Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Savage Collectors 99T sight question

Hello, This is a 99T 372xxx, numbers matching, that's a bit rough, but I think a 'T' nonetheless, I believe it has the proper front sight, even though it looks like someone stuck it in wet dirt and let it dry or a mud dauber wasp built a nest on it and someone chiseled it off! Lol...anyway do you guys think it's correct?

Another pic of the dirt and bead...some yahoo also trimmed the butt stock to mount an improper fitting receiver tang sight, took off the real rear sight on barrel and drilled and tapped the receiver for scope mounts... despite all these flaws, it really is a fairly nice rifle overall, looks better than it did if you saw it when it was on gunbroker a short time ago...should be a good shooter grade 'T'

It looks correct if that bead was originally red and has discolored over time.

What is stamped on it? Can't really read the text.

Looks factory. They weren't all red beads from the factory.

I'd say yes as well. I think it started out red and has aged.

It says 'Lyman" then under 'REG.US.PAT.OF.' if I'm reading it proper on bottm line

REG US PAT OFC is my guess.

Looking at the pictures of your front sight, I see red on the metal and some buildup of red where the bead meets the base, to me, that suggests it was painted.

I have not found any really definite information on what sight was considered the usual for these after the early guns which probably did not have a red bead. Were they all marked Lyman? Were some unmarked? I have been informed that a version of the Lyman No 31 was the correct sight, but those would be 1/16" beads and to me your looks like it might be larger?

Ivory bead somebody painted red? Interesting. Most folks didn't like the red bead and took them off.

Anybody have pictures of their red beads?

Here's a couple I've captured over the years. They are both very similar with subtle differences. I believe they are Lyman. Have also seen Marbles that were believed to be factory.

The top one looks like ones I've seen with brass, white or red beads. The bottom one is much shorter, it's about the same length as the 3/8" dovetail, the top one extends to the front of the flat on the ramp and almost to the rear - it looks twice as long, it also looks like the bead might be smaller diameter than the bottom one. Did the sights Savage used vary that much? I recently bought a couple red bead Lyman's to display with a T rear sight, but I can't say if either is the same as used by Savage (but I don't think anyone would question either of them if they were put on a T).

Thanks, Gene. I checked my notes and I believe the bottom one may be a Marbles sight. It is also stamped on the top but it is unreadable.

I wondered if the grooves in the ramp and the rear of the sight were a coincidence or intentional to match the Savage?