So several weeks ago, I'm cruising the local flea market and happen across a rusty (surface speckles, as far as I can tell, so far), Savage Model 99C in .243 Win. It, of course, has no magazine, safety, nor front or rear sights. The wood is enough to make you toss lunch (no, it's not cracked, or badly refinished), during this era, they must have picked the most "soulless" piece of wood they could find, almost as though made of Soylent Green. Then they picked a horrid checkering pattern and had their way with it, that's for sure.

I just started to attack the rust with Hoppes # 9 and steel wool, and it's getting me pretty darn excited, there may be some hope for my $80 '99C!

Once the metal gets sorted out, de-rusted, disassembled and inspected, I'll need those missing components. I already have a safety and sights (front & rear) saved on eBay, but magazines are tough. Does anyone have a decent .243 Mod 99C magazine they would care to sell? How about a source for pistol grip wood, with a matching fore end?

Any advice you fellas can give would be helpful, especially when I also start to correct the loose lever. i know I need to whack it with a mallet, but I think I need some further guidance on that evolution.

Numrichs had magazines 6 months ago.. might check that. They were cheap also.

$ 80.00. can only get better from there! even with a fruitwood stock and bad checkering.
sure would like to see pictures. advice would have more meaning if we could see it.

ebay has a buy it now mag at 89.00

Oh, and are the aftermarket magazines that Numrich is selling worth a crap???
Also, which mag do I need, one for a 99C or 99CD?
My serial # is: C2240xx
Numrich 99C magazine

Needy, huh?

The magazines are universal fit. Only difference is the one for the .284.

I'll send you an email on the lever adjustment.

Manufacturer: SAVAGE

Good for You, resurrecting a 99 from the scrap bins! Great deal too! You can experiment with those press-checkered stocks and not worry about diminishing collector value!

[img]https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/gallery/80/medium/86196.jpg[img]

Would this wood pattern work for you? I've got some of those sets. Hadn't planned on letting any go but yours is a worthy cause. I fitted a set to the .284.

It just might indeed, I'll send you a PM!

Thanks to all who have lent their advice so far, I appreciate it a great deal. The #9 and steel wool has helped a great deal, so this is going back together very soon, even if in disgusting wood, for now. I "pulled the trigger" on a Numrich Arms order that effectively doubled + my basis in the rifle, but I have hopes, I think, maybe?
I swore I'd never warm to a .243 though...

Okay, I guess I need some help again, this time to confirm the correct positioning of the 99C type trigger spring. I have it installed as follows, referencing the trigger sitting in it's recess in the receiver, looking into it from the left side. I have the trigger spring loop oriented up, with the spring's short leg facing rear, and the long leg facing forward, with the slight bend bending towards the right, or center-line of the receiver, is that correct? Any combination with the loop oriented down has no spring pressure on the trigger, and long leg facing rear does not seem to work either. Do I have it explained clearly enough, and is it oriented correctly?

Also, I still have a slack, or sloppy lever when closed, even after whacking the lever tip inward (to close, or tighten the loop), do I really have to whack the crap out of it to cause a desired snugging?

OMC I'm going on memory here, it's been quite a while since I, ahem, worked on a *cough *cough* 99C trigger, but that spring loop should be down in the slot, It has to be pushed down just a little to insert the pin across that holds it. I can't remember whether long or short goes forward or back.

I'ma snap a pic of this, how it is in my gun. BRB...

That's the correct orientation. It does look like the tip of the spring has slid off the side of the slot. Is that area worn down? Can you position the tip of the spring to the closer side of that slot and keep it there?

Okay, so I straightened that spring tip out, it does sit better now. Also, I see when you guys say "Whack the lever tip" to eliminate lever slop, you really mean "WHACK" it! I finally got it to where the lever stays snug but it did take some serious thumps to get it there.

Next question: My new Safety Button doesn't seem real secure in it's slot, can someone describe what keeps it from falling out in the rear position? is it that rectangular cutout in the safety lever that engages the safety button? If it were sitting low around the safety button bottom piece, would that cause it to pull out, and would some more disassembly and judicious bending on that lever recess to raise it up cure it?

After I get the Safety squared away, I think maybe it's time to go see if it shoots! Might as well, before I expel any sweat on the wood. (I'm going to strip it, I wonder if it'll need stain?)
Pics coming! (Don't get too excited, it's STILL kinda "doggy", it IS a "C" after all...)

Maybe so that it could be survival food in desperate situations?

So I sorta gave her the acid test yesterday evening, took her over to a buddies place and borrowing a couple of rounds (.243, 100 gr PSPs), checked function of rifle and new, aftermarket magazine. Amazingly, after I visually centered (that's "eyeballed") the installation of the new front and rear sights, the two test rounds I fired hit a 6" x 8" steel plate, fairly in the center, at about 70 yards! I was tickled with that.
The Numrich Arms aftermarket magazine seemed to function okay, a slight hitch about 1/2 way up the feed ramp unless you cycle the lever very purposefully.
I also noted that the primer hits, while deep, were way off center, though they didn't affect ignition. I didn't look at orientation in the chamber after firing, but I bet the off-center strike is either high or low, don't know if there is an easy cure, or even if I should be concerned?
At least I know it's worth cleaning up the wood now!

Here she is, in all her "ugly duckling" glory, post metal clean-up, pre-wood refinish:

The crack at the wrist:

Odder side:

Good job! I can't wait to see how you put some soul into that poor old stock

there is "soul" just waiting in that stock. it comes out with a generous application of elbow grease.
for what you have in it you scored!
should you find it strings shots vertically off a forearm rest, put a small rubber washer between the forearm stud and the forearm nut. works wonders.

Ahhhh! I will just file THAT little tip away. Of yeah, there will have to be some elbow grease put in this lumber, that's for sure. I've brought some 3M "Safe Strip" and some Elmer's Wood Glue in to the house, from the garage, to warm up for a day or two, then I'll get started. The crack is a through one, and I think I can get some spread to stuff it with glue, so I think I'll get the fixing done before the strip and refinish going.
I wouldn't be this excited, but since I shot it, and it shoots nice, I wan to finish making her look as presentable as I can.
I told a buddy, once I put glass on it, it's killing a deer. (I got a deal on the low end Zeiss 2-7, that seems about right for this) I DO have a steel tube Weaver, 2.5 post and crosshair, if this was more of a woods caliber, that would be going on it.

Well, she looks better, but I had to sink a C note in parts for it; front and rear sights, magazine, safety (that means I have $180 in it now). I doubt any stock makers guild will be chasing me down, but at least it's presentable, and has five coats of Tru-Oil to protect it. Now I'm pondering glass for it, I have a Burris 3-9, a Redfield 1.5-4 or a Weaver 2.5 Post/Crosshair. available, I'd love to stick the Weaver on it, but that's kind of under-glassing a .243. The Burris will look wrong, maybe the Redfield?

Looks good.
I would go with the Burris scope. Vintage glass is nice but it doesn't hold a candle to a modern scope for hunting or stretching its legs at the range . JMO

Lee

Well, I skipped over the cheaper Zeiss 2-7 scope I also have, laying on the workbench, it's a little smaller then the Burris, but bright enough for this purpose, and heck, I got a deal on it, too. I'll build my bargain basement 99C by finishing it off with a bargain scope!

$180 plus some of your labor? DEAL of the century! Congrats!

Yeah, and being retired for not quite a year, my labor is C H E A P, brother...