Going old school

[Winfwt338-06]

I love the challenge of LR shooting, however, I'm 49yrs old and I've never shot a big game animal with a lever gun. I own a 1907 Win 1894 Oct bbl 30wcf rifle, multiple Savage 99's from 22 hi- power Td to 38-55 win Td. All shoot well. In process of trying to acquire a Win 1886 33wcf TD from a buddy. Hoping to draw eastern Oregon muley tag this year. Prior experience feedback welcome. Thanks in advance

 

[Mustang72]

One of my favorite hunting rifles is a savage 99 in 308. 250 savage and up should serve you well. Maybe not a long range rig but still quite effective.

 

[Winfwt338-06]

One of my favorite hunting rifles is a savage 99 in 308. 250 savage and up should serve you well. Maybe not a long range rig but still quite effective.

Thanks I do have a 250 in a 99 and a 308F, 30wcf, 32 Spl also all 99's

 

[6.5-300 BEE]

Any 300 or 308 99 Will kill a Mulie at 400 yards.

 

[Winfwt338-06]

Thanks for the input. Only 2 of all the levers are scoped. The 99 308 and my Win 88 in 284 Win are scoped. Will have my recently rebarreled Win 70 Fwt in 338-06 with me for longer shots. Top many calibers, and guns only allowed 1 buck!

 

[Savage 12BVSS]

I've really lost count of the number of deer that have fallen to my 308 99 savage. Dad bought it for me when I was quite young, he used 300 savage and 308 99's his entire deer hunting career up here in maine. I used mine from seventy's up to 2000, than bolt guns caught my fancy. Up here in the sixties and seventy's you saw almost no bolt guns, just win and savage lever's and rem pumps and auto's. I remember a huge gang that hunted out of one of the bigger camps and one fella had a sportized mauser, the rest was all lever's. Killed the largest buck I've yet shot with a 30-30 win 94 lever and open sights. Enjoy your hunt!

 

[6.5-300 BEE]

My 99R with 4198 and a 130 gr TSX touches 3000 fps and groups sub MOA. I once killed an Antelope, some fool had crippled, at 400 yards. It worked although I'd never try it on a healthy animal.

 

[Winfwt338-06]

I've really lost count of the number of deer that have fallen to my 308 99 savage. Dad bought it for me when I was quite young, he used 300 savage and 308 99's his entire deer hunting career up here in maine. I used mine from seventy's up to 2000, than bolt guns caught my fancy. Up here in the sixties and seventy's you saw almost no bolt guns, just win and savage lever's and rem pumps and auto's. I remember a huge gang that hunted out of one of the bigger camps and one fella had a sportized mauser, the rest was all lever's. Killed the largest buck I've yet shot with a 30-30 win 94 lever and open sights. Enjoy your hunt!

Love hearing what hunting is like around the country. My grandpa bought a 99 303 Sav Oct bbl in 1933 for $15. He carried it for a few years that it was too heavy. He also wanted a more powerful cartridge. He sent it to Savage and had a tapered barrel installed and chambered in 32Spl. Savage didn't chamber that cartridge. He then built a set of curly maple stock and fore end, beautiful rifle. Be killed his biggest buck, 175" 4x4 muley. It was my dad's first hunting rifle, he killed his first buck with it. I carried it my first couple years hunting, but never shot anything. My dad is 83 and disabled and can't hunt anymore. Think I'll pack that 32spl for brushy areas, it would make dad proud and I don't want to have the streak broken with me.

 

[Winfwt338-06]

My 99R with 4198 and a 130 gr TSX touches 3000 fps and groups sub MOA. I once killed an Antelope, some fool had crippled, at 400 yards. It worked although I'd never try it on a healthy animal.

Just because of distance?

 

[6.5-300 BEE]

Yes, it carries a 4X Redfield (Denver) post & CH, not ideal for long range. Actually farthest I've ever shot a big game animal.

I really should put a higher X scope on the Savage and try it on our long range steel targets. Load up some ELDMs --- could be fun.

 

[Winfwt338-06]

Yes, it carries a 4X Redfield (Denver) post & CH, not ideal for long range. Actually farthest I've ever shot a big game animal.

I really should put a higher X scope on the Savage and try it on our long range steel targets. Load up some ELDMs --- could be fun.

My dad shot a muley at 440yds with Win 88 in 284Win. 4-12 Nikon with "death dot" reticle. 140gr Barnes Xlc's

 

[Dosh]

When I was a young kid everyone in the family hunted with the Savage 99 in .308 with nothing larger than a 3X9 scope. Wish I had kept one of them. I do have my grandfather's lever 32Win Spl.

 

[Mustang72]

Sounds like you have 3 good and capable options. I doubt I would even worry about taking the 338/06.

 

[AJPERALTA]

My grandfather killed a buck every year in the Arizona desert with an open site 30-30 and my dad a Remington pump 30-06. I don't even think I looked through a rifle scope till I was in my 20's.