My 99 Is Difficult To Cock

[JGA1992]

A couple of years ago I inherited my grandfathers 99. I absolutely love it, but I am having a problem. As I have tried to learn more about the 99s I've watched a number of videos showing people cycle, or "cock" the lever. In every case it appears the 99 cocks just a smooth as can be, almost effortlessly. When I cock mine I get some resistance. It starts right when the hammer draws back the main spring. It's not so stiff that have to drop it off my shoulder for leverage, but it is not any where near as smooth as I have seen on other 99s.

Any suggestions on how to fix this, or this just normal?

Thanks,

John

[Mad Dog]

Have you tried to cock it with the buttstock removed, you can see whats going on in the internals then.

[JGA1992]

Mad Dog,

Yes, I have. It happens when the breech bolt is carried forward and the sear holds the hammer/firing pin back, compressing the main spring. It is smooth until the hammer hits the sear so it is only the last 20% of the closing motion that is tough. It seems to me that it may just be a stiff main spring.

This was my grandfathers rifle. It's a 99F in .300 Savage made in 1960. I don't think he used it very often; it's in excellent condition. He passed away in 1983 and I know that it sat in a closet until I got it two years ago. Any chance that has something to do with it?

Thanks,

John

[The Old Coach]

If it's been sitting for a long time, chances are that any grease or oil in the striker channel is congealed, and there may be rust in there too. Time to dismantle the bolt and clean. At least take it out and soak it for a while in penetrating oil. My favorite concoction is Ed's Red bore cleaner, a home brew of equal parts acetone, ATF, kerosene, and paint thinner. The solvents will dissolve almost anything, and the ATF leaves a lubricating and rust preventing residue.

(A mix of ATF and acetone has repeatedly been proven to be the most effective penetrating oil known to man, BTW. Only problem with it you have to keep it in a tightly capped metal container, or the acetone evaporates!)

[JGA1992]

Coach,

Thanks for the help. What is ATF? I'm assuming you're not referring to a federal agency...

John

[The Old Coach]

Coach,

Thanks for the help. What is ATF? I'm assuming you're not referring to a federal agency...

John

Automatic Transmission Fluid. Amazingly useful stuff for a lot of things that have nothing to do with automatic transmissions. Including the bore cleaner concoction I mentioned. It's not as harmful to plastics as ordinary engine oil is, so it's good for lubing plastic and artificial rubber articles. (It should not be used on natural rubber.) It makes a pretty decent substitute for Armor-All if applied thinly enough. Mixed with acetone it really does shine as a penetrating oil, better than anything else ever tested. It's a better gun oil than most "gun oils", because it doesn't get gummy with age, and isn't as affected by cold. It a pretty good rust preventative, although better if mixed with a little anhydrous lanolin. (Lanolin is an optional ingredient in Ed's Red.)

Interesting side light is that ATF had to be developed as a substitute for whale oil, (sperm oil). The original (pre-WW2) automatic transmissions used sperm oil, which has all the right properties, but during WW2 was in very short supply. So what we now know as ATF had to be created, and it being cheaper and easier to get, (not to mention more humane to the whales) it took over the market entirely. Although I've been told by someone who should know that natural sperm oil is still preferred for certain delicate instrumentation.