Savage 99 Re-Introduction?

[9.3X62AL]

On another board I participate on, a discussion concerning the Mossberg 464 levergun drifted a bit and one poster mentioned that Savage was going to be showing a new-series Model 99 at the 2009 SHOT Show. Has anyone heard further information concerning this development?

[Heavy lead]

I hadn't heard this, but IMO this would be great. My fear is though it would be very expensive. Let's face it this rigle costs a lot more to manufacture than the 110 series. I don't think a $1,000 lever gun is feasabe in the market place right now, but who knows, it may work.

[missionary5155]

A modern metal model 99 in 375 winchester would be FANTASTIC !

[Heavy lead]

I agree, they made a short run of these. I turned one down about 10 years ago for $350.................................The 358 would be ok too turned one of those down too for $275....................................When will I ever learn.

[Bret4207]

DON"T DO THIS TO ME AL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:veryconfu A new run of 99's would mean a major hit to my financial standing, assuming they were anything like the old ones. :bigsmyl2:

Oh! The thoughts I'm thinking!!![smilie=w:

[S.R.Custom]

I pray to God it's not magazine fed.

[451whitworth]

i can't remember where i read about this but some gun magazine guy was relaying his conversation with the Savage brass about this 99 reintro. i think something to the effect of if they were going to do it, they were going to do it right. with walnut and polished blue steel, rotory magazine, classic calibers-think 250-3000, 300 Sav. etc. that means they will not be $500. but to some like me who are tired of looking at beat up junk 99's that people are asking ridiculous $$$$ for, i am looking forward to it.

[9.3X62AL]

Sorry to upset yer applecart like that, Bret. :)

It IS food for thought, for sure. I imagine that if done in walnut and high-polish blue steel with the spool magazine its price might top $1,000. Calibers? Classics like the 250 and 300 Savage would sell well.......the 243/308/358 chamberings would be popular as well, and the 338 Federal strikes me as a worthwhile update too. PLEASE--no SAUM/WSSM offerings, though--such an atrocity would be like spray paint on the Sistine Chapel.

[rugerman1]

Allen,
I think a stainless steel,ryanite plastic stocked,8-32X scoped 99 chambered in 223 WSSSM would be the schizzle:kidding:

[9.3X62AL]

R-man, you're not making any points today, at all.

[45r]

A 358 win would be great with some of my molds.225 grain sierra j-words would be great also.I hope they make some.

[runfiverun]

a 300 savage with a 1-13 twist and a castboolits logo on the forearm.
with loading tool and mmmmmmmold cut for the rifles throat with a f/p g/c.
think any of those would sell here on a group buy???

[Urny]

I read, I think on savageshooters.com, a reference to Savages' Ron Coburn saying the new 99 won't be available until sometime in '09. If this is real, it will impact my finances worse than the beating my 401k has taken.

[9.3X62AL]

Hear that, Urny--but it's a hit I'm willing to take, ESP. if they come chambered in 358 Winchester or 338 Federal. A LOT of shooters missed their chance to grab a 99 in 358, and I won't repeat that mistake.

[onceabull]

9.3x62 AL:Well I'm thinking you had multiple chances to buy mine,finally gave up and sold it locally at one of my typical 'bargain,"close-out",nevertobeseenagain"price..(fwiw,URNY passed on it, too) ...[smilie=1:onceabull :twisted:

[9.3X62AL]

I've become too soon old, and too late smart.

[MtGun44]

With modern CNC mills, a lot of old designs that require a lot of
machining operations and specialized machines in the past are now
much more reasonable to make.

In the past, it was frequently necessary to make a special machine tool,
or modify one to do ONE particular operation on a frame or barrel shape.
When this machine wore out after many years, it cost a fortune to replace
and frequently an old gun design was not selling well by then so they
junked the machine and the design died. This is apparently what happened
to the SAA Colt at the end of WW2.

Nowdays, the only real limitation is spending the time (=$$) setting up
the computer program and the (usually much simpler) fixturing to hold the
part for machining -- ASSUMING you already have the expensive CNC multi
axis mill in house and it has some time available.

Walnut is still expensive and polishing takes time and skilled technicians.

It would seem possible that Savage can make the 99 design on wholly new
machines and keep the cost at least believable. For example, I would
think a Marlin 1895 reciever is about as complex as the Sav 99. Marlin makes
money selling them for around $600 retail. It would seem reasonable that
Savage could match that, altho the spool mag may be the deal breaker on
that price point. Marlin uses modern CNC machines to keep prices in line.
Maybe Savage can do it successfully, too. This is why the controlled round
'almost pre64' Mod 70 design was able to be brought back.

The only reason a 1911 can be the price that they are now is modern
CNC. If they were still hand machined by skilled machinists they would
cost $2000 and up for a plain jane and any special custom version would
cost a ton more. Look at the immensly complex special barrel shapes that
the S&W custom shop can put out on limited prod pistols nowdays.

Bill

[Dutch4122]

If this is true, then I think a logical bet on calibers offered would be .243/.308/.358. If those sold well we might see other calibers. Just my .02 cents.

BTW, I hope this is true. Would love to have a Savage '99 in .375 Winchester!

[Bret4207]

219 Zipper or 22-250, 250 sav, 308 and 358. I can dream, right?

[Junior1942]

What's the empty weight on a 99?

[9.3X62AL]

My 1930-vintage 99 x 250 Savage weighs a little over 8#, Junior.

[Heavy lead]

Here is what I want: a 25-35, straight stock, no checkering, schnabel forend, case hardened receiver and of course lever, no tang safety, the original safety is just fine, oh takedown of course with a milled in dovetail rear sight with a foldown leaf and a Marbles tang sight, and a................
Never mind the rest, just dreaming.

[ForneyRider]

One in our hunting party has a Savage 99 in 300 Savage. It has a rotary magazine, no?

He asked me what it was worth. So I took a look on gunbroker, they were anywhere from 300 to 1500.

300 Savage looks to have similar performance to 30 T/C. Just slightly slower than a .308 Win.

He said it was the popular deer getter in its day.

[Hardcast416taylor]

Some years ago a friend was given a 99 takedown so their son wouldn`t be playing with it. Years went by nobody came over to claim the rifle. My friend has gone to the big smelting shop in the sky. His widow has given the 99 to me since they lost track of the original owners family years ago. The rifle is a 99 takedown in .300 Sav. in about 90% condition. By the way the original owner was Brace Breemer (the original radio Lone Ranger). I take it out every now and then to blow the spiders out of the barrel and to listen for that scratchy voice from the old Philco radio in the family room saying "HI-YO SILVER AWAY" I heard as a lad.:neutral:

[missionary5155]

If all of us Email Savage MAYBE they will just listen ???

I went to the Savage sight and they "no longer receive Emails"...

[Bret4207]

300 Savage- Excellent deer round.

[Marlin Junky]

What's the empty weight on a 99?

Too much unless it bears a whimpy feather weight barrrel that's no good for target shooting. They should chamber the '99 for the .40-65 WCF or maybe even the .408 Winchester.

MJ

[Maineboy]

I love Savage 99s and they're getting pretty scarce in my neck of the woods. When I was a kid you saw alot of them in the hands of deer hunters, usually topped with a Lyman peep sight. I wonder where they all went. I have a 1950s vintage 99F and stand to inherit a clip fed 99 in .308. If Savage offered a new version in 358, I'd probably have to buy one.

[dominicfortune00]

I got my first couple of deer with a Savage 99 in 300 Savage, until I starting using military rifles to hunt deer.

[bruce drake]

Did they ever chamber the 99s in 35 Remington? It would be a toss between the 35 Rem or the 358 Win as to which one I'd buy in a heartbeat.

There is just something about dropping that punkin ball (200gr RN) onto a deer that is a little heartwarming.

Bruce

[HeavyMetal]

If the news of a Model 99 reintroduction is real I belive a lot of people will buy one if the price is right! $1300 for a 99 won't fly with me and thats all thier is to it!

Now bear in mind I yanked that number out of a clear blue sky and have no idea what the pricing will be if any.

I also will pass along a bit of info I garnered from a Savage rep. when the Bass Pro's opened up out here in San Bernardino county.

I was in the process of giving him the third degree about why some rocket scientist at Savage hadn't put the old tooling back to make real 99's ( the ones without the box mag)

He begged my indulgence and explained he wished the company still had the old tooling but alas one of the genuis's in a corperate take over in the late 90's decided the machinery was worth more as scrap metal than it was worth keeping and all the original model 99 machinery was sold for scrap!

I firmly believe that CNC equipment can do a better faster job but the Savge rep says best company estimate was 4 to 5 million bucks just to buy the CNC stuff, addititional tooling and training could be $$$$?

I do look forward to a new 99 but think thats a lot of money in this economy to cough up!

Hope I'm wrong! I want a straight stock top tang safty 22" barreled 250 Savage!

[870TC]

Hope they beef up the wrist area of the stock, almost everyone I see is cracked or cracked and glued. :(

[bandit7.5]

its kind of hard to beef up the wrist area because the stock wraps around the action in that area.
Did Savage chamber these in 38-55win. that would be my premo rifle ,24in. barrel, schnabel forend, cartridge counter ,leverlock saftey. cresentbutt also a tang sight. Just like my old well worn 303, except for the tangsight .

[C A Plater]

Savage MSRP on the 50th Anniversary model is $1724 and the American Classic goes for about a grand less. My expectations if it were to occur, is there will be a dolled up version in the neighborhood of the Anniversary model with the hunting grades in the $850-$999 MSRP range. Street prices would be lower in most cases. At that price I will most likely buy one to go with the two I already have, a .250 from the 1950s and the other a take-down .30-30 made in 1918.

[9.3X62AL]

The 300 Savage was purpose-designed to equal the WWI 30-06 ballistics, 150 grain bullet at 2700 FPS. That would make a very fine deer/black bear round.

That 338 Federal idea keeps rattling around in my head. The caliber didn't really make a lot of sense to me, but in a lever rifle like the 99 or short-action BLR I could be tempted. Of course, a 358 with a faster twist rate than 1-16" would be even better yet.

No, I won't be rebarrelling a Win 95 to 9.3 x 62 if the Savage 99s don't appear. I promise.

[S.R.Custom]

The 300 Savage was purpose-designed to equal the WWI 30-06 ballistics, 150 grain bullet at 2700 FPS. That would make a very fine deer/black bear round.


Yeah, like any .308 today would...

Seems to me, the Savage 99 would do best in any of the 'underrated' calibers. Like the .358 Winchester...

[Bret4207]

Answers to a number of comments-

The 99 was made in 38-55, I've shot one. 32-40 too.

The 8# wt of Al's 99 is heavier than others I have seen. I've seen carbine in 250, 30-30 and 25-35 well under 7# and accurate to boot.

The wrist cracks are not something I've personally seen and I can only assume some amount of abuse might have been involved. The Savage 99 butt stock bolt system if far, far superior to the Win/Marlin system, although those 2 are certainly adequate.

As for tooling I don't know exactly what's involved, but it would seem Savage or one of their sub-contractors must have the tooling for something like this. It's not as though they need to turn out 5,000 a year. I would think some tooling would be able to be used for the 99 and then switched back to something else. Say the Model 23 series for instance!

[S.R.Custom]

The 8# wt of Al's 99 is heavier than others I have seen. I've seen carbine in 250, 30-30 and 25-35 well under 7#...

Out of curiosity, I just weighed my 75th Anniversery model in .308-- 8lbs 1.6 ounces dry.

[Bret4207]

My 308 99weighs a little over 8lbs too, more with the scope. My little 99A 25-35 just under 7 lbs. The 99 may never be a featherweight, but it's well balanced and that makes the difference.

[carpetman]

Bret--your 99 weighs over 8 and more with the scope---hmmm--you dont have a helium scope? It added weight how strange.

[onceabull]

I've yet to personally hold a post WW-II "F" (for featherweight) that wasn't less than 7 Lbs, sans scope and cartridges..The '63 edition 284 I have now weighs 6 Lb.9oz with weaver bases on,& the 1959 made 308 makes 6 lbs.11 oz without bases on.. fwiw,--much lighter in these calibers or the 358 W.and you will likely be wishing for something other than the stock steel butt plate.! Onceabull

[Bret4207]

Bret--your 99 weighs over 8 and more with the scope---hmmm--you dont have a helium scope? It added weight how strange.

Alright, so I ain't the worlds greatest writer! Hemmingway had to start someplace too didn't he?:veryconfu

[Bret4207]

I've yet to personally hold a post WW-II "F" (for featherweight) that wasn't less than 7 Lbs, sans scope and cartridges..The '63 edition 284 I have now weighs 6 Lb.9oz with weaver bases on,& the 1959 made 308 makes 6 lbs.11 oz without bases on.. fwiw,--much lighter in these calibers or the 358 W.and you will likely be wishing for something other than the stock steel butt plate.! Onceabull

The "A's" were lighter than the "F's" from what I've seen. Anything with a pistol grip will be heavier. Same for that god awful beavertail forearm the ran for a couple years. It's just like comparing a Win 94 Carbine to a 94 Rifle or M 64. The 94 Carbine will be lightest, and the Marlins are heavier yet in rifle form. If you compare some of the older 99's with the long barrels, like my 303, and that crescent buttplate, there's a lot of wood and steel there. IMO it's neithr good nor bad, it's just the way it is.

[carpetman]

Brett---Hemmingway had to start someplace. Roger that Ernest.

[Bret4207]

Brett---Hemmingway had to start someplace. Roger that Ernest.

Call me "Poppa". :mrgreen: You'll love my next book! It's called, "The Old Man and the Sheep".:holysheep

[Four Fingers of Death]

I don't know, the 99 is a nice rifle, but I think it is a bit clunky to cut it with today's shooters. (except with guys like us, their preaching to the choir there we love all leverguns)

[6pt-sika]

Classics like the 250 and 300 Savage would sell well and the 338 Federal strikes me as a worthwhile update too.


Normally I would say heck yes to a Savage 99 in 338 Federal and I'm still not against it !

But........................................ Since Marlin has seen fit to bring out the 338 Marlin Express this coming year that will be fine with me and I prefer the feel of the Marlin anyway !

I've had three 99's in the past . A 30-30 and a pair of 300's and they were nice enough . I just prefer the Marlin's over the Savage lever actions .

[mike in co]

since i just got my 99c 308...i was in the middle of cleaning it,..i guess the copper bore will not affect the weight much....lol
i got 7.1 lb...
now back to copper minning...

mike in co
( what year is my rifle...see my seperate post)

[chaos]

i'd be all over a new 99 in either .308 or .300 savage

[9.3X62AL]

The 250 example I have is a pistol-grip and 24" barrel/rifle. Hence the heavier weight.

We'll see what Savage does.