.25-35 or .30-30?

[Calif Hunter]

I was given a Savage 1899 takedown in .22 Highpower. It has been reblued, has a non-original buttplate, non-original open sights, etc. It really has no collector value. I am thinking about having it rebored to either .25-35 or .30-30. I already have two or three .30-30s, so the .25-35 seems more interesting to me. Has anyone had much expereince with the .25-35? It may be a good rifle for the small California blacktails.

I don't plan on scoping the rifle, but I have put a tang aperture sight on it.

[Rocky Raab]

You left out the best choice of all, possibly because it may be new to you: the 7-30 Waters. It gives about 20% better ballistics than the triente-triente, but with about 20% LESS recoil. It's an honest 200-yard cartridge for deer, a great called-in predator gun, and even a more than passing varminter.

Factory ammo isn't everywhere, but it's certainly more available than .25-35. I'll assume you're a reloader and tell you that making 7-30 cases from .30-30 is a snap; just size, seat bullet and go. Fireforming blows the shoulder out and forward easy as pie with a rimmed round.

Best of all, with the 99's rotary mag, you can use the superb Nosler 120 Ballistic Tip or any other pointed bullet. Best of all worlds!

[skeet]

What Rocky said. If not that then go with the 25-35. Nice cartridge too and you can still use pointy bullets. If ya do the 25-35 try the AI treatment.

[Jack]

If the rifle is a takedown, you can interchange barrels if you can find them (after you remove the forend, open the action and the barrel unscrews by hand).
You might check with Gunpartscorp for barrels, either old or new. I suspect, though, that you'll have to have a barrel made, or the original barrel rebored- I'd check the price of both.
You might end up with a real nice multi caliber rifle set up.
The 7-30 Waters would be a fine deer caliber, although the original takedown model was never chambered in that caliber.
Both the 30-30 and 25-35 should work ,too, with the 30-30 having a bit more power.
The caliber the 99 takedown's were chambered in that I suggest you avoid is the 303 Savage. Brass and factory ammo is no longer available, and the 30-30 will do anything the 303 Savage will do, so the 303 just isn't worth the bother.
If you'd like to go in another direction, the 38-55 would also be a possible caliber. Not nearly as flat shooting as a 7-30 Waters, but it makes a nice big hole.

[Rocky Raab]

Before you decide, remember to ask your gunsmith if the new cartridge will work in the 99's magazine. Those rotary mags were brilliant - but they may be cartridge sensitive, especially the feed lips.

It would be terrible if the new gun ended up a single shot, or if modifying the mag costs more than the rest of the project.

[Calif Hunter]

Rocky - I read your article on the 7-30 Waters, and saw where you mentioned that the shoulder was moved forward and altered. I have heard that the rotary mags in the 99 can be picky about case contours, so I was trying to stay with something similar to the .22 HP. The 7-30 is certainly a contender, if it would work...

[PJgunner]

I too wonder if the rotary magazine will with with the larger necked cartridge. However, as the .22 Savage High Power was just a necked down 25-35, that one just might work.
From your picture, your rifle looks like a take down model. You might remove the barrel and see if the 25-35 will fit the rotary magazine. I think if you have to go to 30-30, then you might need to chane the rotary portion of the magazine.
My next question is this; is the 25-35 now legal to hunt deer in California? I left that leftist state permanently in 1970, and at that time it was not considered powerful enough for deer because it only had 995 ft. lbs. of energy at 100 yards and 1,000 ft. lbs. was considered legal. WOW, a whole 5 ft. lbs., as id any deer could tell the difference.
I do have an old 99 complete action with the rotor for the .303 Savage. I got it for spare parts when I had a nice 99 in .303 Savage, but since I sold that gun off, it's been sitting in my shed.
If it turns out your rotor won't work, you can have it for what it cost me, $50. The 30-30 will feed just fine with a .303 Savage rotor.
Anyway, the option is still there if you need it. it will have to be sent to an FFl of course to do things legal.
Paul B.

[Calif Hunter]

I just re-read an older Rifle magazine article by Phil Shoemaker, who had Dan Pedersen rebore a Savage 99 takedown in .22 HP to .30-30 with no other change than the rebore-rechamber. I am prety sure the change to a .25-35 would be just as simple. I am not sure about the 7-30 Waters, due to the changes in shoulder, etc.

Thanks!

[gumpokc]

From what you posted above, i'd say go with the 25-35, and here's why.

25-35 will make a nice lil all around light package.

If you wanna stick to a quarterbore, you could rechamber to 250-3000 (250 savage) dang nice lil chambering.

30-30? why? if you want a little more power, go .300 savage, you know that will work for sure as so many model 99's were made in that caliber. But...if your goign to do that, you might as well just find and pickup a model 99 already chambered in it. (same with the 250-3000)

If you want a .308, model 99's are chambered in it, but they use the detachable magazine. (.243win as well)

the 7-30 waters should work well, but it's not a cartridge that i am very framilier with.

[Calif Hunter]

I don't know, but have been told that changing from the rimmed .22 HP to a rimless round like the .250 or .300 Savage will require many changes - the bolt would have to be changed, the magazine follower would have to be changed, etc. Since the .22HP, .25-35 and .30-30 are all similar dimensions (rim, length, etc.), all that is needed is the rechamber and rebore.'


I have not taken it apart - the forend comes off, but the barrel does not want to turn. I have tried it with the action both open and closed. I don't want to try to force it and scratch things up. Perhaps one of the former owners tried to make it shoot better by putting epoxy or something in the threads? How easy should the barrel turn? Maybe it just needs some Kroil?

[Rocky Raab]

I've never taken one down myself, so I can't answer that. Sometimes there's a secondary catch, but again, I'm not sure.

There's a Savage 99 forum on the web somewhere, though. They'll know.

I second the decision to stay with a ".30-30" dimensioned, rimmed case.

(I'll try to send you the 7-30 cases today.)

[Jack]

It's been a few years since I took a 99 takedown apart, but my recollection is that, once the forend is removed, open the action, and you can screw the barrel off simply by hand.
The reason for opening the action first is that the extractor protrudes into a slot on the barrel breech and will prevent turning the barrel.
I would try some Kroil on the barrel/receiver junction and see if that helps.

[gumpokc]

I had not considered the rimmed case, but it's a good point to consider.

the savage 99 forum is over at 24hourcampfire.com, savage99.com, savagela.org, all have good info.