Savage Arms Co. 1899 Saddle Ring Carbine 1899-F .25-35 20″ Lever Rifle C&R
SOLD FOR: $1150.99
LSB#: 210615KG48
Make: Savage Arms Co.
Model: 1899-F Saddle Gun
Serial Number: 124588
Year of Manufacture: 1912
Caliber: .25-35 WCF
Action Type: Lever Action with Rotary Magazine. This rifle is a solid frame model.
Markings: The left side of the barrel is marked “SAVAGE HI-PRESSURE STEEL / MODEL 1899” and “SAV 303”. The top of the barrel is marked “MANUFACTURED BY SAVAGE ARMS COMPANY, UTICA, N.Y. U.S.A. / PAT.-FEB. 7, 1893, JULY 25, 1893, OCT. 3, 1899., MAY 25, 1909, JUNE 1, 1909”. The underside of the receiver is marked “124588” the base of the lever is marked with an encircled “11”.
Barrel Length: 20” Round
Sights / Optics: The front sight is an aftermarket blade dovetailed into the barrel. The rear of the barrel has a filled dovetail cut. The top of the receiver has two pairs of drilled, tapped, and filled holes. The top tang is installed with a Lyman flip-up aperture peep sight.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The stocks are smooth walnut with a straight grip, straight comb, schnabel tip forend, and a carbine-style buttplate. The stocks have been refinished. There are some little light compressions, most noticeable on the buttstock. There are some draglines and light handling marks. There are a few marks through the finish, most noticeable on the nose of the forend. The LOP is 13” from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The plate has some finish loss, little spots of erosion, spots of discoloration, and some scratches, but they are mainly at the heel and toe. The stocks rate in about Fine condition.
Type of Finish: Blued
Finish Originality: Refinished
Bore Condition: The bore is gray and the rifling is sharp. There is surface erosion scattered throughout the bore.
Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 95% of its metal finish. There are some small spots of light surface frost on the receiver. There are a few little hairline scratches on the receiver, most noticeable on the top at the rear and on the bottom at the base of the lever. The lever has a few little spots of pinprick erosion, a few little marks through the finish, and some finish that is slightly darker. The barrel has a few scuffs that have caused finish loss. There are some spots of oxidation on the barrel, most noticeable at the front. There are a few little nicks and hairline scratches on the barrel. The screwheads are lightly worn with serviceable slots. The markings are clear. Overall, this rifle rates in about Very Good condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. 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 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 is a Model 1899 saddle ring with a smooth straight grip stock, a Schnabel tipped forend, and a 20” barrel. This is a nice looking vintage rifle and will be a welcome addition to a C&R or lever action rifle collection! Please see our photos and good luck!