Savage 99 restification project

[Ian]

I bought a stamp set from MSC, haven't gotten it yet but it was only for the caliber, anyway. The other stuff is too stylized to do with stamps. I wanted to put a note for posterity on the barrel, underneath the wood, explaining the barrel, stocks, and finish was redone by me in 2018, and I also wanted to put the Savage name and address (original one), with "model 1899" below it, with the little art-deco arrows, on the side of the barrel. We had it all layed out nicely, but the guy's tools just weren't getting it done. It would have cost me $150 to have it all done, nearly double what the barrel blank cost me, and less than half of what a decent vinyl stencil printer would have cost. I could have etched it with some table salt solution, a cotton ball, and a battery charger.

At least the experience gave me something to ponder while driving....building my own pantograph machine, set up to hold a Dremel tool. I'm probably going to go ahead and do that anyway, got some other stuff that needs engraving.

 

[freebullet]

Wow, that's a bummer.

I've used the dremel engraving bits by hand. They work but it's a tough skill to master free hand. Almost impossible. Don't have the little stand that turns the dremel into a micro mill.

If I needed something special done would look for reasonable price laser engraver guy to handle it. Might be worth the cost for a pro on heirloom pcs.

 

[Ian]

I've done some passable NFA engraving with a Dremel. Designed what I wanted in Word, printed it out on regular paper, taped it on the part, and burned right through it with a tiny diamond ball bit. Not quite what I had in mind for this, though....

I'm just going to hide a note in the buttstock for now.

 

[Ian]

Almost done! Had some time and some mid-day sun so here are some photos. The forearm only has one of about seven or eight coats of BLO on it so far, first one went on yesterday. Forearm screw needs a polish and re-blue, and the forearm needs to be silicone-bedded to the front of the receiver, but that's about all she lacks.

 

[gman]

Ian you did a very nice job restoring that 99. Very impressive!

 

[waco]

Awesome work! Looks good!

 

[Ian]

Other side:

 

[waco]

All I can say is WOW!

 

[Ian]

Photography is NOT my profession, sorry for the blurry mess.

 

[Gary]

From what my eyes can tell, superior workmanship in every detail. Well done!!

 

[Pistolero]

Really impressive job, Ian. From a tree to a stock is a long journey, as is a
blank to a finished barrel.

Well done!

Bill

 

[Will]

Looks awesome Ian. I love the shape of that forearm

 

[Ian]

Thank you all for the kind words, and for sticking with me through this adventure.

I made a brass forearm escutcheon to make Fiver happy He's all about the bling. Actually, I had to make a new one because in the process of fixing one of my pet peeves about the 1899 rifle, the straight line from schnabel to receiver, I had to increase the angle where the screw is. It makes a nice, flowing "serpentine" curve there now which is MUCH more to my liking. I also widened the forearm to fit my hand better and scalloped it into the receiver. (Thanks Will, I see we have similar tastes!) The "safari sling" mount on the barrel is something I've always wanted to do, and it makes sense on this rifle due to how the forearm mounts. The rear sling stud is a two-screw type, the only kind worth having IMO, if you feel like taking three hours to inlet it One of the screws just wouldn't go all the way to let the slot line up, if it bothers me enough I might drill the hole just a touch deeper to let it line up.

I'm pretty happy with how it turned out, especially for the process being a long string of "firsts". I learned a lot and feel much better equipped to handle the next refinishing and rebarreling jobs that need doing around here.

Baby is napping now, so I'm gonna sneak off to load some ammo, screw the suppressor on, and go shooting!

 

[Brad]

Finally! He is gonna shoot the rifle!

Nice work. I am impressed. Can't wait to hear how it groups.

 

[VZerone]

You want to learn things to here: http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/cnc-machining/chatter-corners-deep-pocket-346268/ A real nice bunch of members eager to answer your questions and help you. They answer your thread to a shoulder in couple of micro-seconds.

What type lathe to you have Ian?

 

[KeithB]

Outstanding work, what a beautiful end result. Good job there Ian.

 

[JonB]

Sweet looking stock. You surely have some craftsmanship skills.
Just thinking of all the blanks you cut to find that one...incredible.

 

[Ian]

Vzerone, this one: http://www.grizzly.com/products/7-X...MIy9PeovX22QIV1DyBCh0w9wJWEAQYASABEgKTP_D_BwE

It's the "little lathe that could", it has some nice features like a variable-speed motor, a super-heavy-duty tailstock, a 2"-capacity steady rest (unusual for a lathe even twice this size and necessary for things like chambering center-fire barrels), and just enough threading options to do basic gunsmithing work. I even profiled the barrel using it, but had to do it one section at a time, and use the steady. I made an off-side spider out of a piece of scrap steel KeithB gave me, which is essential for any barrel work.

 

[Ian]

I loaded some ammo and took her for a spin. Ten rounds of the plain-based MP 30-140 HP Blackout bullet, pc'd, lubed, got me on paper at 50 yards with 5.0 grains of Unique....supposed to be subsonic according to QL but they all cracked and gave me some stringing. Still managed a 3/4" group with the second five.

Then I tried some ACE 311-140 gas-checked spire point blackout bullets, also powder coated and lubed, gas checked, and seated over 24 grains of RX-7, should have been about 1930 fps but clocked an average of 2075 with a horrific SD of 40.6. I shot five into two groups due to velocity wildness, but it looks like the little rifle wants to shoot! Got the first two 3/4" apart, then a flyer up and left, then one more right through the second hole, then the last one touching the "flyer". I spotted each shot so I know it's velocity swings causing the dispersion. Looks like I need to re-visit the powder selection with these light bullets and all the coating/lube addition, I used RX-7 because I'm trying to keep pressures low, and these are estimated right at 30K psi.

 

[fiver]

I was wondering about that ACE 140 in the 30-30, you didn't have to size the nose with the PC I take it.