I was recently given an early Savage model 99 in .303 savage. The good news; the rifle is all original and has the brass rotary magazine which works nice. The story goes that the old fella that owned it used it until he passed away in the late 1980's.
The bad news is that the stock has 2 "chunks" missing out of it; one one the left side of the stock towards the action, and one on top of the stock where it meets the steel. Both voids have been filled with some sort of material and stained to match the stock, which has a real nice grain pattern to it. I actually have the chunk that came out of the top of the stock where it meets the action.
My questions about this rifle are what I should do with it. I really like the rifle and would like to shoot it, but I wouldn't want to with the repairs even though the original owner did.
With a gun as old as this which has some value, would it be better to keep the original stock and repair it with the piece of wood that came out of the top? Of course I don't have the missing piece that came out of the left side of the stock and has been repaired.
Or would it be better to try and track down another stock for it? If this is the case, what are the chances of me finding one for an early model 99?
As for the steel on the rifle, what would you guys suggest I do to clean up/restore the rifle; I am guessing that it has more value as a survivor than it would being refinished?
Does anyone have any suggestions on how far I should pull it apart and clean and lube the rifle? I don't have a ton of gunsmithing experience so any suggestions would be appreciated on what to do with this really cool old rifle.
The bad news is that the stock has 2 "chunks" missing out of it; one one the left side of the stock towards the action, and one on top of the stock where it meets the steel. Both voids have been filled with some sort of material and stained to match the stock, which has a real nice grain pattern to it. I actually have the chunk that came out of the top of the stock where it meets the action.
My questions about this rifle are what I should do with it. I really like the rifle and would like to shoot it, but I wouldn't want to with the repairs even though the original owner did.
With a gun as old as this which has some value, would it be better to keep the original stock and repair it with the piece of wood that came out of the top? Of course I don't have the missing piece that came out of the left side of the stock and has been repaired.
Or would it be better to try and track down another stock for it? If this is the case, what are the chances of me finding one for an early model 99?
As for the steel on the rifle, what would you guys suggest I do to clean up/restore the rifle; I am guessing that it has more value as a survivor than it would being refinished?
Does anyone have any suggestions on how far I should pull it apart and clean and lube the rifle? I don't have a ton of gunsmithing experience so any suggestions would be appreciated on what to do with this really cool old rifle.
