26 June 2002, 13:36
<Zeke>Tuning A M99 Savage?
Hello All,
Please bear with me, I hope I am wording this right.
A year or so ago I read an article in Rifle Magazine about tuning a Ruger #1 for increased accuracy. The process involved some tweaking inside the forearm of the gun. I would like some more info about this process and can something similar be done to a M99 Savage?
Just exactly how should a forearm be bedded on a M99 Savage to get the most out of the rifle? My M99 will never be a tackdriver, but I think I can wring a little bit more accuracy out of it.
Any comments\suggestions would be appreciated
Thank You
ZM
26 June 2002, 17:01
AtkinsonZeke,
It is not a problem to make a tack driver out of a 99 Savage..I have tweeked a hundred or so of them and got 1" 3 shot groups out of all of them....
1. TAke of the but stock and run a small bead of glass all the way around it and put it back on and just snug it up...use lots of release agent as you will have to wiggle and work it off without breaking the thin wood in this area...
2. The rear of the forend needs to be lightly releaved of wood then glassed in the rear and the full lenth of the barrel channal...using the forend screw tighten it up until the wood is half way up the barrel and let the glass sit up. your will need to recut a notch in the rear of the forend where it butts up to the frame and file a flat on the circle...
If properly done you will be amazed at how accurate a Savage Mod 99 can be. I normally expect 1" or less, and that is the norm. I have played a lot with these old guns and I have a soft spot for them and they fit under my leg just fine when hunting horseback...My choice being the 250 Sav. and the 308 Mod. 99EG or 99F....
27 June 2002, 13:29
<Zeke>Thank You.
The instructions you gave are clear enough even for a mechanically inept bonehead like me.
I am replacing some minor parts on this gun, I will also be ordering release agent and something to use for bedding from Brownells.
Let you know how it works.
Thanks Again
ZM
27 June 2002, 14:14
jeffeossoRay is perfectly correct.
I'll add that you should inspect, routinely, the action screw in the buttstock. Put a lockwasher on it, if you have the length, and your groups will stay better longer. I've seen them back out after a few dozen shots.
Enjoy it.. my mentor gunsmith has about 50 of them, I suspect he's been collecting SINCE 1899!!!
jeffe
28 June 2002, 11:46
AtkinsonZeke,
I told you in my directions to just snug it up lightly and that is so you don't squeeze all the glass out....Once it sets up and you take it off and clean things up you will put the butt stock back on and then you can literally tighten the be-jesus out of it....The forend screw just snug when finished....
01 July 2002, 16:52
500grainsA 99F made in the 1950's is a beautiful thing.
02 July 2002, 03:22
<Don Martin29>There was an article titled "Slicking The 99" I think by a Allen Tedman. I wish I had that article in front of me.
The 99 Savage is such a fine rifle. To this day I just can't understand why people buy 94', 336's 86's etc.
02 July 2002, 18:56
<Zeke>My Grandfather is more of an expert on wood than I am. He's getting up in years, but I am going up to his house to use some of his tools to do the inletting. He might get a kick seeing me work with it and get it into shape.
I did get the buttstock off over the weekend and took some steel wool to the surface rust. Polished up the surfaces that engage the sear and lightened up the trigger a bit. Nifty bit of engineering. Took my Teflon hypodermic and put a small amount on all the moving parts and surfaces. The action and trigger are much improved. Ordered up a barrel stud and the screw that goes with it. The unnamed idiot relative that had the gun before me put the wrong screw in and stripped the threads. It seems that the buttstock wasn't on very tight either.
Will be shooting some test loads through it before I do the bedding to see if my tweaking made any difference.
Thank You folks for all your help
ZM