Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing Savage 99 300 to 358 win

How possible is it to rebore/rechamber, or rebarrel an old 99 300 Savage to 358 win?

Would this be an no go in an old 300 savage?

Look at the difference in case pressure between the 300 Savage and any of the 308 based cartridges. Seems like a guy could be asking for trouble with that conversion, although it has been done before.

Ixnay. Pre-900,000# actions had their internals, and internal dimensions, sized to accommodate cartridges not longer than the .300. .308-class cartridges won't fit unless you are willing to move heaven and earth to make it happen. Strength-wise they could do it.

Get a 60's-90's vintage 99 and do that trick, or simply buy one in .358 and save yourself money and aggravation. Or buy a .308, and leave it a .308...

Had a 50's era 99f that was a 300 to 358 and worked just fine.

What was the serial number, Jim? If it was made after Savage introduced the .308 99 (and also retaining the .300 at the same time), it was certainly an easy-peasy conversion. If an older action, not so much.

IIRC, it was a 1957 rifle which is safe. As you said pre 308 not safe.

In the same vein, one project idea that has been simmering on a back burner is to have JES re-bore a M1899 .30-30 or .303 Savage to .35, and create a .35-30 to be a deer stomping cast bullet shooter. Maybe. Someday.

As kind of stated above, you might come out pretty close to even looking at selling your rifle in 300 Savage and just buying one in 358. They aren't cheap, but neither is a rebarrel or rechamber - and the resale on a factory 358 is better.

Decent 99's in 358's come up for $1000 and less, to the best of my recollection.

I'd sell this one in that neighborhood.

Ray,
That is tempting.

Jim

Interesting idea - kind of getting back to why Savage never chambered to 99 in .35 Remington. Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't 99s with lengthened internal round capacities have a small sheet metal partition at the back making them different from older receivers which have their mag wells completely encompassed by the receiver forging?

I figure the cheapest route would be pick up a 99E in 308 and have it rebarreled.