Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Savage Collectors 7.62x39 into an already bubba'd 99

I have a new CZ carbine take off barrel. The 7.62x39 measures 1.528 and the 300 sav is 1.871. The profile at the front of the rotor would work just fine. The difference is approx 5/16th"

This is a drilled and tapped bare action, appreciate any thoughts on this. My idea was to use as a carry around on a quad bike, make a nice short range carbine.

Johno

The 7.62x39 case is smaller in diameter , good luck getting that to work.


Mike

Could be very hard to get working properly Mike, ive left a message on my gunsmiths phone, but he's not returning my call. Just new I should'nt have said what I was thinking of getting him to do. Never warn em first

Johno

just ain't cool man.

Much higher pressure in the x 39.

I for one think a 7.62x39 Savage 99 would rock the house.

However....

You have to consider the rotor, bolt, and the extractor (especially the extractor) when reassembling.

A quick Internet search shows .300 Savage and 7.62x39 are in the same pressure neighborhood, so that is not much of an issue.

Yep, I realize there will be a lot of work to be done. Ill get the smith to take a look and see what he has to say .

I reckon it be real cool also, this �s a bare action D&T already so i'm am not wrecking a collector rifle. If not, have fun I say

Johno

I looked at that same conversion one time when I had my 300 Sav. apart and the rotor was lying on the bench. Like you I think it could be done. Then I got to thinking about the ballistics. With the 7.62X39 you end up with something that is very close to 30-30 balllistics but limited to much lighter bullets. To my mind a lot of work for not much result. I'd think you'd be better off to find a 300 Sav barrel. You can always load the 300 down. Bottom line is it's your gun and your choice. If you do the conversion take lots of pictures and let us know how it works.

Unless there is a unspoken and compelling reason for wanting a 7.62X39 Savage 99 (like lots of surplus ammo in the shooting inventory), if it were me, I would consider having the CZ barrel rechambered to .300 Savage.

The reason behind the idea was exactly that mate, low cost ammo, a lighter bullet weight. It was going to be set up for an ATV, we get a lot af feral goats in close to 100 yds some pig and fallow deer also. I have a lot of rifles in the cals mentioned. Just thought of this as a litlle project thing.

I also need to look at twists, the 30-30 is a standard 1 in 12 the 300sav a 1in 10. Just checked an AK-47 twist is 1 in 7 1/2 Now that surprised me. This is a CZ take off so I will check it out.

Some things we do for fun are not always practical nor cost effective. This could be described as the getting of wisdom

Johno

Well then, smooth sailing on the project.

One of the first things I would do is to test a savage 99 .300 rotor for Commie ammo feeding function by running 5 dummy 7.62X39s through one of my .300 Savage 99s. No need to work the lever so the the bolt locks into battery. Just run the lever enough so that the cartridge rim slides underneath the extractor and the cartridge nose just enters into the chamber. That will give you an idea if any work will be needed doing on the rotor.

We had a gunsmith (now passed) who was a 41 Remington freak and actually converted two 99s to shoot the 41 so I suppose anything is possible. If I has tons of cheap AK ammo, I'd just buy an SKS or AK and be done with it. If semi-auto is an issue you might be able to find a Ruger 77 that was chambered in 7.62x39. I had one and it was quite accurate especially with handloads.
Here's one you just missed:
http://www.auctionarms.com/search/displayitem.cfm?itemnum=9498615

That ruger would have been sweet, problem is $350.00 USD export licence then about another $110.00 postage. Still have'nt caught with my smith as yet, could be its just to big a deal to work. Still going to check the feeding like suggested, hopefully tomorrow

Johno

Johno;

Check into finding one of the CZ527 carbines. That, or the rechamber to .300 Savage idea was and is a good one.

Nimrod,
You must have a crystal ball mate. The barrel I picked up is a CZ new take off along with the stock, got em real cheap. Actions made by Zastava have just been imported here for around $315.00 USD this would be a very cheap rifle. They should be identical to the CZ, remington used on some rifle awhile back.

The conversion of a 99 was a something I still want to play with, always thought it a shame that old Arthur never went ahead with the prototype short action

Johno

I think the twist rate for 7.62x39 is about 1-10. I have used a Japanese Type 99 barrel to build a rifle in 7.62x39 and at 100 yards it is very accurate. Years back I also had bought a 99 Jap set back and recut to .300 Savage. I killed a few deer with that and it is also very accurate. Going to yard sales and gunshows over the years, I have seen the .300 Savage conversion many times. Cheap camp gun I guess. Anyway, I am fairly sure the 7.62x39 is closer to 1-10. I have to try and submit this, I don't have a clue on a computer.

It does'nt look like it will come together on a 99 action in 300 sav. Ive tried feeding from one to three in the mag just see how they went in. Not good, this would be a major project. I'm sure it could be done, someone like LBK with the skills i'm sure would manage. But to pay a gun smith out of the question, it bought about some debate and thats good

Johno

So, what direction will you go in now, Johno?

Well mate, I have picked up a stock & barrel from a CZ carbine, brand new for $75.00 USD, thats on its way to me. $57.00 postage takes the shine off. In Australia there has just been a huge import of Zastava rifles & actions, ive ordered an action to suite. about $315.00 USD for a mini mauser action, I thought that very cheap. So i'll put it together as a bolt action, not what I wanted. But when I heard back from the smith the silence was amazing, thought the phone had disconected, I said "hello, you there " He said "yep, but I dont want to be, goodbye " That sums it up pretty well

Johno