I picked up this 1899 takedown in .22 HP at a pawnshop in Spokane, Wa. It had been drilled/tapped, had an el-cheapo recoil pad, and was well (ab)used, but the higher grade perchbelly stock spoke to me. I just wanted a shooter in this caliber.

After trying 55, 60, 70, & 77 gr .228 bullets, various loads, factory ammo, fore end on/off and never achieving better than minute of pie plate at 50 yds, and tired of getting just 1 reload from a fired case before case separation, I decided to try a new barrel. For .228 barrels, I found that PacNor http://www.pac-nor.com/barrels/ and Lothar Walther http://www.lothar-walther.de/159.php (look under 5.6x52R, which is the Euro designation for 22 Sav HP) make them. With previous positive experiences with PacNor, I opted for one of their Super-Match Grade Chrome Moly 1:10 twist with a custom contour matching the original lightweight takedown barrel.

I had the barrel fitted (as a takedown) by Doug Wells of Lock, Stock & Barrel in Huson, MT. He does a lot of work on 99s and did an outstanding job on mine. While he was at it, Doug went over the all the internals, replaced 1 small worn pin, and also worked on the trigger pull. Fitted with a 6X Leupold Alaskan and taken to the range, at 100 yds the first 3 shots nearly cloverleafed. Should have stopped there -- the next 2 shots opened it up to 1.5" This was with handloads and 70 gr Hornadays. I repeated a 1.5" 5 shot group with Norma factory ammo.

With Doug's carefully headspaced new barrel, there is no apparent case stretching, and I ought to get a useful number of reloads from each case.

I wanted the barrel rust blued and the caliber (and takedown directional arrow) engraved rather than stamped, so turned to Steven D. Hughes. A repro hard plastic buttplate I had tried made the shouldered rifle slip all over the place, so I also asked Steve to fit a Savage steel buttplate -- the kind with horizontal grooves -- to the stock. When Steve is done, I'll have what i wanted -- a great shooting 99 in .22 Sav Hi Power. I want to take this rifle antelope hunting here in Montana!