Newly acquired savage 303 model 1899.

T

The Duderino

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I just acquired a 303 model 1899 manufactured in 1911. It was my great grandfathers gun. It has the octagon barrel and round counter with the crescent butt plate, however the forward guard was ruined and needs to be replaced. My grandfather had a piece of wood cut to fit. My questions are, where can I actually purchase ammo for this rifle, can I use 30-30 shells, and what is the vale of this rifle? If anyone has info or could help I greatly appreciate it.
 
No, you CAN NOT use 30-30 ammo in a .303 Savage. Try Midway for ammo. Some guys at gunshows have ammo for older guns. The .303 Savage is a fine round in the same class as the 30-30, but the ammo is not interchangable.
Depending on where you are the values is probably between $500-750.
Bummer about the fore end. That's a nice gun.
 
Value of the rifle is absolutely impossible to determine given that at the time they could be ordered with a significant number of custom accessories and enhancements, and these can dramatically affect the price.

Anymore, and remembering that gun prices are HIGHLY regional, a nice condition 1899 can bring well in excess of $1,000, and that's just for a factory standard model.

I THINK that Hornday is loading .303 Savage ammo once again, so you might try that route.
 
Thanks

Thanks for the info. I found a fore end online that I am going to use to replace the one that was custom made. The last time the weapon was fired was about 20 years ago. I am stoked to get it out and put some rounds down range.
 
One of the downfalls to collectors is the forend. Even though you have found an "original" period forend, the original to the gun were serial numbered to the gun. Any collector will disassemble the gun to check for matching numbers. Is there a possibility to get some pictures? Hornaday no longer loads the 303 Savage caliber, but custom loaders advertise this caliber on GUNBROKER.COM. Simply go to AMMUNITION catagory and type in 303 Savage.
 
.42$ each

I walked into an old hardware store in MS not too long ago, and there was a vintage box of .303 Sav ammo, a partial box mind you.....marked ".42 cents each." The old clerk counted them out and took exactly that for them!
 
Crap, I thought Hornady or Privi was still booking it.

Guess I'm going to rethink looking for a .303 and keep looking for either a .38-55 or a .30-30.
 
pictures

here are the pictures i took.
 

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30-30remchester, I understand that the for end is important to collectors, but I will never sell this weapon. My great grandfather bought it brand new and I plan on keeping it in the family and passing it down to my boys. I knew no one in my family had done any real research on it and I definitely appreciate all the info you guys have given me. I am just excited to get it out and sling some led and see how this goes. Last time it was fired it had some major recoil and my grandfather was not a small guy by any means.
 
DUDERINO, it is nice to hear you are keeping this piece of family history. The metal can be cleaned up using 4 aught steel wool soaked in WD-40. When aquiring a forend make sure it was for an octaganal barrel. Lastly the recoil you mentioned puzzles me as this caliber is very mild, especially when firing in a full weight rifle. Check and clean the bore well and take a good look to check condition. Even if the bore is pitted, I have had good accuracy.
 
Hey Duederino, I have one of these an 1899 model, same deal, inherited it from great grandpa. Its a fun rifle to shoot (though expensive), it has very little kick though the metal but plate will allow you to feel all of it. Its got a very solid feel but the best part about it is the action, I've got a 30-30 winchester from the same era and the difference is night and day, the savage is smooth, fluid and wicked fast where the 30-30 is much more clunky and mechanical. I've never had this weapon jam on me. Biggest drawback is expensive ammo, but its out there and you can make your own, if you are so inclined, for a lot cheaper as its just a .308 bullet in a narrow taper brass that can be formed from much more widely available brass (I think 220 swift and .270). I learned to shoot on this rifle and I remember it fondly.
 
While the rim is essentially the same size as the .30-30, the .303 Savage has a thicker body (0.02") at the case head, and at the shoulder. It is also 0.02" shorter than the .30-30 case, over all.

The .303 Savage was often factory loaded with 190gr bullets, which made it "big medicine" compared to the .30-30's 150 & 170gr slugs.

I think you might be able to form some cases from .30-30 brass, but It would have to be done carefully, and while I think you could get something that will shoot, I doubt case life will be "normal" compared to using the correct brass.
 
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