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Thread: Savage 99 30-30

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy 380AUTO's Avatar
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    Savage 99 30-30

    Finally had the chance to take out my circa 1930 takedown model savage 99 in 30-30. I loaded a “popcorn load” 10 grains unique under a Lee 312-155 bullet. 10 grains of unique has always served me very well but this rifle loved it. With open sight I was smacking my 6 inch steel target at 100 yards easily. I liked it so much I am really considering using this load for deer season this year, should have plenty of steam for the task. Here’s a pic of my rifle.


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    Proud to serve, U.S. Army Infantry

  2. #2
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    Texas by God's Avatar
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    It reeks of class. By all means hunt with it. Flatnose at close range and venison for supper!

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  3. #3
    Boolit Buddy Landy88's Avatar
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    Nice rifle! It reads like you found it a load that it likes, and Savages are 30-30s that are pointy bullet safe. I'm looking for a similar one in .303; but I'm, thus far, luckless.


    Pointy cast may pose a challenge in terminal performance for hunting, where a big meplat is good insurance. Still, if you make sure that you're getting reliable expansion, that bullet could work; and accuracy is a great beginning. Two, here, that really seem to know the tricks for cast expansion are Bruce B with his specially cast softpoints and Larry Gibson with hollowpoints done several ways.
    The first purpose of the Second Amendment is too often overlooked, fostering a liberty of mind and action necessary in the people of a free republic.


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  4. #4
    Boolit Master Guesser's Avatar
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    I have a 1936 99 in 30-30. Regarding the pointy bullets........I tried 150 grain Hornadys, they worked but the bullet has to be seated deep in the case in order to keep the 2.50"+/- OAL to feed into and out of the magazine. I did not like that, I went back to traditional 30-30 bullets, 150 and 170. The Lyman 311041 works very well in my gum. My 99/30-30 is a solid frame 20" carbine, shoots better than any Winchester 94 or Marlin I ever owned; consequently I don't own any Winchester or Marlin 30-30's. My Savage is fitted with a Lyman #30 1/2 tang sight, fully adjustable for windage and elevation.

  5. #5
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    I love 99s and have a few, though not a .30-30. All the .30 and bigger ones shoot cast well for me.

    I would want a bullet a little heavier and have a flat nose to hunt deer with, though. Something along the lines of the 311041 or similar. It worked well on deer for me in the .30-30 (not a 99) and also in .300 Savage in a 99. Much as I like Unique, you might want to try something like 4895 for your deer load as well.

  6. #6
    Boolit Master Drm50's Avatar
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    I have never got a nice 99 in 30/30. They are always thrashed. I've had quite a few, most are
    300sav & 303sav. I just sold a nice 303 after dragging it around for a year. The 30/30 have always
    been desirable even when most of the other 99s weren't in big demand. Back in 70s & 80s when
    I had a shop, 99s were in same bracket as 336 & 1894 Win. for price. The 22Hi-Power, 250/3000
    & 303sav were hard sells in my area. $100 for a decent used one was the going price.

  7. #7
    Boolit Master
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    Great-looking rifle! Jealousy is such a negative emotion! Since the late Stone Age, 10 gr. of Unique has been known a the UMAGGB (Universal, Make Any Gun Go Bang) load. The same can be said of 5 gr Unique for .38-357 revolvers.

  8. #8
    Boolit Grand Master pietro's Avatar
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    .

    I urge you to take it dancing (deer hunting), as I regularly do my ca.1914 .303 Savage Model 1899H - which is the ballistic equivalent ( even to using .308" boolits) of the .30-30.

    I love the light weight, smooth cycling, and accuracy of these early Savage leverguns.





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    Now I lay me down to sleep
    A gun beside me is what I keep
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  9. #9
    Boolit Buddy 380AUTO's Avatar
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    Thank you gentlemen I love this rifle and it is absolutely a beautiful old gal. She shoots straight every single time if I do my part. I don’t use the peep sight on it just open sights and is more accurate than my marlins or Winchester’s. I’m going to cast up a few Lee 150 grain flat points and see how they shoot. That might be my go to for deer hunting.
    Proud to serve, U.S. Army Infantry

  10. #10
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    My ex's father had one of those.
    It probably did not have a box of shells through it.
    I so would love to have that gun today.
    If it would shoot the RCBS 150 or RD GB it would make me one happy camper.
    Amendments
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  11. #11
    Boolit Bub
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    380Auto, looks like you have a very nice model 99G with excellent cast results. I love the Savage levers. I just started casting and am starting with the Lee C309-170-F (best I can tell it's a look-a-like to the Lyman 311041). For my first project I'm working up loads for this 1913 model 1899H (lightweight 20" barrel) 30-30. So far I've tried 8 grains Unique (1225 fps) and 18 grains H4198 (1560fps); got about 1.5" at 50 yards with open sights with the H4198. Half the battle is shooting open sights with old eyes. Next up will be to try the bullet and loads in a 1920 99F .303 Savage that has a Lyman 57SA aperture sight on it that works a lot better with my eyes. Really enjoying this and have a goal of taking my first deer with a cast bullet this fall.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails IMG_1885.jpg  
    Last edited by KeithNyst; 07-17-2018 at 01:39 PM.

  12. #12
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    Pietro: That is one beautiful rifle. If you took off the scope it would be a perfect 10. The classic lines remind me of a Ruger # 1 & 3 but they only rate a 8.5 unless you get an older one. Here is my fav. A Mauser 98/22 customized to 6.5x55 in a thumbhold laminated stock. I need to change out that scope to a Leupold as my scope is a cheapo and much too bulky although it has fine glass and is repeatable all day long it will shoot with my cast 140 gr boolits and a decent powder to less than 1 MOA out to 350 yds. Beyond that it works but not as well. My coyote hunts usually end up at somewhere between 25 to 80 yds when I light off a round. My .223 Rem CZ 527FS does ok but I do not get the expansion of the round as most just go thru and thru so it is not a DRT round on coyotes. Next time I am gonna leave the rifles at home and bring my Smith Model 57 as it is lights out at up to 75 yds for anything on four feet and up to 150 yds on two footed creatures. Note the fool on his Triumph with a broken leg and crutch. I would use the M 1 for coyotes but I need to work up a decent 110 grain loading for it. Click image for larger version. 

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    Last edited by Crash_Corrigan; 08-22-2018 at 10:28 PM. Reason: add photo
    Pax Nobiscum Dan (Crash) Corrigan

    Currently casting, reloading and shooting: 223 Rem, 6.5x55 Sweede, 30 Carbine, 30-06 Springfield, 30-30 WCF, 303 Brit., 7.62x39, 7.92x57 Mauser, .32 Long, 32 H&R Mag, 327 Fed Mag, 380 ACP. 9x19, 38 Spcl, 357 Mag, 38-55 Win, 41 Mag, 44 Spcl., 44 Mag, 45 Colt, 45 ACP, 454 Casull, 457 RB for ROA and 50-90 Sharps. Shooting .22 LR & 12 Gauge seldom and buying ammo for same.

  13. #13
    Boolit Bub
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    I had a 30-30 1899H Feather Weight. 102,XXX, 20" skinny barrel, schnable, straight grip w/slight perch belly. It had a Marbles tang sight and a folding Marble's rear sight in the barrel dovetail. I had high hopes for that rifle, but sadly, the last inch or two of bore was cleaning rod trashed. I really wanted that to work out, could maybe have counterbored, but I decided to cut my losses and let her go.
    "Every man thinks meanly of himself for not having been a soldier, or not having been at sea." --Dr. Johnson

  14. #14
    Boolit Master


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    Quote Originally Posted by Drm50 View Post
    I had a shop, 99s were in same bracket as 336 & 1894 Win. for price. The 22Hi-Power, 250/3000
    & 303sav were hard sells in my area. $100 for a decent used one was the going price.
    Boy you are old but I bet it was because deer hunting there was just starting up again. Here in NE in the 80's I collected 99's cheap by the late 90's prices were through the roof and have gone higher since.

    My shop always got premium for the less available calibers same as today. Appitites do change.

  15. #15
    Boolit Master Drm50's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Geezer in NH View Post
    Boy you are old but I bet it was because deer hunting there was just starting up again. Here in NE in the 80's I collected 99's cheap by the late 90's prices were through the roof and have gone higher since.

    My shop always got premium for the less available calibers same as today. Appitites do change.
    Hey, I resent that old crack. I ain't old just used to much when I was new! Seriously there weren't
    a whole lot of deer rifles in Ohio since they weren't legal to hunt with. Varmit guns were common.
    It was a different story in 50s & 60s. The area was booming with mills & mines and people were
    coming in from other states for jobs. The "immigrants" brought in the rifles that ended up floating
    around the system. Besides that guns like 30/30s , 35s were popular utility farm guns.

    Savage 99s were unpopular for some reason. Savage went down the tubes in 80s, I shut down in
    90-91 and 99s were sleepers yet. When the price took off it was 500% over night. My main disturb
    was Buckeye Sports in Canton, Ohio. They would furnish their catalog with your business name
    on them and I still have a couple from 70-80s. I'm going to dig one out to see what Retail was on
    99s. When save was going under they were blowing them out for $125@ if you bought unit package.

  16. #16
    Boolit Master
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    Have a 1899 model 30-30 TD too.
    Don't do tinker bell loading's here. Just reloads with Accurate Arms 2230 for my rifles hunting accuracy.
    Last summer I spent some time shooting paper patched 041s sized down to .301 and powered down range with a full case of w-860 surplus. Didn't get the P/P accuracy I wanted to see. Actually the littl T.D. rifle is a tad more accurate shooting G/C cast reloads. So~~ now I'm considering sending the 1899s barrel to JES so to have it re-bored to 35-30. Hopefully the T/Ds skinny barrel can {pressure} handle JES's want-a-be 35 Remington cartridge?

  17. #17
    Boolit Grand Master pietro's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by OverMax View Post

    I'm considering sending the 1899s barrel to JES so to have it re-bored to 35-30. Hopefully the T/Ds skinny barrel can {pressure} handle JES's want-a-be 35 Remington cartridge?

    You can most likely save yourself some aggravation, and figure out if ANY reborer (including Jess) will bore out your .308" barrel to .358".

    The barrel can only be bored out to .358" if the completed rebore leaves a barrel wall thickness of .125" at the muzzle.

    That equates to .125" + .125" + .358" - a muzzle OD of .610" (+/-).

    Measure the OD of YOUR rifle's muzzle.

    If it's under .610", no deal; if it's over .610", you're good to go.


    .
    Now I lay me down to sleep
    A gun beside me is what I keep
    If I awake, and you're inside
    The coroner's van is your next ride

  18. #18
    Boolit Buddy Landy88's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by pietro View Post
    You can most likely save yourself some aggravation, and figure out if ANY reborer (including Jess) will bore out your .308" barrel to .358".

    The barrel can only be bored out to .358" if the completed rebore leaves a barrel wall thickness of .125" at the muzzle.

    That equates to .125" + .125" + .358" - a muzzle OD of .610" (+/-).

    Measure the OD of YOUR rifle's muzzle.

    If it's under .610", no deal; if it's over .610", you're good to go.


    .
    One trick sort of around this, since most barrels are tapered, is to shorten the barrel before reboring. The expasion ratio lost in shortening will be regained in reboring, too - as close to a free lunch as we're ever likely to find.

    A carbine or even trapper length TD 99 for a .35-30 would be both an excellent and unique rifle.
    The first purpose of the Second Amendment is too often overlooked, fostering a liberty of mind and action necessary in the people of a free republic.


    “Ironically, the only gun control in 19th century England was the policy forbidding police to have arms while on duty.”
    ~ Don B. Kates, Jr.

  19. #19
    Boolit Master northmn's Avatar
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    One great 30-30 bullet I do not see mentioned here is the RCBS 180 fp. I used a very similar bullet by using a fp sizing punch on a Lee 185312. I could get about 2000 fps with that bullet. It was very deadly on deer. Can't tell you much other than that as it went through all of them I shot with it. One I got at 140 steps from my tree using peep sights. I used a WW/lead alloy and water hardened them after sizing. For my hunting loads I put the bases in a pan of water and used a torch to anneal the noses. Lost some bullets but did not need many to hunt with, You can sight in with those not annealed. As I said, they worked very well on deer. The RCBS mold would make things simpler. These were shot out of a Marlin lever and should function in your Savage. I also get good accuracy with the Hornady 140 grain LE's out of my Mossberg 464. The 160's not as good.


    DEP

  20. #20
    Boolit Master redhawk0's Avatar
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    I have an 1899 (no letter) dated 1911 in 303 Sav. Its in very good condition for being 100+ years old. It likes the Lee 170gr FP. and WW748 powder. I do use Magnum primers to ensure good ignition with the ball powder. It shoots about 1.5" at 50yds with open sights. I debated a few years back about having it drilled and tapped for a scope mount...but my Smith talked me out of it. He said that it would hurt the antique value of the gun more than the cost to tap it. And for the little use that I give it....I passed on the idea.

    I have to admit though...it is a lot of fun to shoot...but since I'm a lefty...the Lever slide safety is problematic for me. (quickly) so I don't hunt with it...just paper punching.

    redhawk

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check