Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Savage Collectors Reloading savage 99

Does anyone have any experience with handloading a 308 in a 99C. I'm just wondering how strong the action is as far as taking max loads.
I'm loading up
180 gr Nosler partitions
44.0 Gr. IMR 4895

ON the IMR website the max load is 44.7, wondering if I'm pushing it.

Looking for some advice, thanks.

My advice is to do what you should always do for an individual rifle to load exercise and start low and work up to high end. -10% is the recommended start point as I recall.

Why do you need max loads? Although the 99 action was made for factory loadings of the 308 cartridge, why push it. Any big game in the lower 48 will die with a standard load in the 308. If you reqiire faster loads, or longer distance shooting, may I suggest getting one of the wonder magnums.

I've loaded, and shot them up to max for load testing. The action will handle it. But I always backed off for two reasons. First, I hate those danged tang cracks that will start on 99's. And max loads will cause them faster (or so I believe). Second, barrel life. It sucks trying to find new barrels for 99's.

I backed down to a medium load and was still set just fine for 300 yard hunting.

I am WELL below max on my reloads for my 99 in 243. As soon as I reach satisfactory accuracy, I stop. I am currently a full 4 grains below max with my custom load.

Why not develop your loads for maximum accuracy instead of maximum power?

I start at the bottom end of the recomended load, load five rounds, increment by 1/2 a grain and load another five rounds. I do this working up to near maximumum load. I then go to the range and shoot each set of five rounds, letting the rifle cool off between sets. The loading that shoots the smallest group becomes my load for that rifle. I then adjust the sights to that load.

Accuracy and shot placement is the ticket. if a critter is shot with a minimum load or a maximum load it won't make a difference if you put the hole in the right place.

Vlad

I have chronograph data for a bunch of different factory loads. I use that as top velocity for my 99's. The action is strong enough for pretty stout loads, but as it locks up in the rear, you can stretch the action if you push it. That factory level is usually a grain or so beolw max book levels. Most of my 99's shoot best at factory levels or even a bit less. Game doesn't know the difference, especially as most 99's aren't put to long range use.

Yes I believe you're pushing it, possibly very hard depending on the brass.

Any time you appoach 46,000 CUP (Copper Units of Pressure) in a Model 99, you're gonna get "case-stretching" which means you're gonna have to do a little case trimming before you reload the cartridge case again.

Since maximum loads in a .308 Winchester are in the 52,800 CUP range, you can expect some case-stretching if you use max loads in a .308 in a Model 99. However, due to the strength of the Model 99's action, maximum loads in the .308 Winchester are still SAFE LOADS in a Model 99 due to the Model 99's huge breech block which can easily handle all the pressure generated by the .308's maximum factory loads.

This "case-stretching" is due to the "spring" in the Model 99's action, not a "weakness" in it, plus the natural tendency of the brass to "flow" from the base of the case to the neck of the case under high pressure.

As it happens, a stout loading (46,000 CUP) of the .300 Savage will also provide some case stretching even though the Model 99 has a massive breech block.


Strength & Honor...

Ron T.

You rarely get maximum accuracy and maximum velocity in the same load. Especially in a 99. I would be more concerned about which load got me the tightest group. Anything you are shooting at won't care about an extra 50-100 fps anyway.

-Mb

The thing I respect most about contributors to the Savage Collectors Site is their common sense and practicality when it comes to reloading, accuracy and cartridge effectiveness on game. Leave the maximum or over max loads to the magnum want-to-be crowd. Good job all.

Safety 1st!

It is too bad that Bearrr264 doesn't participate here anymore, as he is the only person who I personally know to have been injured when firing a Savage 99. IIRC, he was ask to look at a Savage 99 EG in 300 Savage that wouldn't fire. He got it to fire, but the 300 Savage case seperated and the escaping gas blew out both sides of the stock "cheeks". He discovered that it had been rechambered in 308 and that the 308 chamber had been cut too long/deep, so it had excess headspace even when loaded with factory 308 ammo. Bad gunsmithing all around!

Jeff

Jeff, I came close to injury, and if I hadn't had safety glasses I would have lost the shootin' eye. Here's what happened.

My favorite load for one 99 was a 165 Partition with about one grain less than the average max loads listed. It was a honey, with no pressure signs and as accurate as a 99 gets with a 57 receiver sight.

Well, I purchased a 5000 round lot of once fired military brass, and deprimed and full length resized them. I loaded up a few just to check and see how they'd do.

BOOM. First round sent gas out of the action and the primer looked like flour. After the fact, I started checking, and found the brass had been fired in the M-60 machine gun, which has adjustable head space. Turns out that the headspace on this one was set way to short, and the heavy bolt pushed the shoulder back 17/1000 upon chambering, which full length sizing didn't change a whit.

With that much play, of course the case separated, the primer blew out and damn near wrecked the 1957 F.

Good thing 99's are tough as hell.

Wayne