Savage 99 — no markings, help?

[Pnwhunter]

Hey all.

I recently acquired my great grandfathers lever l gun, a savage model 99. The trick for me is I can’t for the life of me figure out much about it.

serial is 223xxx, but it has an M stamped on the lever boss so I can’t figure out if this is a 1920 build or 1961.

the more perplexing thing, however is the complete lack of any barrel markings that I can find. I’ve had the foreend off, and there’s just…nothing. I’ve not yet taken it down for cleaning (it hasn’t been fired in probably 60 years) and maybe there’s something marked internally, but from what I can see with it open there’s still just nothing. I won’t rule out that the barrel may have been swapped (but again, would have been 60 plus years ago) but unfortunately anyone with that knowledge is dead and gone.

Anyone with any insight? Even in my early winchester shotguns there’s at least some marking.

a few photos on an Imgur link https://imgur.com/a/UXBdOaE

thanks for your help
https://imgur.com/a/WzpVegJ

[Big Al1]

It's an 1899 made in 1920. Caliber, barrel length, any barrel marking would help with the ID. Forearm looks like it may be a replacement.

[Pnwhunter]

I have no idea on caliber, and can find no barrel making. I suppose I could toss a caliper in the barrel to at least have a sense, but I can’t find a stamp or marking on it to delineate cartridge or caliber anywhere.

[Pnwhunter]

It's an 1899 made in 1920. Caliber, barrel length, any barrel marking would help with the ID. Forearm looks like it may be a replacement.

thank you!

[Big Al1]

Then the only way to ID the caliber is have a gunsmith do a chamber cast. I thought the barrel looked a little strange, might have been replaced.

[Model24]

Chamber casting is feasible for the DIYer. McMaster-Carr carries the low temperature casting alloys.

[old guy]

I think the buttstock nas been replaced, that looks like modern checkering.

[Gator1833]

If you go to the website https://savagelevers.com/, you can look up the serial numbers for Savage 1895, 1899, and 99’s. Also there is the pocket reference book on the site that has all the different models and styles. I picked one up at the Tulsa show last year.