99 Failure?

and pure class along the lines of a that other classic:
The Model-12
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Along with my 99's that I'm so fond of I have a model 12 that was manufactured in 1914.
As I stated before I'm partial to the older guns.

If I was going to sell my rifles and keep just one it would be one of my 99's and most likely it would be my 99F in 300 Savage.

Best Regards
Bob Hunter
www.huntercustoms.com
 
"- Rear lug lock-up, making for limited loading pressures relative to cartridge capability"

Not sure how that applies to the Savage 99, as it was fully capable of handling any .308, .243, .284, .358, etc. load that was produced by a competent manufacturer or loads found in any loading manual.
 
Have you ever measured the case stretch on those 308-converted 99s with full-up SAAMI pressures?
(This coming from a 99 fan.) ;)


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Even a .300 will stretch the cases.

That's the nature of a rear-locking action.

But, it's really no different from a semi-auto in the same chambering.
 
no different from a semi-auto in the same chambering...
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That's the price you (are willing to) pay in extracting under pressure (...and if you didn't have the pressure you couldn't extract at all.) :D

But I put that in the same class as the SMLE, where you pay a similar pressure/performance price for the slickest of all bolt-action battle rifles.

There ain't no free lunch. :rolleyes:
 
Consumer demand and costs of production. Years ago a lot of hunters stalked their game and often shot at running deer and short/moderate range and, as said, the magazine allowed pointed bullets. You could mount a scope at a time when the Model 94 had side eject.
Then everyone started sitting in trees and the bolt actions took over.
 
mehavey, yes, compared to the 30-30. I was discussing the 94. Should have added that I was talking about the most common lever rifle competitor.
 
Do the .307 and .357 Winchester 94 lever actions have a reputation for stretching brass?

For all practical purposes the 94 is also a rear-locking action.
 
307 and 356 brass is heavier compared to their rimless counterparts (308, 358). 375 is recommended for higher pressure 30-30 hand loads due to heavier case construction.
 
Back in the mid 50's (some say early 60's) the receiver's magazine dimensions were lengthened to accommodate the 308's longer OAL.

And while you should NEVER fire surplus 7.62 NATO in a 99 (look that up sometime), the 308Win's performance for a handloader should be 'OK'.

The real problem w/ the 99 was noted way back by Mike Irwin:

"...there were over 50 separate machining operations needed to create the receiver...

That's one of the reasons why the 99 was so damned expensive to make, and why,
starting in the 1980s, Savage tried desperately to come up with ways to make it
less expensive so it wouldn't become extinct. The last gasp of that was to actually
manufacture them in Spain.... "

Ultimately, the 99's complexity caught up with it, and it could no longer be produced
cost effectively."


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To the best of my knowledge the Savage 99 was a great gun. If I had any criticism it would be that the action area is sort of bulky compared to the lightweight Win M94. I think the Savage might appeal more to shotgunners who are used to a big gun. Up in Canada I used to see quite a few Savage 99's. It is also my understanding that the lock up is better and you can reload with just neck sizing whereas with other lever actions you usually had to full length re-size the case.
On the .308, I would think that would be about ideal. In Canada the 30-30 was used on close range moose and incredibly, folks would break shoulders, etc. provided the moose was only 30-50 yards off. So....a .308- good for black bear, deer, just about anything.
 
I have reloaded for quite a few of my 99's (22/250, .22HiPo, .260, 7-30W, .303, .358 and maybe some I forgot) and never had a problem. I used hot factory .243 and had accuracy problems and sticky extraction, but why use it, it shot like crap anyway. I have only ever owned one rifle(Bolt) that I load near the top with any accuracy. I do not see pressure as a problem.
 
Handling

To me it's close to sacrilege to stick a scope on a 99. My 30-30 dates to 1922 and thank goodness, no one ever drilled any pesky holes in it! It's a takedown too.

The Savage 99 excels at walkabout hunting, esp. in the brush. It's easy to carry and handles great. I would never consider scoping it, but that's me.

A scope just does not fit the "character" of the Savage 99....please please don't drill any holes in a fine old 99.

My straight gripped 99.....a scope would be like putting socks on a rooster, it just don't fit.
 
I also have a 30-30 TD Savage. It already had holes drilled, so I went through my junk and found a Tasco Tip Off set up to mount it. You know how they work. If you get a black eye from the scope, you can flip it over to use the iron sights and make your other eye matching. I have to agree though, it is a lot faster without using a scope and probably more accurate because it fits you better.
 
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