Deer Hunting Forums banner

300 Savage

24K views 31 replies 12 participants last post by  gatodoc 
#1 ·
Something to talk about. One of my pet favorite rifles is my Savage 99 in 300 savage. I have a 1951 EG model and it shoots with anything out there for accuracy. This is a great eastern deer cartrige and when shooting a 150 gr bullet goes out at 2650 fps with very mild recoil. I would call the 300 a classic now but it kill with authority, trust me on that one. Remington put the 300 sav in their classic rifle line up. I just didn't get one. :wallbash: I have now added a 250-3000 sav EG 99 to the vault and hope to one day see how it hammers a deer. It's a 1948/49? with great wood.
 
#3 · (Edited)
One of the best all-around rifles of all time. I have a 99 in .308 and have shot it for many years. One of my friends is the CEO of Savage and he tried to buy my gun a few years ago. I think he knew something I didn't. I wonder why no other companies ever copied the rotary magazine? One of the most accurate rifles I own.

 
#5 · (Edited)
99 savage

My son-in-law inherited an old model 99 in 250-3000.It was in rough shape.We got it sighted in and on his first deer season,he killed a very nice 6 point with it.After that,the accuracy went to heck.Its from the 1920's and is just a wallhanger now.One thing we learned,due to the rate of twist,that old rifle was only accurate with an 87 grain bullet.Anything heavier would not stabilize.
 
#13 ·
My son-in-law inherited an old model 99 in 250-3000.It was in rough shape.We got it sighted in and on his first deer season,he killed a very nice 6 point with it.After that,the accuracy went to heck.Its from the 1920's and is just a wallhanger now.One thing we learned,due to the rate of twist,that old rifle was only accurate with an 87 grain bullet.Anything heavier would not stabilize.
Our research revealed that at some point Savage changed the rate of twist to handle heavier bullets.The purpose of the 87 grain bullet apparently was to allow the 99 to be the first rifle to achieve 3000 fps.Thus the designation 250-3000.
 
#6 ·
I inherited a couple of 99's. I've killed a couple deer with the 60's vintage 308. I love it. This year in the late season I plan to use the 1939 300 Savage on a couple of antlerless deer. It's a takedown model and I don't have any plans to mount a scope. Just plan to use it occasionally then pass it down to my kids. My daughter has a Marlin lever action in 30-30 that I passed down to her. She's killed a lot of deer with that gun including a nice whitetail 2 years ago and a 6x6 mule deer this year. I want to post pictures when I figure out how. Love those lever actions! Marty
 
#7 ·
I purchased some custom loaded bullets for the 250-3000 using Nosler BT 100 and 115 gr bullets, and Rem factory 100 gr all shot very well averaging 1.5" at 100 yds. I didn't have time to dial in any of these just was first range time and was pretty pleased. That 115 gr Nosler should wreck havoc with PA whitetails if I ever decide to rifle hunt there again.
 
#8 ·
Scribe it would take big money to get my 250-3000. I put a 4x12 Pentax on it as it could be a great varmit combo. I agree the 99's are one of the very best designed/built rifles ever! They still command stiff prices for clean ones in standard cal. Go the limited models or like the 284 cal ones and dust off the wallet. Anyone thinking of adding a 99 to your collection, you would not regret it. Do your homework and be patient.
 
#9 ·
It would be smart to build the Savage 99 lever again

I read the line from scribe above `One of my friends is the CEO of Savage' and have to wonder, did you ask him when are they going to retool for it? With modern milling systems what once was to cost prohibitive is now not a big deal. The labor costs were the issue before, today the computer will do whatever you ask once it is programmed. The Model 70 Winchester pre 64 classic would not have come back without modern milling. I personally think that shooters would buy a modern version of the Savage 99. Savage needs to not worry about keeping the price of it down, just make it something that is worth spending a premium price on. Same idea that Ruger uses with the Ruger Number 1, it isn't cheap but it is worth the price.

Karl
 
#10 ·
No question some of us would buy a new 99 Karl. We have the history to believe in them. The younger generation would have to be convinced of it's quality in-order to survive today. With today's modern tooling I can only imagine a 2012 Savage 99 in 284 cal with fancy walnut to boot. I'm drooling right now. I would look into the vault to discard a few just to purchase a new model 99. Maybe DHC might be the place to start to pressure someone to look at such a dream rifle!!! :wink: Scribe should have the inside tract. :whistling:
 
#11 ·
Savage 99's caliber a tough decision, but a fun one...

I would bet that if they again offered the Savage 99 it would first come out in 300 Savage. Not that there is anything wrong with that caliber but today the .308 Winchester would be easier to sell to the current market. I would buy one in 308 Win if it was offered for under 1000.xx dollars. The key point is that quality is worth paying for.

Karl
 
#12 ·
I'm thinking the 308 would bring in more of today's shooters. So many calibers to appeal to hunters the sky is the limit. They would still sell plenty of 30-30 models as well as my favorite the 300 sav, but to build rifles in like 260 rem, 270wsm, 257 WM ect ect! :ibtl:
 
#14 ·
That wallhanger could come off the wall

I don't know what the price is of an aftermarket barrel, but if the rifle is still mechanically sound you have options. A gunsmith could fit a new replacement barrel with the newer rate twist to stabilize current bullets better. This only makes sense if the rifle is worth saving.

Karl
 
#18 ·
I've owned two M99s, nice rifles. Both mine were in .300 Savage and the older one (which I believe was an EG) hunted some with me and if I'm not mistaken, took a decent Tennessee buck it's first time in the woods. Gotta love those classics!! :thumbup:
 
#21 ·
I have a rifle in .300 Savage, but mine's a Remington semi-auto, Model 81. The Model 81 was modeled after the Model 8, one of the rifles used to take out Bonnie and Clyde. Even with the semi-auto action, the carbine like 81 kicks (to me) like a mule. But I'm not knocking it's accuracy and power using Remington Core-Lokt 150 grain bullets. Like the others have said about their .300 Savage rifles - one shot, one kill.

My father-in-law has a Savage Model 99. It's also in .300 Savage and the only way anyone will get it from him is when they pry his cold, dead fingers from it. He bought it when he was a teenager and killed many deer with it in some of the worst conditions imaginable in the Colorado mountains. You might say that he's grown kind of attached to this one. <grin>

Would love to get my hands on it, but I think I will just have to wait.

RR
 
#23 ·
I have a rifle in .300 Savage, but mine's a Remington semi-auto, Model 81. The Model 81 was modeled after the Model 8, one of the rifles used to take out Bonnie and Clyde. Even with the semi-auto action, the carbine like 81 kicks (to me) like a mule. But I'm not knocking it's accuracy and power using Remington Core-Lokt 150 grain bullets. Like the others have said about their .300 Savage rifles - one shot, one kill.

My father-in-law has a Savage Model 99. It's also in .300 Savage and the only way anyone will get it from him is when they pry his cold, dead fingers from it. He bought it when he was a teenager and killed many deer with it in some of the worst conditions imaginable in the Colorado mountains. You might say that he's grown kind of attached to this one. <grin>

Would love to get my hands on it, but I think I will just have to wait.

RR
I'd rather have the M81! I think they are way cool rifles, with a lot of hand-work and fitting that went into them. I handled a mint M81 last year up in Maine that one of the guides had from his Grandfather (.35 Rem). Had a peep sight on it. What a nice rifle. :thumbup:
 
#25 ·
Not to argue guns here I just prefer the Savage 99's. I do like the old 35 remington's in the 81 or 141 models. I had a 141 in 30 rem and like an idiot sold it. Gez I wished I had all the guns I've sold over the years. Some would be high collectables today, back then they were hunting rigs. In fact I get more joy from shooting the old stuff than the most of the new guns. The black rifle has a very different reason behind it. :rolleyes:
 
#26 ·
Each of us have our own "preferences" and that's what's great about this forum - we can both be right.

Little black rifle? No thank you. Carried one for 20+ years. Slept with it, ate with it, road marched with it, it followed me into porta piddles, just don't want (or need) to get THAT close to anything again. But then again, hope you have a lot more fun with yours, than I did with mine.

RR
 
#28 ·
I'll never part with model 99 but my rifle of preference is a Parker-Hale .308 that mr. Hale made for me many years ago. He made a matched set of .308 and .270. The .270 was for my son.

I have no idea how many rounds have through my .308. It is/was all I use for deer, elk, antelope. I have shot 3/3 on deer this year and may shoot another time or two on a peak rut hunt in mid-January. For ther last few years, It gets shot maybe eight times a year. One shot each year to make sure the scope is still on and the rest at game.

I zero at 2" high at 100-yards and if I am having a good day health-wise, I can put three inside a half-dollar at 100. That is plenty good for me. It is a beautifull old gun that I have used, not babied and the scars on the stock prove it is no collector item. Mr. Hale did a fine job handpicking the wood and and building it. Some day, a few years off, Ihope, it will be my grandson's.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top