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Here's a couple of pics of the stock on a new to me Savage 99 in 243 vintage 1982-83. I've never refinished a stock before so am doing the legwork now on how to and what to. After reading through a good bit of info, I'm currently thinking to refinish with this dark tung oil https://www.realmilkpaint.com/shop/oils/dark-tung/ but I am wide open to suggestion.

The stock appears much than the attached pics as you have to turn it just right to see the grain as well as shown. I would like to maintain a darker look but with the grain more evident. I definitely don't want to go with a light or blonde look.

Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance, very grateful to have a 99 to add my small collection of lever shooters (Marlin 62 .256 Win Mag, Winchester 88 308 & 243, Marlin 336 30-30, Henry Carbine 44 Mag).

Matt

Is that a 99E? if so, the stock is going to be birch and you'll need to do some extra steps to make sure the wood takes the finish evenly. Birch.. sucks.

It is a 99E and I've read a bit on some of what it takes. If I understand correctly, it needs to be "primed" for the wood to take the finish evenly. Is that true with oil as well as stain?

Only done it once myself, and mostly got lucky.. hang on and one of the true wood guys will be by to help you out.

Well said...

Yellow birch and black birch both make damn fine firewood though...

:-) I will confess I have looked into walnut replacements - it’s a shooter so not worried about collectable value currently.

If you are going to keep this rifle, I would not waste time and supplies on the Birch stock and sell it on Ebay. You'll be much happier with Walnut.

99guy's post is the most relevant, it would make good firewood.

Indeed.

Truthfully, I would leave it alone if all you want is a shooter. The factory used a tinted lacquer because, as stated above, birch is awfully splotchy and a tinted barrier finish is the only way to get an even dark "walnutty" look. If you're hellbent on refinishing it, absolutely use a wood conditioner on the wood first (Minwax makes a decent one), but even then it's gonna be splotchy - at least 9 times out of 10 anyway - but maybe not as bad as if you went at it without a conditioner. An oil finish will make it look worse too. There is just no way to make a pretty job of a birch 99E stock, IMO.

Selling the thing on eBay and putting the money into a walnut stock of some sort was the best advice I've heard so far.

(Birch doesn't even make for great firewood, compared to oak, locust, osage orange, etc.)

I'm from upstate NY and I'd never seen an oak or a locust or an osage orange until I went to forestry school in Syracuse and then moved to Pennsylvania.

American beech, yellow birch and sugar maple kept our houses warm and boiled our sap into maple sugar. All burn hot and make fine firewood.

I have an old walnut 99 stock set that would refinish into a nice stock if you are interested. If you are going to take the time to do it right, you might as well start with the right wood.

Not saying it won't burn, but OMG, locust and osage orange burns like anthracite coal.

Thanks for the input, brutal on the birch! I could clean it up and leave it for sure but I'll keep looking into the walnut options. PM sent Jeeper!

Paint that _itch.

About what year are your stocks from.
How much are you asking for your stocks.
I'm trying to find a replacement butt stock for a 243 sav 99 made about 1974.

Hal

Here it is.

Thanks Jeeper, pm sent - walnut it is!

You want a hot fire ,,Get some Elm .....

FSJeeper
That style of stock and checkering if off the Sav 99 DL.
I' m looking for a set to replace a broken stock on a 243 for my grandson. He's left handed.
I'll take them if they are still available.
Pm me price and address.

Thank you
Hal

A 99DL would have a monte carlo stock. That looks like it's off of a late 99F.

jammingator, from the standpoint of a collector change the stock to walnut but keep the birch. The rifle might get collectible some day and you can put it back to original

Great thought David, thank you!

Thank you for the info.

Hal