Heh heh, didn't think I'd be the only one with a beef with the safety on the ol' 99, and I'm right handed!
Like many of you, mine is on its third generation now, and when I'm done I hope my son will put it to the use it was intended for.
Oddly, despite using this rifle for deer more than any other rifle, I've yet to shoot one with it. I guess the ol' 30-30 is my lucky gun. I tried it out on a porcupine once at about 75 yards and on later inspection of the victim I was a bit surprised at the amount of damage done to that animal. It certainly didn't suffer. I'll have to pay attention to bullet placement on a deer so as not to lose a quarter of it.
(Yes I know porckies are not on a licence. I was asked by the landowner to shoot all 'pines that I saw because they were wreaking havoc on his woodlot and maple syrup operation, so I was legal to shoot it.)