Hello, I joined this forum because I believe it most knowledgeable and can probably give me the best advice.
A few years ago I had a 99F in 300 caliber mounting an early Redfield 2-7 variable. With the right load (I reload for all my centerfires) and on a good day it would print into an inch for 3 shots at 100 yards. It also had an annoying habit of drastically changing its' zero so I sold it.
Two years ago I bought another 99F, also in 300 Savage. For a 50+ year old rifle it appeared to us to be unfired and you had to look close to see only one tiny scratch towards the end of the barrel. ... It has a tang safety, brass rotor, counter, metal butt plate and very slender barrel and fore end.
I mounted a VXII 1-4X20 in Weaver rings and like the earlier one it is a good shooting rifle but also inherited the wandering zero problem.
I will sight it in and then the next time I shoot it, which may be a month or two later, it will print 8 inches high and 3 inches right or something similar. My other wood stocked rifles will change sometimes but never this drastic...Strange but this seems to be the identical pattern of the old rifle!
Since I do a lot of hiking and hill climbing the Pa woods I mounted swivel studs but was afraid of cracking that slim fore end so mounted a fore end screw that doubles as a sling stud.... My old 99F had the stud mounted directly to the wood. I don't over torque this screw just keep it snug and it serves it's purpose well.
I suspect the significant changes in humidity we get here in Pa, as the seasons change, as the main the factor in this shifting POI but don't know how I can fix it or alleviate the problem.
Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated and Thanks to all.
