1899 .303 Savage and 311-041?

[rintinglen]

I just bought an 1899 Savage Carbine in .303 Savage, got some cases from Graf and Sons, and plenty of suitable rifle powders. Does this cartridge work with this boolit? According to my old copy of the NRA Handloading book the SAAMI Spec for OAL is only 2.520 and my sample rounds run longer. Should I look for my 311-291 instead? Can I load longer and still get reliable function? I am in the midst of California's inane 10 day waiting period or I'd just try it out myself.

[TXGunNut]

Can't say from personal experience but I'd want to make a PB 311041 work in a 303 Savage someday.

[richhodg66]

I've done limited work with mine and only plinking loads, but I will try it with the 31141 and the RCBS 180 grain FP.

I can't imagine why the 311041 won't work. It's designed for the .30-30, but it has worked well in my Savage 99s in .300 Savage and .308.

[MostlyLeverGuns]

Just checked , I am loading the RCBS 180 FN at overall length of 2.558 in Prvi cases. I have also loaded some other Flatnoses, Missouri bullet 135 gr PB, Lyman 311407, and a couple other commercial cast '30-30' flat nose without feeding problems. The 311041 should work very well. Remember, there is no need to crimp with the Savage 1899 so seating depth is what works best. I have used mostly .310, but .309 has also worked well. Seating depth is much simpler when you do not worry about the crimp groove. I would simply adjust seating depth to allow reliable feeding from the magazine, again, NO CRIMP needed. You may need to reduce the expanded/belled portion of the case neck, but just remove the 'bell'. My .303 is the very light weight barrel. When the light is just right, there is no wind and everything else comes together, I can get 10 shots under 2" at a hundred with its Redfield peep and the RCBS 180 FN and 18 gr of very old H4198. That is about the best I can do with the current front sight and a 6.5 pound rifle that has no flat surfaces for the sandbags. They are fun rifles.

[frnkeore]

I've only shot my 1899 twice, once with the 31413 and once with 150 gr FB jacketed spitzers. I can get cartridges of 2.6 OAL into my magazine but, that's all.

I'd be interested to know your groove size, mines is only .306.

Frank

[rintinglen]

Just checked , I am loading the RCBS 180 FN at overall length of 2.558 in Prvi cases. I have also loaded some other Flatnoses, Missouri bullet 135 gr PB, Lyman 311407, and a couple other commercial cast '30-30' flat nose without feeding problems. The 311041 should work very well. Remember, there is no need to crimp with the Savage 1899 so seating depth is what works best. I have used mostly .310, but .309 has also worked well. Seating depth is much simpler when you do not worry about the crimp groove. I would simply adjust seating depth to allow reliable feeding from the magazine, again, NO CRIMP needed. You may need to reduce the expanded/belled portion of the case neck, but just remove the 'bell'. My .303 is the very light weight barrel. When the light is just right, there is no wind and everything else comes together, I can get 10 shots under 2" at a hundred with its Redfield peep and the RCBS 180 FN and 18 gr of very old H4198. That is about the best I can do with the current front sight and a 6.5 pound rifle that has no flat surfaces for the sandbags. They are fun rifles.

Well, this interesting--that RCBS is a favorite of mine in the 30-30 loaded over 30 grains of WW-748. I didn't think to try it in the .303. But the bullet weight matches closely the old 190 grain loading for the Savage, you just may be onto something there! I have a day left before I pick the gun up, so maybe I'll have a chance to load a few before Thursday when I hope to hit the range.

[john hayslip]

John Barsness did an article in Handloader magazine some time ago and came to the conclusion that the 303 Sav has identical capacity to the 30-30 and therefore loads can be the same. Gives one a lot more loads to play with. I've got a take down that is a hoot to shoot.

[rintinglen]

Thanks, John. I wasn't sure about that but was going to go that way, if I could not find any load info that was caliber specific.

[gnoahhh]

Ditto the advice re: crimping for the Savage. I have fired all bullet weights from 110 to 210 grains, and everything in between, in my .303 Savages. It has proved to be one of the most forgiving cartridges concerning powder charges, in my experience too. For what it's worth here a re a couple of my favorite loads: 180 gr. old NEI/15gr. SR-4759 for general target shooting, 190gr. custom SAECO FN/28gr. 3031 for hunting.

[rintinglen]

Thanks a bunch, Gnoahh, I'll have to try that 3031 load with the RCBS boolit, as I hope to take this with me this fall deer hunting. According to the web, my 1899 was made in either 1906 or 1907--well over one hundred years ago. Hope I can still go hunting when I'm that age.

[M99SavNut]

Accurate Molds also has a boolit mold for the .303 Savage - 31-190S. I sent Tom a picture of the old W-W 190 gr. Silvertip awhile back, and the above is his rendition of it. I've cast some and have them loaded now w/ SR 4759, but no testing done as yet. I have two older 1899As, and one much more recent 99G (takedown, curved pistol grip/lever, 20" barrel) that I'm planning to use this year on the local whitetails. The G, in particular, is a beauty, and if it shoots as good as it looks.......

rintinglen, if your rifle has the breechbolt with the square back (and that should be the case with a 1906/07 date of manufacture), keep a sharp eye on the receiver at those back corners, as those receivers will sometimes develop fatigue cracks at the corners. If/when that happens, consideration should given to retiring the rifle. Savage changed the receiver and breechbolt design (and also the metallurgy, according to John Barsness) at serial #90,000, sometime around 1909, to a rounded shape which eliminated this problem, but several years ago I saw an old one in the bargain rack at Cabela's with the receiver cracked at both corners at the rear of the bolt. It stayed on the rack, at least as far as I was concerned.

Good luck, and good shooting to all.

Jess