I have inherited the rifle that I shot my first deer with 30 years ago when my Uncle died a couple weeks ago. it is a old savage model 99 in a 30-30 that was built around 1910. it is in rough shape and I was thinking of sending it to turnbull to get a full restoration so that my kids now 6 and 3 can use when they start hunting. The restoration would be more then the rifle is worth, but the rifle is priceless in my eyes. My big question is that it is tapped for a scope and I can't decide if I should keep it tapped or make it original and put a peep sight on it of some kind. I leaning with keeping it tapped and putting a 4x scope just to make it more shootable. What are your guys thoughts

I don't know how you un-tap a rifle that is tapped. But if it were me and my priorities are yours (which they would be) I'd put a 2.5 scope on it (not 4x) and encourage my kids to appreciate its history as they used it as their first rifle.

Whatever you decide, I love your desire to refurbish this jewel and pass it on to your kids.

I was told that the tapped holes can be filled in.

Clean it up with 0000 steel wool and oil it.

Put a scope on it and sight it in.

Keep it as is for a back up.

or talk to Jim Kobe...

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Savage_99:
Clean it up with 0000 steel wool and oil it.

Put a scope on it and sight it in.

QUOTE]

Then go hunting with it

Are you interested in making and keeping an old friend shootable for the family or do you want to restore it as collectible?

If the first case is what you want then the holes don't matter. If the second case is what you want then a serious collector will know they have been filled.

There are smiths who can fix it up for you without a full "museum quality" restoration. Barrels can be blued, wood and checkering can be refreshed, and worn parts can be replaced. Maybe all it needs is that sort of depot level maintenance to provide another 100 years of use.

quote:

Originally posted by B L O'Connor:
I don't know how you un-tap a rifle that is tapped. But if it were me and my priorities are yours (which they would be) I'd put a 2.5 scope on it (not 4x) and encourage my kids to appreciate its history as they used it as their first rifle.

Whatever you decide, I love your desire to refurbish this jewel and pass it on to your kids.

turnbull can do it. I would suggest that there are some who are Turnbull collectors, who would be interested in the restored gun even though it is not 'factory'. I think Turnbulls work is better than factory. Question is, who would use a show piece. I use 2 Turnbull guns... one for hunting .50 Alaskan 1895 Marlin Cowboy and also a Winchester 92 deluxe takedown in 44-40, for Cowboy Action Shooting on occassion.

Of course, holes can be welded up; you will have to decide on whether you want them left in. The real issue, is that you will spend several times what it is worth to have a full restoration, and will never recoup that investment; if you do, it will look better than when new. Post a picture of it and I will be able to give you more ideas.
Personally, I would fix it up to look presentable and shoot it. (Haven't seen it though)

Your uncle (and you?) put those dings in the stock. The patina came from hours in a scabbard on a horse and bouncing around in the truck.
Make it serviceable and go hunting. There is not another one like it.
And if the kids ding it up a little it will only add to the character.

quote:

Originally posted by Blacktailer:
Your uncle (and you?) put those dings in the stock. The patina came from hours in a scabbard on a horse and bouncing around in the truck.
Make it serviceable and go hunting. There is not another one like it.
And if the kids ding it up a little it will only add to the character.

X2 roger

Left hand tap will un-tap right hand tapped holes

If it was my grandads I would want it just like it was when he and my dad used it. I don't have a thing against patina and dings. All my grandkids weapons will be just that way if they got'em from me!

But we are all different!

God Bless, Louis

I would mount a tang sight on it and give it whirl before resorting to a scope (the holes for a tang sight are already there from the factory). One of the selling points of those vintage M1899's is their balance and all around friendliness in the hand. Besides, it's a .30-30, and at .30-30 ranges in hunting terrain, do you really need a scope for "minute of deer" accuracy? Look me dead in the eyes and tell me you do!

As for refinishing, it's your gun and ultimately your call. If I bought a gun like that off the rack I wouldn't hold much sentimental attachment toward maintaining its original roughness. But were it a family heirloom...

Here's what I did recently with a 1913-vintage M1899 (factory lettered as such, and originally in .22HP). As you can see the receiver I started out with couldn't have been any rougher. New wood, innards, and a minty .22HP barrel plus a godawful amount of labor later I ended up with a fairly decent rifle that should have another hundred years of life in it. Twelve coats gloss spar varnish, rubbed out between coats with 320x, final coat de-glossed and waxed for a subtle luster. Lever newly color case hardened, all other parts rust blued by me. It is a concept piece, not a true repro of any specific Savage model from that era. Lyman 30 1/2 tang sight. Groups jacketed hunting loads into an honest 1 1/2" @ 100 yds.

Before:



During:



After:

I own a Remington Model 24 (built on the same patent as the Browning ATD) which has something of a collector following. It was purchased by my Grandfather in 1929 and has his identifcation mark on the bottom of the pistol grip. It was drilled and tapped for a side scope mount sometime in the late 1930's or early 1940's by my father. Although the rifle is in a well-used condition, you couldn't pay me to do away with my grandfather's mark or my father's machine work.

Keep your 99 as it is, mount a period K-2.5, K-3, or Bear Cub on it, and let the next generation shoot and enjoy it unmolested.

Personally, I would go with a low power scope, but that is more my eyes than anything.

If you want to, you could have screw in plugs put in the holes so that the tapped holes are available and try the peep sight with the kids and see how well they do with it, and always be able to put the scope back on if desired.

It's a family heirloom, not a collectable. Keep it as such, IMO.

What is the "rough" condition like?

Please pst a few pictures with details of any rust or any damage.

This will help people with the right experience to give you the right advise.

If the wood work is not damaged, you will just need to re-finish it.

If the metal work is safe & functional with no missing parts, again it would just need re bluing. I doubt that you would need a Turnbul restoration for a Savage 99.

I agree that a 2.5X scope or a 4X scope is perfect.

The kids could just learn to shoot it on rabbits etc. to start with - have fun & get the confidence of using such a rifle.

Good luck & good hunting

If its been tapped, then leave it as is, if you plug the holes, even the best of jobs are visable in sunlight so whats done is done and why should you care your not selling it..Id stick a 3X Leupold on it and go hunting..Peeps a good option depending on your hunting conditions, but scopes are normally better. I have both on my 99s. Relining works well and you could reline to a 30-30 or 25-35 for about $600.

Turnbull does wonderful work but perhaps your trying to make a silk purse from a sows ear!

My favorite hunting rifles, and I have many nice rifles, are the most beat up guns I own, but every scratch, dent or mark has its own story and you just can't refinish memories. Maybe a family gun should be kept as is for as long as possible, keep the old timers from rolling over in their graves.

All that said, you forgot to mention how it shoots as is or what condition the bore is in.
If the bore is shot out and only if it doesn't shoot accurately then think about a rebore to probably a 38-55. Keep in mind many 30-30s shoot great with bad bores, so be sure and test it at 100 yards.

Ahlman's in Morristown MN took a shotgun of a 99M I have, recrowned the barrel, slicked up the trigger, and did some safety work.

I steel wooled the metal, cleaned up the checkering, and refinished it.

It is not restored. I like what I did. I really like an accurate M99 that rivals most bolt action rifles.

youp50,
Not sure whatcha said, makes no sense to me?? A mod. 99 Savage rifle, shotgun??? I give up on that one.

Ray
I think that he meant that it shot "shotgun patterns" rather than "rifle groups", hence the re-crowning the barrel.

Gotcha, my bad, of course that's what he meant..a big on my part..