savage 99 vs Browning BLR and now vs win. 88
- Thread starter jogforfun
- Start date
The BLR is known to be a bear to clean (well if you want to disassemble it) with it's rack and pinion action design.
I've shot my friends BLR, seemed ok. He however came to dislike it as he found it not consistent in accuracy and sold it cheap.
To me the BLR is homely, just like all the browning levers. I would take your 99 anytime over the BLR, though I've never shot one.
I've shot my friends BLR, seemed ok. He however came to dislike it as he found it not consistent in accuracy and sold it cheap.
To me the BLR is homely, just like all the browning levers. I would take your 99 anytime over the BLR, though I've never shot one.
The 99s are classic and have excellent workmanship. The 99 with rotary mag is the best but VERY hard to load or unload with frozen hands. The original Belgian browning is short has a mag and is a much better tool for hunting, just not as pretty as 99s. I have and still use both. The nod goes to browning....
Savage 99 with Stith mount / scope , is there a BLR that even comes close to it?
The 99 has always seemed to be the quintessential Canadian rifle to me (ya I know L.Enfield) they rounded the mag well and centered the weight distribution so it fits your hand and balances perfectly for carry.Strong , accurate,points easy,there was even a few models with octagonal barrels - beautiful rifle.
The 99 has always seemed to be the quintessential Canadian rifle to me (ya I know L.Enfield) they rounded the mag well and centered the weight distribution so it fits your hand and balances perfectly for carry.Strong , accurate,points easy,there was even a few models with octagonal barrels - beautiful rifle.
You mean something like this?
1946 manufacture 99EG in .300 Savage, stith mount, early small-bell Weaver K2.5. When I got it, it had an ugly period white-line pad, now it's wearing a nicely fitted Pachmayer Decelerator. Yes, I know steel buttplates are more collectible, but this one is very practical and comfortable. I like it.
Check out how low the Stith mount puts that scope - it's magic! There is no lower scope mounting solution for ANY lever action rifle.
You mean something like this?
1946 manufacture 99EG in .300 Savage, stith mount, early small-bell Weaver K2.5. When I got it, it had an ugly period white-line pad, now it's wearing a nicely fitted Pachmayer Decelerator. Yes, I know steel buttplates are more collectible, but this one is very practical and comfortable. I like it.
Check out how low the Stith mount puts that scope - it's magic! There is no lower scope mounting solution for ANY lever action rifle.
Very nice. I'll toss a vote out there for the 99, I owned a BLR, just doesn't seem to handle as well as the old 99's. Plus in the looks department I'd say the Savage has a mild edge as well as a serious nostalgia factor. That Browning action sure cycles smooth though, they definitely got that part right.
My single biggest grips with the 99 is that the most common sling mounting setup is to put a stud in the butt (ok for non-collectible guns) and to use a fore stock screw replacement swivel, which puts the sling right where you hand goes - not ideal. Otherwise you use a barrel clamp-on swivel out in front of the fore stock, which is too far forward and screws up the lines of the rifle.
they could have thought it out a little better and put factory studs on the gun in reasonable locations.
they could have thought it out a little better and put factory studs on the gun in reasonable locations.
You mean something like this?
1946 manufacture 99EG in .300 Savage, stith mount, early small-bell Weaver K2.5. When I got it, it had an ugly period white-line pad, now it's wearing a nicely fitted Pachmayer Decelerator. Yes, I know steel buttplates are more collectible, but this one is very practical and comfortable. I like it.
Check out how low the Stith mount puts that scope - it's magic! There is no lower scope mounting solution for ANY lever action rifle.
wow very nice.
I have a Savage 99F with a 22" barrel. Not as short as my carbine '94 but the Savage is light and easy to carry. I'm trying out a BLR Lightweight '81 this season - imho the Savage carries and points easier.
You mean something like this?
That's a beauty, Ron! My '99 sports a Bushnell in medium rings to clear the bell.
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I believe either home or smith made. I purchased this '95 off the EE a few years back. The previous owner bought it from an old fellow on the west coast that had the butt stock lengthened. He also replaced the barrel with an Enfield one and added an adjustable aperture peep sight.
BigUglyMan
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
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I have neither but have handled both. What I can tell you is that when I go to gunshows I never pick up a BLR but have a very difficult time passing a 99 without giving it a thorough looking over.
Well, that throws another consideration into the discussion.
In addition to the three BLR's I've owned [two the older stick out mag & one flush mag - all in .308 Win] I've also owned a pre '64 Win Model 88 in .308 Win [love the cut checkering on those older M88 stocks as opposed to the press basket weave effort on the later ones!].
Yeah, that would be a hard choice - although I did sell the M88 [eventually] - and later picked up the '58 vintage Savage 99 F in .308 Win. I don't really pine [much] for that Win M88.....
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NAA.
