A neighbor wants to sell his Savage 1899A.

I've been intrested in one of these rifles to convert to the 338 Federal cartridge.

This rifle is offered at a decent price, but it's a originally a 303 Savage...perfect for reboring to .338, but obviously the rim size is all wrong. (The 303 Savage is a rimmed cartridge for those not familar with it)

My question: can the bolt face be changed to accomodate the smaller rimless 338 Federal (308 Winchester)?
And, I recognize that of course we can "do" anything, but in this case is feasible from a cost basis?

Thanks,
Garrett

Your biggest problem is likely to be the rotary magazine which is pretty specific to cartridge family. I am not certain about the action length as I believe Savage used a longer action for the 308 Win series of cartridges. You would be better off to find a 99 built originally for 308 Win and possibly 243 will work. One in 358 probably will be valued so high that it shouldn't be altered. I think you've considered a poor beginning for that project.

I agree with stocker, leave it as it is.

Hunting with a 303 Savage would be a class act, and fun as well.

You have an opportunity to get an American Classic and you want to alter it ?
I`ll leave it at that!

The 308 99 action is slightly longer and with different heat treating (stronger) than the original 303's. They are really different animals entirely. If you want to convert to 338 Fed, get a rifle originally chambered for the 308 length cartridges.
just my .02.
sbsmith

I've seen it done once, Wild West Guns of Alaska converted a .308 to .338 Federal. I don't think any gunsmith would touch a .303 conversion to .338 Federal. I'd just look for a .358 Win in a Savage 99, that is what I did. Took me several years to find one of these that I could afford since they are highly desireable. Sure it isn't the new cartridge on the block but it is a very good one.

An 1899A in 303 would be a pre-WW1 vintage rifle and might not be safe to convert to a cartridge with a significantly higher operating pressure, such as the 338 Federal.

I have a late 1930s vintage 99H that I rechambered from 303 to 307 about 20 years ago. It had already been d&t for a Redfield base and had Uncle Mike's QD studs installed, so I wasn't ruining any collectors' value that it might have had, had it been in its original configuration. I recut the chamber because 303 ammo and brass were both hard to find and expensive. I only shoot my own reloads, loaded at reasonable pressure levels, and have had good success with it. I know that I would personally not fire factory loads in a pre-WW1 1899 Savage that had been reworked to fire the 338 Federal.

Jeff

Savages under 90,000 are weak. At that point the design was altered, the square back bolt was replaced by a rounded corners bolt, which did not crack receivers. Then at 266,000 the heat treatment was improved .... the factory would not alter guns in the 90-266 range to .250 ande .300 unless you coughed up another five or ten bucks, I forget which, to retemper the receiver. They would not make a pre 90g into .250 or .300 under any circumstances.

quote:

Originally posted by taylorce1:
I've seen it done once, Wild West Guns of Alaska converted a .308 to .338 Federal. I don't think any gunsmith would touch a .303 conversion to .338 Federal. I'd just look for a .358 Win in a Savage 99, that is what I did. Took me several years to find one of these that I could afford since they are highly desireable. Sure it isn't the new cartridge on the block but it is a very good one.

To elaborate on this........IIRC there was major work that needed to be done to the rotary. One wouldn't think that anything major would need to be done but it was. I think his price was $900 for the whole conversion.

If I were you I would look for a clip fed 99.......this might be an easier conversion!!!

I ended up purchasing an 1899 take-down on GunBroker, for a good price.

The selled didn't realize it was a take down (I emailed him before the auction ended and told him what it was, but he insisted it wasn't a take down).

It is in excellent shape, manufactured 1921.

The rifle feeds 307 Winchester cases as it is now.

My gunsmith is an armorer for a Gov't agency, and has access to tools most 'smiths don't.
We are going to test the hardness/temper of the receiver before proceeding.

My plan is for this to be a 338 Federal Rimmed.
I don't think it will take too much to make it finally work, certainly not $900.

It's a beautiful rifle. but the bluing is gone (no pitting), and the 303 Savage cartridge will not give the ballistics I need for my hunting conditions.

I believe I can change this from an old firearm that is rarely used, to my preferred rifle for hunting here in Tennessee.

Garrett

Your Savage is too old for that conversion,and it would not be safe, plus if it was a newer model and Ok, you still have the problem of that rotary magazine and they are hard to come by and none of them would work for the .338..

The only option I see for you is the clip model but again you just might open up a can of worms..