Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Savage Collectors Dangerous Rifles under 90 000 and mild target loads

Hello, I have two questions. I have read in "The Blue Book Of Gun values" not to use rifles under serial number 90 000 for shooting. Is there any truth in this?
I am searching mild loads for target shooting. I have to use jacket bullets because the barrel of my rifle is rough.
Sincere thanks for the replies!

Guns under that number had a square bolt lockup and would sometimes crack at the rear frame corner. After that number the receiver opening is rounded. No, I won't answer your question.

Nope.Standard attention to condition, functionality, headspace and proper loads worked up to within the pressure standards for the calibers same as any other well made rifles.Jim

As posted above, the reason they're supposed to be considered dangerous to shoot is that there were early reports that the receiver would crack in the square corner. How much danger of that happening remains to be seen. Many menbers of this forum have M1899s under SN 90,000 and have and will continue to fire them. Whether or not you should fire your rifle is a choice that only you can make.

As far as loads go, this thread is as good a starting point as any.

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads...true#Post864377

280Ross, if you have ANY worries, please take that rifle to a gunsmith and have it checked out. I have no worries about my 2 rifles that are pre-90,000, but I also won't load hot loads. I want them to last another 100 years<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />.

Has anyone here ever actually seen a pre 90,000 savage that was cracked at the square face?
BillR

I haven't.

Same should go for the 1895. I would be more leary of an 1895 than the early 1899's.

I would not be afraid to shoot one of the earlu 1899's with standard factory loads if it was in good condition. I would stay clear of one that had been converted /rebuilt in one of the later rounds like the .250 or .300. JMO

I've seen 2 1899A's in 303 that had reciever cracks. Don

I've put several hundred rounds of factory ammo and reloads at factory specs through my one of my 1895's. No cracks! Yet.....

Rick, seeing as how I'm one of those guys with a pre-90,000 that was remade into a 250, how much danger is the rifle in?

I see 30-30's go up to 41500'ish for pressure on the high end, which I presume even really early 1899's can handle. And the 250 seems to hit 45000 on the high end. Seems to me that if I keep my loads on the light side that I'm not really running that "hot".

In fact, if I switch to WIN748 or IMR4831 I'll be somewhere betwen 35,400 and 41,000 and shouldn't be in any danger at all?

Thanks..

Okay.. just went through my Hogdon book. The load I'm using in my 250 with 34gr of H4895 should be generating somewhere around 41,000 CUP. Looks like it's time to switch, but I should be able to keep pressures down to 30-30 ranges pretty easily, just gonna have to live with somewhere around 2700 fps (at a guess).

It's not what WILL happen but what MIGHT happen. There are a lot of rifles in use with serials under 90,000. Many have probably been converted to use hotter rounds than originally designed for and have had no problems. We have very little data on the subject. So, proceed with common sense and at your (and your rifles) own risk. Stay safe. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Yup, I realize it's all iffy. Rifle A may go along just fine as a 250 Savage, and Rifle B crack on the second shot.

I appreciate your warnings and insight.. without your comments which I first saw last winter I'd probably still be loading the 250's on the higher side aiming for that magic 3000 fps mark:-). Just trying to figure out a reasonable load so that I can keep this old fellah shooting for the next 104 years.

Calhoun, I have factory correspondence from the 1950s. They refused to convert under 90,000 rifles to .250 or .300. Between 90,000 and 266,000, they would do it but there was an additional charge to "retemper" the receiver.

I would'nt shoot one under 90K.Best you can do is probably sell.I know a guy who might want them.PM me ASAP.

I shot serial #70.152...just to say I did.
It was in 303 Sav.

Dan, here's serial number 11.5xx and antelope last fall... don't be such a whuss.

C,
Thats way cool.
I liked the 'out in the field' pics you had better tho

Well, since you requested.. I'm still slightly ashamed of hunting like this, but it was basically a doe culling expedition.

Got to get my 1904 1899A out this fall on a doe hunt.. got a peep sight, got some ideas for setting up with only short shots possible.

The hardest thing is to explain something simple to an idiot.

For the learning impaired...Any old 99's you have that are'nt
safe to shoot."Let me know".Just a joke .Get it?Calhoun...