Savage 1899 250-3000

[fps plus]

I was lucky enough to come across a Savage 1899 250-3000. It’s a take down made in 1915. It’s all original , not drilled and tapped , and the stock is not cracked . Went to the range today with son and 7 year old grandson ,showed them the take down . Grandson figures that’s cool . Shot it with a peep sight and it’s darn accurate . The savage 99 with its rotary magazine and takedown is cool. When the 250 -3000 was released it really must have seemed like a laser beam . This little gun is definitely going to be out in the field this season . Anyone looking for a low recoil cartridge the 250 -3000 is a dandy.

[Grizzly Adams1]

A neat rifle design when you come down to it.

Grizz

[Faststeel]

Some years ago Savage did a run of model 14 Americans in 250 savage beautiful walnut stock with accutrigger. I was fortunate enough to have a dealer order me one at the SHOT show the year they were introduced. All my friends children have killed their first deer with this fine rifle, maybe this year will be my turn with the 3 deer tags at Wainwright in December.
The bullet I loaded for the rifle is the 90 gr Sierra HP with 36gr of Win 760 powder, turns deer lungs into mush, and suprebly accurate in my rifle

[Pioneer2]

I've owned several in 250-3000 all with a 1-14 twist even a 99a carbine that wasn't supposed to. The best bullets with the shortest ogive are Speer both 87gr and 100gr. Safe 99 loads [Ken Waters...Pet loads] 34.5gr of IMR 4895 for the 87gr and 30gr of IMR3031 for the 100gr. Both easily shot under an inch at 100 yards scoped. Killed deer with both bullets. The old pulled 100gr CIL KKSP's also would shoot well out of 1-14". My never sell .250 is a Rem 700 Classic using a Win 760 load too warm for 99's but it shot a .123" group with 100gr Sierras.FL size quality 22-250 brass .I prefer a Hornady die for this as they have a more tappered expander button and case loss is zero.

[fps plus]

It would be interesting to understand their thoughts on why making a takedown was promoted. I suppose not having a magazine tube made it easier to do so and made another selling feature. .
Imagine at the time the selling features of a savage 99 compared to a win 94.
No magazine tube
No exposed hammer
Smooth action and trigger
Lever lock with a safety
Accurate
Well balanced
New calibers at the time would seem like lightning

[fps plus]

Many years ago I put a 250 savage barrel on a Ruger # 1 a. Somehow I got talked out of it. It was very accurate with 760 win and 100 gr bullets. It had a 1-10 twist . It would do 3150 fps with 100 gr bullet. I would not use that hot a load in a 99

[Pioneer2]

Originally Posted by fps plus

It would be interesting to understand their thoughts on why making a takedown was promoted. I suppose not having a magazine tube made it easier to do so and made another selling feature. .
Imagine at the time the selling features of a savage 99 compared to a win 94.
No magazine tube
No exposed hammer
Smooth action and trigger
Lever lock with a safety
Accurate
Well balanced
New calibers at the time would seem like lightning

Of portability for travellers it easily broke down and fit in a small suitcase or carry on luggage. Discrete and practical.

[Grizzly Adams1]

Originally Posted by Pioneer2

Of portability for travellers it easily broke down and fit in a small suitcase or carry on luggage. Discrete and practical.

X2, Very practical when it came down to it, more so than many other designs and decent power. I'd buy one.

Grizz

[fps plus]

The mounting Position of the tang site would’ve been a huge improvement over the Winchester 94

[Pioneer2]

A longer sight radius.

[fps plus]

Where the tang sight mounts on a win 94 etc interferes with thumb position , the savage 99 does not

[KegRiver]

Originally Posted by Grizzly Adams1

X2, Very practical when it came down to it, more so than many other designs and decent power. I'd buy one.

Grizz

Yes very practical. During it's hayday most travel was by horseback or wagon where space and wieght were at a premium.

My dad's first rifle was a Model 99 in 250-3000. He sold it and bought a Lee Enfield after a few years because ammo in 250-3000 was hard to find but .303 ammo was sold in every hardware store in the province.

His was not a take down model. The extra cost was a bit much for a beggining trapper like him.

[dgl1948]

Granddaughter will be using my Savage model 16 in the 250/3000 to take her first deer this year.