Savage model 99 takedown

C

Colorado Redneck

New member
One of my brothers had a Savage 99 in 30-30. I used that gun a few times, and would have loved to had it, but it went somewhere else. So occasionally I have shopped around for something similar to his gun. Now and then there is a takedown model 99 for sale.

The Savage 99 Takedown is a mystery to me. Searching the internet has not produced any description of how this firearm disassembled and how reliable and accurate it could be. Searched TFL and only found two threads and neither gave any info.

Would anybody be willing to describe how these rifles worked?:confused:
 
S

Scorch

New member
The takedown on Savage 99s is very simple and fairly strong. The barrel shank is fully threaded (not interrupted threads like the Winchester takedowns) and has a slot cut out of the frame tenon where the barrel screws into the receiver, and a corresponding slot in the underside of the barrel. When the barrel is screwed in, the slot in the barrel aligns with the tenon slot. On the frame extension (the metal part attached to the forearm) there is a metal projection (key) that fits into this slot and locks the barrel in place when the forearm is latched. The takedown mechanism is a known weak point of takedown rifles, subject to wear and damage if dropped.

The barrels on many takedown rifles can be removed and reinstalled and will hold zero pretty well due to the sturdy construction. Most firearm manufacturers discontinued takedowns around WW2 when they were no longer popular due to the popularity of private automobiles (many takedown firearms were carried in specially designed cases when people used trains and buses to reach hunting/shooting areas).

I have a Savage 1899 Lightweight takedown in 22 High Power, and am currently looking for a 30-30 takedown.
 
H

Hunter Customs

New member
Scorch gave you some very good info.
I have a Savage 99 light weight take down model in 250-3000 caliber, it's just as he described.
The rifle shoots good, 1.5 inch groups at 100 yards with iron sights and factory ammo.
Considering my 64 year old eyes are not as good as they used to be I'm pleased with the little rifles performance.

Best Regards
Bob Hunter
www.huntercustoms.com
 
M

Mike Irwin

Staff
One general caution...

If there are any signs of looseness in the barrel to receiver connection when it is installed, pass on it.

Unlike the Winchesters, there is no mechanism for "taking up the slop" in a Savage once it gets loose, which it can do over time, especially if it is repeatedly assembled and reassembled.

It can be tightened by peening the barrel threads, but that isn't a long-term solution.
 
3

30-30remchester

New member
Mike speak volumes in his comment. After decades of collecting antique guns, I generally pass on purchasing any takedown models. It seems most previous owner disassembled it 4 times for every single shot they fired. I have found pristine guns that were loose as a politicians lips from recreational disassembly.
 
M

Mike Irwin

Staff
Years ago I saw a short written "advice" column on another method of tightening up the gun using very thin steel washer shims on the barrel shoulder, much like you can do with a Smith & Wesson revolver to address endshake.

Seems, though, that it would be a very fiddly thing unless you had a wide range of shim thicknesses available.
 
M

Mike Irwin

Staff
One final note...

I'm not sure whether I would be comfortable ever purchasing a Savage 99 takedown in anything other than a rimmed cartridge.

A rimmed cartridge headspaces on the rim, but a rimless round, like the .250-3000 or .300, headspaces on the case shoulder. One the barrel gets loose, you run the risk of excessive headspace issues.
 
P

PetahW

New member
Colorado Redneck said:
The Savage 99 Takedown is a mystery to me.
Click to expand...


Regarding Savage 99 takedown rifles in particular:

They are taken down via removing the forend & opening the lever/action, before fitting the square hole in the forend iron (inside) on top of the forend lug on the barrel (with the forend held @ a 90-degree angle to the bbl), so the forend may be used as a takedown lever to start unscrewing the bbl.

NEVER support barrel removal or installation by holding a Savage 99 buttstock in any way - there are any number of Savage 99's out there with cracked/broken buttstock wrists from this practice.

Hold it by the receiver proper, for bbl R&R.


.
 
J

Jim Watson

New member
The main thing about a takedown is to not take it down very often.

A friend had a 99 Takedown that had been rebarrelled with a full thread turned in tight. it still had the takedown foreend, but it didn't do anything. A good shooter even though its speculative value is gone.
 
C

Colorado Redneck

New member
Thanks for the information!

That pretty well took care of my ignorance.

The rifle my brother had sported a peep sight with a triangle bead for the front sight. Was this common? I was never very good with the thing, but did make one outstanding shot (LUCKY) that will always be imbeded in my old memory with that gun.:D

One other question--can 22-250 brass be reformed to make 250-3000 brass?
 
G

Gunplummer

New member
I have a couple TD 99's. .300, .303, 30-30. The .300 and the 30-30 have tip-off scopes on them. Both retain zero when you remove the barrel and move the scope. There are barrels with interrupted threads, but they are not nearly as common as the full thread. If you think the barrel is too loose, and it does not have 1000 holes drilled and tapped into it, I may be interested in it.
 
P

PetahW

New member
Colorado Redneck said:
One other question--can 22-250 brass be reformed to make 250-3000 brass?
Click to expand...

Yes, the 22-250 neck can be expanded (or fired in the 250 chamber to fireform), and likewise .300 Savage cases can be necked down.

All three are based on the .300 Savage (parent) case.


.
 
M

Mike Irwin

Staff
"Yes, the 22-250 neck can be expanded (or fired in the 250 chamber to fireform), and likewise .300 Savage cases can be necked down.

All three are based on the .300 Savage (parent) case."


Uh.... No.

The .300 Savage case is shorter - 1.871 nominal - while the .250-3000 case is 1.912 nominal.

Additionally, the .300 Savage was introduce in 1920, while the .250 Savage was introduced in 1914, so the .300 couldn't have been the parent case.

.250 or .22-250 cases made from .300 Savage cases will work, if the shoulder is pushed back from 1.558 to 1.512. Not a big deal, that, but it will eat into powder capacity in the shorter case as you will have to seat the bullet proportionally more deeply.
 
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