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Expert advice needed.
I own a Savage Model 1899, 300 Sav. Take Down version, dates to 1925 manufacture. I have owned this rifle for about 40 yrs, give or take. The overall condition of this rifle is very good. Bore is in great shape, case color still remains on the lever, wood in nice condition as is the blueing. No abuse at all and really no overall ware.
I have shot this rifle once or twice only. About the second time firing it, the bottom of the case separated and left most of the case in the chamber. I took it to a highly regarded gun smith to have remains of the case removed. Which he did. At the time he also checked the headspace. At that time he informed me that the headspace was excessive and I should not shoot it. He said that Savage didn't heat treat the chambers well enough and with firing would not maintain chamber sizing. So, it's been sitting in the safe since.
Back in November of last year I got thinking about the 99 and decided to get another opinion on the condition of the chamber. I took it to another gum smith to have checked out. He fired it and though the case bottom did not separate, it did stretch the case. Excessive head space. I asked him about the quality of the steel used by Savage at the point in time and if there were any issues with the heat treating. He told me he did not know of any. He wonder, since the rifle is in such good condition with seemingly little use, if the chamber was cut oversized at the factory by mistake. Any possibility in that?
Is there any means of fixing this? I asked if they could re-cut the chamber and was told they could not on account of it being a take down model. I am going to suppose that finding another take down model barrel will be very difficult. It's just such a cool old rifle, I would really like to be able to shoot it some. Part of it is, I had known the owner since I was a child... and there were family ties to him.
Any advise would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you.
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Fire form the brass using a 338 expander button and then the 300 die. Make all the brass fit that chamber exclusively. I know that sounds crazy but you could use the rifle as is and possibly form your brass from 308.
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Your Smithy checked head space by shooting it? Perhaps headspace gauges would be appropriate for a full prognosis.
I don’t know what the takedown feature has to do with anything. If headspace is excessive, machine the barrel to seat one more turn, then ream the chamber to spec. Machining the barrel includes shoulder, breech face, extractor slot and maybe threads, so it’s not simple.
In the interest of transparency, I’m an amateur.
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I concur with M24 about getting it checked with a proper HSG!!
Does anybody know when Savage changed from the interrupted thread on the takedowns to full thread?? If it's full thread it would be a lot easier to set the barrel back a turn!!
Head space is measured in 1/1000 of an inch, maybe the barrel is not in fully tight, just a bit more could correct HS. Just my thoughts!!
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Thank you all for the responses. M24 and BigAl1, I know they test fired my rifle, but am not sure if they gauged it or not. I am pretty sure the smith who I had originally look at it did gauge the chamber.
Robinhood, I am doing more reading up on form firing brass. After, I read your post, I remember my uncle had made a "seating round" for my rifle. I had completely forgotten about it. I am just starting to get into hand loading. The .338 expander button you mention, would that be the one for a .338 Win Mag? I need to read up on their use. I have not heard of them. But, I am new to hand loading.
My research indicates that my rifle doesn't have the interrupted thread. According to David Royal's book, full threads started being used in 1920. The barrel is full seated into the receiver.
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The oversize expander ball creates a false shoulder. (338 might be too big.) You would expand the neck (annealed brass and lots of lube), Then go back with the 308 sizer and work down the neck in small increments until the case will chamber. Do all of your brass this way. Load and fire form. The shoulder will move forward. Then you have to set your die up for the new case head space length. Only bumping the shoulder .001" - 002" back .
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Thank you Robinhood. I will do some additional research on annealing brass and the expander ball.
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