Author Topic: small gun shop find savage 1899 (Read 1977 times)

lonewolf5348 · « **on:** August 11, 2009, 10:09:49 AM »

I stop by a small gun shop yesterday and this gun caught my eye I think
early savage in 303 cal. lever
The gun was redone in 1950 did wear a rear peep sight set -up
has a internal 5 shot clip under the bolt system lever action.
I think he was asking 385.00 nice blue hardware,butter smooth lever action .
I ask if he would move on the price and he said no.

Gun Runner · « **Reply #1 on:** August 11, 2009, 01:53:04 PM »

L.W. I have one of the Savage 1899's in 30/30. It was made in 1924. It belonged to my father in law. He asked me to take care of it about 7 yrs ago and he has since passed away. There's hardly any blueing left, and almost no finnish left on the stock. He was a cattel rancher in S.E. Oregon. It has probably killed more yotes than a lot of people togather have seen. Along with a lot of deer bunch of bears and 1/2 doz or so mt lions. It has one of the smoothest actions I have ever seen on a lever gun, and shoots quite well. It will remain in the family.

Gun Runner

kevthebassman · « **Reply #2 on:** August 11, 2009, 01:54:58 PM »

Depending on model, that's a deal!

Hairtrigger · « **Reply #3 on:** August 11, 2009, 02:55:51 PM »

How much does the refinish affect the value?
The 303 ammo is what I find unappealing

Happy · « **Reply #4 on:** August 12, 2009, 08:13:35 AM »

The 303 is the 30/30 with a heavier bullet . Brass can be bought thought a bit pricey. You could then load it with the 170 30/30 bullet .I am sure the brass would last you a long time, and dies are still to be found.
These guns can be reamed to 300 Savage .

larry223 · « **Reply #5 on:** August 12, 2009, 11:01:52 AM »

ithink you had better go back and pick that up before someone goes along
that collects them that is a very good price (where did you find it)

larry

lonewolf5348 · « **Reply #6 on:** August 12, 2009, 01:21:19 PM »

SMALL SHOP ON RT 17 UPSTATE N.Y.

Dand · « **Reply #7 on:** August 13, 2009, 09:44:15 PM »

Happy I think it would be a big mistake to ream it to 300 Sav. The rim diameter of the 303 is nearly the same if not the same as 30-30 while the 300 Save is 30-06 rim diameter. Heck of a way to treat a fine old gun.

I've always been intrigued by the 303. I think it was loaded with a 180 or 190 gr bullet and some might feel its better game gun for the weight.

Happy · « **Reply #8 on:** August 14, 2009, 10:03:44 AM »

Dand I agree
I was looking for some 303 Savage loads for an old friend who had his Savage bought used in the '30's .
The smith offered to ream it to 300 Savage for a $100.
I did find two box's of Winchesters for $ 100.00 that day , more than he ever needed he said . He is 84 and said he might shoot two a year one fer moose and another for DEER.
I have ate game at his house and from time to time , he shared what he shot . So felt he was never undergunned .

mcwoodduck · « **Reply #9 on:** August 14, 2009, 10:27:18 AM »

I have a round of 303 Savage i can send you if you get it.
Between 303 Sav, 30-30, and 32 win special it is really hard to tell them apart at a glance.
You may be able to ream the gun to see if 30-30 will fit.
get a COTW and measure them out.

Dand · « **Reply #10 on:** August 14, 2009, 09:15:26 PM »

I wonder if you could reform and/ or fire form 30-30 to 303 Sav? I think I've seen where its not approved but I also think that once an old timer gave me some 30-30 reloads and I noticed one of the cases was head stamped 303 - after I fired it. Maybe 303 to 30-30 is ok but not the other way. Might be a question to put on the Gunsmithing forum here.

mannyrock · « **Reply #11 on:** August 15, 2009, 04:17:19 AM »

Hmmm. Unless you are buying the rifle as a collector's piece, then this is already shaping up to be a big money pit and a huge headache.

No matter how good she looks, sometimes the best thing to do is to pass her by.

Regards,

Mannyrock

Happy · « **Reply #12 on:** August 16, 2009, 06:29:56 AM »

Well the 303 Savage is not a money pit . Granted you will pay alot for 303 Savage cases, but if the rifle is sound other wise??? 50 cases should last long enough to get the value back . Loaded with 170 Gr bullets it is still not a bad round , and since you have a magazine your not resticked to blunt bullets , so there in- is you gain.
I would first have it head spaced as some of the older guns were soft , If it passed the test and the rifling was good go for it . There would be a lot of enjoyment still in a 303 Savage .
I have a 60 year old Marlin in 35 Rem. It is far from worn out and I enjoy having something from that era . If I could come apon a good Savage from that time period - it would be following me home if it passed the two requirements .

You just need to check it out before buying .

mannyrock · « **Reply #13 on:** August 16, 2009, 07:21:10 AM »

Happy,

You make some excellent points. And yet, you assume (as do almost all of the folks who post on GBO), that everyone in the world reloads, or wants to reload. The vast majority of hunters in the U.S. do not reload, and do not want to reload. Personally, I hate it. :-)

If Lonewolf already reloads, and has all of the equipment, then I totally agree with you. So, it kinda depends.

Best Regards,

Mannyrock

Hairtrigger · « **Reply #14 on:** August 16, 2009, 07:45:18 AM »

Quote from: mannyrock on August 16, 2009, 07:21:10 AM

. The vast majority of hunters in the U.S. do not reload, and do not want to reload. Personally, I hate it. :-)

Make that big game hunters.
Dang near all of the varmint hunters I know reload probobly because of shooting volume.

mcwoodduck · « **Reply #15 on:** August 17, 2009, 05:52:55 AM »

Over the weekend I pulled out a 303 Savage and a 30-30.
it looks like a simple reaming to 30-30 will do it.
the 303 shoulder is lower than then 30-30.
the rims look identical and the only diff I could find was the bullet diameter.

mannyrock · « **Reply #16 on:** August 17, 2009, 07:44:12 AM »

McWoodduck,

Hmm. Interesting thought to ream to .30-30. Since this rifle was "redone" in 1950, it may well be the case that the rifle really has minimal value to collectors.

On the other hand, Savage 99s in .30-30 are hard to find in good shape at reasonable prices if you want a shooter.

So, if you could find someone competent to ream it, at a reasonable price, then that may be something to seriously consider. I guess it would depend on whether after the reaming, there would be feeding problems to sort out. If not, then you might end up with a really nice .30-30, for about $500.

Regards,

Mannyrock

lonewolf5348 · « **Reply #17 on:** August 18, 2009, 09:32:47 AM »

Yes: I do reload
I am heading up state on thursday and will stop at the shop and see if we can wheel and deal on the gun.
do I need another deer rifle no
I would like the savage the lines of the rifle did make me llok at it a few times in the gun rack.
I dont think it can be set-up for a scope it wears a rear peep sight
recoil should be mild even though it has a steel butt plate

Happy · « **Reply #18 on:** August 19, 2009, 07:04:10 AM »

That rear peep alone might be worth a few $$. This rifle might be just the ticket in the deer woods .

harrys · « **Reply #19 on:** August 27, 2009, 11:49:48 AM »

you can make 303's out of 30-40 craig brass also, i have loaded for it many times we use 125 gr in it shoots awesome,and 125's speed it up a lil.

Hank08 · « **Reply #20 on:** August 29, 2009, 05:37:56 AM »

.303 British can be made from 30/40 brass but not .303 Savage. I had a .303 Sav. M99 with a rusted out barrel. Bought it in 1973 for $25, cut the chamber off a springfield 03a3 fitted and chambered it for 30/30 made a wonderful little rifle and was very accurate, have always regretted selling that one. The rotary magazines are caliber specific so that one rechambered to .300 Sav. would probably be a single shot. I've always thought that a 30/30 case sized in a .303 die would work but have never tried it.
H08

mcwoodduck · « **Reply #21 on:** September 02, 2009, 06:11:04 AM »

While the rotary mags my be caliber specific and I can see how a 300 Sav would not work for 308 as it my be too short. I think the 308 off spring rounds should all work if you needed parts.
I think the same would be true of the 303 Sav and the 30-30. Holding them side by side the only difference I can see is the neck and shoulder with the 303 having a shorter shoulder and a longer neck. This may be a problem with the feed lips comming out of the mag but nothing a few passes with a file could not fix to move the shoulder on the lips forward .1 inches or less.
Did you ever end up getting it?

ruby · « **Reply #22 on:** September 16, 2009, 04:27:39 PM »

The 303 savage is actually .308 diamater, the same as a 30-30. one of the old tricks was to run a 30-30 reamer in the chamber and it will fire both the 303 and 30-30 ammo they both head space on the rim and will work ok.