I have just picked up a Savage 99-A in .250 cal. Upon firing it, it appears to have an excessive head-space problem such as light primer strikes and backed-out primers on cartridges that do fire, using Winchester Super X 100 gr. Silvertip factory ammo.
I'm looking for an experienced 'smith who can set back barrel, re-chamber, etc and do good work on 99's.

Your help/suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you. ACK375IMP

get rid of it.

are you sure the bolt is locking up all the way? any lever drop or droop?
steve

ACK375IMP,

Any well equipped smith should be able to check your headspace, he could use the 22-250 field gage if he doesn't have a 250-3000 field gage. Same case.

Setting the barrel back is one way to address a headspace problem. If not really bad, the back of the bolt can be TIG welded and ground to take up some slack. Some guys here can recommend a smith in the west but a specialist is hard to find.

Setting the barrel back will cause the forearm hanger to be out of line with the hole and screw in the forearm.

You should email lightfoot or look for his knowledge on lever bit.
would be a good place to start.

I'm not smitten with the later model 99's.
I'd get rid of it.
Silk purse/sows ear ring a bell?

Jed
You Do have Point,,How Ever if the Lever Bite ain't there it will act the same or similar to head space Problem,,If So easy fix for a shootable gun.
J.M.O.
Steve

Lever bite is the first thing to look at. If that's good - move it down the road. I've has some good Saddle Guns and 2 that I sunk a bunch into and sold at a loss.

Thank you for all thoughts and opinions.
I'm not a collector, just love Savage 99's. I picked up this Savage as a hunting gun for my grandson. I just want it fixed.
Not being an expert, I could be wrong on my asumption that it is a headspace issue.
I have no knowledge of the term "bolt bite" as mentioned by CTW, 1899SAV, and Lightfoot, but if it is something "easily fixed for a shootable gun" I would like to understand what it is, and how to identify it.
Please tell me what bolt bite is.

Thank you. ACK375IMP

Does the lever lock up good and tight and stay latched after it's fired? If so, the bite adjustment isn't needed.

Greetings, ACK375IMP:

I ran into the same problem with my 1950's vintage 99R in 250 sav. I've been shooting factory Winchester 100gr silver-tips, which shoot fine in my rifle. When I recently went to reload the brass, I noticed that the primers were backed out about .004", and a circular ridge that you could feel was appearing on one side of some of the spent cases.

The rifle checks out fine headspace-wise - it won't chamber a no-go gauge, will chamber a go gauge. I checked unfired factory Winchester cartridges in my 250 sav L.E. Wilson cartridge case headspace gauge - they check out fine (BTW, this gauge is a necessity IMHO for use in adjusting your FL sizing die correctly).

So the headspace is fine on both the rifle and the cartridge. I measured the diameter of some unfired, recent manufacture factory cartridge case just forward of the extractor groove, and here's what I found:

Win base diameter: 0.4615
Rem base diameter: 0.4635

SAAMI Cartridge case specification: 0.4668

I've got some old factory Winchester super speed and Remington Kleanbore hanging around, so I measured them:

Win SS: 0.4645
Rem KB: 0.4660

They both gauged just fine headspace-wise, BTW. Seems like Winchester and Remington have been reducing the dimensions of their 250 savage cases over the past 70 years or so.

So the problem (to quote mathman in another thread in the reloading forum) seems to be skinny brass.

The SAAMI spec for the 250 savage chamber shows a 0.4697" for this dimension. So that modern Winchester 100 gr silver-tip is rattling around side-to-side to the tune of 0.0082", rather than the expected 0.0029". And the modern Remington's are not too far behind either.

If anyone has any Savage (red/yellow box) 250 sav factory available, could you measure a couple just forward of the extractor groove with your caliper and post the results? I'm curious to see what Savage was producing.

I don't know why the factory Winchester is so far off. I've dropped them a line. I'll report whatever answer I find out.

Hope this helps,
Mike

If you sell this rifle, make sure the new owner knows what the dealio is...

Right. Just like the guy who sold it to me did (not).

Lightfoot: Yup, the lever on my 99 lockes up as tight as my other good 99's with no droop or drop and stays put when fired, so I guess the bolt bite is fine.

MikeC24: I have been measuring all my .250 brass like you did with the same results. SKINNY BRASS. That could be some of my problem. New brass probably is a little short at the shoulder too to insure fit in a minimum chamber. Firing pin strike forces it ahead to chamber shoulder, primer backs out, etc. I'll try fire formed brass from this chamber.

RAS: I agree. I just couldn't get rid of a gun that could possibly be a danger to the next guy. That ain't right.

I thank all you guys with so much more knowledge of the 99's than I do. Some of you are obviously old pro's. I do appreciate and respect all your experience, know-how, and willingness to share with others.
Sincerly, ACK375IMP

Hi ACK375IMP,

Winchester is requesting lot numbers; I've given them mine. It can be found stamped on the inside flap. It was 74XH12 of X2503. If you still have the box, it would be interesting to see what lot it was.

Thanks,
Mike

MikeC24: You bet I still have the box. Lot # 64TE12 stamped in black on carton end flap. I have a second unfired box of identical lot number and they measure an average of 0.463 (just barely) at the base (not measuring the extractor rim). That sure seems like a long ways from that SAAMI 0.4697 case diameter that you mentioned.
Thanks for your time spent measuring cases and your common interest in this possible problem showing a headspace symptom when it perhaps is not a headspace problem with the rifle at all. Just undersized brass.
Sincerely, ACK375IMP

I'm sort of a practical guy. If it was mine I'd shoot the whole box of shells and come back and set my die to size to the very base of the neck. Reload and have at it. I'd leave my die that way until I needed to bump the shoulder back and then only enough to chamber the case. A guy that's just going to use factory ammo...the chances are almost nill that a separation would occur on the first factory firing. Once those cases are formed to the chamber of the gun there's not going to be any more primers backing out and the ring at the base of the case will flatten out somewhat over time as well. 250 Savages ain't growing on trees. powdr

don't get rid of it until you find out how much it will cost to repair it. if you don't want to put more money in it than sell it
but it can be repaired. don't have the barrel set back .like steve99 said' the bolt can be built up on the rear lockup surface. I've done a dozen or so like this with a mig welder. it takes time but can be done

plab

excellent info on case sizes I had a 243 rechambered because of cases sticking and am having a 250 bolt build up because of head space.

norm

Note that this posting started in 2008... but the info is still good.

wow I missed that Rick
LOL

plab

My Late model 99 A 250 Savage had a large chamber had to use fire formed 22-250 cases sized to chamber to get good case life.

Sold it with disclosure, plus it was not that accurate, wanted a 99 250 1 in 10 twist scoped, that was accurate.

Cases fired in the newer 99 A would not even come close to fitting in my other 2 older 99 EG,s in 250 Savage.

New Rem factory ammo was fired in all rifles, seems to be a combo of smaller brass and large chambers would be my guess.

One merely needs to whittle/carve/sand away a bit of wood, off the back end of the forearm in order to offset the setback of the barrel. Easliy done

Get a box of Hornady brass.Winchester brass has been way undersized in 250 since the '70's.If you lightly oil the round it will form perfectly,then if you reload set your die so it doesn't touch the shoulder.I've got Win 250 brass fired at least 10 time's with this method.A tip from when I corresponded with P.O.Ackley on a regular basis in the early 80's.The 250 is the biggest offender of this.If you reload Win 250 brass the normal way you'll get head seperation's usually after about 3 firings.The manufacterer's make the brass as small as they dare.I'll bet there's nothing wrong with your fairly new rifle.

And then there are those who say you can't find a good gunsmith for the 99.

Old Winchester brass(1970's).460" headsize.....Hornady brass on the left,bigger extractor groove,heavier head.And some people have no idea WTF is going on. [img:center][/img] [img:center][/img]

That's funny right there.

Roy
Pretty sure if Mr savage himself worked on you rifle you would BITCH!!

Hey, I'm all ears. Who's the Savage gunsmith that can put a damn barrel on a Savage lever gun and have it index right, with the forearm hanger in the right spot, without stripping the bluing off with a wrench?

Crickets...