Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Savage Collectors Need Help Fixing an Old Favorite

Good Morning All,

I've got an 1899 303 and it needs a new barrel. Do any of you gentlemen know where I can find a barrel or a gunsmith that's willing (and able) to re-chamber mine. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Depends what model you have.
Barrels could be 20", 22" or 26" as standard.

What makes you think the barrel needs replacement?

What is the serial number?
Barrel length? Round?
Some pics would help out.

Shoot it first.some bad bores shoot well.If bad consider opening it up to 35 or 38 caliber. See 35caliber.com

Thanks for the reply fellas. Southern It's an 1899 not a 99. Built 1906. Round barrel 20 inches. I'll take any length barrel in either 303 or a caliber that can be rebored to it. I'm also willing to re-barrel if I can find a gunsmith willing to do it that's reasonable. 300 Jimmy its not the bore thats bad its the neck portion of the chamber. Rifle shoots great. But my necks are opening up way beyond normal. Already have plenty of 35s and because of the weaker action in early 1899s It wouldn't be the safest thing to do. I don't want to let this rifle die in the back of the safe. This is my favorite of all my 99 s. So if any of you can point me to a barrel or smith I'd be very grateful.

Thanks Again

give us your ser no on the gun ,I have a 303 take down barrel ,i also have a number of Mod A s that could be parts guns ,a douzen A tend to fill the safes

norm

Early featherweight 1899H or is it a saddle ring carbine? Much different barrels on the two. A saddle ring carbine you could cut a 26" barrel down, I believe. The 1899H will need a featherweight barrel.

Norm the serial number is 51995. Calhoun it's not a saddle ring carbine. Contour looks fatter than what I consider a featherweight (No. 1) barrel. I think it's closer to a 1-1/2 ER Shaw. I apologize for the delayed reply; my workweek is pretty hectic. BTW, on a slightly different note, I have another 1899 that I'm looking to scope do any of you have lightfoot's contact info?

Thank's Again
Have a Nice Weekend

I've got a 26" bbl in 303 Sav sitting right beside me. Came off a 1901 1899.Shiny bore and still has good+ rifling.

Lightfoot is a member here, he'll find you.

PM sent.

Does your rifle have Perris Special engraved on the left side of the receiver??? If it does/is you don't want to do anything to that rifle!

We need photos...butt plate, front sight, leftside reciever, and full length.

Rick it doesn't have anything engraved on it but someone did scratch some lines into the right side of the receiver. What's the deal with that "Perris Special"? Some type of "Bubbazized" Frankenrifle?

It was a rifle style that a guy from California had special made. It was the predecessor to the 1899-H, featherweight. Your serial number falls in the range of this small group of rifles. That is why I'm very interested in what you have. To have a 20" barrel in that serial range it would have to be a SRC or a cut down rifle or short rifle. All would have a standard rifle weight barrel. Not positive but I think the Perris rifle had a barrel that was in between the rifle and later featherweight. The rear sight location was close to the receiver like on the SRC. Also, the butt plate was hard rubber vs. metal.

Can you e-mail or post some pictures.

Here is a past posting on the subject:
https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbth...arch/true/Re:_Perris_Special#Post9741606

The "Perris Speical" is covered in some detail in my book, p. 46. The barrel is a 20" straight taper. It starts as the same size as the other round barrel rifles (1899A, 1899A short rifle and 1899F or SRC) and tapers rapidly to a smaller diameter at the muzzle than the SRC which is also 20". This made it slightly lighter than the SRC. Savage was designing the 1899H at the same time and didn't want to produce the Perris Special as a separate rifle. About 30 were produced. If anyone has one I would like photos for my next book.
The muzzle diameter of the SRC and the diameter of the other two round barrel rifles at 20" from the receiver is roughly .686". There is some slight variation due to hand finishing the barrels. This is covered on p.67 in my book.
David