Saving an OLDIE

canadianbear

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Picked up a Savage 1899 made in the early 1920's in .303 Savage with a busted up stock for $50.00. All the outside metal is in good shape, bore is a little rough. I have not shot it yet, but just out of curiosity, what are the choices for 1)rechamber, 2) rebore, or 3) rebarrel. I don't want to do any of these but just considering the options. I rebuilt the stock that was broken in 3 pieces with just the end of one pin showing, the rest are plugged and hidden with a dark stain that match's the forearm . Looks pretty good. But the only ammo that I can find at the shows they want $60.00-$75.00 a box. If I can find cheaper ammo I;ll leave it as is,if not just looking at my options. I would love to put this old girl back to work next year for deer in the Port Loring deer yard! Any ideas appreciated.
 
Talk to the re-loading guru's. I'm just guessing but I think 30-30 brass can be used to reload after its re-formed a bit. A good reloader can make a silk purse out of a sow's ear,LOL.
Or spend the money intially then reload. I shoot an old 38-55 & it's 50.00 a box. reloading makes it a-lot cheaper. There may even be some-one locally that is trustworthy to reload for you.
Good luck and stay safe
 
Have any pictures to share?

Have you considered reloading? It would save you a lot of money in the end.
 
303 Savage ammo is still manufactured .

By who?

That Old Western Scrounger crap made out of 303 British casings?

I know a company made a run of 303 Savage brass not long ago but have heard some pretty bad results like case splittings after the first shot with it.

I think if you found 303 Sav shells for $60 a box it was a good deal.

Best brass to resize would be 220 swift or 307 Winchester.

Best to run the 220 through a 6.5 Jap neck sizer first and then full length resize. The 307 is easier.
 
"...a Savage 1899 made in the early 1920's..." That'll have some collector value. Even with the cracked stock. Doing anything to it will drop its value.
 
Picked up a Savage 1899 made in the early 1920's in .303 Savage with a busted up stock for $50.00. All the outside metal is in good shape, bore is a little rough. I have not shot it yet, but just out of curiosity, what are the choices for 1)rechamber, 2) rebore, or 3) rebarrel. I don't want to do any of these but just considering the options. I rebuilt the stock that was broken in 3 pieces with just the end of one pin showing, the rest are plugged and hidden with a dark stain that match's the forearm . Looks pretty good. But the only ammo that I can find at the shows they want $60.00-$75.00 a box. If I can find cheaper ammo I;ll leave it as is,if not just looking at my options. I would love to put this old girl back to work next year for deer in the Port Loring deer yard! Any ideas appreciated.

I have 13 rounds of this ammo, and I'll sell it to you for 2.00 each, that is a dollar off what would seem is fair market value. FS
 
Not much collector values in an old 303 sav unless it has something special or high condition. No interest in it as a hunting rifle because as you have eluded to the cartridges are too expensive and difficult to find unless you reload. I not sure about the barrel options, but I do know that there are limits with the receiver. It will not accept any of the modern cartridges in the 308 family. You could go with 300 sav by finding an old used barrel. Most of the old girls in 303 sav in that condition end up as parts rifles. The sum of the parts are worth more than what you can get for the rifles.

Blair
 
.303 Savage ammo...

Yeah, not exactly econo ammo or easy to find. I had two nice shape boxes of Dominion factory that another CGN'er paid $50 each for.

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NAA.
 
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