I have never owned a Savage 99.
I have almost bought one, [in 308 of course, the best calibre choice for me].

I have some experience with a buddies rifle, tht was his wifes hunting gun in 300 Savage.

Problem was, this rifle never seemed to hold a good zero from one week to the next. It seemed like every time I shot it for her, a few days later shw would miss a deer, and when I checked the zero it was off???

That rifle soured me on Savage 99's.

Now one day at a public range a fella diod have a 308 Savage 99 and he could not get it to shoot with the ammo he had.

I had some of my standard 308 reloads with the 165 Sierra HPBT Gameking, over 39.5gr of IMR 3031 and he let me shoot some of them in his 99. The group at 100 yards was under 1.5moa.
This was the best his gun had ever shot, and deer season was only a few days away, so he shot my loads till his rifle was properly zeroed for him, and I gave him 40 rounds to hunt with.

I almost bought a 99 after that, but for some reason did not...

So my question IS, for those of you, that have had a Savage 99 for several years, do they hold their zero over the years or are the "squirrely"???

Personally, I would only ever consider one in 308, as that is MY calibre, however there is nothing wrong with the 300 Savage, or for deer the 250/300, and I am a fan of the 358 Win.

I am not up on all the different model numbers, over the years, but the slimest, trimmest Mod 99,with the internal spool magazine,in a takedown in 308, would be my pick.

My 99F .358 Win. holds it's zero well and it's reasonably accurate as well.

That rifle has been my primary woods rifle for hunting in the forests of New England since 1966.

The gun writer John Barsness wrote in a forum that if the forend touches the 99's receiver in the wrong way it will affect the accuracy.

He wrote a book on tuning rifles.

They made over a million 99's. They are a great rifle. Look for one in any reasonable chambering. I prefer the ones with the tang safety.

I have three. An EG in .300 Savage with open sights only. It is very accurate, especially offhand. But again, it is open sight only.

The next is a TD in .22 HP and with the old Weaver 440 scope it has always shot the S&B ammo into small groups.

Lastly, I have a featherweight in .308 and will consistently shoot honest MOA groups.

It is my new pig gun.

I have an older .250-3000, and aside from the 1:14 twist not liking heavy bullets, it is very consistent. However, my brother brought his 99 in .300 Savage on our Namibia hunt in 2007 and the thing would not settle down. I wonder if some of these rifles have forend/pressure issues.

quote:

Originally posted by N E 450 No2:

I am not up on all the different model numbers, over the years, but the slimest, trimmest Mod 99,with the internal spool magazine,in a takedown in 308, would be my pick.

The .308 came after the factory quit producing takedowns. The post war F meets most of your expectations with the exception of being a takedown. I've never had the trouble of any of my 99s not keeping zero.

For the OP, the best quality and most accurate medium game 99 was the "pre mil" R or RS model in 300 Savage. There is nothing a 308 will do it will not and for accuracy you want a solid frame rifle. The R/RS in 300 has a 24" barrel and a man sized stock and foreend (it's not a pinweight)
I own/have owned may 1899s and 99s and my R using max loads of 37 gr of 4198 will push a 130 TSX at 3000 fps. That load will kill any medium game out to at least 300 and once I killed a crippled Pronghorn (3 legs) shot by some fool, at 400 paces. (good rest, no wind, a good estimate of holdover and a bit of luck). It will drop 3 into 1" or less and like all Barnes is a deadly killer.



top down, 2 Fs and an R all 300s.



an EG 300



an R in 250-3000 (accurate with light bullets and too heavy, but a valuable cult gun)



1899B in 303 on top, my "go to" R in 300 on bottom

EGs in 300 are probably the best value out there and I've never seen one that won't do 1.5 moa with good loads.

Once you own a 99 you'll see how overrated the Winchester 88 is/was.

Tip: if the lever's case color is excellent, give it a coat of best quality Spar varnish with UV blockers and keep it out of the sun.

I have no trouble with my 99 holding zero been shooting it for decades.

My brothers loss zero once because he didn't tighten the rings properly when he changed scopes.

I belive my dad put the frist scope on it the early 50's and it was in the 90's that my brother took off that old weaver. I remember many times we would shoot it before deer season but don't remember it ever need reajusting.

My thought would be a scope/mount problem not the 99. There are too many that shoot too well to think it would be the gun right away.

Excelent posts both. Scopes and/or mounting is usually the problem with a rifle changing zero.

The 99 is a bit sensitive to the fore end screw tension.

From a benchrest, most will shoot better when both the forearm and buttstock are held firmly.
Try to replicate the way you would hold it while hunting.

My 1930s .22HP Takedown and my 1950s .300 with Balvar scope and Stith mounts both group to 1.5" at 100 yards. I suspect the 'scope mount is the problem. Try the .300 - you will like it!

My brother bought a savage 99 in 303 Savage for 175.00 at a garage sale. I reload for it and have done the load development. The gun now does MOA accuracy at 100yds, very consistent.

I've been shooting the 99s since I was around 8 years old, maybe younger and that equates to a long damn time....I still have several of them..My present 99EG in 250-3000 has iron sights and held its zero for the last 50 or 60 years..My 99F .308 scoped with a 3X Leupold has held its zero for probably 5 years or more..That said I still always check them prior to hunting season with whatever load I am going to use and that sometimes requires a change.

I suggest that if a 99 won't hold a zero or isn't shooting up to snuff, then glass bed the forend and be sure to glass ther rear of the forend at the junction..Also run a bead of blass around the entire junction to metal of the butt stock...this will make most of Savage 99s shoot in the 1 to 1.5 or 2 inches at 100 yards and I have glassed probably a 100 or so over the years...

I love the 99, its a great saddle gun and the ultimate lever action IMO..

I had some problems with a 99M in a 308. I knew of Ahlman's in Morristown MN and happened to be working in St Paul. Slicked the trigger and re-crowned the barrel. Shoots MOA with 150 gr flat base bullets.

My 99 in .358 WCF was born in or around '72. It has never changed its zero since I bought it. She's reliable enough to get named after one of my long departed and most loved family members. Get one and enjoy. Like the old timer Frederick Sell I like the tang safety. Fast for left or right handers.

My 99 holds zero fine year after year. It's a .308. It groups around 1.5 Moa. Generally speaking, I'd guess that losing zero over time is a result of a bad scope or mounts. I have a Swedish Mauser that would shift zero just sitting in the safe, and the problem went away when I replaced the scope.

I am still owning nine Sav.99 rifles,after thinning them out a bit once the 284 W.and 358 W. prices blew out.. But the only one with extensive field use (by me) is a "F" in 284 ,still with me since the '70s..Never lost zero,despite extensive scabbard carry,including 2 trips to the Selway -Bitteroots..Nate

I still kick myself for not buying the 99 in 358Win when I had the chance. I was young and knew very little about lever action rifles and knew nothing at all about the 358Win. It was for sale at a local pawn shop and no one was interested in it as everyone was wanting a bolt action in 30-06 or other caliber. The 99 sat on the rack for quite awhile and I think it sold for around $100.00.
Now that I know more about them I have been on the look out for one that isn't out of my price range.

Have fun looking, I still do,Having sold my last one 3 yrs ago..plain jane rifle with the grooved forend,but about 95% condition, got $895..would buy it back,INSTANTLY,if I could..

Hard part is finding a 99 for sale. They do not become available very often--- I think only on death
I have been looking a long time for a 99 in .308 with a tang safety and internal magazine. Very hard to find in high condition.

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Hard part is finding a 99 for sale. They do not become available very often

Depends on the part of the country your in.

I know where one is right now chambered in 284Win. Had I not already have bought a new rifle I would have jumped all over it. This is the first one I have seen in 284Win.