Author Topic: Chamber feeding problems with Savage 99C (Read 1859 times)

Krag2 · « **on:** June 09, 2003, 05:13:47 AM »

I just picked up a used model 99 Savage and found out after I got home it has problems with feeding bullets from the clip. I have another Savage of the same caliber so I switched clips and thats not the problem. What happens is that the cartridge hangs up on the bottom as it's fed in. It dents the end of the brass and marks up the case shoulder when it attempts to feed. Repeated attempts will feed the bullet but dingles up the case pretty good too. Does that indicate a problem with the extractor or a feed ramp that needs reaming out some? I cleaned the chamber and can find no sharp spots either inside or around the edge. If alligned by hand a cartridge slides in and out of the chamber easily-the action closes ok and there are no case marks. Can any of you gunsmiths out there tell me the best way to handle the problem? Return to Savage? Turn to a local gunsmith?

Thanx for the input, Krag

gunnut69 · « **Reply #1 on:** June 09, 2003, 06:19:11 AM »

Your headed the right way. When a magazine fed weapon fails to feed it's usually a magazine problem and you've already checked that out. But it may be a problem with the magazine positioning setup. Check the magazine catch and anything that may be altering the magazines positioning in the action. Something is mispositioning the cartridge for feeding. Good luck and keep us posted!! Does the magazine from the rifle that's failing to feed work in the other rifle?

Krag2 · « **Reply #2 on:** June 09, 2003, 08:48:51 AM »

The gun that works will use either magazine equally well. The gun that doesn't work won't use either magazine.

John Y Cannuck · « **Reply #3 on:** June 09, 2003, 02:33:28 PM »

Has the rifle been rechambered? I had a rifle rechambered to an improved cartridge, that needed major changes to the feed ramp to get it to feed.

Krag2 · « **Reply #4 on:** June 09, 2003, 03:52:43 PM »

To find out if the gun was rechambered, I'd have to make a cast of the chamber, right?

gunnut69 · « **Reply #5 on:** June 09, 2003, 09:02:05 PM »

The Improved 250 is a lot straighter than the standard but I believe what John Y Cannuck is refering to is the feeding of alter cases. You said there are no burrs on the chamber mouth but also said something was marking the shoulder. Somethings gouging the brass somewhere. Work the action slowly and watch where the case gets hung up. I still bet there's either a burr or the mag isn't sitting in the action at the same level. Compare the 2 rifles and see where the non-functioning one siffers from the one that works. Have you fired the rifle yet. If not perhaps a trip to a smith to get it checked out would be a good idea.

jhm · « **Reply #6 on:** June 10, 2003, 03:45:20 AM »

Krag2 Yes a cast of the chamber or a fired case to compare the measurements with the proper caliber would work.

JIM

Krag2 · « **Reply #7 on:** June 10, 2003, 04:36:45 AM »

I think I have located the problem at least. I blacked a bullet and fed it in originally to check where it hits. Today I blacked the leading edge of the chamber. The only possible place a bullet could hit on the bottom was right where the black came off-the edge of the barrel where it is screwed into the receiver. The area is noticiably higher than in my other Savage. I tried to hone it down some with a diamond fish hook sharpener which is the only thing I've got small enough to reach in there and move. I may have helped it some but I think to do it right, the barrel should come off. Yes, no, maybe?? :?

Krag2

gunnut69 · « **Reply #8 on:** June 10, 2003, 05:01:02 AM »

What do you mean by higher? Are talking about barrel protrusion or the diameter of the chamber? Is this an original barrel? I wouldn't use a hook sharpener to work on the chamber. If you alter it's shape appreciably you do grave damage to it. The barrels protrusion if wrong would affect the rifles bolt lockup. When a rifle barrel is chambered there should be a little radius cut at the rear terminus of the chamber to allow cartridges to enter without hanging.

Krag2 · « **Reply #9 on:** June 10, 2003, 06:42:57 AM »

Ok then thats probably it-there was no radius-it was cut off square and that's where the shell hits. The bottom of the barrel sets quite a bit higher than the receiver where they meet. It is this part of the barrel where my black coloring rubs off when you attempt to feed a shell into the chamber. The barrel looks original-it has all the company markings and the caliber on it.

gunnut69 · « **Reply #10 on:** June 11, 2003, 06:04:28 AM »

How does it compare to the rifle that feeds? Sorry, but it's quite difficult to diagnos a problem from a distance and blind. You may have a barrel from an earlier model. By looking at the two rifles the differences should be apparent. Also remember the angle of the shell in the magazine AND the way the magazine presents the round to the chamber can cause feed problems. Once again compaer with the one that feeds. If the round is impacting the edge of the chamber hard enough to mark the case my first inclination is that it's (the shell) being forced to attempt to enter the chamber too low. That is the magazine lips are down too much in the front or the magazine is sitting in the receivger with the front low or the rear high. Either situation can cause a round to attempt to feed into the bottom of the chamber. The chamber should indeed have a chamfer but it should amount to little more than a breaking of the sharp edge left by the reamer.

Krag2 · « **Reply #11 on:** June 12, 2003, 02:21:31 AM »

I'm not sure what the problem is. I also checked the ears on the clip. I don't know if that's it or not but I hate to change them because the clip works ok in the other rifle. It appears that the clip rises as high as it can-it fits nice and flush to the bottom and the clip from the working rifle does the same thing. I have a friend who is a gunsmith and I've been talking to him too. He said there's a possibility that it has to do with the extractor holding the shell too tightly. It's shape is slightly different than the one in the working gun. That gun was originally a 308 tho. My friend said he'd like to see the rifle so I think I'll get it to him and let him look it over. I appreciate all your help because I know it's tuff to diagnose problems long distance. It may be a couple of weeks before I get the gun back but I'll let you know what happened.

Thanx, Krag2

gunnut69 · « **Reply #12 on:** June 12, 2003, 09:15:13 PM »

Thanks for keeping us informed. I've never worked with a 99C. The rotary models feed likely the ammo is greasy. I've never had any feed problems at all with them unless the mag assembly had been taken apart and incorrectly re-assenbled.. In any case good luck to you from the gunnut69!!!

Krag2 · « **Reply #13 on:** August 07, 2003, 07:49:34 AM »

:grin: Just to let you know....

Finally got my gun to my gunsmith friend. He looked it over and polished the feed ramp and the edge of the chamber all the way around. Without the sharp edge, it seems to feed just fine! I sighted it in with a 3x Weaver mounted on it and got a 5 shot 1.5 inch group and the loads are running just over 2700 with 140 grain ballistic tips.

Thanx for the earlier help, Krag2

gunnut69 · « **Reply #14 on:** August 07, 2003, 01:54:39 PM »

Sounds like the rifle has been rebarreled and not correctly set up.. The smith locally fixed the problem and that's what counts. The 99's are great little rifles..

John Y Cannuck · « **Reply #15 on:** August 08, 2003, 12:49:41 AM »

Good stuff, nice to hear you're shooting again.