Info needed, .300 savage and 250-3000

[Habu64]

Hey guys, for starters, I know these aren't sniper rifles, but I'm not sure what other group to search in. I've been searching high and low and can't find much on these rifles. The antique side of things isn't really in my ball park. I inherited several old guns that I really don't have space for and will never do anything with. I'd rather them go to someone who may want them or want to refurbish them. Any info of what they may be worth would be appreciated.

-First is an old .300 savage with a Redfield 2x-7x scope on it. Decent shape, definitely got shot.

-Second is a 250-3000 savage with an unknown to me scope, it's definitely old and used.

Again, any info offered on these is appreciated.

 

[isofahunter]

I would guess the 300 is in the 500-600 range and the 250 400-500 range, maybe less as it looks like blueing is nada.. The Savage 99 seem to sell well to folks looking for simpler times. I am no Savage expert but if you look at what they are actually sell for I think those are close $, baring take down or some oddity I am unaware of.

 

[Habu64]

I would guess the 300 is in the 500-600 range and the 250 400-500 range, maybe less as it looks like blueing is nada.. The Savage 99 seem to sell well to folks looking for simpler times. I am no Savage expert but if you look at what they are actually sell for I think those are close $, baring take down or some oddity I am unaware of.

I appreciate the info. Up until these rifles, I had never even seen a rotary action. Pretty neat, odd but cool. A lot of moving parts going on, all of which function well on both of these. I'd just hate to have them in a closet forever if there's someone who'd actually want them.

 

[ZG47A]

The Savage 99 is a good rifle and the 250 Savage does better than the .243 Winchester with less powder and barrel erosion. Should be an easy sell. The .300 Savage will take a bit longer to sell, unless you are in a wooded area where that chambering is still popular.

 

[Habu64]

The Savage 99 is a good rifle and the 250 Savage does better than the .243 Winchester with less powder and barrel erosion. Should be an easy sell. The .300 Savage will take a bit longer to sell, unless you are in a wooded area where that chambering is still popular.

I appreciate it. I'm out in southern Idaho, so we've got plenty of mountain terrain. Thanks for the info!

 

[sandwarrior]

Both are great rifles. Can you get a pic of the lettering on the barrels? That'll kind of narrow the date of manufacture down. FWIW, I've owned one each of these and found them to be quite accurate...for an old hunting rifle. Also, is there a flat button on the bottom of the forestock? If so that would be a takedown. If no, still good value. As stated above, around $500-$600 each.

Added: Missed the pic showing the 250-3000. That is pre-1926. (according to one source I read years ago) They dropped 1899 to just 99 and also the -3000 in the 1920's.
Pre-'26 is kind of significant as it's a 1-14" twist. Which will only generally stabilize up to 90 gr. bullets. It may stabilize 100's with a good reload, but still questionable.

 

[Habu64]

Both are great rifles. Can you get a pic of the lettering on the barrels? That'll kind of narrow the date of manufacture down. FWIW, I've owned one each of these and found them to be quite accurate...for an old hunting rifle. Also, is there a flat button on the bottom of the forestock? If so that would be a takedown. If no, still good value. As stated above, around $500-$600 each.

Added: Missed the pic showing the 250-3000. That is pre-1926. (according to one source I read years ago) They dropped 1899 to just 99 and also the -3000 in the 1920's.
Pre-'26 is kind of significant as it's a 1-14" twist. Which will only generally stabilize up to 90 gr. bullets. It may stabilize 100's with a good reload, but still questionable.

Thanks for the information! Looking at the 250-3000, it's definitely old, very old. Here's a few more pictures of that. And the 1/14 twist is a bit shocking, I wouldn't have guessed that! Based on the dates on the barrel, it's definitely older than 1926, but no earlier than 1909. I'm not sure if the serial number helps you at all, or if you know how to decipher them.

 

[Habu64]

And here's a few more of the .300. It's much newer, maybe 50's-60's?

 

[sandwarrior]

Thanks for the information! Looking at the 250-3000, it's definitely old, very old. Here's a few more pictures of that. And the 1/14 twist is a bit shocking, I wouldn't have guessed that! Based on the dates on the barrel, it's definitely older than 1926, but no earlier than 1909. I'm not sure if the serial number helps you at all, or if you know how to decipher them.

Serial number will help tremendously if I can find the website again that dates them. Definitely later than 1909 as the .250-3000 didn't come out until 1915. First year production serials started at 175,000 and went through to 177,000~sumpin' Which would still put yours in the 19-teens. (Maybe just the model I had) No exact date, but definitely 19-teens. Also note on the barrel it shows 1899. Early for sure. However, that's kind of the 'plain jane' model. If it were the fancy model it would be a 'takedown' and have a perchbelly stock. It would also have a Marbles peepsight. What appears to have happened is your rear buckhorn sight was removed, and the dovetail used for the front scope base.

The 1-14" twist was used to properly stabilize 87 gr. bullets. Savage used a marketing ploy to announce the first 3000 fps cartridge. Thus the -3000 in the name. Charles Newton, who developed the cartridge for Savage wanted to use the heavier bullets (100-120). But. Savage wanted the hoopla of 3k fps. Later, they changed it to 1-12" and late models (up to 1983) a 1-10" twist to handle those heavy bullets.
The "High Pressure Steel" is significant also to the rifle. While the first many years of production (1893 onwards) it noted it could handle a lot more pressure than comparable rifles made in America. Notably the Winchester and Marlin series of lever guns. The .303 Savage was the first smokeless powder civilian cartridge in America.

Newton also designed the .300 Savage. It'll do just about anything a .308 will do as it's the parent cartridge (T-65) for the 7.62/.308. Added: The changes made were for feeding a machinegun. It's also the basis for the 'International series' of cartridges being used for competition necked to 6mm, 6.5mm and 7mm. The latter was adopted by the Venzuelans briefly as the 7x49 in the FN-FAL rifle. U.S. pressure put an end to that.

 

[sandwarrior]

Savage 1895/1899/99 Dates of Manufacture

 

[sirhrmechanic]

Old savage 99’s can go for big bucks. Look for comparables On gunbroker.

If someone put any savage 99 in front
Of me for under 500 I’d buy in a second.

Sirhr

 

[Jerry m]

Old savage 99’s can go for big bucks. Look for comparables On gunbroker.

If someone put any savage 99 in front
Of me for under 500 I’d buy in a second.

Sirhr

IMHO I'm not sure anyone would pay a premium for rifles that have been drilled and tapped for scopes and their stocks drilled for sling swivels.

 

[Mr. Z]

They still kill stuff in 300 Savage.

 

[ZG47A]

Thanks for the information! Looking at the 250-3000, it's definitely old, very old. Here's a few more pictures of that. And the 1/14 twist is a bit shocking, I wouldn't have guessed that! Based on the dates on the barrel, it's definitely older than 1926, but no earlier than 1909. I'm not sure if the serial number helps you at all, or if you know how to decipher them.

The supposed 1-14" twist can be closer to 1-15", as measured by John Barsness. In which case, you restrict yourself to 87 gr flat base loads. The 87 gr Hornady should be equivalent in hardness to the 100 gr Sierra.

 

[camocorvette]

If you clean that, you will see the round count for the rotary magazine. Once clean you should see the number "0". As you load the magazine, the count goes up to five. As you cycle the rounds out, goes back to zero.

They are neat guns. Yours are considerably older then the model 99 in 308 I just cleaned. There are some manuals and video's available on disassembly and maintenance.

I'd recommend not taking it apart unless you are inclined to do so.

 

[Habu64]

A big thank you to all you guys for putting in the information you have. I really appreciate it! I've learned a lot in the last few days on these neat old rifles.

 

[Habu64]

They still kill stuff in 300 Savage.

View attachment 8182098

Love it!

 

[Habu64]

View attachment 8182241

If you clean that, you will see the round count for the rotary magazine. Once clean you should see the number "0". As you load the magazine, the count goes up to five. As you cycle the rounds out, goes back to zero.

They are neat guns. Yours are considerably older then the model 99 in 308 I just cleaned. There are some manuals and video's available on disassembly and maintenance.

I'd recommend not taking it apart unless you are inclined to do so.

I wouldn't dare take that apart

 

[sandwarrior]

As an update, in communication Habu64, the .260-3000 sold to a local collector. Who, according to Habu, did a backflip when he heard about it and saw it. I hope he sold it for more than a backflip.

 

[camocorvette]

I wouldn't dare take that apart

It wasn't too bad. There where a couple times I wished I would have just pulled the wood and hit it with brake cleaner haha. But got it back together and worked smooth as hell.

 

[Ralfus]

IMHO I'm not sure anyone would pay a premium for rifles that have been drilled and tapped for scopes and their stocks drilled for sling swivels.

The 250-3000 didn't appear drilled for swivels or a scope. The Stith scope mounts are a no-drill and sell to Savage collectors at a premium because of that.

 

[Jerry m]

The 250-3000 didn't appear drilled for swivels or a scope. The Stith scope mounts are a no-drill and sell to Savage collectors at a premium because of that.

Yes, you are correct. I looked at the .300 and not close enough at the .22-250. OP sorry for any confusion.

 

[sandwarrior]

Yes, you are correct. I looked at the .300 and not close enough at the .22-250. OP sorry for any confusion.

The .300 is late enough that it was factory drilled and tapped. And. It's a second year production .250-3000

 

[kujuak]

1. Stith mount has some $ value to Savage collector.
2. Suggest you check out 24hourcampfire.com, Savage collectors forum. Post your pictures there and you will find out more than you ever wanted to know!
3. I like Savage99s, they are very nice machine art from the olden days. I have a few:300 Savage, 250 Savage,308 and my crown jewel 358Winchester Brush gun (1" 5 shot groups at 100yds, 200gr bullets.

 

[sandwarrior]

1. Stith mount has some $ value to Savage collector.
2. Suggest you check out 24hourcampfire.com, Savage collectors forum. Post your pictures there and you will find out more than you ever wanted to know!
3. I like Savage99s, they are very nice machine art from the olden days. I have a few:300 Savage, 250 Savage,308 and my crown jewel 358Winchester Brush gun (1" 5 shot groups at 100yds, 200gr bullets.

As noted above in this thread, the .250-3000 sold. To a collector. Where the OP was happy to get it to, as that person was very appreciative to get it.
I did not know the Stith mount had collectability with these. I had a Pachmyr tip-off that was made for these. But, since it was drilled and tapped, it lost “collector value”.
The big difference I assume being ‘change vs. no change’
The .300 has also since sold. Not for ‘collector’ price, but for minimum fair price to someone who appreciates Savage 1899/99’s.