Hello from BC Canada.
I'm new here but have been collecting 1899's and 99's for several years.
Looking forward to sharing info with other 99 collectors.
The savage 99 crack can be prevented by removing the buttstock, making a brass shim and bending it around the recoil lug on the lower tang.
Drill a hole for the stock bolt to pass through, and put it all back together.
When done right this will provide relief in the upper tang, so the wood and metal is not making contact any more.
I'll try and post pics here in a few days.
Me personally, I'm not sure I'm buying into this. I believe it's sideways trauma. A fall, a horse, shipping, etc. That's why so many guys say the crack never gets worse after decades of shooting.
I have one set of stocks that were pounded so hard by recoil at the lower tang the wood pushed up into a small gap at the tang and now there is a little tit of wood sticking out. This stock, even though the "wedge" tangs were driven backwards into the wood 1/16" on the lower tang, has no tang crack.
It just makes too much sense that it's sideways trauma.
