Sav. 99 in 300 Sav.

[res45]

It's a long story but about a year ago I picked up a four cavity 170 gr. .311" RD clone Arsenal mold I had planned on using it in my Sav. 170 30-30 but to my disappointment the ogive was to large and it wouldn't chamber so it and both the plain base an gas check bullets which the mold will cast two of each sat on the shelf for a while. So the other day I'm sitting out in the shop and I got to thinking maybe I should give it a try in the old Sav. 99 since it seems to have a large throat and it would make a great hunting bullet with its nice meplat, so I put together a dummy round and chambered it and it fit like a breeze.

I put together five rds. each of the plain base and gas check bullets behind 16.0 grs. of 2400 in my reformed 7.62 NATO brass that I converted to 300 Sav. and went over to my buddies house and put a target up at 50 yds. and just shot them with no sight adjustment to see what they would do. I didn't even bother setting up the chrony since I had a pretty good idea of the velocity range I was in and if all went well I would be revisiting this load as well as some further testing with other loads at higher velocity with different powders. The bullets were cast from 50/50 Lead Wheel Weights with a bit of tin, powder coated and quenched out of the toaster oven after curing.

[Hardcast416taylor]

OUTSTANDING!Robert

[Texas by God]

Yep, looks like lube grooves down in the boiler room is a problem. NOT. Very nice!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[res45]

Yep, looks like lube grooves down in the boiler room is a problem. NOT. Very nice!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

Well it might get kinda messy if I were using traditional lube instead of PC and I've also heard that you really don't want gas checks and lube grooves below the case neck but it's never cause any problem or affected accuracy to any degree that I would notice with the type shooting I do.

[MostlyLeverGuns]

Not surprised, I run quite a few 300 Savage down range, from a Savage 99, haven't had problems and get good accuracy with gas checks 'below' the neck, 311332 and Matt's bullets 185 .310 pointed. I use 17.5 gr 5744 or 16 gr IMR4227. From a bench with high power scope (12x plus) I expect under 1.5 MOA out to 200 yards.

[res45]

Thanks, MLG, I've shot several different bullets in the 99 such as the Lee .309" 150 gr. RNFP and Lee.312" 160 gr. TL bullet sized to .311" with good accuracy using 2400 but I have yet to try other powders. It's one of those projects I'm just now getting around to developing some higher velocity loads for. If I can get up to 30-30 jacketed velocity range with good accuracy that will be fine for anything I need to do around here.

[res45]

Heck, when I get accuracy like that I don't need a chrono. I have owned and shot several Savage 99's over the years in both .300 Sav. and .308 Won. Never had a problem of getting accuracy out of them. I like the 99 and wish I still had one, which I don't right now. james

I just like to know the numbers and compare them to the load data I use especially since I'm not using a listed bullet and my brass is reformed 7.62 NATO and being thicker in the past I've gotten about 50 fps. more MV with an identical load over factory brass.

[Smoke4320]

Looks like the load development is pretty much done.
On to make dead ones out of live ones

[Three44s]

If the ‘ole freezer needs a fillin’ it will not have to wait long! Well maybe for a season to open?

Well done Well done sir!

You got me all misty eyed about my 99-300 now!

Three44s

[MostlyLeverGuns]

I've used cut-off 7.62 x 51 quite a bit in my 300 Savage's. I have not run into any problems with neck-wall thickness in multiple 99's in 300. I have an older EG that gets used very hard, has the 'short' 2.6" magazine and a couple 'modern 2.8" ' magazines with top/tang safeties. All have very long throats and are accurate with .310 bullets. I load to function thru the magazine. Long ago (1970's?) I cut a small notch in the receiver so magazine length cartridges would eject without hitting the receiver on the way out (sacriledge in today's world). For antelope and deer I use a Hornady 150, 44 gr Varget, Federal 210M in a WW-Super case. Long ago Widener's closed out 300 Savage brass, so I have 500-1000 in storage so I don't redo 7.62 any more. Cut-off 7.62 has the advantage that you can set your die to the optimal headspace so your cases never need to 'stretch to fit the chamber. I switch to the 150 Partition, 43.5 gr Varget for bigger stuff.

[res45]

res45, I was not criticizing you in any way. I have had a Pact Chron. since the late 80's but it has gotten very little use. I usually start with a book starting load and load with several charge and OAL's until I either get an accurate load or loose patience and move on to another powder or bullet or combination. I load mostly 30-06 and 8x57mm, with pistol and revolver thrown in. I even had at one time a Ransom Rest for pistol and revolver testing but later sold it after I got out of the competitive mood. Chronograph's can be very useful as they can tell more about a load than just velocity. james

I took no offense in fact I didn't feel like you were being critical at all, so were done with that notion. I appreciate all the info that yourself as well as other on this board pass along as it always encouraging and useful in helping me to enjoy my hobby.

[res45]

If the ‘ole freezer needs a fillin’ it will not have to wait long! Well maybe for a season to open?

Well done Well done sir!

You got me all misty eyed about my 99-300 now!

Three44s

I got the rifle from my brother probably around 25 years ago and it stays in the hard case under the bed more than it's been out. It probably hasn't had 200 rds. shot through it since I took possession of it many years ago but it's going to get plenty of bench time this summer and fall and I want to take it on a hog hunt sometime soon once I get a higher velocity load worked up for it.

[res45]

Looks like the load development is pretty much done.
On to make dead ones out of live ones

By the way Smoke those bullet s are coated with your powder, I used the Super Durable Clear on the gas check bullets and the Carolina Blue on the plain base bullets. I probably use those two colors more than any others and the clear is the best I've ever used it just never fails to give good coverage.