filmjunkie4ever
Handloader
- May 4, 2011
- 1,921
- 1,185
First off, if anyone here is a purist, eschewing and denouncing any sort of “non-original” rifles, please avert your eyes, this post will cause you to combust.
My grandfather’s Savage 99EG was given to me when I was about 10 years old by my father. I of course kept it in Dad’s gun cabinet and was not allowed to even look at it without adult supervision until later on. It was WELL-USED to say the least.
When grampa had it drilled and tapped back in the early ‘60’s the fellow doing the work must’ve been an amateur or imbibed or both as he drilled the holes crooked. For years with slotted scope mounts and shims, a scope sat atop her and shot true enough. Sometime years later, additional holes were drilled and the whole mess was at least covered by the mounts. When it developed excessive headspace, the barrel was set back but the forend no longer fit properly. Rather than taking it to a gunsmith it was modified in an amateur fashion to kinda sorta work.
People do not realize the extent that this rifle and others like it get used. By the time I became it’s custodian it looked as though it had been bungeed to the bumper of a farm truck for all its life. And I used it that way to take 5 or 6 mule deer, some coyotes and other vermin as well as one cow elk.
About a year or so back I contacted Doug Turnbull but was quoted a price big enough to buy 6-8 of these Savage rifles to do the necessary work. On Facebook I encountered a post from Gareth West, head of an up and coming gun restoration company in Wyoming. I sent pics and asked for a quote, to my surprise it was actually affordable! I sent it off and just got word this week that it is done and being reassembled. He sent me some teaser photos and I will post more as I get them.
I can’t wait to show this to Dad!
My grandfather’s Savage 99EG was given to me when I was about 10 years old by my father. I of course kept it in Dad’s gun cabinet and was not allowed to even look at it without adult supervision until later on. It was WELL-USED to say the least.
When grampa had it drilled and tapped back in the early ‘60’s the fellow doing the work must’ve been an amateur or imbibed or both as he drilled the holes crooked. For years with slotted scope mounts and shims, a scope sat atop her and shot true enough. Sometime years later, additional holes were drilled and the whole mess was at least covered by the mounts. When it developed excessive headspace, the barrel was set back but the forend no longer fit properly. Rather than taking it to a gunsmith it was modified in an amateur fashion to kinda sorta work.
People do not realize the extent that this rifle and others like it get used. By the time I became it’s custodian it looked as though it had been bungeed to the bumper of a farm truck for all its life. And I used it that way to take 5 or 6 mule deer, some coyotes and other vermin as well as one cow elk.
About a year or so back I contacted Doug Turnbull but was quoted a price big enough to buy 6-8 of these Savage rifles to do the necessary work. On Facebook I encountered a post from Gareth West, head of an up and coming gun restoration company in Wyoming. I sent pics and asked for a quote, to my surprise it was actually affordable! I sent it off and just got word this week that it is done and being reassembled. He sent me some teaser photos and I will post more as I get them.
I can’t wait to show this to Dad!
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