I have the opportunity to get a Savage 99 in .308 Win. The price listed is $500 USD. Barrel is marked Chicope Falls, NY and the receiver is drilled & tapped for scope mounts (appears factory - screws are still in the holes). There is some finish wear on the receiver & lever (minimal case hardening is left), and the stock has been re-finished (it does look nice though). There was a crack in the buttstock that was addressed in the refinish (it's hard to see, but it's there - about a half-inch long) where it attaches to the receiver (which I understand is common). The safety is the lever safety, not the tang. Doesn't appear to be any signs of rust.

So, is this a reasonable price? I'm looking for a shooter, not a collection piece, and have no experience with Savage 99's. Is there anything I should watch for on a rifle of this vintage?

Thanks.

by picking the 308 you are getting a shooter.
if everything is tight,it will be a good rifle.
500......ehhh that's not good or bad really.
a bit high for a refinished rifle though.

Always wanted a 99 in .308, an A version with tang safety. The lever safety is easier to find. Being refinished with a crack --- that does not sound like a bargain, but the 99 generally does bring a pretty good $$. $500 does not sound too much out of line if you like the gun.

With the cracked stock, refinished, etc. I'd say the price is a bit high. I'd like it better if it was about $400. If the seller will let you shoot it, it might change the scenario. I have a .308 just like the one you described which would shoot less than 1/2 inch 3 shot groups with Norma ammo. It has killed a lot of pigs and deer but the stock cracked at the tang and while it still shoots well, it doesn't shoot 1/2 inch anymore.....of course I also ran out of the Norma ammo I had a bunch of I bought on a close out sale years before.

I like 99s and own quite a few of them.

Well, a went ahead and picked up the rifle yesterday. In looking it over more closely, I can't tell what model # it is (A, E, F, etc.). It doesn't say anything on the barrel or receiver. Any suggestions on how to tell?

Thanks

Probably and F or E model. They started the tang safeties for Fs in 1960. Sometimes the model is stamped on barrel under foreend. Check the year letter in front of lever. Serial number would be helpful. Since it is a lever safety and the .308 didn't come out until 1955, it is fairly safe to assume it was made 1955 to 1960.

Barrel should read "Chicopee Falls, Mass". They moved there from Utica NY in 1947.

Serial number is 9671xx. The lettering on the barrel boss is very hard to read - it almost looks like there's two letters. One looks like a 6 or a G, but the other looks like a K, so not sure what to make of it (55 or 59). Dad thought the other was a D, so I don't know. Barrel is stamped Chicopee Falls, Mass. My wife took a pic of the boss code to blow it up for reading, so I'll try and have her offload it and post.

Not sure how to remove the forend on the rifle, and not sure I want to attempt it.

It is drilled & tapped, but not sure if it's original or aftermarket tapping (the previous owner said he got it with see-through scope mounts and yanked them off). If a guy with bad eyes were to mount a scope, what bases & rings (and what height rings) would be best. The rear sight does fold down.

I'd keep it simple and use weaver bases and STEEL rings that will work with the bases. You may have to use medium or even high rings depending on what scope and it's objective size you choose. In general, the lower the better for rings.

Your serial number is likely made about 1955/56 (don't have list in front of me, but found one with couple hundred thousand higher made in 58). If the letter INSIDE the oval is "G" then that is 1955. I'm not an expert on Savages, just own a few of them. If you're really interested get Murray's book.