Once I began searching in center college, I used to be fortunate sufficient to chop my tooth on basic deer rifles. On Saturday mornings throughout deer-dog season, my grandfather and pop would load me up, and we’d head to their camp and watch for the canine handlers to point out up. I’ve distinct recollections of my grandfather’s Toyota pickup and the floorboard of his truck, which all the time had a pile of gravel, Gatorade bottles stuffed with wads of chew, chipped arrowheads, and his Marlin 336 wedged between the passenger seat and heart console.
In fact, he wasn’t the one one. Folks at camp toted related rifles like Winchester ‘94s, the reliably-unreliable Remington 742s, and my dad’s private favourite (which he nonetheless carries), a Remington 760 in .35 Rem. So, I’ve all the time had an affinity for large woods rifles, particularly lever actions.
Nonetheless, it wasn’t till I went to school and began working in a gun retailer that I found the Savage M99. It will be one other three years after that earlier than I laid my palms on one. As quickly as I did, it solely took about ten seconds for me to determine that the cash I used to be saving to purchase a pawned Honda Shadow could be higher spent on a rifle. In spite of everything, I’d lower your expenses and possibly my life.
Since I purchased that M99 in .308 Win., I’ve owned or killed deer with a few of the greatest lever-action searching rifles just like the Marlin 336, Winchester ’94s, and the extremely utilitarian Marlin 1895. Whereas I like all of them, none of them high the M99. Sure, the Savage 99 reigns over your Winchester ’94 and its rattling motion. It’s additionally superior to the Marlin 336 (JM or in any other case), although I’d by no means say this in entrance of mine.
Backstory and Design
The Savage Mannequin 1899, named after the 12 months of its inception and finally shortened to M99 in 1921, was a extremely progressive searching rifle for the flip of the 20th century. Not like its contemporaries, the 99’s rotary-style journal allowed for spitzer-style bullets, so it wasn’t restricted to flat nostril cartridges just like the tube-fed Winchesters or Marlins. It additionally sported an inner hammer, cocking indicator, and brass spherical counter on the aspect of the receiver. The M99 was no photon blaster, however it was lightyears forward of the competitors.
Internally, the 99’s lever connects to the breech block that locks the motion because the lever is closed. This strong motion allowed for high-pressured cartridges. Relatively than a typical “brush gun,” the Savage 99’s design made it a lever motion able to then spectacular ballistic feats.
Cartridge Choices
Whereas the 99 was initially launched in .303 Savage and .30-30 Win., Savage finally rolled out extra cartridge choices just like the .250-3000 and .300 Savage. Whereas the .250-3000 (.250 Savage) and .300 Savage had been the preferred cartridge choices throughout their time, the rise of the .308 Win finally killed the .300 Savage, and different trendy cartridges just like the .243 Win., 7mm-08 Rem., and even the .284 Win. took the highlight amongst others.
Heck of A Run
Nearly a century later, Savage discontinued the M99 because of firm struggles and elevated prices to make the rifle. However that wasn’t earlier than Savage produced over 1,000,000 of their famed lever actions in varied mannequin numbers, renditions, and cartridge choices.
As an illustration, should you had been to stumble throughout one in a pawn store at the moment, it is likely to be a carbine mannequin with a straight inventory, or it might be a sporter with a pistol grip. Savage made takedown fashions of the M99, one in all which features a .410 barrel. Earlier fashions don’t have scope mounts. Later ones do. The identical goes for the standard lever locking safeties and the later model, which featured a tang security. Savage even produced a run of M99s that had removable field magazines as a approach to scale back prices. There are such a lot of iterations of this rifle obtainable that you just’d have a troublesome time coming throughout two that had been precisely the identical.
My boss on the time gave me a steal on that rifle. Now, you’ll possible pay north of a grand for a M99 relying on the situation and mannequin. Although, the $800 vary appears to be the common. For most folk, that’s a variety of money to spend on a rifle that begs to be carried within the woods.
Immortalization
You possibly can’t purchase a brand new M99 like you possibly can the Ruger-made Marlin 336, however there’s one thing in regards to the M99 being discontinued that provides to its attraction. I make it some extent to still-hunt with my M99 at the least as soon as each season. It’s a blast to hold and shoot, and I nonetheless can’t convey myself to swap the Williams’ peep sight for a scope.
I’ll admit that nostalgia performs an enormous position in my love for the Savage 99. However that doesn’t change the truth that its century-old design stays related and efficient at the moment. I wouldn’t guess on the M99 making a comeback, however so long as there are used ones floating round, it isn’t going wherever anytime quickly.
