Originally Posted by EGSavage
As everyone here already knows, the Savage 99, unlike other lever guns, is hammerless, with a rotary magazine.
Because of the way the bolt works, there isn't much wood in the tang area.

That, combined with other factors such as the stock bolt working loose, wood drying out and shrinking over time, direction of wood grain in the tang area, oil soaked wood, and improper inletting from the factory, can result in the tang cracking from repeated firing.

Here is a way to prevent the majority of Savage 99 tang cracks, or stopping an existing crack from spreading.......

I didn't develop this method myself, but having tried it with good results, I've decided to post it here with pics to help out anyone who might be interested.

Basically you have to remove the buttstock and shim up the recoil lug on the lower tang.
When done right, this will allow some relief on the upper tang where the wood meets the metal.

Remove the butt plate and insert a 10" long flathead screwdriver to remove the stock bolt.

Be careful when removing the stock, make sure the screwdriver is not between the bolt head and the wood as this could cause a crack.

I use brass shim stock, (usually comes in rolls, from machine shops or tool supply shops)
Cut it to the right size using good quality tin snips and finish it off using a cutting wheel on a Dremel tool.
Bend it around the recoil lug so it fits in snugly between there and the wood.

Drill or punch a hole in the brass shim so the stock bolt will pass through.

Trim and taper all edges with a Dremel tool with the stone bit attachment.
make sure there are no sharp edges, steep edges, or burrs.

Make sure the shim is thick enough to provide the necessary relief on the upper tang, but not so thick that you can't bend it around the lug,
about .050 mm thick seems to work fine for me.

Put the buttstock on and tighten everything back up.

If anyone needs any more pics or info, or has anything else to add, feel free to contact me..


The classic Savage model 1899, a 1914 SRC in 30-30...
(matching numbers)

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The Savage model 99 tang area that's prone to cracking...

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Savage 99 recoil lug....

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my homemade brass shim....

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Brass shim bent around the recoil lug...

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Brass shim fitted into the lower tang of the buttstock...

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Buttstock re-installed, now with relief at the upper tang provided by the brass shim...

[img]http://i1061.photobucket.com/albums/t469/sully1899/savage99toptangwrelief_zpscf8dcbe3.jpg[/img]

Lower tang with shim in place between the recoil lug and stock...

[img]http://i1061.photobucket.com/a...angwithshiminplace_zpsb72b1d3c.jpg[/img]

[img]http://i1061.photobucket.com/albums/t469/sully1899/DSC00006_zpsc1730e20.jpg[/img]

1940 Savage 99EG in 303 Savage, ready to shoot with no worries of the tang cracking....
Maybe I'll take a deer with it this coming season!

[img]http://i1061.photobucket.com/albums/t469/sully1899/Savage99EG303_zpse4f92dca.jpg[/img]


I'm probably missing something here, but is there a reason why the shim couldn't be some kind of thin rubber material such as a very thin inner tube patch or the like? Seems like a rubber shim would not only provide space but a little dampening as well.

An unashamed bitter/clinger/deplorable