99F 308

[Thehowler]

Took my rifle to someone I know,  that does a little finishing and bedding work on the side. When I picked it up, he told  me I should have someone instal a scope rail to stiffen up the action, than maybe think about installing a red dot scope for hunting it  in western Washington? I’ve never considered a red dot before, but sounds interesting, thoughts?

[Fl0und3rz]

Absolutely not.  Is the person trying to drive up the market for their own 99?

[Thehowler]

Absolutely not.  Is the person trying to drive up the market for their own 99?

Didn’t know what to think, never seen anyone do something like that to a old classic rifle before? 

[Fl0und3rz]

In the end, it is your rifle to do what you want.  It would be a shame and likely decrease any resale value.

[Jpmiller]

Do what makes it work best for you, but for what it's worth if you wanted to trade that rifle for next to nothing it's the exact one I've been keeping an eye out for, but I don't want it with a red dot lol

Seriously though who cares about modernizing an old rifle if that's what you want to do. A rifle is no good if it doesn't do what you want it to do. When I find the cash to buy my own I want it with a peep but that's me.

want to trade for a dozen mallard decoys and some snow geese rags?

[Thehowler]

Do what makes it work best for you, but for what it's worth if you wanted to trade that rifle for next to nothing it's the exact one I've been keeping an eye out for, but I don't want it with a red dot lol

Seriously though who cares about modernizing an old rifle if that's what you want to do. A rifle is no good if it doesn't do what you want it to do. When I find the cash to buy my own I want it with a peep but that's me.

want to trade for a dozen mallard decoys and some snow geese rags?

No thanks, Inherited from my dad, just needed to be refinished.

[Fl0und3rz]

How about some pics?

[Thehowler]

How about some pics?

Heading to work right now, I’ll get a couple posted up tomorrow.

[Bullkllr]

he told  me I should have someone instal a scope rail to stiffen up the action,

I own 2 99's, and have been around a few others, and I have to say I've never seen one with an action that needed "stiffening" 

Can't imagine a red dot on a model 99.

[JimmyHoffa]

If it's a takedown, the "loose action" is probably from being disassembled/assembled too much.  It would need a new barrel to correct.  Not specific to that maker/model, happens to many takedowns.

[savagehunter]

I had plans to put an aim point pro on my Winchester 88 in .308 accurate out to 300 to 400 yds kind of a scout lever action ended up trading the aim point but look it up I read only good things about accuracy and shoot ability only bad thing I read was about aesthetics. I think not would be awsome for westside blackmails in dark and heavy cover.

[Tracker0721]

Apparently your friend shouldn’t give gunsmithing advice. A scope rail won’t stiffen that action. Or any action. So disregard that. Now a scope can be added to help but honestly a solid peep sight is a much better option for that rifle. Especially one with a fiber or tritium post. Keeps the gun streamlined and light weight

[300rum]

If it keeps you using it, absolutely do it!  If you refinished it, it wasn't a collector (to someone else, who cares) anyway and won't effect the value.

If there were red dots 40 years ago as there are now, all of those old guys with old eyes would have stacked a lot of big game and hunted much longer than they could have trying to use the original iron's on their lever guns.  It is one of the reasons we don't see lever guns as often, eyes of the riflemen who carried them got old and they went to the scope.   

My theory is that if they ever begin to shut off the spigot on mag fed semi auto rifles, there will be a lever revolution.  A smooth action lever gun with a red dot is a fast handling rifle with plenty of fire power.  Pick up those lever guns now, while they are cheap!   

[Thehowler]

couple pics


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[Thehowler]

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
My dad bought new in 1964, the year I was born. Came with 4 boxes of reloads and the reloading data. The reloads are dated from 1977.

[Tracker0721]

Beauty! If you can find the red dots that don’t take battery that would be my choice. My dad has one from way back for his shotgun and it fits standard scope mounts like you already have.

Now if the barrels loose I had to set one back awhile ago and it has 3 different cuts into the breech face that must be milled. So first to the lathe to set back the threads, cut the recess for the bolt nose, then the mill to cut the 9/12/3 positions, then the lathe again to cut the chamber. It was a lot of fun but took me 7 hours from popping the barrel off to test firing.

[Tracker0721]

They clean up good!

[JoeE]

I have several newer rifles but my model 99 300 savage is probably my favorite. I inherited from my dad after he passed but it’s the rifle he let me use as a kid so lots of history with it. About 20 years ago he mounted a scope on it and to do so he took the rear sight off (sight like the one of Trackers gun above). I can’t seem to find that specific sight anywhere as now I’m trying to put the gun back to its original form.

My advice would be leave it alone and leave the factory sights.

[hunterofelk]

That looks like a nice clean rifle.  My hunting mentor had a 250-3000 he purchased in 1927.  The rifle was a well built reliable tool.

[Alchase]

That rifle has beautiful lines, would hate to break that up with a red dot on top.
Its just me,  it I would put a nice peep-sight on it and call it good.

[Boss .300 winmag]

Great irons those guns are.👍

Killed my first two deer with a 99 .250-3000 I borrowed from a farmer that I knew. Probably helped I was dating his granddaughter, and he liked me.🤣

[Thehowler]

Thanks for everyone’s replays, good stuff!

[BigGoonTuna]

I just put a 2-7x33 on my m99f(mine is a 300 sav). I originally swapped the junky bushnell out for a 1-4x20 leupold, but you can see the whole barrel through it under 2x power, very distracting. That, and once i found that it shoots under an inch at 100yd, it could use a little more magnification.

My rifle was made in 1960,so it was factory drilled and tapped, if yours isn't, I'd keep it that way.

[Jpmiller]

I just put a 2-7x33 on my m99f(mine is a 300 sav). I originally swapped the junky bushnell out for a 1-4x20 leupold, but you can see the whole barrel through it under 2x power, very distracting. That, and once i found that it shoots under an inch at 100yd, it could use a little more magnification.

My rifle was made in 1960,so it was factory drilled and tapped, if yours isn't, I'd keep it that way.

My old man has that rifle as well and I was blown away how well it shoots. He shoots the peep out to 100 just about as well as his scooed 7mm08.

[Logan80]

I own 4 Savage 99s.

.250-3000
.284 Winchester
.300 Savage
.358 Winchester

As a lefty, they were the best reasonable option for my father and later for myself. I absolutely love them. I have other rifles, but none matter to me like my Savage 99s.