I am replacing a barrel stud on a late model 99A. I'm aware that dovetails are usually knocked out of slots on top of barrels from left to right, installation being the opposite, from right to left. Does the rule hold true for slots on the bottom of the barrel? And thanks to Lightfoot for the stud!

I've never done one but that sounds like the right attack.

I know Fireball has done some. He should be here soon with some advice.

Just try it. If it starts in loosely one way but tight from the other direction then start it in from the loose side.

Reporting back, the dovetail comes out left to right when the gun is upside down. After ruining one brass punch, I figured it out. The new one went in easily from the right with the barrel bottom up. Now I'm facing the problem that caused all the consternation in the first place. It came out of the factory with the barrel stud about three degrees off plumb, just enough to cause the hole in the forearm to not line up properly, The worker responsible just jammed the forearm machine screw in there and cross-threaded it. After I had run a quantity of ammunition through the gun, the threads let go. Next step, I think, is to take out the forearm bushing and put in a wooden plug, then drill a new hole through it that lines up with the stud.

Savage really was turning out crap the last couple of years of the 99. Probably all the guys who knew what they were doing had retired.

I'd try screwing a forearm screw in, heat it up and bend the barrel stud slightly. They're not that heavy duty.

That's good advice. I have a similar problem with a post mill westfield C prefix birch stamped checkering gun in 308. The factory was cranking them out asap. I will redo the diovetail and put the front swivel into it. Its a shooter anyway, bubba tried to drill the forearm for a front swivel and put the back swivel in crooked. But it shoots...Mel