What is going on with all the 99s in 300 Savage up for sale?

Someone can correct me if i'm wrong but isn't the .300 sav the most often chambered caliber in the 99?If so it would only stand to reason that they would be the ones most often seen for sale.I have one made in 71 and it's among my favorite rifles....and this from a bolt action guy!
 
The 99 Savage in .300 is a fine rifle but it began a sales decline with the introduction of the .308 in the 99. Anyone who bought a new 99 in the 1950's usually opted for the new .308 Winchester and an extra 150 fps in velocity but there really is little difference in effectiveness on game that I have seen. The short neck of the Savage round is a drawback if you handload but otherwise not much difference. Ammo is getting a little harder to find for the .300, that makes people more inclined to dump them. There have been a lot of them for sale in the last year usually in fine shape as well. I sold a nice 99EG in .300 a couple years ago for $350 with scope and was a while finding a buyer, go figure.
 
I've been a bolt gun guy for 50 years and last year picked up an 1899 in .303 Sav at a gun show that was mfg. in 1913. I had never carried or fired one before but was fascinated by the design and balance of it. Took a while to find brass and dies but all the bits and pieces came together eventually. Still a work in progress. In the meantime I bought a newer '99 in .300 Sav mfg. in 1953. Bore was filthy and pitted but rifling was still there. Cleaned it up, mounted an old 4x Weaver on it and fired a 1-1/4", 5-shot group the first time out. I have some bolt guns with pristine barrels that won't do that.
 
Maybe because its one of the few savage rifles worth owning.

I do like my 99f in .300 savage so much I carried it as a back up gun on fall guiding in the NWT. Carried it a lot of miles in one hand.
 
Excellent rifle, decent calibre, but you know sooner or later, if you use. It the stock will crack!They break my heart but I love them.I asked the local gunsmith once if he liked 99s he said NO if everybody had one I would be unemployed.
 
To buy no but I'll trade one in 25/35 for one in .243. :)

Honestly I wish they would bring these back but I'd worry about quality control given the garbage being cranked out these days by US gunmakers.
 
Talked to Chilco Choate one time, legendary Chilcotin big game guide. He said he had seen more moose killed with a 300 Savage than anything else and more wounded with a 270 than anything else.
 
Calum said:
To buy no but I'll trade one in 25/35 for one in .243. :)

Honestly I wish they would bring these back but I'd worry about quality control given the garbage being cranked out these days by US gunmakers.
Click to expand...

Seriously, the only gun maker that is steadily improving it's products, is Norinco.
It's already surpassed Remington/Marlin and others, in it's quality control.
Betcha they could make a fine 99.
 
MD said:
Talked to Chilco Choate one time, legendary Chilcotin big game guide. He said he had seen more moose killed with a 300 Savage than anything else and more wounded with a 270 than anything else.
Click to expand...

My grandfather always called the .300 Savage, the needle gun. I think back in the 30's and 40's there was a period when the bullets made for it were too hard and failed to expand on deer, just punching a hole clear through. The problem was solved but the impression remained with the older hunters around home.
 
Could be the last couple of generations have moved on and the young crowd just
don't like old wood.
Just like realstate around the Clinton area has fallen.
I guess clean fresh air don't cut it anymore?
 
My 250-3000 takedown is a nice little pop gun. Bore is rough, but it'll shoot lovely so long at one gets the copper out every 10 shots. I was happy to find the proper brass for it at a show. Previously I had just blown out 22-250 stuff.

I'd love to find a .410 barrel to replace the one that was left out in the bush a generation ago, but I suppose that's not likely to happen.
 
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