savage 99

[gpyounker]

I have a model 99 in 308 with top tang safety every time i fire the rifle it goes back on safe. What could the problem be.

[BUCKMARK]

Sounds like the safety slide spring. Have a gunsmith take a look at it.

[pghplr]

Being out in the rain on Monday for the first time in at least 20 years, I noticed the wood on the 99 had turned a dull milky whitish color while it was drying. OOPs! It dried back to it's dull self. This gun will be seeing action for a few years I'd amagine because my kids hunt now. What is the best product to use to recondition the wood? I've read about cracking problems with these stocks over time. Mine has no visable cracking but have never taken it apart to see inside. I plan to this year. As with most of the old stuff I have in life, it's value is minimal. But I'd still like to keep it as close to original as possible by re-conditioning rather than refinishing, if that makes sense. Any help would be appreciated.

[Xringshooter]

pghplr,

If the stock turned a milky color when it was drying after it got wet it sounds like the finish may be shellac (think about water rings on old table tops, etc). In this case if you are going to recondition the stock you can do several things. One would be to take something like Formby's to take off all the shellac and then recoat with a good linseed oil or tung oil, or sand everything down and recoat with polyurethane.

gpyounker,

Take it to a gunsmith, it sounds like the safety mechansim may need some new springs or readjusted.

To both,

The 99 is a much sought after rifle. Keep them in good shape, keep shooting them if you want too, they will still increase in value. I have had several people ask me to keep my eye out for anyone selling a 99 as they want to get one.

[pghplr]

Thanks for the reply Xring. I'm going to take it apart and see what makes it tick. I'd like to get into that rotary mag and clean it better than I can get to now. Though it's an old gun, there probably isn't 4 boxes of ammo through it. My mom bought it for my dad as an early X-mas present in 1952 at Sears. I know he never refinished it. I remember watching him put Pledge on it a few times.lol I guess the deer love that lemony smell cause he always got em.
It's a nice gun, my kid carried it last year as his first year hunting. He wanted to get a bolt action instead cause they're cool. But suddenly after getting his first deer with it Tuesday...it's the greatest thing since toast. Go figure. This gun is a plain stock 308 and they seem to be the least sought after of all the 99's.

[Xringshooter]

pgjplr,

It very well could be the Pledge that got in to the pores of the wood that is causing the condition you stated in the first post. I would strongly recommend that you do a refinish on the stock to get rid of everything on it and then recoat with a good stock refinisher (Birchwood Casey products are good). After refinishing you can buff it up using a good paste wax to help protect it from the elements.

[pghplr]

It very well could be the Pledge that got in to the pores of the wood that is causing the condition you stated in the first post. I would strongly recommend that you do a refinish on the stock to get rid of everything on it and then recoat with a good stock refinisher (Birchwood Casey products are good).

Thats what I'll do, X. Like I said, once it dried, it went back to its original condition. It could very well be just a build up of wax and dirt in the pores. I'll work on refinishing this along with my own deer gun. A 76 Rem that I slapped a thumbhole stock on 26 years ago. I bought a blank, did some mild sanding and hurriedly finished it in time for that season. Figured I'd get by that year and do it right in the spring. So its a few years late, but I'm on it! lol
Also, do you know of any good resources for a nylon/synthetic stock for the 99. I might just go that way too if possible.

[crazy charlie]

I'd bet a nickel it's the Pledge giving you the Milky finish.
I'd try a good cleaner, either a lemon/citrus base or Murphy's Oil Soap. You might think that because it's bottom of the line it's not valuable, but I wouldn't go messing it up by refinishing unless it was really necessary. I noticed checkering in you photos and it's no fun refinishing checkering. The checkering is usually the last step in stock finishing.
It's an old rifle and deserves staying old and as original as possible.

[toadyoforangeville]

we have several 99's 2 in 300 sav one in 250-3000 made in 1927 and a 303 with only an M foe ser#'s not listed in any books. only used the 250.good cure for g-hogs