M99 in 250-3000

[rking22]

Hi all, I have found a 1950 Savage M99 chambered in 250-3000. The gun is in very good original condition, except for a Redfield type scope mount and missing read sight. This is the caliber that most interests me in a M99, so I am highly tempted. Issue is , I have no real idea of the current market value. Anyone have any thoughts, is the 250 more uncommon?? Is 1950 a good period in their production? Any thoughts would be appreciated.

[Duckiller]

Get it! A 1950s gun will have a 1:10 twist and can shoot 100gr bullets . Maybe 120 gr. I have a 1920s PP WITH A 1;14 twist that shoot light bullets. Would like it to shoot 100gr for deer. It is a light gun with low recoil. Will readily drop deer at a decent range. Brass is availabe, more so than for my 257 Rbts AI . Get it and enjoy it. If you are old you don't need iron sights , scopes are wonderful. If you want to restore sights/parts are available.

[rking22]

Serial # lookup date is 1950, if that is definitely 1/10 then a bigger plus! Is 850$ reasonable, good, bad???
I ain’t old, just 60 dangit! I like and use open sights almost exclusively on my deer rifles, but. That said, I would put my 2x Alaskan on this rifle in 250, just cause. Only concern is the stock drop is a bit low for scope use,,, choices choices. I figure if push comes to shove on brass, there’s plenty of 6.5 creedmore around and a pass thru the die corrects it back to 250-3000. Funny that a 1914 cartridge case/ concept is now the darling of the modern world:bigsmyl2::popcorn:

[Drm50]

I bought a 99EG 250/3000 last year. It is a 1950 and shoots 100-117gr bullets well. It's not the rifle I wanted but it's in excellent shape. It has been D&Ted and sling studs installed. I wanted a straight stock carbine like I once had when young. I only like older models with lever safety and spool mag. Mine came with 4x scope and rear sight replaced with Lyman folder. I bought and probably paid to much but have wanted one for some time.
I've had quite a few in 300sav & 303sav but 250s are rare in these parts. A decent 99 in any caliber will be $600 to $700 in this area. The 250 and 38/55s bring top dollar. A really nice gun will be tagged at $1K plus in these two cartridges. I've shot 2 boxes of factory Win after I mounted K12x, just to see what it would do 1.25" average. Have shot another 40rds of loads with 117RN JSPs / different loads of 4895 and got similar results. I don't want it scoped. I have a original tang but am looking for a reciever sight that doesn't look like a erector set.

[rking22]

Thank you , prowled gunbroker and have about decided to see what I can trade with. Erector set... gave me a giggle and I agree! I think it will come home with me, assuming the bore is good, I have no interest in a wall hanger. How was the drop at comb with a scope??

[Rimfire]

1950 99's were still 1 in 14 twist. Change to 1 in 10 came about in the 60's.

[Shawlerbrook]

A great caliber in the Savage 1899/99. Around here $600 would be a steal and most likely pushing $800-1000.

[pietro]

A great caliber in the Savage 1899/99. Around here $600 would be a steal and most likely pushing $800-1000.


It's a D/T'd (for scope bases) gun that IIRC didn't leave the factory that way; but it's a .250-3000 - I'm thinking it's worth about $750, so maybe some dickering can git 'er done.


.

[rking22]

Thanks all, I am going to check it in detail tomorrow and see what trade interests can be entertained. Anybody shooting cast in one of this vintage? I have an 80gr NOE Ranchdog for “squirrels an such” :bigsmyl2:

[Jkrem]

I have my Dad’s M99G in 250 Savage, with a 4x Unertl Hawk scope. With 100 gr Remington core lokt cartridges the first round is always about 4” right and 2” low, then it tightens up to around 2” of zero at 100 yards. I believe I have a 1-14, it dates from the early 1950’s. I’ve now loaded up some 87gr bullets to try next time I can get to the range, and will be curious to see if there is a noticeable difference in accuracy. This cartridge is deadly on whitetail deer, most drop where they are hit in our experience.

[rking22]

Interesting, is the first round flier a common issue with the M99? I have had a few rifles do that and it is AGRAVating!

[Texas by God]

The 87 gr soft point at 3000 FPS will kill any deer at reasonable ranges. Do you think 13 grs makes a magic difference? I don’t. Get it you’ll be so pleased. My wife hunts with a bolt action .250 and sometimes I sneak it out.....

[Dan Cash]

My 1950 vintage 99 is 1:14 twist but will stabilize 117 grain round nose bullets OK. 120 grain bullets just go away. I have killed several western mule and white tail deer with 100 grain Nosler Partition bullets but the .250 is a bit light for deer size animals.

[Drm50]

I really didn't notice any unusual drop in stock vs scope. I've only fired the gun off bags and wasn't paying much attention to that. None of my woods deer guns have scopes on them except a 870 12g. Most have reciever sights. I hunt in thick cover and scope is a handi cap. I'm shooting jumped deer and seldom shoot over 100yds.
As far as killing deer the 250 is plenty good enough. At woods ranges the deer can't tell whether he was done in with a 243 or 257Roberts either. I don't know what it is with guys anymore. One guy is bragging what a deer killer a 223 is and next page is another guy with a 405gr wide metaplate 45/70 which is necessary for a clean kill on a deer. I have a big selection of .257 bullets from previous 25 cal rifles and a 85gr HP mold. I'm liking the RN 119 for a deer load. Deer are not Cape Buffalo but they do require you hit them with a decent shot before they give up the ghost.

[rking22]

I will , most likely, find a replacement rear sight and deer hunt with the open sights. I rarely hunt any more with a scope , except squirrels. For the way I hunt the 250 will be just fine, I am very picky about the shots I take. Really hoping the bore is in good shape, we shall see. Hopefully can post pictures of it soon:bigsmyl2:

[RickinTN]

That 80 grain NOE with 5 or 6 grains Bullseye or Red Dot, if it will retain headspace, should make a handy squirrel load. That is of course unless you run in to some of those big Fox squirrels, then the minimum would be 38-55:smile:.
We need pics!
Rick

[Drm50]

I have quite a few levers and they all have straight stocks. When Ohio got rifle a few years back I traded up a Marlin 375win. Nice rifle, couldn't get with pistol grip stock it just didn't point natural to me. This 99EG doesn't bother me and seems a natural pointer. It is a wee bit short stocked but with winter duds it will be ok. This kind of thing only matters for a stalking rifle. If you hunt from stands any accurate rifle will do.

[rking22]

I am a stalker/still hunter so I like a rifle that points like a nice double. This one fits that description. I have handled the later (fatter) 99s and they were bulky and not to my liking. This one is slim printable, and I like the grip on it. Very slim waisted.

[pietro]

I have handled the later (fatter) 99s and they were bulky and not to my liking.




I heartily agree...

I owned a couple of 1950's Model 99's, and found them cumbersome; but when I picked up/handled this ca. 1914 Model 1899-H Lightweight Carbine (20" slim bbl), I bought it in a New York Minute. :D

The fact that Cabela's had placed a chump change price tag on it (well under $400) made for a sweet deal.



https://i.imgur.com/B5v1LLLl.jpg

[rking22]

Poetry, when I zoomed in on that pretty rifle, I saw and read your tag line, ain’t it the truth! now I am going to clean the sun drop off my phone. This rifle serial numbered to 1950 seems much less bulky than other 60, 70 vintage I have looked at. To me, it isn’t a 99 without the rotary mag and she’ll count window. Nice saex , you make it?

[obssd1958]

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=53839&d=1348846072
I don't remember the vintage on this old '99, but it was a blast working up loads for her. I finally settled on a 100gr. Speer soft point and H4895. It would hold 1 MOA all the way out to 300 yards - never tested it any farther than the 315 that I took this antelope at!
I sold that rifle for $650 just the way you see it in the photo. But I found that I really didn't want to do without, so I bought another '99 in 250 Savage a couple of years ago, and I'm a happy camper!
By the way, I tried 4 or 5 100gr. bullets before I found the Speer. They all hit the target at varying degrees of sideways. The Speer is almost a round nose, and has a flat base, so the overall length is shorter than any of the others. I think that is the key Vs. weight - just make sure it is short enough for the 1 in 14 twist to stabilize.

[Texas by God]

Obsesd1958- one of my favorite goat hunting clients almost apologetically hauled one out much like yours a few years back. We passed several up And finally got a nice one at 180 yards. No drama, one shot, spun and fell. His 7mag and 26 Nosler toting friends ridiculed him BEFORE the hunt. I think I was prouder than him and I made sure the magnum boys knew it!

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[Drm50]

My favorite deer guns are all slim line type. I've shot a lot of deer with a Rem 141/35cal, Win 1895/ 30-06 and Win & Marlin levers. Starting in 60s Sav and Marlin started with beaver tail forearms and chubbier than necessary stocks. I never liked 742/760 Rems but they feel like shotguns. The early rifles had wood flush with actions and simple but functional stocks. Some of the Stocks grew because of the trend to scope rifles. If a rifle doesn't fit you it doesn't make a good offhand gun. You should have the sight on the game as a reflex without looking for it.

[NorthMoccasin]

Those with 1 in 14 twist should try the Sierra 90gr HPBT game king or the Barnes 80gr TSX. Both are deadly on deer and shoot well in slow twist 99's. With proper bullet placement Speer 87's doo well also. Nothing magic about 100gr. Bullets have improved since 1915!

[Norske]

Unless deer have grown armor plate recently, a 250 Savage is excellent for them. My first 257 Roberts would only shoot starting loads from the Hodgdon data accurately. It killed 43 whitetails with 43 shots.

[ole_270]

My 1953 m99R has the slow twist, shoots great with the 87 Speer Hot Core and 87 TNT. I switch between them whether for deer or coyotes. 100 Speer Hot Core is the shortest 100 I now of and does 1 1/2" at 100 in the rifle. I used the 87 last fall for my whitetail doe with no problem, same as all the ones previous. Used a bolt action Ruger M77 Tang Safe in 250 with the 100 Speer Hot Core on a large bodied buck at 100 yards. Slight angle away, hit the far shoulder and he dropped in his tracks.
This M99 came from my sister in laws father in Wyoming who used it up to elk to feed his family. I once asked him what he used in it for elk, he said the 117 but I like to get close and hit them in the neck. Good thing, when I tested the ones he included with the rifle they were keyholing at 100 yards.

[Pioneer2]

Even some of the last 99's had a 1-14 twist I bought a 99A that all the literature claimed should be 1-10 but it wasn't.The only bullet that my 1-14 would shoot was the Speer 100 Hot-Cor /shortest ogive available and the extinct Canadian Dominion 100gr KKSP.I shoot large Alberta WT and Mulies with my 250 Rem 700 Classic every fall out to 300 yards no problem.Would not hesitate to drill a moose with a 100gr Partition either.With a 1-14 you are stuck with the 87gr Speer/Hornady which will work if you stay away from the shoulder blades.I have tried to get Nosler to make an 85gr Partition for years and all I get is "pillow talk".In the 99's IMR3031 /100gr bullet all shot MOA or better as well as IMR4895 and the 87gr.In a strong BA Win 760 with mag primers makes one ragged hole.

[gnoahhh]

1950: definitely 1:14 twist- nominally. As with most all barrel making endeavors back in the analog era there will be variations due to human error. We've seen old .250's with twists as fast as 1:12 and as slow as 1:16. If you have one that shoots long bullets (weight doesn't matter, length does) I'll bet the farm that it has a faster than 1:14. A true 1:14 may not (probably not) shoot a 100 grain bullet longer than a simple short round nose. Also: even if it shoots 100 grainers "ok" I'll also bet it'll shoot 87's even better. No reason on God's Green Earth to choose 100's over 87's. Truth. Shoot 87's and get that 3000fps pizazz that the good folks at Savage wanted for you!

I tried 90 Sierras and 80 TSX's in a couple old .250's with only fair results. They are on the ragged edge of being short enough to stabilize. Speer 87 Hot Cores are the current gold standard for me. I have over 1000 stashed, and plan to grab another 1000 in case Speer decides to discontinue them. (Plus they kill whitetails like lightning.)

[pertnear]

Serial # lookup date is 1950, if that is definitely 1/10 then a bigger plus! Is 850$ reasonable, good, bad???
I ain’t old, just 60 dangit! I like and use open sights almost exclusively on my deer rifles, but. That said, I would put my 2x Alaskan on this rifle in 250, just cause. Only concern is the stock drop is a bit low for scope use,,, choices choices. I figure if push comes to shove on brass, there’s plenty of 6.5 creedmore around and a pass thru the die corrects it back to 250-3000. Funny that a 1914 cartridge case/ concept is now the darling of the modern world:bigsmyl2::popcorn:

Just FYI. I shot my first deer with a '99 in .250 Savage & I'm sad to say that gun was stolen some years back. In the last few years I've been looking to replace it. I searched gunshows & on-line & I'd say $850 is a fair/reasonable price for buyer & seller if the gun is in good shape. I looked at many 99's & the .250-3000 caliber seemed to be a $100 premium on price. Now that's here in Texas but prices might be quite different in thick-brush areas. I'm almost positive you'll find that your rifle is 1-14. The one I finally bought was a 1951 model & I had to shoot Speer 87gr bullets to group. Nice rifles & at the very least a good investment!

JIMHO...

BTW: You might want to check out this forum thread about my '99. (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?368572-Please-help-with-ideas-on-making-my-Savage-99-a-shooter&highlight=savage+99)

[Pioneer2]

Newton didn't want the 87gr bullet rather the 100gr with a suitable twist.Savage wanted 3000 fps for marketing hype ........guess who won out $$$$$$ and who was right in the first place.

[ipopum]

I bought a 1914 vintage 250 about a year ago. I have enjoyed finding out what it will shoot well. Mine shoots a 85 gr. cast very well at 50 yards.

It will shoot a 90 gr j bullet very well also. It will work on any deer that you make a good hit on. Enjoy a fine old rifle.

[rking22]

Anybody using cast in hunting level loads, thinking deer, up close and personal. NOE sent out an add, 30 cal and under 15% off plus 1000$ club. Thinking a 100 gr cast, .877 length would be ok, maybe???

[Norske]

If the round Savage logo is on the left side, it was factory D&T for a scope. If the scope base covers the round logo, it wasn't D&T at the factory. I think factory D&T started around mid-1952.

[richhodg66]

Anybody using cast in hunting level loads, thinking deer, up close and personal. NOE sent out an add, 30 cal and under 15% off plus 1000$ club. Thinking a 100 gr cast, .877 length would be ok, maybe???

I'm a Savage fan and have several 99s. One of my bucket list things to do is to kill a deer with each of the Savage proprietary cartridges, .300, .250, .303 and .22 High Power. I've done it so far with .300 Savage (using cast) and done a couple of others with a 99 in .308 and another in .358.

I plane to do this with iron sighted 99s only. I have a 99 in each caliber, so I need to get to it, hopefully with the .250 this year. I haven't killed a deer with anything but cast bullets and broadheads since 2009 or so, and the smallest diameter was 7mm. I think I'm gonna have to resort to J words for the .250 and .22 High Power. I just don't want to have to do anything like have to take a head shot or something. A 100 grain .25 caliber cast bullet is awful small.

[pietro]

Nice saex , you make it ?




Nope - I only re-handled it in Ebony.

It started life as a new Cold Steel Trailmaster Bowie with a rubber/Kraton handle.


https://i.imgur.com/kaDDci5l.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/9TXPQcVl.jpg

[gnoahhh]

Anybody using cast in hunting level loads, thinking deer, up close and personal. NOE sent out an add, 30 cal and under 15% off plus 1000$ club. Thinking a 100 gr cast, .877 length would be ok, maybe???

Probably, but I wouldn't feel comfy going any longer. I ran an experiment once by filing the noses off of 100 grain jacketed spitzers (Nosler Partitions) until they started to group well, and the length at which they did so was .850". It's easy to conduct such an experiment yourself: just bore a .257 hole in a piece of 1/2" drill rod to use as a file trim die, and make it shorter and shorter making a handful of trimmed bullets at each stop along the way. If you wish, when you hit the "sweet spot", stop and harden it so you can continue using it. It's what I do to make long jacketed 70 grain .228" bullets work in my Savage .22 High Powers also with their 1-12" twists.

[rking22]

Interesting idea, thank you for sharing. I am still going round with the shop. I am taking some trade materials tomorrow, thinking I may be letting my NO1 45-70 go in this deal. The bore looks decent after just brushing the copper fowling “fuzz” out. Dry patch felt decent. So, we proceed.

[Drm50]

I just missed a mint 250 carbine for $1K. A early 99H is what I had when I was a kid. I had #8 Rem and was 12 and was a little more than I could handle well, weight wise. I traded it off years ago and 250 are scarce around here so I bought the 1950EG. I'm happy with its accuracy and am settled on Hornady 117gr RN bullets. I shot several lighter bullets and found they all shot about the same. Haven't shot heavier because I have shot several deer with the 117g RN in a couple 257Rs.

[Rick B]

Have an 1899 250 takedown made in 1920. It a little worse for wear but it’s still a fast handling rifle. Has a Lyman tang mounted sight on it. Really enjoy shooting it. When the current 25 Caliber M&P Group Buy happens. I’m looking forward to trying that bullet in this rifle.
Rick

[gnoahhh]

I just missed a mint 250 carbine for $1K. A early 99H is what I had when I was a kid. I had #8 Rem and was 12 and was a little more than I could handle well, weight wise. I traded it off years ago and 250 are scarce around here so I bought the 1950EG. I'm happy with its accuracy and am settled on Hornady 117gr RN bullets. I shot several lighter bullets and found they all shot about the same. Haven't shot heavier because I have shot several deer with the 117g RN in a couple 257Rs.

Well there's a head scratcher for sure. How (in)accurate are those long bullets in the 1950EG, and how many go through the target sideways?!?

[rking22]

Well it’s mine. Mine,Mine, mine!! As I think about it, this is the first sub 30 caliber centerfire I have bought in near 25 years. Gotta get me a rear sight and some dies, brass and bullets. Going to clean the bore real good and see what the exact twist is, like 13,14,15?? It is 24 inch barrel and lever stamp is 23A, so 1949 EG? Serial number lookup said 1950, of well minor mystery. Weighs 6.2 nice handy pounds, I like!

[gnoahhh]

Well played! (Yes, 1949. The date code is more accurate than serial number for determining age. The action was probably made in 1949 and actually assembled into a gun in 1950 in this instance.)

[rking22]

247534

[Texas by God]

The 75gr Sierra and Hornady hollow points let the gooey parts out of varmints real well and SWMBO has taken a couple of does with them but they barely killed them[emoji16]
Sorry about the jacketed talk.
That's a great looking gun.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[rking22]

Just got dies and some brass coming, 200 87speers too. I have an 80 gr Ranchdog mold, just need some time to cast a bit. All I need now is a rear sight, may just slip in a fold down takeoff from my misc box. See how it shoots soon. That picture is the one a good friend sent me, note said “ looks like something you would like” , well yeah. I wind up finding guns I didn’t know I was looking for. More pictures to come, just thought it was in really nice shape to be 70 .

[Pioneer2]

I FL size Lapua 22-250 brass in the nice tapered expander plug Hornady dies have as opposed to the blunt RCBS version with zero case loss.Actual .250 brass is scarce here in Canada.

[rking22]

Well, thought I would update. Not only is this my first M99, but it is also the absolute worst copper fouled gun I have ever seen! I have been cleaning with Hoppes 3 times a day for a week, it still comes out green! Bore is feeling pretty smooth now, and I have 25 87 Speers loaded to test. I AM going to get this clean! Then I will see how it shoots. I found a Burris 1 3/4 x5 scope, really no idea where I got it, but that’s another story. I stuck the lil Burris on for now, probably take the Alaskan off my M69A in the long run, or, more likely put a rear sight on it as the cheek weld is non existent. Loaded 34.5 gr of AA 4064 for a first test load, soon as I get the green funk out.

[ole_270]

Get some Montana Extreme copper Killer or some Wipe Out for the copper. My M99R 250 has a barrel that is pitted from rust before I got it. Copper fouls something fierce, Wipe Out left in the bore overnight, patch and repeat will get the job done.

[rking22]

Got it clean, finally. Shot it a bit today, dang it’s hot. Took 2 to get it on at 25 yards, then 3 at 85 yards off the truck window into a couple inches, pulled 1. Adjusted 5 clicks down and 3 more into about 1 1/2. Zeroed for coyotes and playing for now. Incidentally, the backstop is clay, dry and hard. I picked up a few of the “used” Speer 87s, they did not shed their cores and I find that good strength considering the “test media“! I like it, I think it will be scopeless by deer season, just dosen’t feel or point like I want with the scope on it. Just first impressions for now. Nice rifles, glad I didn’t let it get away.

[ipopum]

I have reformed several different caliber cases into 250. I found a 6.5 creed on the ground at the range this week. It reformed easier and nicer than anything that I have tried so far .