Restoring a Lever Action Rifle With a Clever Secret

Video sponsored by Hoppe's. Check out their full lineup of firearm maintenance products here: https://www.primos.com/collections/ho... After winning this heavily weathered Savage Model 99 at an estate auction, I knew I had my work cut out for me. The stock was severely cracked and damaged, the metal was covered in rust and pitting, and years of wear had stripped away much of the original finish. To make matters worse, the butt plate was missing and had to be fabricated from scratch. What followed was an extensive restoration involving metalworking, fabrication, stock repairs, refinishing, and plenty of unexpected challenges. Despite its rough starting condition, this classic lever-action rifle turned out better than I ever expected! *About the Savage Model 99:* Introduced in 1899, the Arthur Savage-designed Model 99 was decades ahead of its time. Unlike traditional lever-action rifles with tubular magazines, the Savage 99 featured an innovative internal brass rotary magazine and a built-in cartridge counter. This clever mechanism allowed the rifle to safely accommodate pointed spitzer bullets, offering ballistic advantages over many traditional lever-action designs. This particular rifle is chambered in the legendary .22 Savage High-Power (also known as the ".22 Imp"), a high-velocity cartridge introduced in 1912. ⏱️ *TIMESTAMPS / CHAPTERS:* 0:00 - Restoration Preview 0:13 - Initial Inspection 0:43 - Disassembly 8:47 - Washing Parts 10:43 - The Brass Rotary Magazine 11:45 - Trigger Nickel Plating 12:30 - Repairing the Broken Stock 20:11 - Buttplate Fabrication 23:45 - Forend Restoration 25:45 - Wood Refinishing 27:22 - Metalworking 33:14 - Reassembly 39:34 - Final Reveal & Test Fire 💬 What do you think of the final transformation? What antique firearm would you like to see restored next? Don't forget to Like & Subscribe for more vintage firearm restorations, gunsmithing, and historical mechanical projects! \#Savage99 #GunRestoration #LeverAction #Restoration #Gunsmithing #Hoppes