second deer for the 300 savage. I love the 99's. I had a Remington 700 Classic in 250/3000 that I regret letting get away as the 250/3000 is a great round.

img_0682.jpg
 

45/70 hunter

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
I looked hard at the Sierra 90 gr Game King but decided on the Speer 87 gr Hot Core as that's what the caliber was invented with. I hear D&T knocks the value down. You could search the internet and gun shows for a no drill Stith mount and Weaver K4 scope like came on mine. It will be pricey tho..
 

NYhunter444

Button Buck
I just found this thread and thank you for having me on these forums.
I realize I'm super late to this party, but I did want to chime in because I love the Savages too.
I have one from 1903 in 30-30 that the former owner did a complete refurb on and it looks like it just came out of the box.
The only defect is he blued the lever and butt plate (which is numbered to the rifle and has a little brass trap door that opens) instead of case coloring them and it looks like the rear stock was replaced based on all the information I can find.
The restoration had to cost what I spent if not more.
I will eventually case color the lever and butt plate so the restoration is perfect.
I had it lettered by Savage, but they had very little information other than to say it was ordered in late 1902 and delivered in 1903.
I gave $800 OTD for it 2 years ago at a gun show and haven't taken it out of the safe except to look at.
I also have a 1967 99F in 308. Former owner removed original butt plate, cut the stock down some and put a Pachmyer decelerator pad on it. It came with a period correct Redfield 3-9x30 wide angle scope on it. I've loaded for it with 150gr Nosler BT, and it is a tach driver.
That one cost me $575 OTD from a local gun shop.
And speaking of tach drivers, I was at a local FFL who works out of his house about 6 months ago because I wanted my stock repaired on an old Schmidt-Rubin and happen to glance at his collection of goodies for sale and found a 1935 Savage 99 in 250-3000.
It was in what I would consider very good condition: Very mild loss of blue in spots and a few minor dings in the wood. The rear sight was replaced with a high quality rear sight that is fully adjustable for elevation and windage.
It was drilled and tapped and he found the scope mount that it came with. The mount wasn't Leupold but it was designed for Leupold rings which he also had. I believe Weaver made those mounts.
He had 11 loaded rounds which were in a bag labeled 100gr, 140 pieces of virgin brass, and left over 85, 87, and 100 grain bullets from different manufacturers.
I took the whole package home for $650 which was technically $600 because he never charged me the $50 for the wood repair !
Moving along, I did what I do best and loaded 100 rounds, 25 in 100 grain, 50 in 87gr, and 25 in 85gr.
I bought a used Leupold VariX-III 3-9X40 in like new condition, mounted it up and went to the range.
I was able to center the round, but no matter how high up I adjusted the scope, it was still shooting 2.5" low.
While this was an easy fix, I was rather excited that the 100gr bullets did not keyhole.
I am aware that the twist rates will never stabilize the 117gr bullets, but I was happy about the 100gr shooting straight.
My hand loads in 85 and 87 grains approached 3250FPS and the 100 grain at an average of 2900FPS.
I was able to shim the rear scope base this past Saturday and I went to the range again.
I dialed it in properly and it is now shooting 1/2" groups at 100 yards no matter which round I run through it and all with super mild recoil.
I have bought and sold many, many firearms in my years as a collector, and I'll be the first to say that this Savage is in the top 10 of my favorites.
It's going out this coming Saturday morning for rifle opener in my WMU in NY.
If I get a deer with it, I'll post pictures !
 

TravisLH

Old Mossy Horns
Love the way the savage 99s feel and shoulder, I’ve got one in 308 that’s one of my favorite deer guns and always gets busted out in Nov
 

NYhunter444

Button Buck
Love the way the savage 99s feel and shoulder, I’ve got one in 308 that’s one of my favorite deer guns and always gets busted out in Nov
I'm now looking at some bolt actions in 250 savage.
I'm limited to 100gr, but I think I'd like to load heavier and my 99 can't stabilize them.
 
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