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savage 99f

magnum2230bmagnum2230b Member Posts: 13 ✭✭
edited May 2007 in Ask the Experts
I have my Granddad's Savage 99F that I acquired after he passed away. It will shoot the tightest groups of any rifle I own, even keeping up score with my Armalite M15A2 national match rifle, using only the iron sights. I thought that was strange considering the fact of the age difference of the two rifles, and cleaning the older savage to death through the years. However I do have a problem trying to scope the savage 99. I have purchased a Standard set of Leupold rings and mounts off the shelf at a local gun store, part numbers as follows: Base = STD Savage 99R # 49995, and Rings = STD medium Rings (.770) # 49901. Granted I have used two different cheaper priced scopes, one Simons 3-9X40 and one Bushnell 3-9X40, both failed drastically to bring my shot group up on target at 25 yard test. I cranked both scopes up until the screw came out, and even though the shots are on paper, they are still about 4 or 5 inches below the black on a 25 yard standard target.

Is my rifle barrel messed up? Or could two scopes both drastically fail and achieve the same poor results? Are my rings the wrong ones? Leupold say's I need low mount # 4989 rings. But is it possible that even though my rings are higher Medium rings, that it is impossible to sight the rifle in? As I said before, that savage 99 will place the bullets all nearly in the same hole, almost impossible to measure any space between the holes. So why will it shoot so low with a scope mounted on it? Do you have any advice for solving the scope problems I have encountered?

Thank you for your time.
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Comments

  • magnum2230bmagnum2230b Member Posts: 13 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Was a Savage 99F made in 1958 factory drilled and tapped?
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  • Tailgunner1954Tailgunner1954 Member Posts: 7,734 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    For some reason, the back of your scope is to low.
    Switch the rings front to rear, and if that dosn't take care of it, than place about a .020 shim under the rear of the scope.
    Another route would be to get some rings that have excentric inserts (burris signature?) and use those to tip the scope axis.
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  • Sav99Sav99 Member Posts: 16,037 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    You may have to use different size scope mounts, front and rear, in order to get the proper height due to the curve of the model 99. A properly scoped 99 will often give the appearence that the scope is mounted on a downward angle. I don't know the sizes on my .308, it came with the mounts.
    sav99.jpg
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  • clickclick Member Posts: 107 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    We just took one of the 99F in today at my store and it had a scope mounted on it... looking at it briefly, it appeared that the rear weaver style ring was higher then the front ring... this one is stamped 99M but in reality it is a 99F
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  • magnum2230bmagnum2230b Member Posts: 13 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Thanks for the info, After reading the two replies and then taking them both into consideration, I remembered having taken the original scope off of the rifle years ago, because there was not enough windage adjustment on the scope that came with it. That's when I purchased the leupold one piece mount and rigs. The original mount was a weaver two pice base # 114 and 119. So here is what I did as a result of the two responses I got here:
    I took off the leupold mount and rings, and reinstalled the weaver rings(Flip top mounts # 114 and 119) Guess what, my rifle looks almost identical the the photo posted in the other reply. Only I would like to know what brand and hight rings he has, because he obviously has a larger scope than I can put on mine. The largest size scope mine will accept is a 3-9X32 because the 40mm lense will rest on top of my front sight adjustment bar with the weaver bases. However it does now have the appearence of pointing down in the front. Likewise, as originally they may be bent as I do remember that the first time I shot that rifle in the original configuation, there was not enough left windage to get it on paper. Ofcourse that particular scope could have been badly dammaged, or the mounts could be improperly drilled and tapped causing the problem. I will have to return to the range soon, but may opt for some type of bore sighter or columator device to try to see how it is setting on there, before using up my ammo trying to get on target again. Thanks for the help, and if there are any suggestions on the bore sighting, etc. please let me know.quote:Originally posted by Tailgunner1954
    For some reason, the back of your scope is to low.
    Switch the rings front to rear, and if that dosn't take care of it, than place about a .020 shim under the rear of the scope.
    Another route would be to get some rings that have excentric inserts (burris signature?) and use those to tip the scope axis.
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  • Tailgunner1954Tailgunner1954 Member Posts: 7,734 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Bore sighting one of these (at least the way I do them) can be problematic. Mount the rifle in a secure mount, pointing at a item 25-50 yd away. Using a fired case, that has the primer removed, in the chamber and a small prisem or mirror, look through the primer hole and adjust the rifle until your "target" is centered in the barrel. Now adjust the scope cross hairs to match what the barrel is looking at.

    The barrel mounted "spud type" bore sighters are faster (and easier) to use on this type of action, and most gun shops (esp if you bought your mounts & scope from them) will "bore sight" your scope for little or no charge.
    My methiod works well on bolt actions (minus the mirror), and dosn't take up any space in the travel case or cost anything either.

    Note that "bore sighting" is only intended to get you on paper at 25yd, anything better than that is just luck.
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  • carbine100carbine100 Member Posts: 3,071 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    If you still are having trouble with the switch, I too highly recommend Burris Signature rings. You can buy a pack of offset bushings for cheap at Midway...etc. I have a marlin 1895G that would almost zero at full windage adjustment. Bought the offset bushings (already had signature rings on it...best there is for the money) put the scope back to the center of adjustment range, tweaked bushings a couple of times and was zeroed with maximum scope adjustments still available.
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  • jarjar Member Posts: 620 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Magnum223ob ,I have a 99f in 308 and one in 300 sav I have done this to and it works! you can use the leaupold mounts and a set of medium OR HIGH rings but you will have to shim the rear ring. I have used ( with great sucess ) a plastic lid off a coffee can and cut shims the size of the ring bed and made a 40 mil nikon buckmaster work scope work fine and it dosent take much of a shim to lift 5 to 6 inches.the rings you see in the picture are seethru mounts so you can use the iron sights too ! good luck!
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  • magnum2230bmagnum2230b Member Posts: 13 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I took my Savage 99 to the gun store yesturday, where I purchased the rings and mount. The guy was really nice and offered to bore sight it for me, since I bought the rings and mount from him. There was a $10.00 fee, but since I already spent about $30.00 or more on ammo, I figured this was a minimal charge. It was funny at least to see him take the first look through the bore sighter, his response was "Holy-Crap", I just laughed and said, That's the same thing I said when I ran out of elevation at 25 yards. He said it should be fine now. I watched him try out two different shims, and some ring tape on the rear of the base and ring, and the last thing he did was wind down the elevation knob to get it back to zero on the bore sighter. I was pleased to see it finally get cranked back down to the mid range, so I should still have plenty of adjustment once I get back to the range. Thanks again everyone for all the help and good input, I have never been to a forum where so many people knew so much about the same topic that I needed some help with, and not only that, but knew exactly what they were talking about as well. Thank's again, I will try to post my range results when I get back down there. quote:Originally posted by jar
    Magnum223ob ,I have a 99f in 308 and one in 300 sav I have done this to and it works! you can use the leaupold mounts and a set of medium OR HIGH rings but you will have to shim the rear ring. I have used ( with great sucess ) a plastic lid off a coffee can and cut shims the size of the ring bed and made a 40 mil nikon buckmaster work scope work fine and it dosent take much of a shim to lift 5 to 6 inches.the rings you see in the picture are seethru mounts so you can use the iron sights too ! good luck!
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  • Sav99Sav99 Member Posts: 16,037 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    732 rear 731 front one piece base/rings with look thru rings. If I remember they are Luepolds.
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  • dan55362dan55362 Member Posts: 709 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    If the rifle shoots that good with iron sights than leave the scope off.
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  • dan55362dan55362 Member Posts: 709 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    It looks better to!![:)]
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