Savage Model 99 Series A Brush Gun .375 Win. 22″ Lever Action Rifle 1980
SOLD FOR: $1850
LSB#: 210814DD03
Make: Savage
Model: 99 Series A Brush Gun
Serial Number: D366202
Year of Manufacture: 1980
Caliber: .375 Winchester
Action Type: Lever Action with Rotary Magazine. This rifle is a solid frame model.
Markings: The top of the barrel is marked “SAVAGE” followed by “MODEL 99 SERIES A / WESTFIELD, MASS. U.S.A.” and “CAL. .375 WIN.”. The top of the chamber is marked with an ovalled “SP4” proof and “91”. There is a small “99” in oval behind the rear sight. The left side of the chamber is marked with a boxed “1” and “Y”. The left side of the receiver is marked with the serial number.
Barrel Length: 22″ Round
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a beaded blade integral to a base screwed to the front of the barrel. The rear sight is a flip-up “U” notch sight with a white triangle aiming reference dovetailed to the rear of the barrel. The notch is fine-adjustable for elevation. The top of the receiver has two pairs of drilled, tapped, and filled holes.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The stocks are two-piece smooth walnut with finger groove forend, straight grip, straight comb, brown rubber buttpad, and sling swivel studs front and rear. The forend has some scrapes and compressions, the most noticeable are on the bottom and sides at the front. The buttstock has some scattered compressions, dings, and a few light scratches and scrapes. The most noticeable marks are on the belly and comb. There is a small loss on the top of the wrist at the right corner where it meets the receiver. The LOP measures 13 1/4” from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttpad and approximately 12 3/4” to the wood. The pad has light wear from standard use. The pad is off center. Overall, the stocks are in about Very Good condition.
Type of Finish: Blued with Case Colored Lever
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is bright and the rifling is sharp. There are a few spots of very light erosion.
Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 90% of its metal finish. There are some little scratches and scuffs on the receiver. There is some thinning on the edges of the receiver. There are a few little spots of discoloration from previous oxidation on the bottom of the receiver. The barrel has some scattered light scratches. There are patches of finish loss on the barrel, most noticeable on the left side at the front of the forend and on the right side towards the muzzle. There are some spots of thinning on the barrel. There is some thinning on the edge of the muzzle. The bolt has some spots of dark discoloration from previous oxidation and standard operational wear. The screw heads range from sharp to very lightly tool marked with strong slots. The markings are clear. Overall, this rifle is in about Very Good condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. It has a sliding safety on the top tang that locks the lever and the trigger. The lever locks up tightly. We did not fire this rifle. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance requirements.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: None
Our Assessment: The Savage 1899/99 model rifles have quite a history. They were preceded by the Model 1895, which was the first hammerless lever-action rifle produced. A hammerless action was useful as it reduces the lock time, allows the rifle to be fired more accurately and is less likely to jam in brush or snag in clothing. The 1895 and 1899/99 models used a rotary magazine to hold the cartridges, using a spring-loaded spool with grooves. The 1899/99 models added a counter to the spool to indicate how many rounds are loaded. This design allowed the use of spitzer bullets, which could not be used in the Winchester rifles of the times because the pointed tips in the tubular magazines could cause an accidental discharge. This gave Savage a lead in producing rifles that could handle high-velocity smokeless powder cartridges with bullets offering flatter trajectories than other lever-action designs. This example is a model 99 Series A Brush Gun chambered for the .375 Winchester cartridge. Introduced in 1955, the cartridge can punch through the dense brush and will do well on just about any North American big game. This model was introduced in 1977 and this example, in .375 Winchester, was made in 1980 when that caliber was introduced. This will make a great addition to a Savage collection or a hunting rifle with another lifetime’s worth of use left in it. Please see our photos and good luck!