For several years I have had a 99E (early 1900s gun) and it shoots under 2 inches with all bullets, mostly a 1.5" at 100 yard gun..I have shot deer and elk with it.

I recently found a real nice Sav. 99G takedown, (1932) got a good deal and bought it for a resell...Took it out and sighted in with a 3X Leupold, and it cut one hole about the size of a nickel with WW factory ammo..It did the same with a number of my handloads in different weights..It has a 1x14 twist btw.

The ultimate test was I shot a WW 87, a WW 100, a Rem 87, a Rem 100, a 100 gr. ballistic tip over 39.9 grs of H414. I framed the target. photographed with the gun.. You could make the group totally disappear with a postage stamp and it shoots everything to the same POI..

Guess its time to sell my nice old 99E..The takedown has found a permanent home. The more I shoot it the more impressed I get, maybe a bench rest match!!

It's always nice to find a rifle that shouldn't shoot well that shoots great. Have had it happen several times. I call such accurate gems "keepers".
Good to hear such refreshing results.

I am now shooting 117 110 and 120 gr. bullets in it and all within the fabled one inch..It will never leave my hands short of death when my grand son will prior my fingers from it grip and holler whoopee as he skips away with his newly acquired tack driver..If he would just quit slobbering on it!

Add to that the new Nosler reloading book states in bold black print that none of their bullets will work in the old Savages with the 1x14 twist in the 250-3000, Yes I said bold print. Its funny in the world of gundome how one quasi expert can make such a statement and all the holders of smoke poles follow his teachings like a bunch of sheep to slaughter!

I guess you hit the 99 Savage lottery, as all my 250's will put anything longer than a 100 grain core loct in the target sideways.

I also have a 99G in 250. You must have some strong juju to get it to shoot anything over 100 grains. Mine certainly won't. Been thinking of taking a pipe wrench to the barrel to give it a little more twist.

All my old 99s will shoot 100 gr. bullets as long as they are not boattails and Bal. tips or X bullets..

Try the Speer 100 gr flat base JUJU with a max load of H414..

Another hint with a 99 that's not shooting is to glass bed the forend tight to center of the bore profile then run a thin bead of glass around the junction of the butt stock, that really makes them shoot as a rule.

Ray. Send the rifle to me. That way the grand will not rust it to death. I only offer this sacrifice as you have been so helpful to me over the years. Thanks again. Your thoughtful friend, Packy.

Packrat,
Done deal, its in my will buried out in the yard so nobody steals it..I left instructions to send it to ya, problem is I cant remember where I buried it and lost the instructions, but I'm sure I'll remember as I mature! Anything for a friend.

its nice to see folks that like the savage lever model 99..I also was raised on them and 300 sav.Dad used them in depression ..

in the 250-3000 i like 87 gr Speer bullet over 100 gr speer..I believe my barrel is 1-10 twist.

I load 32/33 grs of #3031 with 87 grain SPEER .I found out long ago for me that 250-3000 would not shoot the SPIRE point bullets well..
They really like the Speer/Sierra BULLETS ..#3031 powder was best ..i seat bullets out to 2.510 with speer 87 gr and no land marks and it still functions good in magazine...

in depression dad said the 87 gr bullet knocked the deer down more than the 100 gr.he said it was like deer exploded.I see that also I shoot behind shoulder down they go with insides all blew apart..

it is my best gun for deer and i have many....Nice seeing some here have sav 99 rifles I will be chatting with ya.53 years using one and dad used it way before than into 1915 area on deer..we shot a LOT of deer with 250 and 300 sav to know what works..

I began my hunting career with a 25-35 Win carbine, shot a truckload of deer, 5 or 6 elk, and one big bear with it. It worked but we found out it was illegal in Colorado, so went to the 250-3000 and it was a better option without a doubt, although the 25-35 never failed me. Today I shoot my yearly elk with a .338 Win. but todays elk are a different breed of cat, smarter and scareder!

One thing Ive found with most of my 99s in 250 with a 1x14 twist, is they will not shoot 117 or 120 gr. spritzer, only the roundnose..and some just won't shoot any 117 or heavier bullets, so figure some will shoot 100 gr. flat base spritzers, some will shoot any flat base round nose bullets, many will not..but if your a 250 mod. 99 fan, you sure owe it to yourself to find out, few ever know what their 99 will do because its not supposed to according to the experts..Don't belive it, every rifle is an inity unto itself..

quote:

Originally posted by gregintenn:
I guess you hit the 99 Savage lottery, as all my 250's will put anything longer than a 100 grain core loct in the target sideways.

Mine also but I just found out mine is 1-14 twist not 1-10 I was told years ago..NOW IDEA WHY..But I did not try different powders etc we only used #3031 in 250 sav .....Another powder that shot well was the #4064 in 250 sav...

Spire point bullets over 100 gr never would shoot out of my 250-3000 model s They were terrible and most said use speer/sierra bullets .Speer 87 gr are touching each other at 100 yards from years ago like 1970s I am just getting back to reloading.
Thanks for advice on here its great..

My area of the model 99 is what worked BEST on deer here in pa with 250/300 sav ..hundereds of deer shot with both and what bullets worked and what did not..

My old savage takedown model 99 would not shoot anything I tried in it .It was an old kangaroo rifle from Australia.It was awesome looking but unsold it to a collector .I.always wanted one but a rifle that is not accurate won't stay with me long !

Try another model 99..250-3000 shoots great and my 300 sav also....I reload but they all shot fine with remington shells factory...

If you stick one of those 87 gr. Rem or WW bullets in a deers rib cage, 99 times out of a 100 its four feet sticking up in the grass. I remember my dad killing a couple of elk and noticed the box of ammo he had was 87 gr. Rem in both cases..Hell he didn't know the difference in one bullet from another, but they ALL worked for him. He never shot much passed 75 to a 100 yards on anything..He figured if he could hit a oil can at 100 yards most of the time but seldom at 200 he just needed to get close as he could. Ive known a lot of folks that could use some of that wisdom..