What exactly do I have here...? 1927 99 .30-30 Takedown

[Charlie98]

I bought a Savage 99 from a friend of mine... 1928 (based on the 305xxx SN...) .30-30 takedown. I have read through the guides on identifying the version, but none of them apply directly to my rifle. Straight-grip stock, safety latch lever, tapped for top of receiver peep, cocked indicator, magazine counter. One of the oddities... it has a shotgun, or beavertail QD forearm... which I've not seen much of in other photos.

I'm thinking it's a 99B... but that is just a guess.

[Big Al1]

It doesn't look like a factory stock, the checkering pattern is wrong. And the rear sight doesn't look original, either. Probably a 99B, I have the same rifle but with a Stith scope mount and old Weaver 2.5x.
If it has a 22' barrel it's a 99D, 24-26' for the 99B.
Nice looking rifle!! Good find!!

[MrBojangles]

Under the screw in the receiver looks dished. I think it might have been buffed and reblued.

We need several photographs in natural lighting.

[Charlie98]

I appreciate everyone's time and input. Where my 99F is pretty cut and dried, this is sort of a mystery gun.


More photos...

King rear sight...



Under the forearm, and the latch.



...and the front profile.



Receiver...



...other side. Note the speckling on the edge near the SN. I can't tell with my untrained eye to see if that's been blued over, or if it's in the blue...



Stock checkering...






Last shooting session in NV... with my .308 99F, and the .30-30 on the right...

[Big Al1]

Thanks for more pics! Very good work on the stock. That's really a nice looking rifle and it shoots good, too. Measure the barrel length from the bolt face to the muzzle.

[Charlie98]

Thanks for more pics! Very good work on the stock. That's really a nice looking rifle and it shoots good, too. Measure the barrel length from the bolt face to the muzzle.

24", then... 99B it is. :)

I've looked at a LOT of 99 pictures, the only time I see wood like that is on special order rifles and such... most of the pre-war 99's (straight lever...) are quite plain, with no checkering. I've seen pics of a few with wider forearms, but none have the profile of mine.

I would guess the King rear sight is aftermarket. For one thing, the elevation adjustment won't work because it butts into the receiver.

It does need .310" cast bullets... accuracy goes completely out the window with .309"s. I've never shot it with jacketed.

[Charlie98]

If it has a 22' barrel it's a 99D, 24-26' for the 99B.

Measured from where to where? The dismounted barrel, or from the front of the receiver?

I think it might have been buffed and reblued.

The guy I bought it from said it had been reblued, yes. Whoever did it did a nice job... I couldn't tell, besides the fact that the bluing looks so good for a nearly 100 year old rifle.