Ron Coburn on Savage.
- Thread starter savagefan
- Start date
leveractionjunkie
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Kamloops, BC
If done right a 99redux would definately find a home in my safe, and in my arms each fall. 
This was posted on another site that I visit:
My wife and I spent part of our labor day weekend in the Berkshires to celebrate our 34th_ wedding anniversary. Soooo, since we were only 30 miles from the Savage plant we took a ride over.Shortly after entering the lobby, and just starting to feast my eyes on the display in walked Mr. Coburn. He immediatly dropped his papers and gave us his full attention. I was in shock, and still am. He showed us around the lobby/museum and even retrieved his personal rifle to let me try the accu-trigger.We talked 99's some and I asked about the new 99. He said it looked like next year in 3 grades starting at about $650 and up.When we were done, the receptionist said it isn't often you get the ten cent tour from the CEO. I guess he is not in on Friday's normally. To this Pa. stump jumper he seems to be a very classy man.
My wife and I spent part of our labor day weekend in the Berkshires to celebrate our 34th_ wedding anniversary. Soooo, since we were only 30 miles from the Savage plant we took a ride over.Shortly after entering the lobby, and just starting to feast my eyes on the display in walked Mr. Coburn. He immediatly dropped his papers and gave us his full attention. I was in shock, and still am. He showed us around the lobby/museum and even retrieved his personal rifle to let me try the accu-trigger.We talked 99's some and I asked about the new 99. He said it looked like next year in 3 grades starting at about $650 and up.When we were done, the receptionist said it isn't often you get the ten cent tour from the CEO. I guess he is not in on Friday's normally. To this Pa. stump jumper he seems to be a very classy man.
thats a slick video
BigUglyMan
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- New Scotland
Gotta watch that when I get home.
Over the yeasr I had some dealings with Savage. Vistited the factory (around 1987 or so) and spent a full day getting briefed at each stage of the production line. I already owned a number of Savage (CIL950T) target rifles, so already knew and loved the rifle.
The receiver is milled from a bar of solid steel. They were experimenting with investment castings at that time. I don't know if they ever sold any.
They make the barrels themselves. Button rifled with a sine bar.
What I like about Savage is that I made some suggestions about what I thought would be improvements or marketing ideas and they followed up with good questions and later some prototypes to field test.
I was pushing for a single shot target rifle with the top of the receiver not milled off the way the 110 and 112 were done. I see this eventually happened.
I begged them to break with the croud and make the 223 with a 1:8 barrel. They almost did. They made some 1:9's and sent 20 of them up for comments. I found they would all shoot the 80 Sierra if I loaded the round fast enough (Used around 25 gr of RL15). I touched each chamber throat with a Wylde chamber reamer, to better accomodate the match bullet and the military round. They later changed from a SAAMI chamber to a NATO, I think, and this seemed to work well. For some reason they did not want to use the Wylde design.
These 20 rifles are in a nice laminate stock (made in Italy) and are all 223 heavy barrels in 1:9. They are a bit different than the rifle that went into production. I recall giving them a list of suggestions from those who bought them and I recall that some of the suggestions were adopted in what they called the BT model.
At that time I think they were the only maker using a 1:9 for 223. I also begged them to make the 22-250 with a 1:9, but they would not.
When Ron bought the company, the plan was to build only 3 rifle designs of all the old Savage models. The 112, the 99 and the over/under 22/12 ga.
I saw a lot of 99 bits and pieces at that time, but had the impression they were having problems in making parts that would go together without any hand fitting. Ron kept reminding me that any fool can amke a rifle. The challenge is to make one at a price that makes a profit and that consumers would buy.
Ron is more of a bean counter than a gun nut, but that is what it takes to keep a company solvent. There were some very dedicated, talented and inovative people there at the time. I think all the ones I worked with have now retired.
The receiver is milled from a bar of solid steel. They were experimenting with investment castings at that time. I don't know if they ever sold any.
They make the barrels themselves. Button rifled with a sine bar.
What I like about Savage is that I made some suggestions about what I thought would be improvements or marketing ideas and they followed up with good questions and later some prototypes to field test.
I was pushing for a single shot target rifle with the top of the receiver not milled off the way the 110 and 112 were done. I see this eventually happened.
I begged them to break with the croud and make the 223 with a 1:8 barrel. They almost did. They made some 1:9's and sent 20 of them up for comments. I found they would all shoot the 80 Sierra if I loaded the round fast enough (Used around 25 gr of RL15). I touched each chamber throat with a Wylde chamber reamer, to better accomodate the match bullet and the military round. They later changed from a SAAMI chamber to a NATO, I think, and this seemed to work well. For some reason they did not want to use the Wylde design.
These 20 rifles are in a nice laminate stock (made in Italy) and are all 223 heavy barrels in 1:9. They are a bit different than the rifle that went into production. I recall giving them a list of suggestions from those who bought them and I recall that some of the suggestions were adopted in what they called the BT model.
At that time I think they were the only maker using a 1:9 for 223. I also begged them to make the 22-250 with a 1:9, but they would not.
When Ron bought the company, the plan was to build only 3 rifle designs of all the old Savage models. The 112, the 99 and the over/under 22/12 ga.
I saw a lot of 99 bits and pieces at that time, but had the impression they were having problems in making parts that would go together without any hand fitting. Ron kept reminding me that any fool can amke a rifle. The challenge is to make one at a price that makes a profit and that consumers would buy.
Ron is more of a bean counter than a gun nut, but that is what it takes to keep a company solvent. There were some very dedicated, talented and inovative people there at the time. I think all the ones I worked with have now retired.
leveractionjunkie
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Kamloops, BC
The more I read about Savage arms the more I like the company and it's product.
