I bought a savage 99F in 308 a while back and never got the chance to shoot it until this week.The gun is an older one with interal magazine and cartridge counter and looks to be in as new condition both exteral and internally as the bore is pristine. I have the classic stringing and 2 distinct groups. The first 4 shots are 2 inch group average, after that the next 2 are touching in the area of the first cold barrel group and the next 2 are 6-8 inches high and right on a warm not hot barrel. I loosened the forend stock and the next 2 shots were 8 inches low from the original cold barrel group and the next 2 high right again. I have tried 130gr. 150gr 165, 180gr bullets with 5 extruded powders, 2 ball powders and 3 spherical powders all with similiar results. I then removed the forend stock and the gun will shoot several 4 shot 2inch groups. What is the best remedy for this glass bed the forend stock or use a dremal tool and relieve all contact except for the holddown screw lug. Also what is the best procedure for bedding and best material?

Vic,
first, make sure the butt screw is tight.. and put a lock washer on it, if it doesn't have one. This is the main screw that holds the action to the buttstock.

secondly, take a special care to fully CLOSE the action, 100% the same, every time....

thirdly, bed the forearm...
this is a pretty easy step.... use brownells acraGEL (not glass, it's runny as hot honey), follow the directions, especially on the release agent. I like to put masking or duct tape on the threads and outside of the wood.

i bet the main screw gets you better accuracy, in 10 mins

jeffe

If you do a search through the gunsmithing section here, I think Ray Atkinson wrote his procedure for free floating and bedding the forestock. It works very well, and is very easy with the main jist being no contact between the forestock and the action, only the barrel.

I have a Savage '99 is .308 also that is very accurate. The forestock is free floated.

Ryan

Edited to add: I've found that my rifle loves most any 180 grain bullet in front of 42 grains of AA 2520.

[ 10-12-2003, 16:29: Message edited by: Big_R ]

Great advice, I will look for the thread on floating and bedding. I never gave it much thought on the buttstock screw either or the action possibly being not 100% closed.
Thankyou for the advice and now its elbow grease time.

There was a guy back in the '50's tha used a 99 action for bench rest shooting. He had a bull barrel with no forearm. The barrel rested on the rest and it shot very well indeed.