The 300 Savage is the most available and affordable choice. Its darn accurate, the 300's here all group well under an inch with reloads, and get to within 150 fps of a 308. What is below is a previous post. 358, 284 and 7mm-08 all command huge premiums in the used markets, costing to two to three times as much as a 300. A 99F is a true featherweight, the ones here all weigh in at 6 1/4 pounds with a 22 inch barrel. The 99 EG doesn't have the butt hollowed out and the 24 inch barrel is not lightened, they are about 7 1/4lb, the 99R is the same barrel but a heavier stock set. The 303 Savage is usually found in the older models, which is not anything I know about, but still want one.
I have a preference for the the Chicopee rifles made in the 1950's before the move to Westfield (1959/1960 and switch from lever safety to tang safety). These are the pre 1,000,000 rifles with the safety on the lever. The lever safety, allows for a extra low scope mount. With the tang safety I use a peep peep sight.. However, it is still very useable with a scope like a Redfield Wide view in low rings, or a regular scope in medium rings. 308 are common in the lever safety style, 243 a bit rare. My Chicopee rifles are all 99Fs in 300 Savage, which generally can be had for about $75.00 less than a 308, or $150 than a 243 in the same condition. They are 100% reliable, grouping is at about .8 inch at 100yd. Prefer the 99F (feather weight, slim 22 inch barrel, stock hollowed out) as a carry rifle because they weigh about 6lb 3 oz, which about 1lb. less than an EG (24 inch barrel). The 99F carriers about a $75.00 premium over an EG. An R should price out the same as an EG, but an RS (RS=rifle with factory peep sights) with factory peep sight (lyman early, redfield late production) and swivels about a $150 premium. The R-RS is a heavier rifle than an EG, with the same 24 inch moderate taper barrel and heavier, almost beaver tail stocks, and is considered the target rifle of the group.
The 99A is the saddle carbine of the group, without pistol grip, and has a light 20 inch barrel. The same caliber price differences apply. I have one in 308, but prefer the pistol grip models.
Those 99E (economy model, no round counter, plainer wood, lever safety) with a light 20 inch barrel, are very much in demand for those seeking a handy pistol grip carbine (want one), this rifle is very common in 308, kinda rare in 243. I have a 308 99C (detachable magazine feed Westfield late production), with blued lever, that groups a 1.0 inches at 100yd. Not a thing wrong with a 99C as a hunting rifle, thou purist prefer the early lever safety rotary magazine rifles. The 300 Savage is a very capable and available round, being on par with the 308MX and almost a 308.
The rifles here rifles have factory triggers with no, or little creep and break at 3.5 to 4 lbs.
The rifles made in Spain, where Savage's last effort to keep the 99 alive. The model made their was a version of the 99C. Many 99C were US made in the 70's and 80's. Only the last few years of production were out of Spain, don't know the serial numbers or codes on those for sure, but think the serial numbers start with an L.
Guns made prior to 1956 have Savage Model 99 marked on top of receiver, and were not factory drilled and tapped. Later, the marking was moved to the receiver side, and the tops were tapped. In this way, 99 are like 336 waffle tops, undrilled is desirable, and required for a collectors piece, and prices paid should reflect this deduction. Again like the early 336, the stocks did not come equipped with factory swivels, except for the RS model. 99s made in the 70's, 80's and 90's usually have sling swivels from the factory.
