1899B rotary mag stuck

[Slinky Pickle]

I've got two 1899B rifles with serial numbers 80,XXX and 13,XXX. The newer one has been in the family since my dad bought it in the late 50s and now resides with me. I'm hoping to use to take a BC bruin this spring. The older one just came into my possession recently and I'm trying to clean over 100 years of muck out of it.

The challenge right now is that the rotary mag is stuck in its cavity. I've removed the lock pin and although the brass carousel rotates freely, the circular steel lip at the end of the assembly seems to be stuck in the hole due to corrosion. I've squirted it a few times and have let it sit but I'm not quite sure whether it's safe to tap it from the action end. I don't want to damage it but I would like to get it out and clean out the cavity.

I've always stopped short of disassembling the rotary spring assembly in the past but I've had the assembly itself out of my other 1899 many times. Is anyone able to give me a bit of advise before I do damage to this poor girl?

[Slinky Pickle]

Here's the one that's been in the family for a while.


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[Frontier Gear]

Great old gun. Keep it in the Family.

[Slinky Pickle]

Maybe I didn't mention it but patience isn't my greatest asset. I pried ever so gently on the forward end of the carrier assembly and it moved almost immediately. A few more gentle nudges and out it came. The carrier looks to be in great shape but the bore in the auto cutoff where the carrier slides into is pretty buggered. I can't tell is someone has pressed a new sleeve into the cutoff or whether this is what it's supposed to look like. The boss on that end of the cutoff looks like it's been beat on pretty hard too. Worst case, I can machine a new bushing and press it into the cutoff bore. Everything else seems to be in decent, 119 year old shape.... NICE!

[Slinky Pickle]

Hopefully these show what I'm talking about.


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[Slinky Pickle]

I continue to dive in head first. I also decided to ignore all the warnings about disassembling the carrier. I'm not really sure what all the fuss is about, it's pretty straight forward.

It appears that someone has turned down the head of the bolt that runs through the carrier. I'm not sure why but that doesn't really matter now.

Whatever they used to build the bushing crumbled over time. I'm not sure if it was lead or soft cast iron but as soon as I poked at it a bit it just fell away.

At this point I think my best bet is to turn a small sleeve to press fit onto the turned down bolt head. I think I'll make it out of brass and add a bit of red Loctite as I press it on. That fix should last another 119 years.

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[Slinky Pickle]

Machined up a new bushing that's currently over diameter and over length. I changed my mind on the Loctite and went with JB Weld. Mostly for the gap filling ability of JB Weld but also because I couldn't find my red Loctite. I'll finish machine the whole thing after the adhesive sets up.

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[Frontier Gear]

Looking good so far. Can't wait to see it complete.

[Slinky Pickle]

With the epoxy set and the machining complete, it was time for a quick bluing. The assembly doesn't look as vintage as some might like but this is a tool for me, not a museum piece.

Stuffed it back in the hole and she's good to go again. Hopefully my repair lasts as long as the original.

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[Frontier Gear]

Awesome. Let us know how it shoots and feeds.

[Slinky Pickle]

Awesome. Let us know how it shoots and feeds.

Will do. I've been trying desperately to find some 180 grain round nose bullets to reload with but someone appears to have choked off the supply to Canada recently. Hopefully I can find some and get some reloading done before it warms up enough to go outside again.

[Barneyhunts]

Will do. I've been trying desperately to find some 180 grain round nose bullets to reload with but someone appears to have choked off the supply to Canada recently. Hopefully I can find some and get some reloading done before it warms up enough to go outside again.
Awesome work! With that rotary magazine you should consider a pointed soft point. I started deer hunting with a model 99 using the 180 gr. round nose. Regret selling that gun, however a cousin has it now, and his brother has our grandfather's. Good luck!
Barney

[Slinky Pickle]

With that rotary magazine you should consider a pointed soft point.

This rifle is chambered in .303 Savage and I'm not sure I can even get a 150 grain spitzer style bullet into the magazine let alone a 180 grain and stay within the O.A.L. of the cartridge. The round nose are the only ones that will give me enough punch for bear and still fit in the magazine. It's a great gun, but it has some built in limitations.

[Big Al1]

I have an 1899 take daon in .303 and it loves the 180 grain round nose, it was designed for heavy bullets. I've also found that a lot of my old 99's don't feed spitzers well, my .25-35 also loves the 117 grain rn's.

[Barneyhunts]

This rifle is chambered in .303 Savage and I'm not sure I can even get a 150 grain spitzer style bullet into the magazine let alone a 180 grain and stay within the O.A.L. of the cartridge. The round nose are the only ones that will give me enough punch for bear and still fit in the magazine. It's a great gun, but it has some built in limitations.
Maybe a 170 gr. 30-30 bullet? I see that Graf & Sons has 303 Sav. with 150 GR round nose and flat nose.

[Slinky Pickle]

Cleaned, protected and readied for service. I was originally referring to them as sisters but my wife figures they're more like Thelma and Louise.

Sisters in mischief! :)

Ordered some 180 round nose today. Bear time.

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[Barneyhunts]

Slinky Pickle, NICE! Good luck with them.

[Slinky Pickle]

Does anyone have an 1899 that was born between 1900 and 1908? I've noticed a difference in the bolt maching that I hadn't seen before. The lower one is the older rifle and shows more machining at the leading end. It doesn't look like a butcher job so I'm thinking it's factory but im not sure. If anyone can post a similar image of their's I would appreciate it.

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[Slinky Pickle]

A couple more pics just to show how gorgeous these old girls are. It's going to be nice to hear them bark again.

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[J.Baker]

There's just something about the early 99's with an octagon barrel and straight grip stock appeals to me.