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I just got a Savage 99 Takedown Model in 303 Savage. When I fire it on the range the forend of the stock, under barrel comes off. It seems the spring may be too weak to hold it in place under recoil.

Anybody ever seen this issue?

I would also like to add a sling and wonder if the screws that hold the catch for the takedown forend will be solid enough to never accidentally come off while carrying or climbing a tree.

My dad, who recently passed, had black tape on the front of the forend and around the barrel. A very pragmatic approach to my problem. I’m hoping for a more elegant solution.

Thanks in advance.

Your query might gain better traction over on the Savage Forum here.

Couple things. Yes, one of the two screws that holds the takedown latch in place can be utilized to hold a sling stud. Study on it and you should see how to do it. Pretty simple.

As for the latch, A) is the spring even present inside it? If it is, then I would B), look at the latch hook on the bottom of the barrel to see if it's worn or been goobered by a previous owner. Ditto the hook inside the latch. If the spring is missing, ask for one on the Savage forum, somebody there probably has one. C) Also check for dirt accumulation inside the latch which might be preventing it from engaging the barrel hook.

Thanks for your reply! I’ll check those items. It looks like the forward screw is a machine screw that threads into a metal insert in the wood forend. The rear screw appears to be a wood screw, but I’ll know soon as I take it apart to check your points.

Thanks again!

I knew one of the two screws is a machine screw, but couldn't remember which one. That'll be the one that guys made replacement screws attached to sling studs.

It doesn't take much JB weld jammed in the latch recess to ensure it never happens again.

That sounds about as elegant as the black tape that my dad had on it. Once you cram in the JB Weld you don’t have to worry about the takedown feature of the gun, right?

I have a feeling that a little service on the spring and catch might be a better first item to try.

Maybe bend the latch dog to take up the slack.

I'm a practical man, you can enjoy searching for your forend on the forest floor if you wish. I haven't need to take a takedown down for any reason in 30 years.

For your sling may I suggest using a barrel band type instead of depending on the forend which could detach at the worst possible moment?

Or forego the sling entirely and keep the rifle in your hands where it belongs?

Climbing a tree without a sling sucks. It also gets tiring on the arms after a while if you're walking a long distance. Sorta like driving a car without a seat... you can, but why would you want to? 😝

Makes sense. I don’t currently have a tree stand in mind. I thought the sling would be nice if you’re dragging a deer home.

Your rifle appears to be a takedown. Have you ever had the forend come off?

YHTBFKM

It is a model G takedown and never had the forend detach without pressing the takedown latch.