Honest value on Savage Mod. 99

[blixen]

A friend is handling the sell of a bunch of family property, include a few rifles. She asked me if I could give her a ballpark idea what they're worth before the family divides the property--(you know how that goes.)

The only one I saw that wasn't rusted badly or a civil war relic, is a Savage Model 99a in .308.

It has a good bore, but several bad pits on the barrel exterior and a serious crack on the wrist running out of the tang.

I see them priced all over the place on gun auctions, but usually in better condition. I guessed at least $400 , but I don't want to mislead her (I also told her to take it too a gun shop).

Any help appreciated. BTW, I'm tempted to buy it if I can raise the funds--but I want to offer a fair price.

[Tatume]

I wouldn't go that high, maybe $200, but I'd be worried then. You may or may not be able to repair the crack. If not, then you have to buy a stock (Boyd's). Rust pits on the exterior are always going to be nasty. If the action was in excellent shape inside, and if it is a rotary magazine gun, $200 would be my best offer. If it's a detachable box magazine, then $150. But that's just my opinion.

[gnoahhh]

I would think perhaps a touch higher, but that nasty crack and the pitting would give me pause.

[blixen]

Thanks. But that seems low. I haven't seen a 99 locally for less than $500. I've been trying to get a shop to come down on a 30-30 model. It's $550 and has a cracked stock, but a tang sight. I've always wanted a .30-30 Sav. 99 for cast but sellers seem to think they're all museum pieces.

[dragon813gt]

Average price for fair shape is $600. You can't touch one for less than $500 anymore. The cracked stock can be a big issue for someone trying to keep it period correct. The pitting is an issue for everyone. 308 is one of the common calibers. Which model 99 is it? This has a lot to do w/ value as well. Brass rotary magazine? Steel rotary magazine or magazine fed? Find out what model it is first.

[blixen]

Its a 99a serial #B946xxx. Steel rotary. Flip-down rear sight. I'm guessing circa 1970s. Walnut unchecked stock. Besides the crack and 6 or 7 serious pits and gun rack wear on the barrel--the receiver and lever case hardening show little wear. The bore is pristine. Thanks, I know dating 99s requires voodoo.

[dragon813gt]

$400 tops with those issues. You can find the year of manufacture by the letter engraved on the lever. Model A was the end of the line and don't have much value unless it was in 375 Winchester. 308 makes a perfect rifle for a JES rebore in 358 Winchester. New stocks, even duplicates, are hard to come by right now. I've been looking over the past month. And if the barrel requires rebluing that's more money out of pocket. It sounds like a good choice for a rebore but that's it.

[onceabull]

Less than $400 here,but $275-300 likely.. Onceabull

[jonp]

A crack like your talking means new wood if your going to shoot it. That ruins collector value of course although a crack also takes from value. I wouldn't touch it for more than $250 if that.

[olafhardt]

I have not seen a Savage 99 for less than 300 in years. You wouldn't get mine for that. Heck, I haven't seen many win 94's or Marlin 336's for less than 300 lately.

[WILCO]

A friend is handling the sale of a bunch of family property, include a few rifles. She asked me if I could give her a ballpark idea what they're worth before the family divides the property--(you know how that goes.)

Life experience has taught me to avoid situations like this.
I now just steer them to an appraiser or LGS.
My life is too short for their drama.

[Tatume]

Life experience has taught me to avoid situations like this. I now just steer them to an appraiser or LGS. My life is too short for their drama.

Good answer.

[nekshot]

I have not seen any kind of a gun under 250 since the last idiot stampede. This 99 would easy go 400 in our area!

[blixen]

Yes and yes, to the last two posts. A male relative has stepped in to claim the rifle and other spoils. So I'm off the hook, though he wants to sell it pronto--Not a shooter or hunter.

Neckshot,
I checked at some gun shops this week and saw 5 M 99s -- 3 in .300 Sav. And one 30-30, but none less than $500. I think the days of finding a deal are over-- in fact the opposite seems to be the rule.

I'm going to a gunshow tomorrow, I'll price Model. 99s. I wouldn't mind having one in 30-30.

[rintinglen]

I haven't seen one in any shape for less than 375 in the last 2 years. 300 Savage guns go for the least, with the 243 guns down there, but every other one that I have seen has been well on the long side of 500, especially the less common calibers. You want a .375 or a .358, bring big bucks. Even the 250-3000 guns will run over 600. At least these are prices seen in Virginia, California, and at a single Texas gun show (where they had a bunch of 99's--was that the gun to have down there back in the day or just a fluke?).

[blixen]

Just got back from the gunshow. Here's the intel:
3 Savage Mod. 99s in the whole place.
.300 Savage, $650, (circa 1950s?)
.303 Savage, $650 (curved butt plate) (circa 1920s?)
.300 Savage, usual nicks in wood and worn bluing, $850 (seller says it's a 1942).
First off, I'm NOT a collector; I'm a shooter of old guns. So take this appraisal with a grain or two: Two were "good" condition but the $850 might rate "very good." All seemed to have the original wood, the 1942 had an old weaver scope on it and may have been D&Ted by a previous owner. I asked the seller, considering it was the last day of the gunshow, if he would consider coming down on the price. NOPE.

Other than that, I haven't been to a gun show in several years and was disappointed at how sparse it was and that more than 75 percent new guns and much of that was AR platform stuff. Lots of questionable Chinese optics. NO reloading equipment or dies to speak of.

A guy had a half-dozen various Arisakas in original shape going for about $350. And I was offered a Enfield Ishpore, .308, for $450 and a free bayonet.

Thus, the .308 Savage 99 that started this whole thing would interest me at $375, if it were 30-30. But it's not.

Two booths had brass--I bought a bag of .303 Brit and 30-30 once-fired brass and got the heck out of there.

[pietro]

.

There's no comparison value-wise, between a damaged M99 (rust-pitting, crack, etc) and an undamaged specimen - even an undamaged rifle that shows honest wear and/or faded metal finish (aka: grey rats).

M99 stock repair can be iffy; replacement costly & properly fitting a replacement stock moreso.

There is no repairing deep pits, short of lowering the entire bbl surface below the bottom of the deepest pit & polishing/rebluing ($$$)


.

[GeezerinNH]

I am a retired FFL and can say retail in the condition stated no more than $300 in my area,. When selling to me I would pay no more than $150-175

Condition, Condition, Condition, Condition,