Savage 99 conversions

[Naphtali]

I placed this query in 24 Hour Campfire GUNSMITHING forum also since they have a Savage Collectors forum.
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I appreciate the grace and simplicity of side lever safety Savage 99 actions with rotary magazine. I also appreciate my 45-70 rifles that shoot 425-grain LFN GC bullets.

While I accept that altering 99 actions to accept cartridges shooting .45-caliber bullets is infeasible, I'm still curious about why this is so. As thoroughly and specifically as you prefer, please identify gunsmithing involved to alter these 99 actions to accept larger bore cartridges - not necessarily .45-cal

[2shot]

I don't know who did the work but I have an old Reloaders Digest that has an article in it about a guy that had a Savage 99 rebarreled to a 375/285 wildcat. The article is from the early1970's and when I get home if you like I can tell you exactly what year it's from.

I read this article and ever since have wanted to do this conversion, either with a 99 or a short bolt action. I don't remember the numbers he was getting FPS wise but it seemed pretty impressive to me at the time.

2shot

[John Taylor]

I just got done with one in 458X2". It has a clip which needed lots of work just to hold 2 rounds. Used an old #3 Ruger 45-70 barrel, set back a little so the chamber would clean up. Most of the work was on the mag. Bolt face needed a little work. I don't think you would ever get a 45 through a rotary mag.

[Naphtali]

I just got done with one in 458X2". It has a clip which needed lots of work just to hold 2 rounds. Used an old #3 Ruger 45-70 barrel, set back a little so the chamber would clean up. Most of the work was on the mag. Bolt face needed a little work. I don't thik you would ever get a 45 through a rotary mag.Is not the 458/2 inch a 450 Marlin done right? If this is accurate, is not a 450 Marlin a belted rimless 45-70?

[John Taylor]

458X2" is a 458 mag case shortened to 2", also called 458 American

[bearcove]

I've heard that it is hard to get them to feed sometimes.

[John Taylor]

I've heard that it is hard to get them to feed sometimes.

Once I got the mag figured out it works great. I put a plastic block in the front to keep the rounds from going forward, with a little ramp to help lift the cartridge to go in the chamber.

[BerdanIII]

Didn't Savage put out a swap-barrel Model 99 that came with a center-fire rifle barrel and a .410-gauge barrel? I don't know if the .410 shells were fed through the magazine; if not, that would kind of limit the utility of the rig.