Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Savage Collectors Old 99 with head-space problem

I shot one of my older 99's for the first time yesterday. It is a .303, straight stock, 10,xxx serial number. Shot very accurately at 50 yards using the iron sights. Upon ejecting the spent brass, I noticed the primers were backed-out just a bit. There was not any "crater" around the primer where the firing pin hit, just a priimer that protruded a little. The primers were obviously fine when inspected prior to shooting. Cartritges were from Old Western Scrounger. Again, they shot very accurately. Regardless of having a hot load or not, from what I understand the primer backing-out is a sign of excessive head-space.

Please let me know your thoughts on this. I like to use my rifles, especially the old ones. Should I just keep using as is, or can this be a problem. If it is a safety issue, how can I correct excessive head-space? Obviously, the rifle is a solid-frame and not a take down.

Also, I have a .22 Hi-Power that is really nice. Shot it for first time on the same day (I have made efforts to have some fun after working too much for the last 20 years). Accuracy was poor using Sellior and Belloit ammo. Doubt I could hit a pie-plate at 50 yards more than 2 out of 3 times. The .303 was all within a door-knob size at same distance. Both with iron sights. Question is, are 22 hi-powers known to be this inaccurate using todays ammo?

Thanks for all your input!

Does the lever lock up nice and tight? My Granddad's .303 backed the primers out a little until I adjusted the lever bite. Those OES loads might be a little hot too?

The bore in your HP likes .228 bullets. Someone just posted on having some.

Are .228 bullets hard to get? If not, why wouldn't the load come that way?

Seems to lock up tight but how would I "adjust the lever a bit"???

Thank you,

Bob

Primers being backed out can also be a sign of low pressure. The case should push back upon firing and impact the bolt head reseating the primer, and if the pressure isn't enough then this won't happen.

Right you are Calhoun! Forgot that symptom. I never thought it was a terribly dangerous situation on my old gun in any case.

There are instructions on adjusting the lever bite in one of the sticky threads. But...if it ain't broke...

Asjustment thread + others

To get .228 bullets you need to buy authentic 22HP ammo. The S&B stuff isn't.

Seems to lock up tight but how would I "adjust the lever a bit"???

I do notice that it "hangs up" a little when I try to remove the spent cartridge. What I mean is, when I initially start to eject, it is stuck but then on the second attempt, with very little effort, the lever drops down nicely. Ever hear of this?

Sorry for the over-lapped posting.

Thanks, makes total sense.

Are you telling me that I must purchase collectors ammo, made 50 years ago to shoot this gun?

Try giving the chamber a very good cleaning and you might even polish it a bit with J-B bore cleaner. A dirty or rough chamber can hold the brass and prevent it from setting back onto the bolt face. Be sure to remove all cleaning/polishing residue.

What is the head stamp on the Old Western Scrounger ammo? Last I saw was resized .30-40 Krag brass. You might try these... http://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/category/categoryId/224?

.228 bullets are available from the Drilling Hotline, for $40/50. The cartridge is fairly popular in Europe, in single shot rifles and combination guns, so the ammo is still made there. DHL has the S&B ammo you already have, plus the correct size bullets from another manufacturer.

I guess you could paper patch some .223 bullets with onionskin paper if you are really dexterous, but I'm pretty sure I couldn't do it with my clumsy fingers.

Actually, I've read a lot of some reviews where people have had good accuracy with .224 bullets out of their 22HP. Haven't tried it myself, yet.

I too had a 303 with a head space problem, primers backing out, split cases.

I welded and re shaped these two areas and fixed the problem.

What about the .227 70-grain Hornady made specifically to reload the .22 HP? Are they discontinued? Or just not very good?

Home made case coloring as a result too...just another service Gary provides!

Generally speaking, not very good. Too long for the 1-12" ROT of the old Savages. They are good for Euro-spec guns with faster ROT's, and probably those few .22 Newtons floating around out there. The Hornady's can be made to work by shortening their noses though, and some guys do indeed get fair accuracy with them in their HPs as-is. Best bet is try them in your gun. You never know. (But don't get your hopes up.)

Did the heat generated by the TIG welding adversely effect the heat treatment (hardness) of the steel there where it changed colors? Inquiring minds want to know! If you have fired it much, is it holding up?

Who makes said bullets? If of 70 grain weight, what is their length? Questions one needs to ask before plunking down 80� per each .22 bullet. Maximum length I have found for a 70 grain jacketed bullet to work sweetly in the 1-12" twist of the Savage is .750"

The discoloration came off with a 3m pad so it didnt run deep. I havnt fired it much, but I should

I dont have hardness testing files but using a regular old little file I touched various places on the bolt and found it to be soft,relatively speaking.