Savage Model99

[Nick47]

Hi ALL. New member here. I recently purchased a model 99 Savage in 300 sav. This was one that I've been wanting for a while. While I was tearing it down to give it a thorough cleaning and inspection I noticed that the rotory magazine was steel ( it"s magnetic) and not brass. This supersized me somewhat as I thought that the magazines were all brass. I researched it and was not able to find mention of a steel magazine. Can anybody shed some light on this? The serial no. is 683xxx which puts it being manufactured in 1953 Thanks

 

[SSL]

Early ones were brass and then they changed to steel later. I would imagine that brass wore faster.

 

[Prose]

It is probably a replacement part

 

[ebb]

Two carpenters on my jobsite made a deal for one to purchase a Savage 99 from the other. the buyer a close friend told me when he got it home, he could not get the cases for load in the rotary magazine. After disassembly the problem was obvious. Matt or his younger brother had been plying cowboys and Indians with the gun when they were younger and had loaded the gun with the only ammo they could find. Danny the new owner found the magazine stuffed with melted crayons. Danny being who Danny was had the thing cleaned out and running in short order.

 

[Toddmack]

I have a 99C in .243 and you're post made me check the magazine. It is definitely steel but is also a newer model of the 99.

 

[Brians356]

An uncle of mine did all his deer and elk hunting in the Clearwater region of Idaho with a 99 in 300 Savage. It's only a pace behind 308 Win and an overlooked cartridge I've long admired. Plus it makes a cameo appearance in a film I like, Badlands starring Martin Sheen.
-

 

[Tommie]

Is it verified the magazine was ever made from brass? I always assumed the cartridge counter thingie was brass just to stand out visually.

 

[LHSmith]

My '99 was made in 1915 and the rotary mag is definitely brass with the counter an integral part of the mag.

 

[Bill K]

My old 99 in 22 High Power is brass on the mag rotor, but the 250-3000 one is steel, but shows no sign of being magnetic. The old 99's were and are fine shooting rifles, wish they still made them.

 

[jonbearman]

They made them out of steel right after wwII. There is nothing wrong with the steel ones.I have had several like it and they worked marvelous.
Then to save costs they went to the famous clip which was ok but purists go into convulsions about it.I myself think the clip was a wise move to unload quickly.

 

[LHSmith]

They made them out of steel right after wwII. There is nothing wrong with the steel ones.I have had several like it and they worked marvelous.
Then to save costs they went to the famous clip which was ok but purists go into convulsions about it.I myself think the clip was a wise move to unload quickly.

What attracted me to the older 99's was it's perfect balance. It comes to one's shoulder with the sights lined up so naturally - more than any other rifle I have used. Ditto in the carry mode. The smooth rounded bottom receiver makes it a pleasure to carry. I had a late model 99 with a clip and it just was not the slick operating easy to carry 99 anymore. It lasted one deer season.

 

[69mach]

i’ve got a 99 in 250-3000. amazing gun and chambering for the time. still would hold its own today. i know it took several colorado elk bobcat and coyotes back in the day.

 

[okie]

my buddy had one in .284 win.---was hard to get ammo for back then. way before 6.5x .284 became popular.
I wish I could get my hands on it now....long gone