Savage 99 Gunsmith in Idaho

filmjunkie4ever · May 24, 2013

So a while back I noticed a small bulge near the end of the web on my 300 Savage cases and had a friend take a look at my old Savage 99 with his borescope and headspacing gauges. While there was nothing wrong with my chamber, I was experiencing a nearly deadly level of excess headspace in that old rifle which had been bought new by my grandfather. I had him turn a thread of of the barrel and set the barrel back to the proper headspace dimensions. He is a magnificent machinist but knows little of woodworking.

Now to my question, where in Idaho is a good Savage 99 gunsmith or at least someone who is good at restocking. I have to get a new forend as the dovetail holding the threads for the forend screw got set back with the rest of the barrel just enough to where the old forend will no longer properly attach. These are tricky I have heard or else I would just take care of it myself. Any advice or recommendations?

duckcreekdick · May 25, 2013

I would try to keep the original forend. Fill in the old barrel dovetail and either cut a new one or silver solder a threaded block in the right position for the forend screw and inlet accordingly. There was a recent article in "Guns" magazine on how to handload for rifles like these which have developed a headspace problem. You basically fireform your brass for the out-of-spec chamber and then only neck size afterwards. I recently corrected a headspace problem in a 22-250 Savage 99 by silver soldering a steel shim to the bolt face and redrilling the firing pin hole. You would have to look close to even see the repair. Since 99's have a rear bolt lockup, I could do the repair and not put heat anywhere near the rear of the bolt.

SJB358 · May 25, 2013

Hope you figure it out. Those old M99's are awesome rifles. Hope to have my Grandpa's up and running pretty soon. Need dies and brass.

DrMike · May 25, 2013

I had an ancient Model 99 chambered in 38-55. I should never had let it go.

SJB358 · May 25, 2013

DrMike":1s9vufj8 said:
I had an ancient Model 99 chambered in 38-55. I should never had let it go.

WOW, yeah, that's a cool one right there.. I imagine if it could have told stories it mighta had a few! :lol:

DrMike · May 25, 2013

I know who has it now. Maybe I need to sneak up north and see if he is willing to part with it. I doubt that he ever shot it.

SJB358 · May 25, 2013

Pretty cool old cartridge Mike. I am digging those old lever guns too much.

filmjunkie4ever · May 25, 2013

Thanks for the advice guys. As I have a couple of these rifles I dont shoot the old 300 as much as she really deserves but I would like to get it in good working order so that someday I can pass it down to my kids. And they can take their first few deer like my father and I did with this rifle.

I have a 308 as well which I have taken a few elk and various other critters with. It has the 22" tube. I think I am more partial to the 24" in an EG or F model than the 99E that my 308 is in...going to pick up a second 308 in a Savage 99 I think. You cant have too many Savage 99s.