I have a Savage 1899 in 300 savage that I have never loaded for. I would like to Deer hunt with some this year. If anybody has loaded for this rifle I would like to hear from you.

I load a Savage 99 in 300 savage... I use 150 gr Lapua Mega on top of 41.8 grs of IMR 4064. It's a pretty bad ass deer killer combination.

Thanks Tombo!

Its good to hear from another Savage owner. My grandmother gave me this rifle 30 years ago and I hunted with it some but never got a shot. I moved on to bolt actions and just recently got the itch to try again.

37.5 grains of 4064 behind a 180 Hornady spitzer (in reformed Lake City 308 brass, which reduces case capacity a bit.) This is a pretty mild load, but I haven't seen any need to make it any hotter. This is a true "bang, flop" load at any range I'll shoot with iron sights!

Thanks belaw. Mine will be restricted to iron sites too.

I'm confused......a 300 Savage has loading data available......load it as you see fit using standard loading data.
You can even use 30-30 bullets if you like.

42 gr. RL15 with a 165 gr. bullet has been the ticket in my sons 99EG.

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Originally posted by vapodog:
I'm confused......a 300 Savage has loading data available......load it as you see fit using standard loading data.
You can even use 30-30 bullets if you like.

Well for starters its a 75+ year old rifle, and even though I've been reloading for 20 years I'm smart enough to know that I dont "know it all" So I thought I might get some advice from some people who have expirence with the rifle and cartridge. Also I thought it would be fun to see how many people are still loading for it.

One of the best "carry in the hand" rifles ever made. But to off-set that HUGE benefit, it has extremely short case life due to Insipient Case Head Separations. Be sure to check your Cases after each firing with the old "L-shaped" Feeler Gauge trick.

I found IMR-4320 a bit erradic in my old 300Sav. Moved to IMR-4064 and it really made a significant difference in Pressure Stability and Grouping.

Making Cases from Once-Fired Military Cases takes a good bit of Trimming, but they do last a couple of Firings longer than the regular 300Sav case, or they did for me.
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Do you know if they have opened the Sportsmans Warehouse on War Admiral Way in Lex?

Best of luck to you.

What a great rifle!

I don't have one, but I did handload for a buddy's 250 99. I fell in love with that rifle, and was broken hearted when he told me he traded it!

On his 99 chambered in 250 Savage, we had to get and use the "small base" dies from RCBS for the resized brass to chamber easily. You may want to test chamber some sized brass before you make them into loaded rounds. If the lever seems to "get tight" or you feel it dragging as you close the last bit of lever, you may need the small base dies. It's not uncommon on the 99's.

Great rifle, though, I sure wish I had one in 250.

quote:

Originally posted by Hot Core:
....But to off-set that HUGE benefit, it has extremely short case life due to Insipient Case Head Separations. Be sure to check your Cases after each firing with the old "L-shaped" Feeler Gauge trick....Making Cases from Once-Fired Military Cases takes a good bit of Trimming, but they do last a couple of Firings longer than the regular 300Sav case, or they did for me.

I want to second the suggestion about using reformed military brass. It is a bit of work, but the increase in case life makes it worth the effort.

Also be sure that you're not over-sizing your brass. On my rifle I have to use a small base sizer, but full length sizing (with die contacting the shellholder) pushes the shoulder back more than is necessary for my chamber. A quick check of fired brass is a Stoney Point head-and-shoulder gauge will tell you.

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Do you know if they have opened the Sportsmans Warehouse on War Admiral Way in Lex?

Best of luck to you.

I was over there last week and it wasnt open yet.

Thanks for the info

Hey Brasskeeper, Thanks for the update. I hear through the grapevine that they have some very competitive prices on Reloading Supplies. I plan to stop by there once they do open and check it out.

You mentioned your Grandmother gave you the rifle. That being the case, it might have a real Walnut stock. If so, be easy with the "oil" getting onto it. You don't want it to get weak.

If however it is the Birch (or Beech) stock with the stain that looks like dried chocolate milk, there may be a beautiful piece of wood being hidden. I've refinished a few of this type and have yet to find a piece of wood that didn't look better with Birchwood-Casey "Tru Oil" than the original chocolate milk stain.

If you use the Lee Trim Gauges and have a hard time finding one for it, let me know and I'll see if I can find one in my stuff. Should be one in there somewhere unless I've already given them away. Memory is not what it used to be.

Good Hunting and clean 1-shot Kills.