Some guns ought to get an award. One such gun is the Savage Model 99 introduced in 1899 by the Savage Arms company of Utica, New York. First named the Model 1899, it was later shortened to simply the Model 99. Featuring a rotary box magazine that allowed the use of pointed bullets, the Model 99 chamberings provided improved ballistics over the tubular magazine rifles made by Winchester and Marlin. Other popular features include the hammerless design and loaded round counter, which indicates how many shots were left. Savage produced over a million of these rifles before they discontinued the model in 1999. Through the years, Savage chambered the 99 for over 15 different cartridges, ranging from the 22 Savage High Power to the 375 Winchester. Most famous, however, was the 300 Savage. The Model 99 is most often thought of as an eastern deer rifle, although it was commonly used for the largest of game throughout the western United States. That's a quick look at the Savage Model 99 lever action rifle. It clearly belongs in the Firearms Hall of Fame.
--Larry Potterfield