north country gal

As someone who loves her lever guns, I've been way, way overdue to bring home a Savage 99.

If you're not familiar with the Savage 99, it's been a gun that has always been way ahead of its time from the very first year of production, 1899. Think about it. Strong enough to handle modern cartridges like the 243 or 308, rotary magazine with round counter so you can use spire pointed bullets, strong lockup for great accuracy - I know people who shoot these so stories you hear about 99s outshooting bolt guns are no exaggeration.

This is a 1970s 99A. Cost me three guns on trade to get, but couldn't let it slip though my hands, not when I've been looking for years to find just the right one and this is the right one for me.



It's a second edition 99A. This model of the 99 was s somewhat plain jane of the 99 world, but it was not the budget or economy grade, not at all. This one has all the great 99 features mentioned above. All steel and walnut, too. Not a bit of plastic, anywhere.

Incredibly, this gun is literally brand new, as in right out of the box. The original owner traded it in a couple of days ago. Claimed it had 10 shots though it, total. The gun is perfect, as in right out of the box perfect. The action is still stiff, in fact. This one has a 20" barrel instead of a 22" barrel (was made in both lengths), so it shoulders just as smooth and quick as my Marlin carbines.

Being a later 99, this gun is also eminently practical. It is factory drilled and tapped for a scope (bases included). Tang safety. Factory sling studs. Steel butt plate. Nice walnut stock, nothing fancy, but nice.



Best of all for me, it is chambered in 250 Savage, also known as the 250-3000, since it was the first commercially loaded cartridge to hit the 3000 fps mark with an 87 grain bullet. Why a 250 Savage? I already shoot the 257 Roberts, so I can use the same components. Just need to get dies and brass. Then, too, 99s in 250 Savage are highly desirable, the sweetheart cartridge of the 99 world.

The 250 isn't quite at the power level of a 257 Roberts, but its close, so it also qualifies as a dual purpose deer and varmint cartridge, just like the 257 or a 243 and so on. Recoil? What recoil?

This one will soon be wearing a Nikon 2-7x Prostaff because, folks, I am going to shoot this little rifle and shoot it a lot. If there's one rifle that might lure me back into deer hunting, this might be it. A dream lever gun in a dream cartridge is not going to collect dust in any safe of mine.

gunjunkie

Congratulations NCG. You just keep coming up with great guns.

RetiredSeabee

You are just living right. It seems that the Best firearms in North America are just drawn to you. It is certainly another beauty. Can't wait to see a target and range report.

KS95B40

Good for you. I would like to have a 99 myself. Please post pics when you get it scoped. And, of course, targets from when you take it to the range.

I see that RS posted while I was writing and asked for the range report. I am not sure that I want to know what three guns were used for trading fodder. I haven't seen one gun of yours that I would not like to own.

tx gun runner

I think NCG is a HOARDER . I hope I spelled that right . The first center rifle I ever fired was a 300 Savage in a 99 to kill a skunk in my trap . That was the wrong cal to shoot a skunk with .

RetiredSeabee

Killed him and skinned him in one shot?

north country gal

Will definitely post a range report. Have ammo and dies on the way, right now. About all I've found for ammo is standard Remington 100 grain loads, but that will get me some brass and some idea of what the gun can do.

Not to worry, KS. Did not sell off anything that couldn't be easily replaced - an extra Mark III, an extra CZ 22 mag and a Remington 870 that we never shoot. The 99 didn't come cheap, but we still got it at less than blue book value for its condition.

Yup, I'm a hoarder when it comes to older guns like this and darn proud of it. When I think of all these fine old guns sitting in safes just collecting dust, well, I feel duty bound to rescue them. Tough job but someone has to do it.

44s Rock

Wow, always wanted one in 308!

old trucker

I don't know much about the 250 Savage,but the .257 Roberts is a great cartridge.
The only single shot we have is a Encore in .243 and 20 gauge.

303Lithgow

Yes TGR she is definitely a hoarder. But in our world that is a good thing.

I have to admit this one is not one of my favorites but I really am just basing that on the lines.

Sorry NCG.

KS95B40

NCG, glad to hear that you made a good trade. I never see model 99s for sale around me. I especially like the slim shnable (sp?) forearm. I wouldn't be too picky about the chambering but I would prefer to find one in .308.

KimberLover

One thing for sure! if I owned a gun store in her area, I'd hire her as a sales person.
She sure knows her stuf!

catcha

I've always found that every way to kill skunks causes them to squirt. So you cover them up with a big rag of some sort and drown them in it.

north country gal

The 250 Savage is an older cartridge than the 257 Roberts, but typically only 100 fps or so behind the Roberts in the same bullet weights with factory ammo, though the Roberts has an edge when it comes to reloading via its larger case capacity. (The Roberts has always been a very under-loaded cartridge when it comes to factory ammo.)

The 99 came out in a box magazine version, late in the game, to accommodate the longer 308 and 243 cartridges since they were too long for the rotary magazine of the standard 99. These are not as collectible, of course, but they are quite popular, yet, in some areas. Says a lot about the strength of the 99 action to be able to handle these.

gunjunkie

That's why I got a BLR, to be able to use .308. It's not near as tough as a 99, and I hope I never have to work on it, as many moving parts that it has, but I've never needed to in 34 years. I just like the way that the bolt twists in like a bolt action, and it's just as accurate.

catcha

There's AR's that outshoot bolt actions every weekend at the NRA rifle matches. So why settle for a lever action? Especially lever actions that are out of production and go for premium prices?

Machinist

I like the BLR. I am always tempted. I like the .308 and I like the external hammer. It combines much of what I like in levers and bolts. The box magazine is great for this cartridge.

I suppose I would want a battle rifle or assault rifle if I expected to engage hordes of terrorists at the mall but I leave that vital task to others.

Dennis H

U mean the call of duty on my Xbox isn't the same as the real thing mac?...lol

Machinist

Never played that game. Can you shoot men at half a mile with an AR shooting 5.56mm? Only then are you fit to patrol our malls.

north country gal

Then I would suggest that you not buy a lever gun.