Should I buy a savage 99m for $400?

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R.W.Dale

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Dumb question huh? One I already answered for myself. This particular one is in 308 and has some use on the gun so it's not gonna be a safe queen. I need to do something with the terrible chicom scope for something a bit more period correct.

While I have you here what are some accurizing points to look for on these rifles? So far even from a cold fouled but previously well cleaned bore 100yd accuracy is pretty dismal even for a rifle I don't expect to win matches with.

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1434933685.571165.jpg
 
Nice rifle and great price. I am sure you can find a handoad that it likes.

Let me know if you become disenchanted. I am sure one of us High Roaders
will give you $401 for her.
 
I suspect the scope may be part of the problem. Since posting I've fired a few other groups and have noticed that along with the large size the group center position relative to the POA seems to move around quite a bit.
 
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I have only had the pleasure to shoot one 99. It was in .308, and was wearing a really nice little Vortex 4 power fixed. That combo was not only nice, but very useful and very very accurate.
 
I would have pick up that rifle in a second, I've been looking for one for some time now but everybody thinks theirs is worth a small fortune.

I would look on ebay or similar sites and try to find an old weaver to match. Supposedly they are robust despite having inferior glass compared to today's optics.

I would first mount a known to be good scope however and make sure it shoots good first. Sounds odd but try some Remington CorLokts. For being possibly the cheapest/most common big game bullet out there they shoot very well in all my rifles.

HB
 
I can tell you this. I would buy the pictured Savage 99 for $400 in a heartbeat, maybe faster. What you do is entirely up to you.

Ron
 
UPDATE.

Step one of trying to alleviate my accuracy woes is I replaced the Simmons with a tried and true Sightron 3x9x40 AFTER drilling out some stripped scope ring crossbolts....grrrrr

I will take some more of the previous load to the range 42g of IMR 4064 over a REM 165g SP

I will also try some 125g TNT HP's a bullet that seems to shoot well in just about everything with the potential to shoot good.
 
Had one just like it for years. It liked 135 grain psp and 3031. Sold it a year ago for $500 with the original Weave K4 scope.
Not a bad buy regardless of scope. If it is complete and tight it will appreciate over time.
 
At 4 bills I wouldn't hesitate on that one. You did good. Most 99's you see are well worn and over priced.

Had one in 300 savage and couldn't get excited about the accuracy. Never mind ammo was hard to come by and expensive. Couldn't justify loading dyes for it all the same. Sold it.
 
I would buy it. I would find a nice period correct bright-blue Steel Tube Weaver K4, and mount it in some LOW high-gloss Top-Mount rings. That would look just right on that rig. You can find clean examples on EBAY $150 - $200.
 
Being a relatively recent (in the nearly century of 99s) example, I'd say screw "period correct" scope, and find one that is kind to your eyes but still looks good. Older Leupolds look good on 99s. I have 3; an EG, a T, and an F with scopes and they are each reasonably accurate, but will never win a contest.
And speaking of screws, I've experienced that tightness of the screw holding the forestock to the barrel can affect accuracy. Some folks even put an O-ring on that screw to almost float it.
 
A old friend had a well worn old 99 in .300 Savage years ago.

It would do under 7/8" MOA all day long with 125 grain Sierra hand-loads.

Had a Weaver K-4 scope on it as I remember.

It had excess headspace, so it cracked cases after two re-loadings.

Anyway, he killed more coyotes with it then you could keep track of with a computer.

Then, he sold it!!!

Dumas!!!!

rc
 
I own a couple in 300 SAV and they both are really accurate with handloads. I have good loads with both 150 and 170 grain bullets for them that are easily 1/2 MOA if I do my part. A period scope would do it justice I concur.
 
I have an .300 Savage rifle my Pop had back in '47, still shoots 150 gr. Hornady's into a spot with 3 rounds you can cover with a quarter, thats at 100 yards with open sights. Get a new scope.
 
I've owned more than a handful of Savage 99's. None of them were reliably MOA with factory loads, and most would be 'just' around MOA with tuned handloads. They're really just not designed for a high degree of mechanical repeatability; the non-floating forearm screwed to the barrel ensures that.

But they're really neat rifles that are a joy to carry and shoot.

The most that I ever did to accurize one was to be sure to rest the rifle on the same place of the forearm, every single time, or sling up the same way every time. That ensured that the stresses on the barrel were as repeatable as possible.

All of my 99's (mostly F models, all in 308) had excessive headspace and neck sizing for a specific rifle was A Good Thing.
 
Make sure that fore arm screw is not overly tight. Get it just tight enough so the fore arm doesn`t move.

To tight and accuracy goes out the window.. So to speak.

Some are "picky" eaters as far as ammo goes. May take some experimenting with different ammo but when you hit it... that puppy should make you proud.

Great lever......
 
I find mine are really accurate with 3 shot groups clover leafing fairly often if I do my part with one of them. Other friends have shot them and can't believe how well they shoot with them also. But it is getting harder to shoot accurately as I get older and stiffer.:( Have a good friend that also has one in 300 that is a take down version and it will not shoot better than 2 inches with handloads no matter what we try. Go figure.
 
Make sure that fore arm screw is not overly tight. Get it just tight enough so the fore arm doesn`t move.



To tight and accuracy goes out the window.. So to speak.



Some are "picky" eaters as far as ammo goes. May take some experimenting with different ammo but when you hit it... that puppy should make you proud.



Great lever......


UPDATE:

I think you are onto something sav250

First off just changing scopes pinned down the wandering poi and shrunk the results from patterns to somewhat poor groups

Then I removed the forend noting a very pronounced contact point forward of the very tight mounting screw. I replaced the forend and only snugged the screw slightly. This sent the POI through the floor by almost a foot but also shrunk groups significantly.

I did not baby the bbl temp at all and ran it pretty hot (hot day) yet my last three groups ranged from .75 to 2.5" which is getting pretty close to acceptable to me.

I think the next step is an o-ring over the forend bbl stand off to alleviate the forward pressure point and maintain more even screw tension.
 
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