Savage 99 conversion from .303 to ?

im4flight

im4flight

New member
Wondering what you guys think of this caliber? I have been looking an the Savage 99's on and off for a while. I found one in the .303 for a good price. I am considering picking it up, but no nothing about the .303.

Thanks,
 
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303 british >?? 303 savage??
to my knowledge the 303 savage is what you would call a dead cartridge with nobody loading it commercially.. so unless you reload i would stay away.. every now and then you can run a some ammo on gunbroker and other forums..

info off wiki
The .303 Savage has a small, but loyal fraternity of shooters who reload this cartridge. While major ammunition manufacturers have long since halted production of ammo, dedicated followers can procure loaded ammunition and brass cases through smaller enterprises. The brass cases can be formed from other more popular cases, most notable the .303 British service round. .30-40 Krag brass cases can be formed into .303 Savage dimensions as well.
The .220 Swift cartridge can be made into a passable .303 Savage cartridge, as they are very close in most dimensions, and after forming the .220 Swift is easily cut to proper length.
hope this helps
also i have an older book called american ammunition and ballistics by edward matunas that says the 303 savage has the ballistics of a 30-30 with the slight reduction in velocity due to is heavier bullet
 
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Not sure I would get into a 303 savage personally...there are too many alternatives out there that work better and you can find brass much easier for.
 
Yeah, Im thinking that is why it is such a good price.

I am leaning towards no now. I do reload but dont want to have to look for parts.

Does anyone no how hard it is to conver the 99's into another cal. Is it just a new barrel, say a .308 or the .300? Or does it take more than that?
 
I should add the 99 I am looking at was made between 1918 and 1928, it sound like that may impact what I can covnert it to.
 
Often thought of taking an old, beat-up 99 and converting it to a 260 Rem. carbine for a woods gun, but in researching it, it does look like the newer guns were made a bit "stronger" for "modern, stiffer" loads - I'm keeping my eyes out for a 308. Not that your 303 doesn't have conversion possibilities, but being rimmed, and older, most modern rimless options are probably out.

I'd ask that over at the forum AWS suggested - also there is a Savage site somewhere out there that I got some info from too - don't recall the name now.

Let us know what you find out.
 
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Savage conversions are difficult to do and very expensive with square threads, extractor cuts etc. There is nothing wrong with the 303 Sav., many thought it better than the 30-30 because of the heavier bullet.

I did a little more reaserch. Huntingtons has Norma 303 Sav. brass and Grafs has 3 differt brands other than Norma and pretty reasonably priced, a hundred cases should keep you shooting for the rest of your life.

http://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/category/categoryId/760?

Loaded ammo at Grafs

http://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/category/categoryId/224?

AWS
 
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