250 sav

 

My vote would be for the .300 Savage. While they are available in .308 Winchester, I have heard from more than one gunsmith that the 99 action may "give" a bit when subjected to higher pressures of the .308, resulting in excessive headspace.

As for factors for a shooter, if the action feels good and the bore is in decent shape, everything else is just cosmetic. If you have a chance to shoot it before buying, do it.

 

probably going get a range of answers on which caliber. I too go 300 sav. Bore and crown is what I would be looking at, same as any rifle. I buy to shoot. I took a 99 to work today. (308w) only cause its scoped. had a big yote cross a corn field. The never stop moving, clever animal.
One 99 will lead to many more.

 

.308 is a favorite of mine:
- 125 grain Sierra for coyotes and such
- 150 grain Sierra for long distance antelope
- 180 grain Remington core-lokt round nose for all other big game animals

TR

 

For me, I have a Savage 99 in .300 Savage.
I would suggest getting a Savage 99 in .300 Savage. The .300 Savage round is as powerful as a .30-40 Krag, or a little more.
That is one cartridge where if you have an opening that stretches 200 yds, then it is more than ample and flat enough shooting, and hit whatever is that is that far away. It works really well up close and personal as well. It's easy to shoot, and highly lethal to receive. It's not flashy, or super fast, but it gets the job done with plenty of energy to spare. With the new powders available, such as Superformance, you can get the velocities up a little more, too, if need be. It treads really close to the .308!
You can use a 125 gr Nosler Ballistic Tip for Coyotes, and small deer.
Use 150 gr Nosler Ballistic Tips, or Hornady 150 Spire Point for deer.
Use 180 gr Nosler Ballistic Tips, or Hornady 180 gr Spire Point BT.
The great thing about the Savage 99, you can use pointed bullets in every load, because of the rotary magazine.
Well....them's my 2 cents worth


Hawk

Sent from my motorola one using Tapatalk

 

If you are buying used it will be what is available and what you want. But if you go with a .30 caliber T.R.'s advice is right on target. I personally like the .300 Savage and the cited bullets are perfect and show versatility. It fits with the Savage '99 for the obvious reasons. I took a lot of deer with the .300 Savage and love it. Hawkeyesatx says it best.

 

I would say either a .308 Win or a .250 Savage. Mainly because those are the only two that I have, and I can't be wrong because I am on the internet.

 

i own nine model 99 Savage rifles....i know but i had several and inherited
more when my dad passed away.
i own two in 308...one is a featherweight.
it is one fine rifle and i like it alot.
all things considered, i don't honestly believe, for most hunting situations
that a man would call average, that there is that much difference in a 308
and a 300 Savage.
i have taken plenty of deer and hogs with both...even out to 250 yards.
i also own a Rem model 722 in 300 Savage, and i dropped a 150 class
buck with a 20" spread with that rifle a couple years ago...and i'd bet the farm
it was past 250 yards.
i don't think the deer knew what hit him and he was just as dead as he'd been
if i was shooting a 308
i've owned a 250 Savage twice, but don't currently have one.
the round is fine and i can't talk bad about it.
I'm also A huge 257 Roberts fan and the two are pretty close ballistically.
I could take up a page telling stories of what all i've taken with that round.
My advice would be look for a 300, because it will be easier to find and
a bit cheaper than a 308 or a 250.

i'd ad this as a testiment to how durable and well made the model 99 is...
i have a TD model made in 1922 in 300...
it was D/T so i put a 1-4X Weaver on it.
It's the most accurate 300 i own.

 

A 250-3000 is a great round although some have issues with the rifling twist and stability of certain weight bullets. The 300 is the flagship caliber and the easiest to find and the 303 is very similar to the 30 30. If you really feel lucky, find a 358. I would love to have at least one of each.

 

the 300 savage is just about the same ballistics as the 308mx so if you don't have a 308mx, 300 savage is very versatile. the 358 win will clobber those hogs right good. but bottom line red ink blank ink stuff the 99's in 300 savage and 308 win seem to be relatively easy to find and lower in cost than a 250 or 358

 

I do have a 99 circa 1950 in 300 one fine rifle and cal.

 

I'd have to go with the classic 300 Savage also

 

Always felt the 250 Sav (this was an Ackley Improved version) was beginning to run out of steam over 200 yds, where the 308 Win (300 Sav) can still be very potent.

 

I felt the same way on the little .250 Savage as a under 200 yard gun until I took a LOOONGG poke at at doe at 342 lazered yard and she died....quickly. WHO KNEW!

 

300 savage

 

A couple thoughts for you.

1. With whitetail, varmints and pigs in the mix, I'm thinking you will likely want to be able to put a scope on it for varmints. From a collecting aspect, most of the models were not factory drilled and tapped for a scope until the 1950s, and 99s drilled and tapped after they left the factory are no longer original, and not as collectible. There is a special scope mount available made by a fellow in CA called a Lightfoot mount that uses the rear tang taps and the rear sight dovetail that can be used to put a scope on an original, non-D&T'd 1899 or 99.

2. Do you reload? If not, as much as I like the 300 Savage, commercial 300 Savage ammo is limited to 150 and 180 grain ammo. Not sure you would be ok with that for varmint hunting (if you are ok, then 300 Savage would be on top of my list). A 99 in .308 would offer many variations of commercial ammo.

3. Do you shoot left handed? If you do , the 99s moved to a top-tang safety in 1960 that would be better for a lefty than the lever-safety version on the 99s made prior to 1960.

4. If it were me, I'd look for a .300 Savage made in the 50s that is drilled and tapped for a scope; I can reload various bullets. If I did not reload, and needed bullet selection for deer, pigs, and varmints, I'd look for a 308. You would be looking for a Model 99EG, 99F or a 99R (pics in order below).The 99R is bit heavier, but seems to be one of the most accurate 99 models. The 99F is a featherweight, and one of my favorite models for hunting with a 22" barrel (the EG and R are 24"). A 99EG in 300 Savage would be easy to find ... there are lots of them out there. If you went the .308 route, I'd be looking for 99F.

The 99s made from 1960 on are not as collectable, but they are still nice rifles, and there a couple more models (a baseline model 99E, a saddle gun model 99A, 99F, 99DL, 99C and 99CD (the last two have detachable magazines).

Some models were even offered in .358 Win, .284 Win and 7mm-08, but they are very collectable, hard to find, and pricey when you do find them.

 

Don't forget that the Savage 99 was also made in 22-250 if varmints are your main target. I like my 358 because I can load .357 handgun bullets for close up pest control.

 

On the bottom of this pic is my Savage 99 F in .300 Savage. She's my baby!
The middle one is my Remlin Marlin 444.
The top one is my Remlin Marlin 336W in .30-30.
Needless to say, I am biased when it comes to Savage 99's and the .300 Savage cartridge.

Hawk

Sent from my motorola one using Tapatalk

 

Hawkeye, nice rifles. Your Savage is a model 99EG. I show a 99R, 99EG and 99F in the pics I posted above.

 

I sure like my '66 vintage, .243 99F. It isn't much to look at, but it's a sweet shooter, and recoils like a .22 magnum compared to most of my deer rifles.

 

Lots of good information from keithNyst.

I currently own 15 savage 99s ranging from 22 Hi-Power to 358 Win. Based on the parameters in your question, I recommend a rifle drilled and tapped in 300 Savage. As Keith indicated, there is not a wide selection of bullet weights in factory ammo but 300 savage ammo is generally available. The 300 Savage is certainly up to the task, is a Savage cartridge and produces less recoil than the 308.

Here are my 99s. My latest acquisition, a 75 year Anniversary model in 308 is not in this photo. The savage 99 is an elegant design that was ahead of its time. After buying your first you will, no doubt, want more. :biggrin: - T.S.

 

Good Lord! ... just look at that!
Suppose I need to add something about the 99's.......
Well, they are less than hen's "teef" over here, but I wouldn't mind having one in .308.
:creep::elefant::creep:

 

Holy Cats! If only I could like these posts more than once... great, useful information.

For the deer, pigs and coyotes 300 Savage is the clear first choice so far.

There was only 1 mention of .22 HP... I'm curious: what does the jury say about that cartridge for varmints, or general shooting fun?

 

Neat cartridge. I don’t have one, but know it is hard to find bullets to reload it (.228”). There is a fellow on gb that sells cast bullets for it. A 250-3000 would work well in that niche. Pre-1960 they had a sloe 1:14 twist barrel, so need to use short bullet for stablization accuracy. Speer 87 grain hot cor work real well. I can shoot 1” 100 yards groups with one of mine with muzzle just over 3000fps. Savage reintroduced the cartridge in the Model 99A saddle gun (I think it was 1971) with a faster twist barrel that will handle the 100-120 grain bullets just fine.

 

300 sav. is the consensus based on the posts I read.

 

all around from deer to varmints? 250-3000 would be my choice,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

Probably the easiest Mod 99s to find would be the ones chambered for 300 Savage. Great caliber that can do everything the 308 Win can do--not that much difference ballistically between them. I probably have used my 358 Win Mod 99C the most the past few years (its a rebored 308 Win)---had a couple bears hanging around my hunting area in 2017/2018. A 300 Savage or 308 Win can dispatch a black bear but I have had two show up at the same time IVO my tree stand. That 358 Win is a real stomper and gave me some piece of mind.........

1927 99H 30-30

1967 99E 300 Savage

1979 99C 358 Win

1977 99E 308 Win

 

Ill throw in another vote for 300. I personally have a couple other favorites, but the fact that you see so many 300s compared to the other calibers is enough evidence.

I wonder if .30-30 would have been more popular - if - it had not been available in so many other handy rifles.

The 99 is really for us lever lovers that are in bolt gun denial.

 

Ill throw in another vote for 300. I personally have a couple other favorites, but the fact that you see so many 300s compared to the other calibers is enough evidence.

I wonder if .30-30 would have been more popular - if - it had not been available in so many other handy rifles.

The 99 is really for us lever lovers that are in bolt gun denial.

Yeahup ... I like the Sako Finnwolf too, but .... :joyman:
Please explain the "H" ; the "E" and the "C" etc. to me ... it sounds like that song from The Sound of Music to me.
:elefant::vollkommenauf::elefant:

 

Nice thread, I keep waffling on buying one in 300 savage. I see them at the local gun shows all the time. One vendor "specializes" in the savages. I keep waiting of a 308 but have not seen one, now I hear the have a 358 win so i guess i will keep waffling till I find those hens teethe.

Maybe Jay will sell me his.................................:smokin: