Hi, new old guy here from Washington State and just found this forum while searching for info on the 99.
I bought a 99e a couple weeks ago a very nice looking rifle, bluing good, stock good and it cycled all rounds without a problem.
The problem, took it to the range to test it out and The second and third rounds ( loaded 4 rounds at a time ) were a FTF. The very tip of the bullet caught just under the feed ramp making me push them back a bit to feed. Not sure if it was my failure to make sure the bullet was all the way back or the recoil (first time loading a rotary mag)
The ramp looks good and the spring seems good and they all cycle fine when home and it is warm but missing the recoil.
Shooting Federal 180 grain soft points. .300 Savage
Any Ideas on the problem ? Thanks

have you tried it again making sure that rounds are loaded all the way back , try it if they still work forward the tension on the magazine carrier may have to be tightened,, more tension ,,

what is the ser no ?

norm

A 047200, only numbers I have found. On the left side of the receiver. I thought I had made sure on the next 4 rounds but my fingers were numb so not sure. Temps were in the high 20's. It did shoot really nice and accurate.

may have the longer carrier for 308-243 ,
does it look like somebody has ground out the carrier just befor the barrel ?

norm

No

without pics or holding the gun it's hard to access.

norm

The 99 cycles better when worked quickly. Target shooting we tend to do it slower so the brass isn't flying across the landscape. Give that some consideration.

This is jammed, doing it quicker only jammed tighter. Just barley gets the lead tip.

got to think on this one --- ? wrong Carrier __?

norm

Got any other 300 Savage ammo to try? Maybe just that lot of Federal?

IT's hard to tell from the picture but the very bottom of the tip is is hung up on the bottom of the feed ramp, and I mean JUST hung up.

No, I went looking on Friday nothing to be found. I do reload for Pistol and plan on reloading for this when funds are available, was going to try the Serra Pro Hunter RN.

RN will fix your problem ,there is enough space between the carrier front and the steep ramp up to the chamber to catch a sharp pointed bullet the carrier in my E 308 has a space on about 1/8" --3/32 between carrier and ramp


norm

what's your overall length on those federal 180's? round nose will solve it, but those should work too.

problem as I see it is the longer carrier has a void from around the shoulder to the ramp [front of carrier disk] , if the carrier disk is to small even a few extra thou a sharp bullet will jam

norm

OAL on These is 2.561. Wish I could find some factory RN, but I agree, these SHOULD work. I need the brass and would hate to shoot a couple more boxes of these single shot just for the brass.

If you have the capability I'd take a measurement from the face of the bolt with the action open to the ramp. Might could be a little long since the E was the economy rifle. Sometimes quality control misses things. If the ramp is a bit too long you'll have problems. Shouldn't really be a problem with an E as they're post mil and should handle .308 length cartridges with no problem but you never know. Lots of Monday morning hangovers in any manufacturing plant.

I'm wondering why that cartridge is not up against the magazine cut-off.

Looks like it might be dirty magazine and/or insufficient spring tension.




Mike

I had to hold the shell down to be able to show to show where the tip was hanging up. It cycles fine without the recoil.

This is the rifle we are talking about.

Thanks for the suggestions I will try the ones I can, if not, to the Smith's. I don't want to spend a bunch on this but I can not even figure out how to get into the magazine. My only gunsmithing has been to replace a trigger spring in my Beretta 92 and tighten a few screws on by old Blackhawk. Thanks again

Check the filler screws in the tang. If they are too long or screwed in too for the bolt can't go all the way back. It happened to me on a 99f

Hadn't thought about that. Good suggestion.

Not sure what filler screws are. It would seem to me that if something was stopping the bolt from comeing back it would not cycle all rounds without the recoil ? I take it I would have to remove the stock to find these screws ?

Filler screws are screws that cover/fill the scope mount screw holes.

I recently bought a 99-E in .300 Savage with the aluminum rotor.

It feeds and chambers both the Federal 180-grain and the Remington 150-grain factory loads with no issues.

I've shot several boxes of Federal's 180-grain load in several .300 Savages, lever, pump, and bolt, with never a problem.

Bottom line, I don't think it's the ammo, unless the bullets are seated out to a longer-than-normal COAL.

Well to end this, took it to the gunsmiths and the verdict was it just does not like 180 grain Federal spitzer bullets. Nothing he could find wrong. He ran 3 other types thru it with no problem. He did say the gun was in really good shape, the bore looked almost new, lever and bolt were tight.
Guess it's time to find some dies and bullets. Thanks for the input.

Plus 1 On what Rory Said, I Had a Box of Federal once had the Same Problem.

Glad you found a way around the problem!

No now the problem of finding bullets, powder, and dies start. Finding RN .308 bullets in stack is looking next to imposable .

Why RN?

Just bought RCBS dies at Sportsmans Warehouse. Brass is another story, not in stock anywhere. 300 savage brass is a seasonal run. I cut down and resized some 308 brass to make 300 savage brass.

Well, I know the spitzer style (at least the Federal) won't work, but sure a RN will. Want to get something together to shoot before I start experimenting.

Got some fired .300 brass. Came to me from the estate of the husband of a friend of my wife's. She gave the stuff to me instead of the kids 'cause she knew if she gave it to his kids they'd just trash it. If you're interested PM me.

Just an update.
Found some Federal SP 150 ammo, it has a slightly different profile, the lead tip is not as long or flat as the 180 gr. Still would not feed Found some Sierra Pro Hunter 150gr RN bullets and Varget powder, same problem. but at least my groups were good.
I am starting to think it might be a light spring is just not pushing the round up the ramp far enough after the round has moved forward a bit during recoil. Maybe, as I see nothing that is worn or can be adjusted.
I just sprayed the heck out of it with some One Shot cleaner and lube and will try once more next week ( I hate shooting at my club on weekends ).
Stay tuned .