What is my Savage Model 99 worth?
A lever gun with a rotary magazine that could safely fire pointed bullets when its rivals could not, made for almost a century and collected closely. Routinely the most valuable rifle in a cabinet full of deer guns.
Made 1899–1998.
No page can price your gun, and one that offers to is guessing. What this does is show you which one you have — because that is where the money is.
How to tell which one you have
- Establish whether it is a takedown or a solid frame, which is a significant value difference.
- Read the caliber marking. .250-3000 and .300 Savage are the names to look for, and the scarcer chamberings matter.
- Look for a letter prefix on the serial number, which places it in a production period.
- Check whether it has the brass cartridge counter in the receiver, which earlier rifles carry.
The versions that change the number
| Version | What it means for value |
|---|---|
| Early production 1899–1920s | Including the Model 1899. The oldest and often the most interesting. |
| Takedown models various | Designed to separate for transport. Worth more than a comparable solid frame. |
| Featherweight and later variants mid-century | Lighter rifles and changing configurations across decades. |
| Late production 1970s–1998 | The final runs, with manufacturing changes collectors distinguish. |
What actually drives the price
- Chambering, where the scarce ones lead by a wide margin.
- Takedown versus solid frame.
- Original finish and unsanded wood.
- Whether the rifle has been drilled and tapped for a scope.
And the two that apply to every gun on this site: do not clean it, and keep the box and papers. Removing original finish is permanent, and on the right gun the packaging is a real part of the total.
"It is another old lever gun like the 30-30s"
It is not. The 99 is mechanically different, was made in far smaller numbers than the common lever guns, and has a following that pays accordingly. A family selling a cabinet of deer rifles as one lot frequently gives this one away inside it.
Mine has a hole drilled in the side for a scope. How bad is that?
It is a deduction on a collectible rifle and it is permanent, so do not try to fill it. Plenty of 99s were drilled because people used them, and they are still worth having. It simply moves the rifle from the collector market toward the shooter market.
Getting a number for yours
Send photographs and we will tell you what we will pay for it. We buy nationwide — a single firearm ships to us prepaid and insured, and for a collection we come to you. More on what separates one Savage from another.