savage 99 rotary magazine?

[birdshot]

i am wondering if the rotary magazine in a savage 99 is cartridge specific.
ie. could i rebarrel a .243 to .358 and not need to change out the shell carrier?
and if it is necessary to change the carrier, would the parts needed be available?

[PetahW]

AFAIK, The Savage 99 magazine rotors are cartridge CASE/Family specific, not for a specific cartridge per se.

Since the .243 & .358 have the same parent case ( the .308 Win), they would use the same rotor - different from the rotor used for the Savage family of cartrirdge (.250 Sav, .300 Sav).

Beyond that, IIRC, a Savage 99 made prior to 1957 (BEFORE the .308 was introduced in the 99), would be too short internally to accept a .308 Winchester (family) spool.

.

[roklok]

I believe the carriers/rotors ARE cartridge specific, at least for some vintages of 99s. If you look at this page:

http://www.gunpartscorp.com/catalog/...aspx?catid=970

You can see that the carriers have a different part number for each chambering. And, unfortuneately, the carriers are sold out. I actually bought a 99 on Gunbroker that had been rebarreled to .358 from a .243. The magazine did not work correctly, and the rifle had other issues as well. I returned the rifle to seller without working the bugs out of it.

I have seen the rotors/carriers on gunbroker from time to time.

[James K]

The carrier slots are shaped not just to the cartridge base but to the shoulder as well and the approximate size of the neck/bullet. They can be altered (by brazing or grinding as necessary) but there is not a lot of room for error and I would do that only as a last resort.

Jim

[birdshot]

thanks, was hoping it would be easier.

[Mike Irwin]

The rotors are pretty cartridge specific.

Wild Alaska's shop converted a Savage 99 to .358 Federal last year (Oh God I so wanted it) and had to modify the carrier extensively.

What most people don't know, however, is that when the carrier is altered for a different cartridge, the cartridge guide also normally has to be altered, as well.

[milsurpcollector]

old thread worth reviving

you could rebarrel a 243 to a 358 Savage 99 action, and use the same carrier, by carefully grinding the shell slots in each carrier slot with a dremel and tapered stone, and checking with a full length 358 shell, until the shell mated to the carrier correctly- then check in the empty receiver of the gun (stripped down, no bolt, trigger) to make sure you can load 5 shells and spin the carrier freely.

it's not hard and I changed a carrier over this way in about one hour of careful grinding or less.

the cutoff and shell guide should be the same, being the 243 and 358 are same family, but you "may" have to grind the right side shell guide slightly if the shell hangs up on the shoulder- it probably will not though

[guncrank]

Originally Posted by milsurpcollector

old thread worth reviving

you could rebarrel a 243 to a 358 Savage 99 action, and use the same carrier, by carefully grinding the shell slots in each carrier slot with a dremel and tapered stone, and checking with a full length 358 shell, until the shell mated to the carrier correctly- then check in the empty receiver of the gun (stripped down, no bolt, trigger) to make sure you can load 5 shells and spin the carrier freely.

it's not hard and I changed a carrier over this way in about one hour of careful grinding or less.

the cutoff and shell guide should be the same, being the 243 and 358 are same family, but you "may" have to grind the right side shell guide slightly if the shell hangs up on the shoulder- it probably will not though

Well I refinished a 99 and for me just reassembling the magazine was a pain , let alone altering it for another cartigedes

[Gunplummer]

A .308 carrier may work. It is really hit or miss. I have a 7-30 waters that feeds with a .303 carrier perfectly. I have a .250 that feeds with a .303 carrier and a .260 that feeds with a .308 carrier. Not a lot of difference between a .308 and .358 really.