I have a 99C manufactured in 1975 that I'm trying to restore from what was once a very stiff action. After taking apart the rifle for the first time I was really surprised at just how crude the machining was - some parts look like they were aggressively filed and had rough surfaces.
Part of the issue was the lever pivot which is now smooth after lapping. Now the issue is resistance encountered when the hammer spring is compressed as the lever is closed and the breech bolt assembly lifted into place. I took the hammer assembly out of the rifle (this consists of the hamer, hammer spring, firing pin, and hammer bushing). The assembly appears to have a thread-on firing pin and a square tail - see attached photo.
First question: is this the correct assembly for this rifle manufactured in 75? I'm concerned it may have been fitted with an incorrect assembly which is why the action is so stiff.
Second question: Numrich has a different hammer assembly (Product #: 145750) featuring a pin-on firing pin which I would prefer but the tail looks rounder. Are these interchangeable parts?
Does anyone here know when Savage changed the style of hammer and firing pin attachment for the 99 series?
