99 Savage

[Knol]

My .308 99 will not be for sale anytime soon.  I understand it is not a Lazzeroni or .378-30 and therefore unsuitable for shooting at anything bigger than a rabbit, and not being a "Cowboy Gun" or a "Real" lever gun, is to be hidden from the view of any red-blooded American who owns or appreciates one of those.  I know the "lines' of the gun are upset by the lack of a magazine tube, it is too thick and heavy looking, the rotary magazine is "finicky" and "bulky", the lack of front locking lugs "limits" accuracy potential making it a short range "brush gun."  The whole design belongs in the dustbin of history.  I've heard it all. 

Of course my experience with my 99 is suspect and my gun must be an anomaly to shoot  MOA with so many different bullets and powders, to have had no failures to feed or eject, and no breakage in generations of use.  The handling, balance and weight of my gun are probably not nearly as good as I claim them to be, either, because so many "authorities" have said otherwise.  The big game taken has (obviously)been barely killed, even though it usually drops in it's tracks.  An ethical hunter would use a "harder hitting caliber in a more accurate rifle."

Any new 99 will be hampered by the same misinformation and prejudice leveled at the old ones.  It will invariably be made of cheaper materials and be assembled to a lower standard than the originals as well.  My 2 cents.

[Freezer]

   I understand your dilema!  I have a 99F in 308 that holds sub moa also.  Heck I even had to shoot twice to hit a 12" target at 583 yrds though I've never had to shoot twice at an animal at any range so I haven't had it jam yet  
    I had the misfortune of barrowing a 99F in 300 Savage(a cartrige that should never had been invented) two seasons ago in Pa.  It had a 4x Glaixy scope and see through rings.  I believe the bullets were heavy enough, 180gr Rem core locks that had to be 30 yrs old.  I'm so glad the Coyote I shot running at 200yrds and deer standing at 281 yrds that got it's neck broken didn't know I was using such a crappy gun.
   As a matter of fact I don't think Savage ever made a good gun and if anyone twists my arm hard enough I'd begrudgingly take one of those crappy guns off your hands if you pay me to do so.

[T.R.]

Since your rifle doesn't have a black plastic stock, it can't possibly be used for hunting deer.  Everyone knows that deer can only be hunted with bolt action rifles with black plastic stock and silver colored scopes.  Maybe you can have it made into something more useful like a lamp.   

TR

[Freezer]

   Actually I was thinking about the plastic stock idea    Last year I decided to give the ol' 99 a face lift so it wouldn't show it's age in deer camp.  With a fresh blue and new stock I snuck into camp.  One the first morning hunt I slipped on a shale hill and put a couple good scratches in the stock and covered the action in dust.  When I got into camp later that morning with a nice fork horn the guys looked at me and said,"Same old gun!"   Next year maybe I'll camouflage it with one of those fancy plastic stocks just to see if anyone notices

[Val]

You have my complete sympathy. I have one of those useless M99s in 300 Savage that was manufactured in 1941. I need to quit enjoying it so much. It's very sick of me to so thoroughly enjoy this abomination.

[jbmi]

Talk about a butt-ugly gun, hard to see it sitting on those rotting logs in the woods. And who would want an old gun that shoots 200gr. 358 bullets that go less than a zillion fps. Not me.