1930 savage 99 takedown

[slips73]

Hey everyone, been out of internet service for some time living in the boonies for the summer but used some today up in Coos bay, I recently purchased a nice savage 99 takedown (full thread) from 1930 in .300 Savage, I am new to these rifles but have always been interested in them. I had a few questions though.


I noticed that federal 150 gr factory ammo would show slight primer backing out.


BUT remington 150 gr core lokt factory ammo didnt back the primers out. The barrel is tight, in excellent condition as well as the internals and bolt/lever lock up. I shot about 10 rounds of the federal until I noticed that. It does shoot nicely with the remington ammo, I am concerned about the federal ammo damaging my gun. Why would two different types of factory ammo cause this? Should I be concerned? What are common things to look for on this gun,


As far as takedown goes, I very lightly tapped the forend tenon towards with a small derlin hammer to start the barrel unscrewing and unscrewed it, the threads look fine and no noticeable damage. the Barrel is very tight when screwed back on, I used the rubber mallet upon reassembly to set the barrel (is this ok? I didnt want to use the forend square metal hole for fear of cracking the wood)


Anything else please let me know. the gun is all original and serialized,It is drilled and tapped but looks well done.




https://farm1.staticflickr.com/507/19055028834_e8ebd24030_k.jpg
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/562/19681901741_3ccbe30bc3_k.jpg
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/489/19056460533_d059e7650a_k.jpg
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/440/19489307608_86d5974b17_k.jpg

[jblee10]

I have a rifle that is identical to yours. The slight primer back out may just be the Federal ammo is sized (headspace length) a little shorter then the Remington. I'm assuming that you reload. So keep a look out for the tell tale bright ring that indicates case stretching. When you resize the brass, resize to fit. The 99 does not have lots of camming action, so brass needs to fit the chamber easily.
The takedown model can be subject to wear from repeated disassembly. So I do not use the take down feature very often. Wear on the barrel threads will increase headspace. But it sound like your barrel still fits pretty tight. If they wear enough, the barrel will not index to the proper position and be tight.

[FromTheWoods]

Pretty rifle. Someone took good care of it for a long while.
But--That guy holding it left his finger prints on it!

I know nothing of Savage rifles, so have no advice to offer. I do appreciate fine lines and good wood on rifles. That one is a Beauty!

[missionary5155]

Greetings
Model 99's ,especially the older ones with the 24 inch tubes are nice ! That longer barrel gives more leeway which powder you can well use in your reloading. See if those fired cases re-chamber gently and if so do not full case resize just the neck. Check the groove diameter at the throat and add .001 to your cast diameter.
Have one also from the mid-20's just like yours except have a Redfield receiver sight on mine. If you ever take it apart again apply some thread goop (No Seize) to the threads so it will never corrode together. There are numerous products out there made to with stand high pressure and not squeeze out of the threads.
Shoot Cast Boolits in that rifle and never have to wonder if you are going to wear it out.
Mike in Peru

[richhodg66]

I have several 99s. One is a 99EG in .300 Savage which looks like yours except is not a take down. It is a good shooter, I have a Lyman receiver sight on it. Contrary to all the stuff you hear about the short neck on the .300, I have found it to be a good shooter with cast.

[OverMax]

Federal 150s seem to give allot of fellows the same experience. I witnessed the same circumstance on a 30-30 Win using Fed 150s some years back. Although I doubt you could hurt that old Savage with such ammo I would not make a habit of using them with that type of situation seen.

[Hardcast416taylor]

I have an untapped 99 take down in .300 Sav. I have never taken it apart. Holding the stock which way would I move the barrel UP or Down to unscrew it?Robert

[starmac]

I have owned one made in 32 for around 35 years. My barrel still locks up tight, but you should not need to tap it with anything, if all is right it will lock up easily by hand with not any pressure to speak of. I do not remove mine real often, but have quite a few times over the years.
Something about the steel savage used back then, it was not prone to rusting or corroding. I lived in Houston (high humidity) several years, and had to stay on top of all my other guns, but that old savage just wasn't prone to rust for some reason.

[TXGunNut]

Coos Bay, a beautiful place to be. Very nice find on that rifle. With my 300 I learned from someone (I'm sorry, simply forgot who) on this site to do little more than resize the neck and just barely bump the shoulder back a few thousandths. Hornady makes a tool for measuring this shoulder measurement and I've recorded it inside my die box.

[fatnhappy]

Absolutely beautiful! I'm green with envy. All my uncles owned 99s, including my Uncle Earl whose's only rifle was a .250-3000. I remember that rifle quite fondly.

Unfortunately the only 99 I own is a featherweight in .308 from the 50s, which happens to be in pristine shape. I had lent it to my boss' son one deer season with which he promptly slew a decent buck. Being enamored with the rifle he and his father sought out a 99 and wound up with a 1940s 99 in .300 savage.
I've done a fair amount of shooting and loading with that .300 for him and quite like it. The old lyman standbys, the 311041 and 311291 work exceedingly well. Since you're firing factory loads it's probably a moot point that I mention this. If you're forming your brass out of .308 for CB loads please take the time to measure your loaded case necks and compare it carefully to the outside neck diameter of fired brass from your chamber. I found one lot of remington brass that didn't have a full thou for expansion when loaded with a .312" CB.


Being drilled and tapped aside, that rifle is begging for a tang mounted peep.

[pietro]

I have an untapped 99 take down in .300 Sav. I have never taken it apart. Holding the stock which way would I move the barrel UP or Down to unscrew it?Robert




NEVER hold it by the buttstock when either taking it down or re-assembling it (you risk damaging the stock) - grasp the receiver, instead.

In any event, remember that, when looking downbore from the muzzle: "lefty/loosey" & "righty/tighty".


.

[ammohead]

slips,

When the firing pin strikes the primer the case will move forward till connecting with the shoulder. The more headspace the farther it will move, but all will move some unless the brass is partially resized to fit the headspace perfectly. After firing the case will swell with pressure from the expanding gases and grip the walls of the chamber tightly. Then the primer will back out until it contacts the breech/boltface. If the pressure is high enough the unsupported portion of the brass will stretch back until it contacts the boltface pushing the primer back into its pocket. If the pressure is too high it will iron the primer flat as it pushes it back into the pocket. You are seeing enough pressure to back the primer out but not enough to stretch the case back as well. A lot of factory savage ammo will be on the weaker side and you will see this. Not to worry. Get to handloading and set your size die to fit the chamber correctly and you will see group size shrink surprizingly and no more primer back out.

[ammohead]

Hardcast416taylor,Buttstock on the floor looking down at the muzzle. Unscrew the bbl the same as taking a lid off of a jar.

[Hardcast416taylor]

Hardcast416taylor,Buttstock on the floor looking down at the muzzle. Unscrew the bbl the same as taking a lid off of a jar.

Thanks for the help. I`m assuming that the unscrewing is done with the lever down in the open position?Robert

[021]

Thanks for the help. I`m assuming that the unscrewing is done with the lever down in the open position?Robert
That is correct.

[GRUMPA]

If I were you I would contact GRUMPA.......if you send him the fired cases he can customize the shoulder location for a tighter case to chamber fit....