1899 Savage Take down question

gearheaddad

I have an early 1899 Savage that I would like to tighten up. When the barrel and fore arm are assembled to the receiver it is a little loose. Is there an easy way to tighten this up, or should I go see a gunsmith?
Thanks in advance,
Ed

richarda

Lightly peen the upper rear edge of the barrel's shoulder (where it contacts the front face of the receiver), all the way around its circumference. This will tighten it up (to the point that it will be hard to re-attach the barrel to the rifle, so go slowly!).

jar

I am not sure of that process and I don't remember but I did read on another forum on a sticky how to fix this I read it on the 24hour campfire in the savage collectors forum.

jar

I just went a lookin and found the info you wanted on 24hourcampfire in the savage collectors forum under misc good info the instructions are down 2/3 posts cant miss it.

babun

Peening the barrel shoulder will tighten it up but change the headspace too. You are moving the barrel away from the action.

I have seen some LIGHTLY peen the barrel threads forward towards the muzzle. This is a dangerous thing if done too much as it may make cracks in the threads.
You are only looking to move the metal a little bit. I would trust a
65 year old machinist that has worked metal his whole life to do it.
Another better way, but negates the takedown feature is to wrap very thin lead wire around the threads and set it into epoxy.

C&P FROM CAMPFIRE>>>

""y gunsmith taught me how to fix this problem. We tightened two of mine. The problem is these get the threads banged up so the trick is to return the metal to where is was.

Take a small ball peen hammer. Grind the face of it smooth so it will not ding the metal. Starting on the threads LIGHTLY tap the threads straight down all the way around. Take your time and work all the way around the barrel. Then take and lightly tap the shoulder of the barrel that butts to the reciever and make sure all of that metal is laying back down. Take your time, work all the way around and lightly tap. You are only trying to move the little dinks and out of place metal back to where it started, not making the barrel out of round with heavy strikes.

Next starting on the chamber end, lightly tap the top of the threads in a motion towards the muzzle, like you are lightly glancing the face of the hammer towards the muzzle, again this is light tapping. You want to move the metal towards the muzzle end that is dinked up, not the rest of the threads. You then do the same for the threads at the muzzle end towards the chamber end, this helps the threads pull the barrel into the shoulder of the reciever. Apply grease to threads and try it. If it needs more, start the process over again.""

101AIRBORNE

Ed,
Perhaps NONONSENSE will respond to your question. Everything
suggested, so far, is not a real satisfactory means, in my opinion,
of a viable cure. Right now, just leave the 99 alone.
Steve

gearheaddad

I agree, Steve. I have a magician of a gunsmith I can take it to. I thought I would check here first. it's a first year 250-3000 that is beautiful, just a little loose. I don't want to take any chances with it!
Thanks for all the advice,
Ed