Should I refinish? Savage 99 Barrel

BigGameHunter

BigGameHunter

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I have a Savage 99f that I have posted about on here before and everyone was helpful in providing me with information on this gun. Since I am not planning on selling it but also like this gun as a collector piece I have a question I need some help answering.

I originally planned on leaving everything alone on the gun just a clean and keep it as is. But now that I have shot it a few times I really like this gun a lot. For being almost 85 years old it is in great shape except the barrel. The barrel has a few rust older rust spots and a spot where the past own looked like he tried his hand at taking some of the rust off spot on the barrel with sand paper anyways. I was considering taking it down to bare metal, giving it a good sanding/polish and reblue.

What I wanted to know is if I leave everything else the same but reblue the barrel, how much does that affect value? Not that I plan on selling it but I dont want it to be worth nothing because I tried to fix it. I figure because a barrel is a part that can be changed it shouldn't be too bad. The receiver bluing is still strong and I would leave that but the barrel I would like to clean up. What should I do?

Thanks
 
Are the "spots" of rust small enough to be cleaned off, and then touched up with cold blue? If so, that might be the way to go. IF there is something about the gun ( rarity, condition) that gives it significant collector value...a matter you should be able to determine with a bit of research, a re-blue will doubtless detract from that value. If on the other hand, it is simply a nice old shooter, I would say go for it. I have a few older 99s, and have done both stock refinishing and re-blueing on some of them. They weren't real collectors anyway, and the cosmetic work greatly improved their appearance.
 
If it's already just a shooter then rebluing the barrel isn't gonna hurt the value at all.

Once it's a shooter it stays a shooter so I'd go for it if thats what you wanna do.
 
You can use a combination of products to come up with an antique type finish, without removing all of the remaining finish. A "new" looking barrell on and old rifle looks funny. Some pictures would really help. What does the reciever look like? How much finish is left?

R.
 
icedog said:
Are the "spots" of rust small enough to be cleaned off, and then touched up with cold blue? If so, that might be the way to go. IF there is something about the gun ( rarity, condition) that gives it significant collector value...a matter you should be able to determine with a bit of research, a re-blue will doubtless detract from that value. If on the other hand, it is simply a nice old shooter, I would say go for it. I have a few older 99s, and have done both stock refinishing and re-blueing on some of them. They weren't real collectors anyway, and the cosmetic work greatly improved their appearance.
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Yeah there are just a few small spots as well as fading of the blue. Maybe that is what I will do is try and touch them up first and if it looks out of place then I am gonna reblue the whole barrel. The reciever is probably 90% (I am not sure how to gauge it but it is still really good just a bit lighter and a few wears along lines of the recieve which I would assume is common. The marks on the barrel are definately steel wool or sand paper where the original owner tried to clean some spot rust off the barrel. The gun was only used a couple times ever and was stored in the guys attic.

After researching these guns, it isn't the most collectable version of the 99(f) that is for sure, but for being 85 years old and in good-very good condition I am still apprehensive about messing with it too much. But who knows. I just know that it is my first lever action rifle and one of my favourite rifles that I own.
 
Use a fine scotch brite pad to remove the existing spots, but do not try and polish the metal too much. Clean the surface with alcohol, and use the cold blue cream. Clean with alcohol between each application. When it looks like the results are close, hit the newly blued surfaces with some oil, and do a hard buff with a cotton cloth on the entire barrel. This should blend the two colours a little closer together. If it does not blend the way you wanted, clean the entire barrel with alcohol (brake cleaner works as well) and hit it with the blue cream. Skip the alcohol on this step, and go straight to the oil, and buff. There is a brown finish that can be used in conjunction with the blue to get a different colour, but with out seeing it it will be hard to tell. Let us know how it turns out!

R.
 
Sometimes I think we get a bit over attached to a particular rifle, especially a nice one. Fundamentally, though, I agree with Mad Dog. A collector is a collector and a shooter is a shooter and never the 'twain shall meet. If it isn't particularly collectible now, it's not going to hurt shooting it. It might not be collectible for another 100 years and look at all the fun you would have missed!

I'm a big fan of shootin' and enjoying it. Keep it in good shape and let your grandkids figure out if it's collectible or not. I've got an 1895C with the half octagon barrel that is 108 years old and I shoot it every chance I get and I love it. It isn't a collector and I did a full restoration on it and I have to admit, the restoration process was hugely satisfying in and of itself.

Shooting it is big fun, even if Mad Dog won't sell me a tang sight for it from that horde that he's been collectin'!
 
shoshin said:
Shooting it is big fun, even if Mad Dog won't sell me a tang sight for it from that horde that he's been collectin'!
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Come on now, I ain't that bad am I? Well.......maybe.......

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