I posted this on the handgun group but thought you guys would get a kick out of it.

Well, that's different. What rifle model/serial number range?

Sure why not.

Looks like fun!

,I have to agree.. looks like fun, why not


curious about your feed-ramp, it looks fixed, (as opposed to a separate one at each rotor location?), how is it attached? It looks like an interesting solution, (..to a question that maybe nobody else has ever asked..,)

I join Jeff in asking about the feed ramp. Seems to address one of several challenges when adapting a 99 to handle short cartridges. Also looks like the cartridge guide has been customized. Can't tell about the cutoff, which can also benefit from tweaking.

Looks like maybe the rotor was altered as well, how the feed ramp is attached is very much of interest

The cut off looks most likely factory I bet spent rounds may fall off before ejection?

Looks like you could part the carrier just forward of the flutes, but not all the way through, then put a bend in the ramp and slot it so it rides in the newly formed slot in the carrier and straddles the new hub in the carrier. It essentially floats on the carrier. This would address the feeding issues, but not the dropout on extraction issues.

brilliant Sam!

I am not seeing the whole picture

What keeps it timed up?

Another first? This is my first knowledge of a 41 Mag 99. Very cool.

Chris, you are correct that this is not yet a complete solution. I am working on a couple concepts for holding it in place. In parallel, I am working on what may be a simpler solution- a 2 piece bushing that would clamp onto the carrier and create a similar ramp, but require no timing. I posted this more to stimulate thought than to demonstrate a solution, and in that regard may have been premature with it.

was it not Kieth Nist [ spelling] that did the 410 rotor

I have developed a concept for anti-rotation and will build, test and it soon.

Looking forward to your report

Mini update. Assembled enough parts to begin testing. Some cartridges bind up between guide and cutoff when attempting to load chamber. I am reluctant to change guide, because I like how it supports this short case to prevent dropout during extraction, so I will work on cutoff next. I have a couple styles to try before I get the grinder out.

I started doing that a few years back with a 414 magnum,because of the extra length of the bullet i thought it was a better fit. The problem i didnt fix yet was the ability of all the shells to move forward during recoil!! i well get back to it some day. Don

Yeah, and everything wants to be last to go in place. The carrier must precede the ramp, and the guide would like to be first, but can go in after the carrier, but I have not yet installed the guide after the ramp. We are running out of room for fingers, forceps, etc, by then. I thought of making a separate barricade which could install on the carrier before it is installed, and sharing a slot with the ramp, but had hoped to avoid that complexity. I'm not out of ideas yet, and if the ramp approach runs aground, I still have the split bushing idea to pursue, and the barricade could be built into it, methinks.

Savage built a groove in the rear of the magazine cavity, and I have wondered if it was adequate to prevent the straight walled cartridges from moving forward, or if they let the bullet control that. I personally try not to let the bullet touch anything, but I may be too idealistic.

Here is the Gen III ramp along with the Gen I anti-recoil barricade, a disc of .020" spring steel. The installation sequence is not negotiable: The disc goes on the carrier, that assembly is installed in the receiver. The ramp is maneuvered in place and snapped to secure. The cartridge guide is installed. The prototype is crude and rough around the edges, but it functions in the lab. Next step would be a field test. I am going to shelve the whole concept for now, because I believe there is a simpler solution that will prove superior in practice, and I will bring it up to this point before testing them both at the range.

What is the smallest rim diameter of a handgun cartridge that could be adapter in place of a .41 Rem Mag round?

Is that a SRC staple in the above photo? Is replacing staples and rings a service you might provide?

I'm not sure, but I suspect that anything much smaller than .470" could need a special extractor.

Yes, I used a cull staple to hold the cutoff open so I could photograph the region of interest. I have been working with Damnesia on those, but to date do not have a repeatable process for one critical phase of the operation.

Here is an update on the alternate method of handling short cartridges. I like it better because it has no snap-in parts. It uses a split collar spacer on the carrier to prevent forward movement of the cartridges due to recoil. Parts are hand made and crude, but it works. Cartridge guide took a LOT of work, but ended up having a lot in common with a 243 guide. Magazine loads very smoothly, rounds feed into barrel as hoped. I cant fire it because I don't have a 41 mag barrel.

Sam,Looks good!!! I may end up doing something similar with the 414.I had a Barrel bored and chambered by JES hoping it would clean up bad spot in the chamber area but it didnt!! So i went and rechambered it in 410 and that cleaned it up. I have to send out another barrel to JES before i can continue on my project. Don

Neat-O!

I may change my mind about not firing it, as I can take a junk barrel and hog it out such that the 410 bullet will make it through. The primary purpose of firing it would be to demonstrate that the recoil barricade works as believed. I personally have no interest in a 99 chambered in 41 mag, but I never asked the question, "Why bother?" I bother because I learn. The things I learn can be transferred to other situations, other calibers, etc where it means a lot to me or someone else.

gnoahhh suggested some time ago that I write one of my technical notes on the cartridge handling characteristics of the 99. I have not done that yet because I don't think I know enough yet. Although I have done around 40 customs, I still get surprised. This experience has brought me closer to being willing to start writing.

I have removed the 41 hardware from the testbed rifle, but it is bagged and tagged so once I bore a barrel I could in a few minutes assemble a functioning rifle and go shoot it for closure.

Is there a short cartridge that does click your trigger? Experiment with that