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Hi all. My father passed away recently and left me his old collection of guns. In it I found this Savage chambered in .303 SAV.
I'm not a classic gun guy and am probably going to get rid of it at some point (he left me plenty of other cool guns I plan on keeping), but I have no idea exactly what it is. I tried looking it up on a few sites (American Rifleman, savage99.com) and I think it is a model 1899c? Manufactured between 1901 & 1903? I couldn't quite nail it down.
Also I know the stock isn't original and he might have the original in his shed somewhere, but I have no idea what this thing would even be worth if the original stock is lost. Appreciate any light you all can shed on this!

D38A095A-661E-4886-897A-1ABECE9D414B.jpeg E73B99E1-CEE1-4296-A304-F5F94628039F.jpeg DDE117F2-5396-4850-B6B5-009E80A65A3E.jpeg 0FA633B9-2F5E-4E5D-8C04-6B7782876359.jpeg 95C25F5A-358D-4C77-970C-3154795C5928.jpeg 086D6607-1CFD-4F46-A37A-D6B1E02C170A.jpeg
 
Neat rifle for sure.

I would guess that it is a pre-war Model 1899A.
With that said....some of the differences between models are in the stock configuration.
Andy
half round half octo barrel tells me 1899. had one like it in 3030, twas an 1899"A" in the 21700 range, much more used than your pictures show.
I would probably keep it myself.
 
Very neat-o. One book I can highly recommend is A Collector's Guide to the Savage 99 Rifle and its Predecessors, the Model 1895 and 1899, by David Royal. (A family member has my copy, otherwise I would look up serial numbers.)

Anyway, nice, classic rifle. 'gratz. :)
 
After looking at the pictures again...

It appears that the rifle has been re-blued...this along with the re-stock and the rifle being in a caliber that is tough to get , at the best of times...will affect the value.

I say the above not as a slam to the rifle...it was nicely re-worked...and I really like the stock that it now has.
I have re-worked many an old rifle...and if done well ( Like yours )...it is a good thing , in my book.

I am just posting the above as something to consider when "value" or "worth" is to be considered.
Andy
 
Appreciate all the replies. After careful consideration I decided to keep this one in the family :) I got my hands on some reloading equipment and might even take it out for a couple of rounds. Now to decide if I want to sell my old Colt Police Special....
 
After looking at the pictures again...

It appears that the rifle has been re-blued...this along with the re-stock and the rifle being in a caliber that is tough to get , at the best of times...will affect the value.

I say the above not as a slam to the rifle...it was nicely re-worked...and I really like the stock that it now has.
I have re-worked many an old rifle...and if done well ( Like yours )...it is a good thing , in my book.

I am just posting the above as something to consider when "value" or "worth" is to be considered.
Andy
I appreciate the insight! I don't think reworking a gun is a bad thing either, if done well. My wife's family has an old Colt 1911 Government model made in 1948 that had aftermarket National Match sights installed way back when, along with a new hammer and spring. Thing still shoots like a dream and while it isn't "worth" much to a collector, I prefer the reworked sights to the ones it was manufactured with.
 
I appreciate the insight! I don't think reworking a gun is a bad thing either, if done well. My wife's family has an old Colt 1911 Government model made in 1948 that had aftermarket National Match sights installed way back when, along with a new hammer and spring. Thing still shoots like a dream and while it isn't "worth" much to a collector, I prefer the reworked sights to the ones it was manufactured with.
Those NM style or Camp Perry style sights don't hurt a 1911 very much, and to some collectors not at all. 1911's of that 1940's post WWII era were very common target pistols, and as such have a good collector following too. I assume this is quite possibly a parkerized 1911, with US Government Property markings too?
 
It is an 1899. Savage marketing switched name from "1899" to "Model 99" in 1920.
It is an 1899"C". "A" is round barrel, "B" is octagon barrel, "C" is half-round & half-octagon.
All rifles with detachable magazines were made after 1960, and there was a "Model 99c" with that feature.
The 303 Savage is a good round. Savage's version of the 30/30 Win. It uses .308" bullets and has the same internal volume, (load data is not hard to find, hint.) Cases are "challenging" to find, but Winchester puts out a run every 10 years or so, and Privi Partisan made it, but also batched. Head diameter of 30/30 is considered too small to use safely in 303, (fire forming generally does not work well.)
The 300 Savage round was introduced in the Model 1920 bolt rifle and newly named 99 in 1920.
On pre-1960 Savage 99/1899, the original lever finish is color case hardened. Frequently, the lever is buffed and dumped in the bluing salts with the rest of the rifle during "refinish".
The Lyman sight might be worth more that the rifle, but makes the rifle kick-bubblegum!
Never use the words, "Never", "All", or "Always" when describing Savage 99/1899 model features.
 
Very nice rifle you have there. I also inherited a similar one manufactured in about 1950. It shows lots of love obtained being carried in the mountains, etc. Reading your post it dawned on me that I need to shoot it. I will make that happen soon. Thanks.
 

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