Anyone have any experience working with this cartridge?

I inherited Grandpas old Savage 99 that was one of his prized possessions, then my dad’s, now mine. Haven’t shot it much over the years, well not as much as I’d liked to mainly due to ammo availability and price.
Looking like in order to continue the tradition of smacking down animals with it I need to load vs buy. (3 boxes, was over $100).
Mainly for deer/hogs, Or anything else that needs to be Kilt, probably out to 150 yards max.

I have found load info online but prefer the direct from the source type.
Any input is appreciated:
Powder Suggestions?
Hoping to use the same powder as my 270win. (H4895)
Bullet Type/Weight?
Load?

I use the cheap Lee reloading kit and have been picking up more quality pieces but so far seems to be working out ok with RCBS Dies. Thanks

Hodgdon data:

http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/data/rifle

I've owned a 99 but currently hunt with a Rem 722 chambered in the cartridge. It is a pretty cool cartridge as far as I'm concerned. An old fellow that really influenced me as a young hunter loved this cartridge so it has always been one of my favorites.



I use a 165-grain cast bullet of my design but also have shot several different Speer bullets, 150 through 180 grains, and keep boxes of them on the shelf. Kind of up to you what you want to shoot and yes H4895 is a good powder. The Hodgdon data center has suggestions with that powder. I'm a QuickLoad and Load Data online guy so will help you with whatever you decide. From there, it is just figuring out what your rifle likes. I'm partial to the 165 & 180 grain bullets rather than the normal 150 grain. My rifle shoots the 180 grain round nose really well and it sure deflates a hog quick.

Sounds like I need to do some experimenting then.
Also do you reform 308 brass or are you using 300sav cases? Thanks for the info.

1st, which model do you have? the take downs normally do not shoot as well as solid receivers, the R & RS were know to be a bit more accurate. then you have the condition factor, most were not taken care of, meaning the cleaning, jamming a cleaning rod down the muzzle and back & forth strokes did damage. I have bought and shot 1899's & 99's for 40+yrs, in recent years I have found that KEN WATERS has some of the best reload data for Savage lever guns bar none. His most accurate load 150gr spire point with 40gr of IMR 4895, I found this to be true.
2 was a 165gr speer grand slam
3. 180 speer spritzer flat base

go with the savage 300 brass

graff&sons reloading have 300 brass and precision reloading has it also

I have 300 savage ammo and once fired brass,not sure how much. If you are interested pm me and I will see what I have and if we can work something out.

I have a 99 take down and a Rem 722.
I use the 722 as a coyote rifle, a little big but will handle anything called in. I am currently using Barnes RRLP 140 grain and Varget.
For the 99 I use 150 grain Sierra with middle of the load data. Where I have used it 50 yards is max range so I have not worried about refining accuracy.
Only use real 300 Savage brass.

Mark

Great info, Thanks!

It appears to be a 99 with no Letters/non take down. When I ran the numbers it came out to be 1937-38 I believe. Shoots and groups well that last time I shot it.

If you only want to carry on the tradition (kill something with it) compare the price of reloading components to a box of ammo.

I picked up some Hornady Superformance SST ammo from Midway because it was the lesser cost @ 30 box and will now have the Hornady brass, Which seems to be high quality.
Probably will use this to sight it my new scope and then try out some loads. A box of some some 150 and 165gr will probably be enough to get something good together.


Originally I was going to keep it all old school with the Weaver and such. But the more I look at it since my Dad overhauled it in the 70's with the monte carlo stock and fore-grip, I don't think it will look too bad with a modern scope and maybe recoil pad. If it was original I would leave it alone and have thought about buying a original type grip and stock but it has grown on me the way it is.
And having a good viable hunting gun that is almost 80 years old is pretty neat also.

Very true. Is it cheaper, no.
I used to only buy ammo but when prices shot up and availability was pretty scary I started reloading. So really for large rifle it looks like a new caliber just requires mainly dies and bullets if I can use powder on hand.
Also hate for things to just sit and not be used, and I try to get out and hunt with all my guns from time to time or at least go shoot. But I think the rounds I make are at least as good or better than factory.

being the wood has been changed it would be very difficult to say what model.

I've been loading for this cartridge since 1960. My first rifle, a Christmas gift from my grandfather who hunted with one most of his adult life. My rifle is a 99F. I finally settled on IMR4064 as the best choice. I think the 150 grain bullets are best but I have loaded everything from 100 to 180 grains. Don't hot rod the 99 or you'll have head separation in just a couple of reloads. Also go easy on full length resizing. I have always used .300 Savage brass. It's a great cartridge but the 99 has it's own issues. In a bolt gun, I doubt the .308 has much on the old Savage. I've taken many a buck with this round and it's a perfect whitetail cartridge. If you want to load it way down consider 4895 as a great choice.

I went down to the back of the property and shot a few rounds and can say there is a noticeable difference in the Rem Corelokt and the Hornady Superformance. I didn't have a real stable rest so it could be my shooting but it seems the poi was a little different between the 2 loads.

Hodgdon has data for starting at 37gr up to 40gr with 150gr bullets using 4895 so I'll probably start somewhere in the middle and working up. Once my components arrive I'll see how it works out and may pickup a neck sizing die for this one also.

I don't know for sure if the stock was replaced or just refinished but the forend seems to be, and I haven't seen a 99 with this type of forend on it.
My dad was fond of putting custom furniture on his guns.

I thought 99's A,G,F etc were stamped as such??

the fore stock is not factory, an easy way to tell if the wood is factory, remove the fore stock, if its factory, there will be a serial no. that matches the receiver, same with the butt stock, remove the butt plate, the inside of the butt plate should have a serial no that matches receiver as well as the end of the butt stock.

you can find mfg dates by google "savage 1899-99" enter serial no and get mfg date, if its post 1949, use the lever boss code, the letter A started in 1950

Coulda shoulda woulda now days start collecting these things but those days are gone for me. I saw tons of these old 99's when I was running around calling on gun stores for a living, and ignored a good friends admonition to start picking them up in the mid '70's when they could be bought for not much, as compared to what the nice ones cost today.

Really nice handling guns, with a lot of history behind them. Good on ya for keeping this one's family traditions alive and in use.

Ron

it "get to old quick & to late smart", I saw that on a wall somewhere

I have my great grandpa's model 300 savage with the .410 barrel. I'll shoot it every year or two and save the brass and .410 hulls. Just bought a hornady lnl progressive so I'll be reloading for it in the near future. Thanks for the info you guys posted.

the .410 combo was introduced in 1922-discontinued 1934. the .300 savage combination Kit was sold only with the Model 99G/take down in .300 caliber with the .410 barrel, if you see the 410 barrel pared with any other caliber (some barrels will fit other take down calibers) did not come from factory. I have a 410 barrel that will fit in a savage 303, but will not fit my 1899 250/3000

Very cool. Sounds like I have something that is not all that common then. It's in pretty dang good shape, all original, shoots good, lever is smooth and locks up good.