Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Savage Collectors Another Model 1895 Gunsmithing Question

Hi All -

A few weeks ago you all helped me solve the problem of lever droop on my reblued (read: dinked with) 1895 Savage. However, after fixing the lever droop, I noticed the action felt too tight compared to my 1899. It was not smooth closing or opening the bolt. I thought I had tightened the lever radius too much, so I relieved it a little more without getting the droop back, but that did not fix the problem. I realized that the tight action feel was not at the end of the lever stroke (where the lever droop occurs), but rather in the middle - it takes more than usual force to move the bolt through the magazine well, and the bolt doesn't spring open the way my 1899 does after opening the lever a little.

Looking in the top, it seems to me that the problem is with the part labeled "Automatic Cutoff" and its spring shown on my exploded 99 diagram. Where the left edge of the Automatic Cutoff is tucked into its cut in the left side of the receiver on my 99's, and it lies more or less parallel to the receiver opening, on the 1895 the front edge is sticking into the magazine/bolt area about 3/16", while the back edge is still tucked into the receiver like the 99's. I think what is happening is the bolt has to force its way past the cutoff because it is sticking out and against the cutoff spring. This makes it tight both in closing and opening the bolt, taking away that characteristic smooth Savage feel.

I can see the cutoff spring, since the cutoff is sitting away from the receiver and not parallel to it - it is a strong folded leaf compared to a coil spring shown on my 99 exploded diagram.

I am assuming that the overly strong spring / misaligned cutoff is not installed right, rather than just being an 1895 design issue that they fixed with the 99 design. The shape of the automatic cutoff itself is identical to my 99's.

So here is the question: The yoke for the automatic cutoff is attached to the main shaft for the rotary magazine. All of my sources counsel against messing with the rotary shaft. Is it possible for me to remove and repair the issue with the cutoff myself, or if not, who is qualified to fix this for me (and works cheap of course )?

I appreciate the experience and willingness to share it from you all.

well IMO you seam to have a good understanding of the action I think you can handle further disassembly of the rifle.. I would remove the cut off and put the bolt back in and see if that is the problem the magazine is not that bad . if you get stuck with it drop me a pm I'll talk you through it

plab

Taking out the rotor is no big deal NWH. Taking it apart is another thing, would advise against that and you have no need.
With it gone you should be able to figure out your cut off issue.

I am very willing to disassemble it as long as I don't get it apart and can't reassemble it. I have heard horror stories of taking a Savage apart and two gunsmiths had a lot of trouble getting it together, and the Chicoine book on antique firearm disassembly stops after the lever is removed and recommends you go no further, etc - what I am imagining on the rotor is a wound up spring which must be loaded just right, like the pull rope on a lawn mower. Am I making too much out of it? Does anyone have some directions that can walk me through it?

From what I hear you saying Steve I can drop the rotor out without affecting things if I don't disassemble it?

Yes. But you'll still have to pre-load the spring when re-installing it. The lawn mower pull rope is a perfect example.

Disassembly of a 99 isn't rocket science, nor is re-assembly. Trial and error with your first rotor is a given. After that it gets easier (but still probably trial and error). I think a lot of modern gunsmiths shy away from 99's because they aren't modular in nature. AR-15's are modular in nature and building/dissecting one is merely a matter of dealing with sub-assemblies in the main.

The same situation exists with modern car mechanics: a computer tells them which module/part is malfunctioning and all they have to do is replace it. Diagnosing problems and sussing out repairs was the realm of the analog era mechanics, and those guys are all playing golf in Florida now, leaving people who mess with old cars being faced with having to perform their own maintenance or take their cars to boutique repair facilities.

By the way, when did I become a "Campfire 'Bwana"? Who thinks that stuff up?! What's a "Ranger", "Guide", and when do I become an "Oracle" like Calhoun (jealous, that)?!

I think I just became a "Campfire 'Guano'"!

At least we're not "Campfire S'Mores"!

Or "Campfire passed out around the fire at midnight surrounded by empty beer bottles"!

Your second example may not be that bad of an thing!

We can shoot for that Friday evening around the campfire. If we fail, we can try again Saturday, Joe.

I assume the cutoff on an 1895 is similar to the early 1899's, in that it's "L"-shaped and pivots on the back end of the rotor.

For NWHunter's cutoff to be sitting out of parallel with the bolt means the whole cutoff must be bent out of shape, and therefore hanging up as it pivots and tries to slide back i8nto the receiver.

NWH

Up at the top is a thread called miscellaneous good information. Open that and go down to the 8th post. LBK posted the instructions for removing the rotor and and then re-tensioning the rotor. There really isn't much to this. It is helpful to have screwdriver tip modified to straddle the rotor spindle on reassembly to turn the spindle to re-tension. You'll see what is needed when you remove the fore end.

Over the weekend I got the 1895 fixed. I removed the cross bolt that holds the trigger release, and the automatic cutoff just slid off of the shaft for the rotor - it has no screw to secure it, which 99's have. So I didn't have to pull the rotor, guess I'll save that experience for some other project when I need it.

Jeff G was correct, it turned out that the automatic cutoff was bent at the corner. I made a little jig out of washers to protect the flange on the shaft pivot hole, stuck it in my vice, heated it moderately until I could bend it, and checked it with a framing square til straight. I quenched it with a little gun oil, stuck it in, and it works like a champ now, smooth as a Savage action should be. Can't wait to get the re-color case hardened lever back from Wyoming Armory and try it out. Thanks for all the help.

Nothing better than a problem with a happy ending.

Glad your problem is solved NWH.