Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Savage Collectors M99 Carrier Tension adjustment

My California 10-day wait finally ended, and I picked up my 1951 M99EG .300 Savage.


None of the local stores had .300 ammo or snap caps in stock so I couldn't try the action - but I did get the seller to knock off $50. On Christmas Santa dropped a box of federal shells under the tree for me, but I was disappointed to find that it was loading very stiff and binding when I tried to chamber a round. I know it had been in a closet corner for many years, so I removed the stock and gave the tracks a light cleaning, replacing that old waxy grease, and placed a few drops of gun oil on pivots and pins, working things alive again. Ugh, no change . Comparing it to how my butter-smooth 1899 .30-30 feels, I got suspicious that the carrier tension was too high. The carrier seems to jam the cartridge up into the action and pinch it between the cartridge guide and the automatic cutoff bar as the bolt moved forward. I started to follow directions I've found to adjust the tension, but found that the carrier spindle nut was loose. It looks like it had been staked in there (not well), and it's a left hand thread.

I ground a notched tool, tightened it as well as I could (with the carrier spindle head screw in), then loosened the pin and relaxed it a notch at a time, just like folks advise. I went back to the point where it didn't have enough tension to move the cartridge, then turned it two notches ahead, and it seems to do the trick. Loads like a charm, and chambers properly except for a little friction that I'll be looking into when I have my tools and bench prepared to take the receiver down for thorough cleaning. I'll restake the nut & spindle on the bench. Who cranked it so tight and why will be lost to the ages - probably led to less use (good for me!) BTW, the carrier is steel -looks color case-hardened. Didn't know they did that! As I dig deeper and find out how she ticks, I'm getting a deeper appreciation for Mr. Savage's genius...

Congrats on your new 99, and very impressed with your fixing it yourself! Good job!

Looks like a clean piece. The bolt appears to be jeweled?

Steel carriers showed up quite a bit in the early '50s. We've attributed that to a shortage of brass after the war.

Good work on the troubleshooting! You're right - the 99 is a marvel of simplicity and efficiency.

Yes, the bolt's jeweled.

Question - the rear receiver was D&T for scope base by a ... (let's be nice) an unskilled person.

Grrrr. I can understand drilling a receiver for a scope - nobody's thinking about collector value for this in 1951, but jeez, it's not rocket science to get it straight. I'm thinking I'll carefully elongating the front screw hole of the rear base, just enough to let it seat properly, blue locktite it and call it good. That sound like it will work?
Makes you wonder if this had a reputation as a bad gun, with the scope torqued over and poor feeding?

Altering the screw hole is about all you can do with the Weaver mount.

Since it was a botched job it proably won't work with a 1 piece Leupold or Redfield but that would be a good solution if it would fit. The spacing from front to rear holes is critical though.

Actually, I would think a 1 piece base would be a solution. You'd probably only get one of the rear holes to line up, but I've seen plenty of 1 piece mounts that only used 1 screw on the rear. Just make sure that screw is set good (blue loctite is your friend).

I just set a straightedge across them and see that they need shimming or lapping to get them level. I think I'd rather lap then with emery cloth rather then fiddling with shims. The one-piece would be nice - but I wouldn't want to get one until I check the holes against specs. Anyone have the hole-to-hole distance for the factory holes handy?

I checked a Leupold 1 piece mount and it is 3.750" ctc between the rear hole and the rear hole on the receiver ring.

Thanks for checking on that! Unfortunately, mine measures 4.2 rear to rear, 3.70 between the closest holes. Looks like I'm in for a bit of hand fitting - which I don't mind because it will turn out OK in the end.

Take a look - looks like he started right, but used a dull bit and it walked. It's the only discolored hole. Makes me wonder if it was home brew - I use short bits for precision.

The receiver on the 99 is extremely hard and many 'smiths won't touch them. You can see why.

I suspect you will end up with a functional arrangement since you seem pretty skilled at this sort of thing.

G'luck!

Looks like who ever drilled it tried to spot anneal the receiver where the forward hole was drilled. 99 receivers are known to be rather hard. They were often spot annealed or drilled with a carbide drill. It may well be that he botched the anneal job and that's why the drill walked. You could have it tig welded and re-drilled if you can find someone that can do a good tig weld.

Thanks for your vote of confidence - I am a car guy and tinkerer, in an earlier career used to repair video tape machines and AV equipment so am comfortable with pawls, sears and linkages, but I'm new to rifles (but really enjoying them). So far so good on the 99s, but I will surely be humbled along the way ...

Does this forum like folks to post projects? Some of my automotive forums do. I've read that others have had uneven Weaver bases, so I thought I might post my progress.

We're a pretty accepting group. Post away.

yes we can all learn something well most of us anyway


norm

I'd like to see your projects.
Roy

If the off set hole is not too far off, another option is to re-drill and tap for 8-40 screws to realign the holes. This is best done on a milling machine. If you go this route, you will have to drill the bases for 8-40s too but if you can do the former, the mod to the bases is nothing.

The receivers on 99's are not that hard. If it is, there is something wrong with it. If it was "Spot annealed" and then stuck in water to cool, I suspect it would get real hard. I never checked to see what the material is but believe it to be in the 4100 series of steel. After having worked on a heck of a lot of guns that were "Pre-fixed" I can give you another option. Drill (Flat bottom or endmill to start) the bad hole in the aluminum base out to something oversize enough to completely get rid of the original screw hole. Tap it and loctite an aluminum threaded rod plug in the base. Work the plug down so it matches the base. Re-drill the hole to match the off set tapped hole in the receiver. This can be done with a small drill press if you are handy around tools.

Thanks for the comments - I like the idea of plugging and redrilling the mount - Tigging my receiver kinda scares me - I thought about experimenting with brazing a screw in and redrilling - but when I get a couple of more 99s in the safe, then maybe will feel bolder. I have some Al rod in my box somewhere (you know, the box that looks like junk, but holds the keys to the kingdom?;-)) and will look at the mount.
Another question - I'll post a pic soon - but the bases are vertically offset from each other and not quite parallel, so I'll also be removing some material, and/or building up with epoxy - how critical is the vertical alignment of the mounts for short range (<200 yd) targeting for hunting? I assume that standard mounts are set parallel to the bore. I've never had to consider how or whether the optics of a scope are affected by non-parallel alignment, and the parts of my brain that might be able to work that out are pretty rusty and out of alignment. If I was retired, and had a range in my backyard, I wouldn't be asking, I'd be playing.... Thanks!

Are you sure you have a Front and Rear base? The Rear base should be tapered to elevate the back end. The bases are supposed to be a matched set to get you reasonably level. Anyway, newer scopes give about 25-30 inches of adjustment to play with.
Good plan on not welding a screw in. Most cap screws are 4140 and could get real hard when welded. If you think you absolutely must weld... Open the hole to be welded large enough to be sure you are tapping into weld and not part of the receiver. I wish I had a junk receiver or piece of one to play with also. Good luck on it.

BINGO.................Leave the gun alone. The damage is done. Rework the base by either plugging and redrilling the base OR if you can get away with it slightly slot the hole and counterbore in the base. Going that route will be much easier and avoid further damage to the rifle. Good luck