Model 1899 in .38-55 and .32-40

[MrBojangles]

How many different calibers was this rifle produced in?

Edit: I since found a table on the internet explaining this.

[Big Al1]

I have six different ones and still not close to having them all!! :p

[J.Baker]

Just going off memory here, so feel free to add anything I've missed.

.22 Savage Hi-Power
.25-35 Win. (VERY RARE)
.22-250 Rem (VERY RARE)
.243 Win.
.250-3000 Savage
7mm-08 Rem (VERY RARE)
.284 Win (Fairly Rare)
.30-30 Win.
.300 Savage
.303 Savage
.308 Win.
.32-40 Win. (VERY RARE)
.358 Win. (VERY RARE)
.38-55 Win. (VERY RARE)
.375 Winchester (Fairly Rare)

[Big Al1]

LOVE your avatar!!

[MrBojangles]

Are photographs available with the various caliber markings? To better verify legitimacy?

I don’t know if Savage 1899s are monkeyed with much, as seems to be the case with Winchesters and Colts?

[CalhounRR]

Best source for pictures would be to get a copy of David Royal's book.

But really, if in doubt, just google up others of the same cartridge. Googling "Savage 1899 32-40" and look at images and I find this pretty quick.

https://www.merzantiques.com/product/lm19-beautiful-factory-engraved-model-99-savage-takedown-rifle/
https://www.merzantiques.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/LM19-14-1024x576.jpg

[MrBojangles]

I did manage to acquire a Model 1899 in .32-40 over the weekend, with a tang sight.

Is it worth it to get a factory letter?

These are nice rifles, a competitor to Winchester “back in the day”, and so much more affordable than a Winchester today.

[Big Al1]

Nice score!! Very rare chambering and hard to find. Discontinued in about 1917 along with the .25-35 and 38-55! Brass and ammo is hard/darn near impossible to find. You can reform .30-30 brass, they work fine just wind up a little short. .38-55 cases are a pita to reform, a lot of the cases wrinkle and/or split when fired!

[MrBojangles]

Nice score!! Very rare chambering and hard to find. Discontinued in about 1917 along with the .25-35 and 38-55! Brass and ammo is hard/darn near impossible to find. You can reform .30-30 brass, they work fine just wind up a little short. .38-55 cases are a pita to reform, a lot of the cases wrinkle and/or split when fired!

So how many do you think they made in .32-40 originally?

I actually bought it because I HAVE rounds I had loaded for a Winchester 1894 carbine I since have sold. It was frustrating for me as I bought that carbine from a dealer I trust sight unseen and immediately recognized the wood was refinished. And then despite several different bullet weights and loads/powders, there was ZERO accuracy. I was able to offload that dud for $100 more than I paid for it. I bought this Savage 1899 short rifle (which is cool) for less than I had into the Winchester plus it’s in much better condition and comes with a tang sight as well. That alone is $150 to possibly $250 these days.

[Big Al1]

Hope this one shoots for you! Have an 1894 in .32-40 that is driving me nuts trying to get it to shoot! IMHO Marlins and Savages are much better rifles!! I just got an early 99 take down in .250-3000, and it came with a Marbles tang sight! I put tangs sights on most of my lever guns, better for old eyes that the old buck horns!!

Hard to tell how many were made in .32-40. I'll research it a bit!!

[MrBojangles]

Where can you find this data? Also for .38-55? I don’t have one in .38-55, but that’s a goal.

[Big Al1]

I looked in several of my books but no luck finding total built, closest I could come was "not many"!! I have a .38-55 and a 25-35, no luck so far finding a .32-40. I found the .38-55 TD in Superior Wis. Got it for $400!! Shop owner said he couldn't sell guns if you can't buy the ammo at Walmart!! Good for me! :cool:

[MrBojangles]

I looked in several of my books but no luck finding total built, closest I could come was "not many"!! I have a .38-55 and a 25-35, no luck so far finding a .32-40. I found the .38-55 TD in Superior Wis. Got it for $400!! Shop owner said he couldn't sell guns if you can't buy the ammo at Walmart!! Good for me! :cool:

My guess is the .32-40 is less common than the .38-55. But I don’t have the latter.

My source: https://milestoneauctions.hibid.com/catalog/401596/premier-collectable-firearms-sale-day-1/?q=Savage+rare+short

[Big Al1]

Of the three, I'd say it's the least common!

[Model24]

I just came from the gun show in Cottonwood, AZ where a dealer had an 1899 in 38-55 with the half-octagon barrel. It was in excellent shape and appeared to be all-original and unmodified. He was asking $2700, and didn’t really want to sell it. He graciously allowed me to fondle it. It will be available tomorrow if you want to buy a plane ticket.

[CalhounRR]

There's no firm numbers for how many were sold in various cartridges. Somebody would have to go through 15 years of factory ledgers for 150,000 guns to count them up.

I think the early cartridges (pre-WWI) go something like in this order of commonality:
303 Savage
30-30
250-3000
22HP
25-35
32-40
38-55

Just my take having watched sales for 15 years. Others think the 32-40 and 38-55 should be reversed.
Bit funny the 250-3000 being way up there since it was only sold for 3 of the pre-WWI years, but they show up for sale often enough.

[MrBojangles]

From David Royal, author of A Collector’s Guide to the Savage 99 Rifle and its Predecessors, the Model 1895 and 1899

”We don't have a total figure on the Winchester calibers. There appear to be fewer 32-40's than 38-55's or 25-35's. That's the best we can come up with.”

[CalhounRR]

And yet the 38-55 was by far the hardest one for me to find, had a couple 32-40's and 25-35's before my first 38-55. Never taking a 38-55 to display at Tulsa again, either.. "You sure you won't sell that? Come on, name a price.". Dang vultures. :p