Help me learn about my Savage 1899

gnutcha

gnutcha

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I have inherited a new rifle for my small but growing collection. I am a milsurp collector so I really know very little about these, any help or tips for sites with info would be appreciated.

It has been in the family for as long as my dad can remember. He doesn't know where it originated from in the family. All he can tell me is that it was never used because ammunition was unavailable. Finally a friend of my grandpas brought a box up from the States years ago. for as long as I can remember it has been hanging in the basement of my grandparents house. Anyway, here is the rifle.


It's a Savage 1899 in 32-40. Outside looks pretty beat up but it cycles just fine and the bore and internal workings look to be in very good condition.

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I can't really find much information on model 1899s in 32-40. One website claims there were only 2500 made.

How rare is this rifle? What value should I put on it for my insurance (list of possessions and value I keep), I have no intention of selling it. Ever. It is an heirloom and I am working on finding out where it came from in the family.

More importantly should I have some sort of restoration done to the stock?

The forend won't stay clipped on either so it definitely needs a trip to a gunsmith.



Happy Thanksgiving.
 
What you have is a standard 1899-A Take/Down
32-40 & 25-35 are the rarer calibers in the 1899s both discontinued in 1917. The T/D feature was added in 1909 so that puts your rifle between those years. It's hard to really put a value as the pics just aren't clear enough! As usual it all depends on condition! It does look like it has some blueing left, so I'm gonna put a cdn value of about $5-700 on it(including the $100. peep). Again it could be higher or lower it's hard to see!
I would not touch the stock!!! refinishing will destroy most original value!!
32-40 ammo is very easy to find yet at gun shows, watch for BP loads thou, if you want to shoot it, Lee makes economical dies for it, you can use 32 Special brass & bullets (seat them a little deeper), it can be loaded up to almost duplicate .32 ballistics in the strong 99 action. Makes for great deer cartidge, Most factory rounds were very anemic for the many weaker Single Shots of the day.

Hope that helped :)

Hate to do it but for some reason there's more pics than I originally saw?? I now see the rust on the reciever, I believe a nasty crack on the buttstock, I have to alter my original price check to about $350-450. Still nice toy, clean her up & shoot her!
 
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Not sure of the value but, I know it is somewhat rare in that caliber....the .32/40 was the PPC of its day....a very accurate target cartridge and good hunting round....by all means use the rifle...use moderate cast bullet loads and the gun will last forever....easy round to reload for....run .32 Special cases or .30-30 cases through a 32/40 resize die and "Bobs your uncle", done! 165 gr. bullets avail. from M.T. Chambers Supply as well as 210gr....the 165s are exact copies of the orig. factory bullet!
 
Thanks for the help guys.

That rust on the reciever isn't too bad, it should clean up okay. The muzzle on the other hand is very rusty, as is the butt plate both will have some pitting when they are cleaned up. There is house paint on the stock as well, it appears that it was leaned against a freshly painted wall at some point. I will clean it up as gently as possible and let you guys know how it shoots in November. I guess this may be a good excuse to start reloading this winter.
 
Ouch, poor bugger had a hard life, you can't be dissappointed though, the gun is 100 years old this year, made in 1906.

I've got a 32-40 1899A as well but not a T/D, the collector value is pretty much lost on it from the rust, go ahead and fix er up into the shooter you want.

Here's mine on the far right. The others are l-r: 1899C 38-55, 1899F SRC 303 Sav, 1899A SR in 38-55 w Stith mount, and the 32-40.

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Hey Joe what took so long???
Is that a 1/2 & 1/2 38-55?
Had on of those a few years ago, traded her off!

How far off at $350-400 am I on the value of gnutcha's gun??
In your humble opinion of course :)
 
I'd have to say you were bang on the dollar, it's got some issues that can't be fixed without destroying collector value.

Ya, thats a 1/2 and 1/2 38-55 along side a 1899A Short Rifle 38-55.
 
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