Savage 99 Help

[Enfield47]

I recently picked up a 1937/1938 Savage 99. This is my first lever action, so I am learning as I go. I have only fired a lever action (Winchester 30/30) once about a month ago at our least C&R shoot. The Savage feels like it takes a little more force to close than the Winchester. Is this normal?

It was having a feeding problem and felt a little stiff so I pulled the action apart (I didn't touch the rotary magazine) and gave everything a good cleaning. This helped a little with the stiffness but not with loading a round into the chamber.

When the bolt strips a round from the the rotary magazine, the base of the cartridge isn't sliding up on the bolt face. It is staying on the lower 1/3 of the bolt face and then jams as the case tries to enter the chamber at an angle. I'm not sure what is causing this because I don't know what is supposed to lift the base of the cartridge parallel to the chamber.

Any ideas what is causing my problem?

[TRAP55]

The lever should be stiff to close for about the last 1/4 of travel. That's the bolt locking into battery, it's a good thing!
Do not dry fire. When you want to store it, open the lever, hold back on the trigger, and close the lever.
Feeding problems:

#1 cause, is gunk in the magazine.

#2 cause, is the magazine spring adjustment
1. Make sure the rifle is unloaded.
2. Remove the fore end. One screw is usually is all there is. If you have a barrel band model, take it to a smith.
3. You will need a hollow ground screw driver, modified to fit on the split nut securing the rotary mag spindle.
4. Loosen the small screw above the counter port and partially withdraw. This screw locks the magazine tensioner by interfering across the flats on it. You'll feel it drag across the tensioner. If you remove it all the way the tensioner will spin slack.
5. Using the modifed hollow ground screwdriver and judiously moving the keeper screw on and off the tensioner, tighten the tensioner one flat and see if that takes care of your problem. Do not over tighten.

#3 cause, is a ding in the cartridge carrier, or the cartridge carrier has been replaced with one for a different chambering. The carriers are cartridge specific. Thankfully, they are a PITA to change, so it's not common.

#4 cause, Privi brass. Privi had a problem on some calibers early on, getting the right SAAMI specs on the case extractor groove. The rim won't feed smoothly under the extractor hook.
If you are using US made ammo, see above.
Schematic:

http://stevespages.com/ipb-savage-99a.html

Manual:

http://stevespages.com/pdf/savage1899.pdf

[Enfield47]

Thanks Trap, at least now I know the stiffness in the last portion of the lever is normal. I looked at Midway for a modified bit but I couldn't really find anything. I saw three different ones that were for specialty purposes but that was all they had. Do I have to buy a bit and Dremel it?

The brass isn't Prvi, can't recall the head stamp but it is US manufacture.

I have to admit I'm a bit intimidated by the rotary mag. Some of the horror stories I've read and comments like an octopus would wish he had two other arms when trying to reassemble the rotary mag make me nervous.

[dfletcher]

Thanks Trap, at least now I know the stiffness in the last portion of the lever is normal. I looked at Midway for a modified bit but I couldn't really find anything. I saw three different ones that were for specialty purposes but that was all they had. Do I have to buy a bit and Dremel it?

The brass isn't Prvi, can't recall the head stamp but it is US manufacture.

I have to admit I'm a bit intimidated by the rotary mag. Some of the horror stories I've read and comments like an octopus would wish he had two other arms when trying to reassemble the rotary mag make me nervous.

Think of the Savage 99 as a "cocks on closing" like the Enfield. If you want to work the action and release it without dry firing just close the lever until resiistance is met, press the trigger & the sear will release, then complete close the action.

Regarding the the magazine spring, I did mine a few years back and it's pretty easy to do. A vise helps, I probably put the butt on the floor and held the action between my knees - left hand on screwdriver holding the spindle nut, right hand on small screwdriver with the spindle bolt. IIRC the threads on the spindle bolt are located at the head on the left side of the receiver, be careful backing it out. By backing out the spindle bolt you're moving it out of engagement. As mentioned when you turn the spindle nut keep a hand on it, it will turn if left free. Turning the spindle nut clockwise LESSENS tension and counter clockwise INCREASES tension.

The Numrich Arms parts page is a great help learning the rifle. Removing the stock will allow you to clean the trigger area and gives a great view of function & sear engagement.

[Enfield47]

Is there a way to tell if the spring needs needs to be tightened or loosened? I'm guessing it should need tightening, but that's only a guess.

[TRAP55]

Good guess. Just like the mag follower in a Mauser feeds the round up and under the extractor hook, the cartridge carrier rotor on the 99 does the same. When your Mauser stops feeding like that, It needs the mag spring replaced and/or some stone work on the extractor hook. On the 99, you adjust the mag spring.
I would remove the bolt, check for burrs, and manually slide a cartridge into place first, checking to see that there's no interference. While it's apart, give the inside a good scrubbing, and flush out the magazine area. Lube and Re-assemble.
Easy to get apart:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiwuPKv2LlQ