Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Savage Collectors Scoping a .22 HP???

Part of me is a purist when it comes to the 99's, and the other part of me wants to use these things because, who the hell am I saving them for? I have 16 of these 99's and my boys think I have a problem. I am in my mid-50's and can't see as well as I used to so I have come to really like a scoped rifle. I have a near-perfect 99 in 22 HP, in take-down frame. I have looked for a solid frame rifle in 22 HP but even though some of you have said they exist, I have never seen one. So if I scope this take-down rifle with a conventional scope mount (not a fan of the stith)what accuracy will I get? Due to the sloppy fit of a TD rifle, in comparison to a solid-frame, however small amount, it will point in a different direction each time I shoot, relative to the rear scope mount that is. So, what kind of accuracy can I expect? I would hate to deface this rifle only to have ruined its "collect-ability" just to have a rifle with a scope on it that shoots 5" groups at 100 yards. Also, is there a way to make a take-down model have a tighter fit??? Your comments are appreciated. Thanks!

Ask Lightfoot if anyone has used his mount on a take down.

Hi:
I have a 99 takedown in .22 Hi-Power, Griffin & Howe side mount with a Norman Ford scope. My reloads are 64 grain Winchesters using 748 powder. With this load I average around 1 3/4 inches at a hundred yards.
Ken Waters in his "Pet Loads" was getting some loads to shoot around 1 1/4" in his model 99.
My best loads are with the Winchester 64 grain and the Speer 70 grain round nose.

I have made several mounts for the 22HP takedowns. I do need to get some measurements first but have done it more than once.

Thanks to all for your input. Lightfoot, is your mount a side-mount or top? I have seen a few side-mounts and they all look sort of ugly. Regardless, if the mount is all on the receiver, the same problem exists in regard to accuracy, and that is the sloppy barrel fit of a take-down precludes good accuracy. Does anybody know of a way to make a TD barrel fit tighter? Has anybody ever seen a solid-frame 22 HP??

My 22HP is a take-down and the barrel is as tight as a "solid-frame".

With S&B ammo it will do less than 2" at 100 yards.

Why not shoot it and see how it groups with open sights? whatever you get with open sights, will be better with a scope.

I've got one and have seen a couple other solid frame 22.HP's.

Look at the sticky note at the top of the threads list titled "Misc Useful Information." There is a note there about tightening loose takedown barrels.

Rod

That's worth talking about.

I'd say you should expect good enough accuracy for hunting, 2" or less (probably less). But SO much of that depends on the specific rifle and load you are using. My primary hunting EG shoots 2.5" groups with one load at 100 yards, and 0.75" groups with another - and that's a solid frame.

Definitely talk to Lightfoot about his mounts. They mount similarly to the Stiths but allow modern scopes.

TomA: That's just cruel to show that off.

he's saying that his 22HP is about pristeen , THE BARREL should not move if its that good, if he's going to fire 15000 times I might worry about it , or if he takes it down 200 times , I might . take good care of it ,,,,,,USE A LIGHTFOOT MOUNT AND GO SHOOT IT

norm

It is actually tight now, but my comment was the any take-down will not be as tight at a solid frame. I have a 300 Savage in 99EG that shoots under 1" groups at 100 yards. I doubt it would do that if it was a take-down. My dad had a 99 perch-belly in .250, and it had a scope on it. Shot 6" groups off sand-bags at 100 yards.

Yep, I knew what you meant. The Savage takedowns will surprise you though, your dad's is definitely far worse than average. I've shot my 22HP with S&B ammo with a scope and it was doing around 2" groups. Pretty sure I could have done better with handloads.

I use a 7/8 stith and a Lyman Alaskan scope love the set up!

TOM
HOLY MOley
A Frigin 22 H.P. "T"
WOw. Thats is a Needle in a hay stack.
Beautiful, just beutiful.
Steve

Just teasing, actually it wears a 1913 SN but must have been sent back to factory to become a solid frame with T style wood. It is one of my favorites and condition looks close to new. The case is kind of neat also. Tom.

I think fear of inaccuracy from a TD Savage is unfounded. As some of you know, I concentrate on the 1899H takedowns having weeded out the non-takedowns in my life. I also have a total of four .22HP barrels now, counting the two permanently 'assigned' to their rifles originally and two spares that get moved onto other frames occasionally. Any one of them (including the one with semi-dodgy rifling) can be counted on to deliver 1�MOA accuracy (and often much less). That is also with tang sights exclusively- I wouldn't think of putting extra holes into a 100 year old rifle that has made it this far without being raped in such a manner. (And my 61 year old eyes are pretty dodgy, too. But- I persevered/researched and found ways to get around that so as to continue to put my money where my mouth is and stay in the iron sight game beyond where most guys throw up their hands and go the scope route.)

Yeah I remember when this rifle came up for sale... neat gun either way.



Yeah, I have two, other members have them also but they are not common to say the least. Unless you live in Oz, in which case they are way more common for some reason.