Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Savage Collectors Savage 99 308 load question

Ok. This question has probably been answered, but my search isn't finding it.

I have a 1970 anniversary model that I'm planning developing a load for. My general question is what upper pressure limits have my fellow 99 users found to be good for 99 actions? I know what SAAMI spec for the 308 is, but curious what real world experience has shown. I would not expect the action to handle higher pressure like a bolt action would.

I'm not trying to set the world on fire, but I'm thinking about trying a 150 grain monolithic bullet, so higher velocity is always better for the expansion. If it doesn't work, then I'll jump up to a 165 to 180 bonded bullet.

Anyway, I appreciate everyone's input and hope all have a great weekend!

The 308 is one of the most robust cartridges ever developed, and BL C(2) was developed for it, I believe. My favorite bullet is the Nosler 165 Partition, which I load at 45.5 grains for best accuracy and mild pressures. Hodgdon says that 49 grains of BL C(2) propelling a 150 gr bullet produces 48,000 psi, well below the SAAMI max of 52,000. The longer monometal bullet may produce slightly higher pressure, so if you start at 46 and work your way up, you should be safe.

In my limited experience, I found reloading for the savage 99 in 308 start at the lower end of recommended charge.

My go-to load forever on the .308 is 44 grains of H4044 and a 150 grain bullet typically a Nosler Ballistic Tip but have switched the Hornady RN's which are more accurate in my 99's and seem to perform better at the shorter ranges I typically shoot at. 44 grains is at the lower range of the Nosler load data. This load has cause two different 99's to lock up out of 7. To this day I have not figured out why some 99's are prone to locking up and others zero issues with hotter loads.

I was thinking I had remembered that the 99 could be finicky with 308's. I've tried Federal Power shocks 150s with no issue, but only for function testing. The published velocity is 2800fps+

I was wanting to potentially take it to Africa in a couple of years, so trying to figure a few things out. I would need to use 165 to 180 grain, or 150 copper bullets. Range no more than. 200 yards. I've been waiting on my 30-06 from the smith it seems forever, and trying not to have to purchase something else. I was originally going to try 130 grain bullets in it for the local north Texas deer, but got to thinking about trying it with heavy and or mono bullets. I would normally use Varget.

I guess I'll just buy some heavier factory loads to get a base on how it acts first.

I really appreciate everyone's help for the 99 greenhorn!

I loaded 150 grain GameKings with a max load of H 4895 in my bolt 308. I used that same load in my 99.

I started loading as Hanco advises above, but in my 308's I backed off and found the accuracy was better a couple of grains off the top. No deer or pig has ever considered there to be a difference LOL

I load 155 grain Scenar L bullets with 42.5gr. VihtaVuori N140 OAL 2.795.

Accurate & mild with lower pressures.

No concerns shooting that in a Savage lever rifle.

When I had one I found it liked W748 and 150 Hornady spitzer

Thanks guys, this is exactly the type of information that I was looking for. It sounds like the lockup is 99 rifle specific and not all rifles will automatically act this way. I'll just have to conduct some tests and not make a general assumption. I'm planning to reload with Varget since I use it for the 7-08, and I have a couple of lbs of it and some CFE223 that I had picked up for some 30-30 loads, so I can try it too.

When I got my Savage 99 in 308 WIN, I was trying my best to keep the loads more like a hot 300 Savage than a fullhouse 308 WIN.

My original plan was to use Hornady 150 grain IL SPs. I could never get a decent group with those. I finally settled on 165 grain Hornady over either Varget or H4895.

What I will say is the few times I've experimented with cranking up the load to full 308 win levels, I've found the recoil to be rather sharp. As it is, I'm pushing about 2600 fps which is fine for whitetail out of a treestand.

Stay away from military brass. One of my big problems early on was sticky ejections. Eventually one of the 'Campers let me know that military brass does not relax enough after being shot and can cause sticky ejections. I switched to Federal brass and never had the problem again.

That is a very good point that I never considered.

The brass is the weakest link. How I understand it is by design. So if the brass is not up to the task….you get sticky extraction.

I got a 99f that shoots 180 gr round noses to perfection with 39 gr of 3031

My accuracy load for a 99 in 308 is 44.0 grains of IMR 4064 with a 150 grain bullet. In an 99 E with 22" barrel, that gave me about 2,575 fps with a Nosler Partition bullet. In my current 99 E, also with 22" barrel and the Hornady 150 grain Spire Point, I get 2,625 fps. So I'm basically duplicating 300 Savage velocities. I worked up that load 30 years ago in a friend's rifle, and it wouldn't take high pressures. I think the chamber was rough. My rifle isn't as fussy, but that load shoots so well that I use it. I also tried 40 grains of IMR 4895 for about 2,250 fps. Accuracy was very good, pressure even milder.

The beauty of the 308 is pretty much any mid-burn rate powder works well. Varget, any of the 4895s, WW-748, AA-2520, any of the 4064s, and other can be substituted for my choice of IMR 4064.

My hunting load is 43 grains RL15 and 150 grain Nosler partition in my EG 308. Kills em dead with good shot placement and it's pretty accurate, about 1 1/2" groups. Some factory loads are sticky. I don't go above medium loads when reloading.

The problem with military brass is not that it doesn't relax enough. It is rather that the military brass is thicker, and therefore has less volume, so a given charge will produce higher pressure in military brass than the same charge in commercial brass. I have never had a problem with any brass in the 308 if I pay attention to the pressure signs as I develop loads with it. Some of my most accurate rounds ever in the 308 were from Lake City brass, and remained accurate in several 99 308s.

Out of all the fiddling I’ve done with my grand father’s 308F, I’ve never topped the 150 Remington factory ammo! 🥵
Problem is, in Commie land I need all copper.

I really appreciate all of the information y'all have generously given in this thread. I went back and looked at the same loads with Varget for the 308 and the 300 Savage and will try a few things.

However, first, I may just pick up a few boxes of heavy (165/180) factory loads to see how they act once I finish the stock work.

I've had the action lock up far below book maximums with reloads. Have used small base dies 4-5 grains off max H4895 loads to good effect.. Factory ammo never caused any trouble.

I use the same load as Jerseyboy. 44gr of 4064 with a 150gr Sierra spitzer boat tail. No issues.