Savage Model 1899

I recently had the opportunity to clean up and refinish the metal work on a Savage Model 1899 rifle chambered in .30-30. The gun had been sanded previously and had a number deep pits and patches of rust all over the gun, inside and out. It appeared that someone had made an attempt to clean it up but gave up. No wood was supplied with the metal. Being the dedicated gunsmith I am, I decided to take on the old workhorse.

The customer was warned that the deep pitting and deep scratches would likely still be on the gun but it would be blue again. He seemed to be elated that I did not hesitate to tackle the job. Besides, I liked this old beauty despite its condition. Back at the shop I began a detailed inspection and a search for disassembly information in my large library of gun manuals and how-to files. While I didn’t possess a shop manual for the 1899, I did have a Savage Model 99 break down.

This particular model had differing design and procedure, so I began the process using what I had on hand as a starting point and figured out the rest on my own. The design is simple enough and since a man had made it, well, I figured I could make sense of it. And since it had to be completely disassembled for a blue job, I had to take it down further than any manual I likely would have had on the subject.

After closely inspecting the gun and making sure it properly functioned in its current state of assembly, I began disassembly. I began by opening the lever down all the way with the bolt to the rear. Next, I removed the bolt stop screw and bolt stop. This screw can be found at the back of the receiver while looking downward from the top. There is a second screw next to it. This is the trigger spring screw and has along trigger spring under it.

Both screws were removed and the bolt stop and trigger spring came out slick as a whistle. During reassembly, you will notice that the trigger spring screw head is larger than the bolt stop screw head. Next, I removed the lever screw and bushing located in the middle of the finger lever. The screw comes out first from the left side of the action. A large, flat punch can be used to rest on the outside edges of the lever bushing and gently tap the bushing out of the lever from left to right.

During reassembly, notice there is a small detent lug at the top of the bushing head. This lug must be reinserted into the slot on the finger lever so the bushing will not spin during bushing screw tightening. The entire bolt assembly was removed by pulling it to the rear and wiggling it out of the action. During reassembly of the lever into the base of the bolt there is a noticeable slot milled in the rear side of the bolt that the finger lever round lug/pin rides in.

Perform a quick reassemble to test fit that part to check how it fits in the groove of the bolt and observe how the lever lug fits into the milled slot in the bolt. Insert that lever pin lug in the bolt slot at the same time as reinstalling the bolt into the frame for proper fit. Remove the trigger pin from the frame by using a small punch and by tapping the pin out from the receiver, left side to right. Notice the trigger is hooked onto the sear bar in an elongated notch.

Either wiggle the trigger out of this notch and remove it from the bottom of the action or remove the sear bar screw that is located on the rear left side of the receiver. This screw/pin comes straight out and has a smooth area on the pin where the sear bar rides when assembled. Once the sear bar screw is removed the sear bar and trigger can be taken out all at once.

Now that the trigger and sear are out of the way, remove the finger lever by turning it slightly until the round pin lug on the end clears the receiver inside the slot where the trigger once was. While turning the lever, pull downward to remove the lever from the bottom of the receiver. With all of that out of the way, remove the trigger safety/lever lock at the rear of the action.

This is the small lock that locks the action closed at the rear of the finger lever and prevents the trigger from being pulled to the rear (safety). At first look, it appears

Above center: Brass rotary spindle ammunition counter that lets the shooter know how many rounds are in the magazine. Capacity is five rounds. The screw above the "window" is the magazine rotary spindle assembly retention screw/pin. The last screw viewed holds the sear bar in place. Moving it forward locks the lever and blocks the trigger from being pulled. as if it has a screw in the rear of the lock located at the rear most end of the receiver.

However, it is not a screw, only along pin that was split and bent outward some to fit firmly into the hole in the receiver. Take a flat pin punch the same diameter of the end of that pin and firmly push it forward into the frame. No hammer is needed normally. This will allow the lever lock to be pushed out and forward to clear it from the frame housing hole. At this point most of the frame parts have been removed.

Moving It looks like a screw but is just around rod that was split so it could be bent out the end to tighten the fit in the action as needed. Below center: Lever lock/trigger safety removed from the action. Note the split. It goes back in the same way. The round end on the right fits over the rotary spindle screw head still inside the action. forward, we get to the area that has warnings published about in every manual I have concerning not removing the magazine spindle assembly.

However, because I did not have a 1899 Service Manual, I opted to ignore those manual warnings! I could see that there was atrick to disengaging this assembly from the receiver. To get started, I found the magazine cartridge stop bar (cover) that is directly over the brass magazine spindle inside the action could be removed. I pushed that top bar backwards enough to clear the large screw head located inside the action behind the rotary magazine spindle.

Once it cleared that screw head, I tilted the bar up, wiggled it forward and up out of the top of the action. Keep a close watch as this bar has along V-spring behind it. The V-spring has a hooked end on it and that fits inside around slot in the bar just removed. Take note how it fits in place and how it removes for correct reassembly. I normally reassemble as I go just to see how it goes back in place. This next part starts with what not to do.

I first began by trying to remove the rotary spindle assembly by unscrewing the cap screw located at the front of the receiver forward of where the rotary magazine is inside the action. That screw did not budge. It didn’t matter as I quickly found the correct method of removing the entire spring loaded rotary spindle assembly. First, remove the screw/long cross pin that is located on the front outside left of the receiver. This long screw has a threaded top screw with along straight pin that pins the round ro-

This is also where you place a large screwdriver and tap gently to remove the entire rotary spindle magazine assembly forward out of the receiver after removing the assembly cross pin/screw from the left front side of the receiver. Above center: Brass rotary spindle in proper placement. You’ll need to rotate the collar to line up reinsertion of the rotary spindle magazine screw pin/screw through the receiver. tary spindle collar into the frame.

The collar has grooves in it that will be used to line up the collar inside the front of the action, keeping it in place when reassembled, and keeping spring tension on the rotary brass cam for loading rounds into the magazine. With the receiver screw/pin out, place along screwdriver in the screw slot head found inside the receiver behind the rotary magazine spindle assembly. Tap the screwdriver from the rear forward and drive the entire rotary assembly out of the receiver towards the front of the action.

Make certain the brass rotary cams do not get hung up inside the action while tapping the assembly out the front of the receiver. In other words, do not beat on this assembly to remove it. Take it slow and use oil if necessary. The round collar at the front of the receiver will begin to move and slide out towards the front of the receiver. Note that the screw head where the screwdriver is placed to begin tapping forward will completely clear the hole in the small plate located inside the action.

Once the unit has been removed, disassemble it by first grasping the round steel collar in aluminum vise jaws (or your hand if that works) and unscrewing the screw from the back of the brass rotary spindle. Note, this screw is left hand threaded. Turn it in the right direction to unscrew it (clockwise). Once the screw is loose, pull it out of the brass rotary spindle and set aside.

Remove the front screw (the one that I could not budge earlier and did not need to at that time.) This is a cap screw head and it holds the rotary spindle collar in place. With those removed, pull the rotary spindle collar off and locate the coil spring. When removed, this spring has a leg on each end of it. These legs will be fitted into small holes drilled just for them when reassembly occurs. There is one hole inside the brass rotary spindle and the other one near the center of the round steel collar.

The rotary magazine spindle assembly is now completely disassembled. I will describe the reassembly later on. In order to disassemble the bolt, start by removing the rear hammer bushing screw. This screw can be located on the left top side rear of the bolt. The other end of the screw is visible on the other side of the bolt. Unscrew this and pull it out, freeing up the mainspring rod and firing pin assembly for removal.

Next, turn the hammer/mainspring bar and firing pin assembly upwards about 1/4 of a turn and wiggle the hammer assembly out to rear of the bolt. The bolt has to be turned during disassembly and reassembly because there is a lug pinned in the top center of the bolt that the hammer assembly must negotiate to be properly installed. Once the hammer assembly is removed, disassemble the mainspring and firing pin as needed.

When reassembling the mainspring rod and firing pin assembly, grasp the bolt housing in your less dexterous hand and use your thumb to pull down on the "C" or claw-shaped bar. Insert the firing pin/mainspring assembly with the lug pointing up, pushing into the bolt until approximately 1.5 inches is sticking out, then turn the mainspring assembly down a quarter of a turn so it interlocks with the spring loaded bar at the front center of the bolt.

This slight turn allows full insertion of the mainspring/firing pin assembly. Pull down on the claw-shaped bar and depress the mainspring enough to insert the mainspring bar firing pin assembly screw/pin. I recommend you try it a couple of times at disassembly to get a feel for the fit up. Once the mainspring bar and firing pin assembly is removed, remove the claw-shaped bar and spring that actuates it. Remove the second screw (the one below the mainspring/firing pin assembly screw in the bolt.) There is a small

The spring has a leg on each end that gets inserted into a small drilled hole inside the brass spindle and the round steel collar. When together, you simply wind the assembly to place tension on the spindle then reinsert into receiver. Above center: Sear and trigger engagement when properly assembled. coil V-spring under that "C" actuator. Carefully remove the screw and hold onto the actuator bar so the spring does not jump away.

Once out, one end of the coil V-spring has a 90 degree bent leg on one side that is noticeable. This small leg fits into a hole drilled in the actuator bar. The coil fits in the milled slot in the "C" claw bar and the longer straight leg of that same spring rests in the bolt groove milled in the bolt body when reassembled. The extractor can now be removed using a small pin punch. Below center: Rear left side of the bolt.

The top screw when removed allows you to disengage and remove the mainspring/firing pin assembly. The bottom screw enables removal of the "C" claw bar on the opposite side of the screw/pin. Push the pin out from the bottom to the top of the bolt body. The extractor serves as its own spring, so no additional spring will be found behind it when removed. Notice a lug in the top center of the bolt. This lug is held in place with across pin in the bolt and is also under spring pressure.

This is the same lug that you had to negotiate the mainspring rod and firing pin assembly around to disassemble and reassemble and it can be removed with a small punch as well. Just keep an eye on that pesky spring! Reassembly can be accomplished by reversing the order of these disassembly instructions, as I provided recommendations for each part when removed or disassembled.

When reassembling the rotary magazine spindle assembly, begin by inserting the spring inside the brass spindle, turning it until the leg fits down inside the small hole. The spring drops down when the leg finds the hole for it. Next, insert the long screw inside the brass spindle from the rear and inside of the spring. Place the round steel collar over the screw and insert the exposed leg of the spring into the small hole provided in the steel collar.

Continue by inserting the screw into the large diameter ring by threading counterclockwise. Once seated, start turning the round steel collar with your less dexterous hand while holding the brass rotary spindle in your strong hand. Wind the spring until there is proper tension on the brass rotary spindle. I wound it until it stopped, then backed the rotary spindle out one full turn which provides enough spring tension when the rotary magazine is fully charged. If too

Top: Removal of the mainspring/ firing pin assembly after the screw/ pin has been removed. From here, rotate the mainspring rod lug up about a 1/4 turn and withdraw it from the bolt. tightly wound, the rotary spindle will stop before the magazine if filled. Hold the assembly and insert into the face of the receiver. Make sure the loading ramp on the brass rotary spindle is in the top dead center (up) position when inserting so it can rest under spring pressure on the inside of the magazine frame area.

While inserting the assembly, I held the round steel collar and brass rotary spindle under spring pressure with my weak hand thumb and finger. I then pushed the unit into the receiver from the front and aligned the end of the long screw head so that it fit through the hole in the plate at the back of the magazine box area. You may have to tap the round steel collar bushing with a nylon or brass hammer to get it in place.

Once in correct position, screw the cap screw on the front of the round steel collar, threading it onto the end of the long screw inside the brass rotary spindle. Note, this is also a left hand thread. Once on, the cap screw can be used to turn the round steel collar so that one of the grooves lines up with the receiver pin/screw hole. Once aligned, insert the receiver screw into place and the spindle magazine assemble will be operational. Test the spring tension and ensure it moves freely.

Notice there is a small hole (window) on the left front side of the receiver. In that window you will see numbers marked on the brass rotary spindle. Those numbers correspond to the number of rounds in the gun when loaded. Pretty neat idea! This gun did not require any repairs or service, so no technical instruction pertaining to working this gun was included in this write up.

I realize that these instructions are long and seem very complicated but they will walk you through a stepby-step process for tearing down and reassembling this old beauty. I actually had an old owner’s manual totaling two pages for this gun, however, those instructions didn’t have as much depth as I went into here. That old manual is sufficient for routine cleaning, not full disassembly and reassembly. The Savage M1899 is a great, well-made, classic rifle.

Hopefully this article will prove useful if one crosses your bench. AG American Gunsmith Reader Services 1.