Revived a 99 today

[6.5 mike]

In june I got another 99 sav in a trade, it's a takedown & the barrel was bearly loose.
Today I finished the punch I was making to tighten the threads & it worked fine. The barrel had 1 & 1/2 thousands play at the reciever & by TAPPING with a 1/4 lb ballpeen I was able to set the barrel back against the reciever. Two taps per thread on both sides took up the gap. Now it threads in like the others I've had & locks up tight. And ya it's another 303.
To all who answered my post on "the barrel works" my thanks. I did fire 3 rounds & had no trouble at all. Pulled the forearm after each to check for any loosening, found none. Have to use the lug in the forearm to loosen or tighten the barrel into place so I figure I'm good to go.
Bret, you would like this one, shotgun butt not cresent. Thanks again.

[Bret4207]

Good to hear! And good on you! No such thing as a bad 99.

[BarryinIN]

Nice job saving it. I (finally) got my first 99 last winter, and I've been loving it. Hope to get more someday.

[MakeMineA10mm]

Where do you guys find these??

I've been thinking about one lately, and just can't seem to lay eyes on one for sale. They must all be out west... :killingpc

[stocker]

6.5mike: Good work. Now put a bit of Never Sieze or a bit of heavy grease on the threads to give them some cushion. Taking them down and re-assembling dry is the biggest cause of wear.

[Three44s]

I agree on the lube ...............

But I'd suggest leaving it together and not working your repair anymore than absolutely necessary ----- it's all wear ........ just some is more than others.

Good job and enjoy your reclaimed 99!!!

Three 44s

[Ed Barrett]

Good work. The 1899 is the best levergun ever made.

[roadie]

What do you guys think about the lockup strength of the 99 as compared to the Winchester, Marlin lever series?

roadie

[6.5 mike]

Thanks guys. I really don't plan on taking the barrel out unless I have to, no point adding more wear to it. The crown & rifling are in very good shape so I can clean from the muzzle. Nice thing was I was still getting some j word fouling on the patches, after 3 pp'ed rounds, it's gone. This one had the orignal rear sight, but the step adjuster was missing. I had a King gun works rear with adjuster I'd found in the basement of my wifes moms house when we were cleaning it out after she passed away. Looks like it belongs on it with the high lyman front. I gotta learn how to post pics.
This one has the same barrel specs as my other, so a lee 185 sized to .309 & two wraps of meade bring it up just right. 0.303/0.311 bore size.
Except for Wins 88, I think the 99 is a better rifle. Better lockup, any shape boolit you want to use, easy to scope if you want. Plus, like one of the older fellas at the range I use says, an elegant rifle. Being factory chambered for higher velocity rounds also helps. I could kick myself for letting the 22 hi power & 250/3000 get away from me, they were both takedowns too. I are a dummy some times.

[Bret4207]

What do you guys think about the lockup strength of the 99 as compared to the Winchester, Marlin lever series?

roadie

IMO the 99 is a lot stronger. Properly fitted the bolt bears against the receiver over a large area. I once heard it described as "a repeating falling block". Even the earlier 250's were more than strong enough to handle the pressure. The brass would stretch due to the action flexing though. That's why the 250 has been underloaded for over 75 years.I know of no rear locking action that doesn't grow brass a bit faster than a front locker given the same loads. The longer the distance from the bolt face to the locking area the more flex there'll be. No way around it.

The Savage has so much going for it. I never understood why someone would choose a 94 Winchester or 36/336 Marlin over a Savage except for price. Savage was always a bit more expensive. To me, as much as I love my Marlins and Winchester, the Savage 99 was just always the premier hunting rifle. Where ever it was appropriate the 99 was always a mile ahead of any other lever, pump or auto IMO.

[StarMetal]

IMO the 99 is a lot stronger. Properly fitted the bolt bears against the receiver over a large area. I once heard it described as "a repeating falling block". Even the earlier 250's were more than strong enough to handle the pressure. The brass would stretch due to the action flexing though. That's why the 250 has been underloaded for over 75 years.I know of no rear locking action that doesn't grow brass a bit faster than a front locker given the same loads. The longer the distance from the bolt face to the locking area the more flex there'll be. No way around it.

The Savage has so much going for it. I never understood why someone would choose a 94 Winchester or 36/336 Marlin over a Savage except for price. Savage was always a bit more expensive. To me, as much as I love my Marlins and Winchester, the Savage 99 was just always the premier hunting rifle. Where ever it was appropriate the 99 was always a mile ahead of any other lever, pump or auto IMO.


Bret,

I'll agree with most that, but add that was till the advent of the Win Model 88, the Sako Finnwolf, and the Browing BLR. Yes I know the first two are not with us now, but BLR is. Those rifles were/are leagues ahead of the Savage 99. None the less the 99 is a classic and darn good idea, plus strong for considering when it was designed.

Joe

[BarryinIN]

Where do you guys find these??

I found mine on Gunbroker last year. It came from PA if that matters at all.

It took a little looking but not too bad.
I don't think I was overly picky, which surely made my search easier. I wanted one from before the 70s (I hate skipline checkering), and I would have been happy with any of a few calibers (but really wanted a .250 or .300 which seem most common anyway). I wasn't too picky about condition other than having a decent bore and not being too obviously chopped up like having the stock shortened.
In other words, I wanted a typical field-used 99.
I probably looked four weeks with a half effort to see what they were bringing, then another two weeks after getting serious about it.

They're out there, and worth finding in my opinion.

[MakeMineA10mm]

Thanks Barry. My tastes run just like yours. I want one that's nice, but that I don't feel guilty over shooting or taking out in the field, and of course, that's a good shooter. I'll have to start keeping my eyes more peeled. Part of the problem is that I'm not quite serious yet. I'd just like to be able to look at one in a gunshop around here before buying over the net.

I wonder if Savage would consider bringing the 99 back in a "classic" configuration and with very limited options (to help control price)? Now that the newer owners and managers seem to have the company going in a financially solid direction again, it would be nice if they'd bring the 99 back...

[roadie]

Anyone know how to tell a 95 from a 99?

Mine has the tilting block in the bolt, one source I found say's thats early 99, that a 95 had a viewing hole to see if the striker was cocked.

Another source say's the tilting block was only on 95's. On top of that, apparently Savage had an upgrade for 95's to turn it into a 99.

roadie

[HeavyMetal]

MMA10:
You and a whole bunch of others would like to see the 99 brought back at a reasonable price level.

Talked to a Savage rep at the Bass Pro Grand opening a year or so ago. Second question out of my mouth was way don't you have a new 99 on the way?

His explaination was Dumb management, about three tours back, had no interest in the 99 and sold all the tooling for scrap!

To make a 99 they would have to re invent all the tooling and find a market to pay for it!

To be honest I don't know how they could tool up and make even a base 99 in three calibers, 250 300 and 308, for less than a grand a pop.

At that price the Marlin 336 design will own the market share for lever guns!

I sure want to see a new 99 on the market but just don't see how they can do it without some incredible new tooling that greatly reduces fitting and labor to produce the finished product.

I'll keep hoping but real glad I stumbled into a 308 a few years back. 99's are darn hard to find here in L.A. for less than rip off prices.

Last 99 I saw for sale was a 243 made in the late 60's ( top tang safety) and they wanted $480.00 for it and to top it off the thing was broke!

If you dropped the hammer the action locked up and you couldn't open it? The shop owner wasn't taking offers either! He was convinced it was worth what he was asking for it!

I let him keep it, for all I know the shop is closed haven't been in that area for a few years now.

[pmeisel]

His explaination was Dumb management, about three tours back, had no interest in the 99 and sold all the tooling for scrap!

Even if they had kept it, it was probably largely obsolete.

I think one of the big reasons Ruger was so successful as a startup gun company is that they did not have the advantage or burden of old tooling or design expectations, so they could pursue approaches that made sense with modern technology. No disrespect to the other companies, but there is a dilemma in deciding how long to continue the traditional design when you can no longer economically build the most competitive product. Props to those who have been able to.

[Bret4207]

I don't know that they can produce an exact copy of the 99 for a decent price. I wish they could, but in todays market the common man can't afford a $1000.00 plus rifle.

[Bret4207]

Bret,

I'll agree with most that, but add that was till the advent of the Win Model 88, the Sako Finnwolf, and the Browing BLR. Yes I know the first two are not with us now, but BLR is. Those rifles were/are leagues ahead of the Savage 99. None the less the 99 is a classic and darn good idea, plus strong for considering when it was designed.

Joe

I disagree to an extent. As far as lockup and case stretching they win because they lock up front. But that's about it. The Savage rotary mag is genius, even the clip models work well. The browning is a clunker. The magnum action even more so. I love the idea, but they just don't handle like a lever gun should. The 88 had some issues that you'll find in the earlier "Gunsmiths Kinks". They were no where near as problematic as the 100's, but they weren't perfect. The Finnwolf? I have seen exactly one, a 308 that was beautiful to look at. If I recall right that particular gun had some problem with feeding that a few new parts fixed. What a nice rifle though.

Beyond the lock up I don't see any significant advantage to any of the others you mentioned. Given the same metallurgical advances the Savage 99 doesn't really fall short anywhere and has some significant advantages, especially in ergonomics. The safety for instance on the later 99's is perfect, even the older lever safety was just as good as any other. I suppose the one piece stock is an advantage in the 88 and Finnwolf. Glass bedding the forearm in a 99 does wonders for wandering zero.

To each their own, but the 99 is still an advanced design that will never be equaled IMO.

[pmeisel]

I owned a BLR for awhile, and it's a nice rifle, but it sure didn't handle like a 99. "Clunky"? not quite, too me, but I sure understand what you mean, it's just a little too much metal in the middle.

[6.5 mike]

I go along with Bret on this, IMHO the 99 is one of the best designs ever to hit our market, both in apperance & function. I ,for one, would not think twice in paying $1000 for one that was made to the old standards. I would like to see them in 250/3000, 300 sav, & either 38-55 or 32-40. If your going to tool up for a classic, then go with classic calibers. 30-30 or 25-35 might be another choice.
In case anyone has a 303 sav with a large bore, my recipe is a lee 185 sized to .309 with two wraps of meade tracing paper. These come out to .306 on the nose & .3145 on the body. Both of mine have large throats so the .306 is no problem to chamber. I have to single feed these, they are to long for the magizne, but do touch the riflings. This should work for a 200 gr also, just haven't tried it yet. Should make a good hunting load with either choice. Now I need to hunt down a .358 to go along wiht my 35 whelen.

[StarMetal]

I disagree to an extent. As far as lockup and case stretching they win because they lock up front. But that's about it. The Savage rotary mag is genius, even the clip models work well. The browning is a clunker. The magnum action even more so. I love the idea, but they just don't handle like a lever gun should. The 88 had some issues that you'll find in the earlier "Gunsmiths Kinks". They were no where near as problematic as the 100's, but they weren't perfect. The Finnwolf? I have seen exactly one, a 308 that was beautiful to look at. If I recall right that particular gun had some problem with feeding that a few new parts fixed. What a nice rifle though.

Beyond the lock up I don't see any significant advantage to any of the others you mentioned. Given the same metallurgical advances the Savage 99 doesn't really fall short anywhere and has some significant advantages, especially in ergonomics. The safety for instance on the later 99's is perfect, even the older lever safety was just as good as any other. I suppose the one piece stock is an advantage in the 88 and Finnwolf. Glass bedding the forearm in a 99 does wonders for wandering zero.

To each their own, but the 99 is still an advanced design that will never be equaled IMO.

I'd say the 88 Win comes as close to feeling like a Savage and looking like it somewhat. The BLR is boxy. Savage quit the rotary magazine long before it quit making the 99 Bret. Bet you the 88 and BLR are more accurate too, in fact I know they are. Winchester had a heck of a rifle in that 88.

You love the 99's, I'm not so in love with them. Simple as that. I know one thing growing up in PA, put either a 99, a 35 rem of any sort, and a Win 88 on a gunshop shelf for sale and they will be gone before the seller's finger prints are cold.

Joe

[Bret4207]

I'd say the 88 Win comes as close to feeling like a Savage and looking like it somewhat. The BLR is boxy. Savage quit the rotary magazine long before it quit making the 99 Bret.And you will note I said "even the clip models..." Bet you the 88 and BLR are more accurate too, in fact I know they are. Maybe, maybe not. Individual guns vary.Winchester had a heck of a rifle in that 88. And Savage had a heck of a gun in the 99 for 60 years before and 20 years after the 88 came and went.

You love the 99's, I'm not so in love with them. Simple as that. I know one thing growing up in PA, put either a 99, a 35 rem of any sort, and a Win 88 on a gunshop shelf for sale and they will be gone before the seller's finger prints are cold.

Joe

To each their own Joe. Marlin always made a nicer rifle than the Winchester 94, yet which rifle has the collectors following? Perception plays a huge part in this.

[Speedo66]

The safety on the 99 has been praised here, but I like the idea of an external hammer, such as on the Browning BLR.

Easy to get to, and no doubt if it's cocked or not.

I've handled a 99 but I'm still partial to the BLR, styling being a factor too.

[S.R.Custom]

The safety on the 99 has been praised here, but I like the idea of an external hammer, such as on the Browning BLR.

Easy to get to, and no doubt if it's cocked or not.

Indeed. I've always thought that if you took a rotary magged model 99 and added a semi-exposed hammer, like that on a S&W Bodyguard, you'd have the ultimate lever gun.