Not mine, but cool old rifle.

For 2 reasons.

A. Because it is an old lever rifle. If you don't like an old lever action with classic lines, I question your manhood and patriotism. Lol. Just kidding.

B. Because it was my Grandpa's rifle. My Dad's Father. It is now owned by my one brother. I'm the youngest of 6 and Grandpa died 5 years before I was even born. I don't have anything of his and to be honest this might be the first thing of his I ever even handled.

Will give it a good cleaning top to bottom, and when I'm done I'll shoot it. Honored to have it for the time being.

The rifle. Savage 99 chambered in 300 savage. In good overall condition. Action closes nice and tight. My brother killed 18 deer with this rifle with 1 box of ammo.



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Disassembled for cleaning. Compared to Dad's Winchester M71 I tore down, these things are a cakewalk. Bet it didn't take longer than 15 minutes to get it to this point. Simple design that comes right apart. The only thing I didn't take out was the safety lever and rotary magazine. Older guy told me don't take those magazines out unless you absolutely have to. They are on a coil spring and are a blister to get back right. It's pretty dirty so I will disassemble the bolt as well.

I have my grandfathers old M99 300 Savage he got just after returning home from WWII. It’s hunted a whole darned lot and doesn’t look near as nice as that one but it still shoots like crazy!

I’ll have to bend your ear one day on how to break it down. I believe it needs a decent cleaning.

Neat old rifle! It is begging to be taken hunting again.

Scotty, yours is probably older than this one. If I'm looking at it right it looks like the lever boss code is F, which would date it to 1954. I'd have to ask my Dad if that sounds right. But yeah 99's tended to get used hard and this one was no exception, so given that it's in really good shape.

They are pretty simple to break down. After working on Dad's M71 last yr I was much surprised at the simplicity of these lever guns compared to that. Let me know when you get to that point, I'd be happy to help where I can.

Thank you ST.

Grandpa was quite a hunter. It's the common theme and stories I hear most from older people around here that knew him well. He was a farmer but loved hunting of any sort.

He once went to the 1 room school house where my Dad and his 3 brothers were, and got them all out of school because he was out hunting and came across a section of woods with a large batch of squirrels and needed some help. :lol:

That is a treasure, and in a great chambering that is woefully neglected today. I'm officially jealous.

Thanks Dr. Mike. After I put the work in the fun part will be shooting the old girl again. I love old well made rifles and the 99 certainly fits that bill.

Just a little hint that is not common knowledge:
If you decide to pull the rotary magazine out of the frame ( many have tryed for days and never succeeded) It is easily removed IF you know that it has a LEFT hand thread.
Good luck with your project.
E

Scotty, I'm going to put the breakdown steps on here now while it's fresh in my head because some of the things will fade from memory at a later date unless I'd tear it down again. You can just print it off for later.

Some of these are self explanatory but I'll put it all step by step anyways.

Remove butt plate and center stock bolt. Need a fairly long screwdriver for the stock bolt. Stock comes right off.

Remove forearm screw and forearm.

At the rear of the lower tang are 2 screws. The one on the left holds a flat piece of steel that is the bolt stop. Remove that.

Run bolt past where the bolt stop was. It pops out the left side of the receiver.

Right rear of the lower tang has a screw that holds a piece of sprung steel that works as a trigger return spring. Remove that.

Drive the roll pin out that holds the trigger and remove trigger. 1/16" punch for this.

Remove lever screw and bushing. Pop lever off the hinge and move it towards the front of the rifle. With the trigger now removed the arm of the lever that hooks to the back of the bolt will arc around and come out the bottom of the receiver. (Note, lever bushing has a small ear sticking out on it, that ear has to line up with the slot going back in.)

Remove screw on left side of receiver that goes through the sear. Sear comes right out the back.

All that's left is what I'd call the cartridge stop and ejector on the left side of receiver. It comes right out the back also. There is a piece of spring steel behind it.

All the screws can be removed with standard screwdrivers except the lever screw and the sear screw. They are long but very narrow slots. I had a small gunsmithing set that had a thin flat head that fit.

Hope this makes sense and helps you out when you get to it. If you get stuck holler at me.

35 Whelen":1w7ma1wh said:

Just a little hint that is not common knowledge:
If you decide to pull the rotary magazine out of the frame ( many have tryed for days and never succeeded) It is easily removed IF you know that it has a LEFT hand thread.
Good luck with your project.
E

Click to expand...

The doing a job right in me makes me want to take it out, but I think I'll listen to a wiser older gent that advised me not to.

Explanation was that they are on a coil spring that is hard to get adjusted right. You wind it up, and trial and error as to enough tension, or too much.

Wonderful old rifle- it is a blessing to have it, as you know. My Grand father borrowed a 99 from a neighbor when he went deer hunting. He was a enthusiastic duck and goose hunter and fisherman so he had multiple shotguns and a "working .22" which I now have, but he borrowed a rifle... Anyway, Dad always thought a lot of that 99, and noted he wouldn't mind having one. He liked the way they handled. Nice rifle, enjoy! CL