Savage 99?'s

S

STORMINORMAN

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A friend's Father left her this Model 99 in 300 Savage and I'm trying to help her get it in shape to pass on to her son. SN makes this a circa '53. Scope is a Weaver 4X.

Is the work on the stock a "one of a kind" or something that was commercially available?:confused: (Artwork on other side are bears, file too large to upload.)

Any ideas as to a ballpark value for insurance purposes?

Thanks in advance for your kind consideration!

Cheers!
 

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The carving on the stock will have a negative affect on the value, as well as the missing butt plate.
Values vary widely on 99's, but you could probably value it around $500-$650 for insurance purposes.
 
Other than the missing buttplate, it doesn't look too bad. I don't know which is the period correct buttplate, but I think it would be steel.

The stock carving appears to be "American folk art" not something from a commercial source. This does lower the market value to a collector who generally want as close to factory original as possible, and pay for that.

As the rifle is not being put up for sale but being passed on as a family heirloom, the carving is just part of its history, perhaps a special part, not something that harms anything other than value to a collector.

clean it up, inside and out (DO NOT DISSASSEBLE THE ROTARY MAGAZINE!!!!)
remove all old lube (especially if its has turned to "lacquer"), get the correct buttplate and install it, and pass it on to the son.

The 52-53 time period was when Savage began factory drilling and tapping the receiver for scope mounts. When the factory began drilling & tapping the guns, they moved the markings from the top of the receiver to the side, providing a quick visual way to tell if the scope mounting holes are factory original or done by a gunsmith later. Another thing that really only matters to collectors, but nice to know...

Not sure the current market value, but I've seen model 99s in the $800 range before the current buying panic set in.
 
I own a 99 chambered for .308 and installed a slim thickness Limb Saver butt pad which is quite comfortable. Steel or brass butt plates are fine for collectors but most shooters appreciate a soft pad.

The carving is quite interesting and I'd not allow this factor to affect my purchase.

Jack
 
Definitely a home carving job. Savage never produced anything that crude, and as far as I know, never offered animal carvings on its stocks.

The butt plate would be steel. Lots are available in the secondary market.
 
I'd insure it for $700. I have a Savage 99 in 308 and those seem to be the most desirable (probably b/c 308 is pretty plentiful when any ammo is plentiful) 300 savage is a very solid cartridge and I can't imagine any Savage 99 declining in value.
 
Thanks to all for the replies and great info!

I was able to find an original steel buttplate for the Model 99: although the original (or even "used"?) screws were Out of Stock, reproductions were available.

My friend was quite pleased. I had opined to her previously that I kind'a figured the carving was, as 44 AMP so kindly opined, "American Folk Art". As opposed to being crude, it seems to me to be very optomistic: the deer (elk?) are "8-pointers" as we on the Left Coast are want to count, the bears are Griz!

Thanks, again! & Cheers!

P.S. I am aware that elk are not scored by their points...
 
Since you're going to insure. Consider a price tag near 1000. Sentimental value would be a contributing factor. If something were to happen. You want to recover-not just break even.
 
butt plate

It appears to me that there are two sets of holes for the butt plate, one set appears to have been filled with wood putty. Purely speculation, but I'm thinking one set for the correct original plate, and a second set for another after the original plate went south. I wonder too if the butt has been shortened?
 
I wonder too if the butt has been shortened?
Click to expand...
Looks like it was squared up for a recoil pad. Savasge 99s had a curve to the butt from the factory to accept a curved steel buttplate.
 
Wow... I didn't even notice that. Yes, the butt has been shortened and, as others note, very likely for a recoil pad.

Replacement period buttstocks are still fairly commonly available.
 
The holes that are filled are not at the location of the holes in the original steel buttplate images I see: they both appear to me to be way too close to the vertical center. Don't have another Model 99 to measure, either.

It will be interesting to see if the steel replacement will need bending or shimming to fit...? I guess the stock could be relieved (if that's the proper term for a recut curve)? Very doubtful a replacement stock will be considered. She's trying to figure out if anyone in the family has a clue as to whom the original "artist" was?
 
If a replacement stock won't be considered, probably the easiest thing to do is to simply put another recoil pad on it.

Trying to refit the current stock for the original butt plate is going to pose a bunch of problems. Depending on how much of the stock was trimmed off the butt plate may now be too big for the stock that is there.

Also, given the curve of the butt plate, the current stock would have to be formed, which would take time and money and may impinge unfavorably on the carving.

OK, just looked at the pictures again, and contouring the stock to put an original butt plate on it will DEFINITELY impact on the carvings on both sides of the stock. Probably take some of the deer's antlers and part of the bear's nose.

Finally, putting the original butt plate back on the shortened stock is going to result in a gun that most people will find a bit too small and hard to shoot.
 
Savage also made a version of the 99 that had a flatter buttplate profile that I believe are made out of some kind of plastic or maybe hard rubber. I have had success in taking these types of buttplates and heating them in hot water until they were pliant and then screwing them down. Once they cool off they stay in their new shape.

A steel butt plate would be easy to reshape into a flat profile and if it is too large, the out side can be very easily reduced to fit the current size of the buttstock. Even if you get a rubber recoil pad (ugly IMO) no doubt you will still have to trim it down to fit the contour of the stock.

To retain the stock as is with the carving, you have little choice but to stay with the flat shape on the rear.
 
Any decent Sav 99 is $600 up. The 300 is most common caliber. I think 1953 model would have been factory drilled for scope. As a rule the older models bring higher prices every thing being the same. Spool magazines, with cartridge counter window and safety on the lever are most desirable. The last few years of production Savage got sloppy. The hardwood stocked, clip magazine models with tang safety are least desirable. Although the accuracy was not affected. I bought 6 of them in 308 when distributor was clearing them out. This was late 80s and guys bought them for beater coyote rifles. They all talked highly of them.
 
I'd just put a new recoil pad on the existing stock. Definitely a do it yourself carving job (not bad). I think these 99s are starting to climb a bit. Even shooter grade ones like this one. In my neck of the woods, if you fixed the recoil pad, this wouldn't sell for less than $750. Probably a shade higher.

Plus the Weaver 4x scope looks to be in great condition. That's easily $75-$125 on the vintage scope market.

PLEASE TELL THE SON NOT TO PUT SOME NEW NON PERIOD CORRECT GOD AWFUL LOOKING SCOPE ON THIS HANDSOME RIFLE! Go buy a plastic stocked barrel nutt-ed push feeder at Wal Mart for him if he wants to shoot a deer on the back 40 acres.
 
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