A couple of years ago Lon Paul/Tanglewood Guns and I made a trade and I ended up with 99 Savage in 300 Savage. Lon had redone the original stock and it looked real nice and shot pretty good also. I liked it well enough to take it to Africa where I killed a springbok at 310 yards with it and really fell in love. The only thing was the butt stock being set up for open sights as it was a 50's vintage gun didn't fit me very well with the low comb and short LOP. I called Lon and asked him how I was going to replace the butt stock but keep the cost down. The above is the result. It fits me like a glove and even with my poor photographic skills I think you can see the quality of the wood and workmanship. I'm just tickled as you might imagine.

Mark

A fine fine piece of walnut. Nice work Lon!

This surprised the heck out of me as this really was supposed to be a utilitarian restock. That butt stock is one of 3 factory designs offered as a mostly finished stock. The thing has a holographic effect on the right side of the stock as you move it in the light. Lon said it came out really nice. What an understatement. The ebony pistol grip cap was a nice touch too that I had not asked for.

Mark

Wait until Ray sees this ...

Mark, One of Lon's greatest talents is his ability to take a halfway decent factory stock and modify it into a work of art. He used to do wonderful on old BRNO 602's.
Like most talented makers he prefers starting from a blank of his choosing but if he accepts a job the results are always amazing.

A few years ago I gave him a little Savage 99 carbine in 30-30 that I had paid $100 for at a local gunshow. And it was a $100 rifle as the owner, who was a shade tree auto mechanic, had deeply scratched his SS# on the receiver and told me how he had read about "oil finishing" gun stocks had soaked the wood in used crankcase oil for what looked like a month!
Lon probably used the stock as firestarter but after refinishing the metal and building a stock from scratch it is a beauty !

Phil,

I heard the story about the 30-30. I've never seen anything that Lon put his hands on that wasn't artfully done. He's redoing my old 458 Mark X as a 416 Taylor. I expect it to be utilitarian but nicely tweaked.

Mark

Wow!

Not exactly my cup of tea, as I prefer a straight stock on a lever gun. But that is a beautifully figured piece of wood, and I would make an exception for that one in a NY minute!

Mark, did I understand you to say that this stock is a factory piece of wood and not made from scratch?

Mike,

That exactly right. This comes as shaped and inletted. There were 3 styles to choose from. One was basically the original low comb model, the one you see in the pix and a hideous in my mind monte carlo. I don't know who Lon got the wood from but I'm sure he could hook you up. If I remember you have a 99 in 308 that likes 165 gr bullets.

Mark

Man, I am tempted. Only trouble is, with that pretty a stock, I'd need engraving, too!

And the '99 has some slab sides on it!

You are 100% right about mine, by the way. Good memory!

My .308, with brass-spooled rotary magazine, cartridge counter and tang safety, will put 165 grain bullets into smaller groups than many bolt actions can achieve.

I love that you took yours to Africa.

Me, too, someday, the fates be willing.

With a big bore in the hands of a tracker, of course, just in case!

Mike,

Lon can do something graceful but not gawdy on the receiver. As for taking the 300 Savage to Africa the ballistics are there for most PG and it shoots the 150 Hornady at 2750 FPS making it work handily on most anything at reasonable ranges.

Mark

Nice rifle Mark! I have a Savage 99 in 300 Savage as well. Was my grandfather's.

Sharp looking 99!