Savage 99 in .308

[Jonesy814]

A friend showed up over the weekend with a Savage 99 in .308 and a need for some quick cash. The gun had some light rust freckling here and there and has a crack in the stock and has likely been refinished. He says the scope is way off too. I said that all I had to spare was $150 and he said I could have the rifle for that. I told him if he returns within 30 days with $150 that he could have the rifle back, but I suspect I will end up keeping it. I got the rust all cleaned up and was happy to see that none of it was deep enough to cause pitting. I will be removing the wood and will see what I can do with the crack and then will strip and refinish it with probably an oil finish.

 

[GooseGestapo]

Given the vintage of the rifle, I’m of the belief that it’s the original finish. The ones that were new enough to be chambered in .308 didn’t have the wood or the finish of the older ones.
It definitely is a worthy candidate for some TLC.

First thing I’d do is trash that scope and rings!!!!

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

A friend showed up over the weekend with a Savage 99 in .308 and a need for some quick cash. The gun had some light rust freckling here and there and has a crack in the stock and has likely been refinished. He says the scope is way off too. I said that all I had to spare was $150 and he said I could have the rifle for that. I told him if he returns within 30 days with $150 that he could have the rifle back, but I suspect I will end up keeping it. I got the rust all cleaned up and was happy to see that none of it was deep enough to cause pitting. I will be removing the wood and will see what I can do with the crack and then will strip and refinish it with probably an oil finish.
View attachment 788843 View attachment 788844 View attachment 788845

$150! I'm jello mcjelly right now......I paid $550 for my .308 99C and felt pretty good about it. Its a bit tough to find a rotary .308 too.


Best lever action ever made by man. Nice work!

 

[PapaG]

If you can't fix the crack, I have, somewhere, a new Boyds replacement.

 

[Jonesy814]

Given the vintage of the rifle, I’m of the belief that it’s the original finish. The ones that were new enough to be chambered in .308 didn’t have the wood or the finish of the older ones.
It definitely is a worthy candidate for some TLC.

First thing I’d do is trash that scope and rings!!!!

Based on the serial number it's a 1970. Yes the scope rings suck. They are open underneath so you can use the iron sights, but that puts the scope up way too high to get a cheek weld

 

[Kaeto]

Based on the serial number it's a 1970. Yes the scope rings suck. They are open underneath so you can use the iron sights, but that puts the scope up way too high to get a cheek weld

I use that type of rings on my deer rifle. (a Remington Model 700 left hand bolt in 30-06.)

 

[Vern Humphrey]

I have one made in about 1958 -- still has the safety on the trigger guard. It's probably the best deer rifle ever made.

 

[Kaeto]

My dad has the 99C in .308 and the finish on his wood is top notch. He's harvested at least 20 deer with it.

 

[Scooter22]

WOW! You got a great deal. Hope he doesn't show back and repay you. You can fix that crack with CA glue. A good one I've used is Zap-A-Gap. you can find it in hobby/craft stores. Theres other good ones like Hot Stuff used in modeling. Works great on cracks. Just wick it in from the back.

 

[Charlie98]

Good catch! I made sort of the same deal for a Ruger 10/22 back when I was in the Army... buddy of mine wanted beer money, I was only happy to oblige. He was a little testy when he tried to buy it back a few months later... I told him I couldn't, I wasn't a licensed pawnbroker or loan company.

I've got a 99F in .308... fantastic rifle! Mine came with a scope also, but I don't do scopes... pulled it off and installed a Williams receiver peep on it. TBH, you receiver metal probably looks better than mine... at one time someone took a fine scratchy pad or steel wool to it, you can see very fine scratch marks all across it. Thankfully, it doesn't affect the shootability of it... it's like a laserbeam with some 170grn cast bullets over IMR4198.

That's the 99 4th from the left, with the Williams on it. As you can see, all of my levers wear Williams... I can't see the rear leaf anymore, but I can shoot a peep.

 

[Sav .250]

$150 ! Some time good things just fall into ones lap.

 

[J-Bar]

He’s happy, you’re happy; good deal all around.

I don’t have a 99, but I love the look and the history. A classic deserves a loving home.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

He’s happy, you’re happy; good deal all around.

I don’t have a 99, but I love the look and the history. A classic deserves a loving home.

Bro, you need to get one! Can't have mine, doe......

 

[Bushpilot]

I've got a 99 in 308 made around 1960. I had to repair a crack in my stock in exactly the same spot as the crack your rifle... Congrats on the rifle...

 

[boom boom]

If you get around to fixing the crack in the stock, look up GunnyUSMC on the THR for some advice--he used to do a lot of stock repairs and has some detailed photos and instructions on how to fix particular issues (they may not be on this forum though--he gets around).

I have used CA aka Crazy Glue for wood repair if the crack is in an area that is not stressed--recommend HotStuff for that as it has superior wicking power for narrow tight cracks. However, CA is not at its best in areas of the stock stressed by recoil--e.g. a broken toe on the stock etc. as the bond is strong but brittle to shock if that makes sense.

For recoil stressed areas, it is often necessary to add reinforcing pins etc. for the fix to hold, and I prefer Acraglas for such things (there are other epoxies that can work as well) as a binder as it is more resilient (toughness to shock and strength), has a woodlike honey color versus clear, and can be darkened through dyes to more closely resemble the stock's color.

Depending on the stock and the action and your woodworking skills, it may be one that you want to have an expert fix if the aim is to keep a rifle's value instead of shooting it. One solution though is to simply buy a replacement stock--use that to shoot but keep the original stock for any restoration in the future.

 

[Scooter22]

If you get around to fixing the crack in the stock, look up GunnyUSMC on the THR for some advice--he used to do a lot of stock repairs and has some detailed photos and instructions on how to fix particular issues (they may not be on this forum though--he gets around).

I have used CA aka Crazy Glue for wood repair if the crack is in an area that is not stressed--recommend HotStuff for that as it has superior wicking power for narrow tight cracks. However, CA is not at its best in areas of the stock stressed by recoil--e.g. a broken toe on the stock etc. as the bond is strong but brittle to shock if that makes sense.

For recoil stressed areas, it is often necessary to add reinforcing pins etc. for the fix to hold, and I prefer Acraglas for such things (there are other epoxies that can work as well) as a binder as it is more resilient (toughness to shock and strength), has a woodlike honey color versus clear, and can be darkened through dyes to more closely resemble the stock's color.

Depending on the stock and the action and your woodworking skills, it may be one that you want to have an expert fix if the aim is to keep a rifle's value instead of shooting it. One solution though is to simply buy a replacement stock--use that to shoot but keep the original stock for any restoration in the future.

You'ld be surprised. I wouldn't glue two pieces of wood back together like you mentioned. Better glues for that. But my son's Yugo M48 stock was cracked through where the mag well goes. From the top edge by the front action ring down to about the trigger guard. I cleaned the crack with lacquer thinner and applied about 5 coats of Zap-A-Gap over a week or so letting them cure a day each filling the crack level.. Solid and looks like a thick grain line. That was probably 15 years ago and has had maybe 1000 rounds of surplus 8MM through it. Much of it was the hot Turk ammo. Still solid.

 

[Charlie98]

TBH, when I got my 99 I wasn't expecting much... but what I found was an action slicker than my Marlins, an idiot simple and easy loading magazine, and a rifle that somehow handles recoil far better. I bought it as a curiosity... have always like the looks of it, and have an interest in lever-actions... but once I shot it I knew it was a keeper. I would rather have it in some cool cartridge... .250-3000 or something... but I'm already tooled up for the .308 and just use bullets and data for my .30-30's.

 

[boom boom]

You'ld be surprised. I wouldn't glue two pieces of wood back together like you mentioned. Better glues for that. But my son's Yugo M48 stock was cracked through where the mag well goes. From the top edge by the front action ring down to about the trigger guard. I cleaned the crack with lacquer thinner and applied about 5 coats of Zap-A-Gap over a week or so letting them cure a day each filling the crack level.. Solid and looks like a thick grain line. That was probably 15 years ago and has had maybe 1000 rounds of surplus 8MM through it. Much of it was the hot Turk ammo. Still solid.

Glad it worked for you. I'll stick to the stuff and my techniques that I use because I have used it and it works--depending on the task and how the crack happened, I use a variety of adhesives including plain wood glue at times, but that gets bogged down in a long discussion of cya versus epoxies versus traditional glues etc. beyond what is required here. I do general woodworking on furniture, cabinetry, as well as fixing a stock or two, handguards, splicing, etc. for old military surplus rifles so I tend to use the adhesives that work for me on the particular woods that I come across. Generally, certain cracks require mechanical help if they are to last in areas that absorb recoil but each repair has its own issues. YMMV.

 

[loose noose]

I got one in Savage .300 at a gun show for $325.00 here about 5 months ago, and it is a 1930's model, I do believe it sat in a closet for quite awhile before being discovered, and then sold at an estate sale. The bore was really cruddy looking, along with a little bit of surface rust. Once I got her home and ran a bore brush thru her it sparkled like a fresh cut diamond, and using a little bit of CLP and 4.0 steel wool came out looking like it had just been blued. I took it out shooting with a box of Federal Premium, and started printing moa at 100 yards almost immediately as well as my hand loads. I do believe I photographed it here, but I can't seem to find it.

 

[boom boom]

You'ld be surprised. I wouldn't glue two pieces of wood back together like you mentioned. Better glues for that. But my son's Yugo M48 stock was cracked through where the mag well goes. From the top edge by the front action ring down to about the trigger guard. I cleaned the crack with lacquer thinner and applied about 5 coats of Zap-A-Gap over a week or so letting them cure a day each filling the crack level.. Solid and looks like a thick grain line. That was probably 15 years ago and has had maybe 1000 rounds of surplus 8MM through it. Much of it was the hot Turk ammo. Still solid.

BTW, thanks for posting on the Zap-a-gap. Read up on the product and I can see applications of it. Probably try some out on some handguards that need fixing.

 

[Scooter22]

Works great on Milsurp handuards. Also on the little piece of the stock that sticks up by the bolt handle on some models that dries out and starts to crack off.