Savage 99 help

[shootlow]

Looking for a little information on Savage 99 rifles. Seems that I have finally fulfilled a long time want of having a model 99. Actually, I bought 2, one is a 1950 vintage 250-3000 that literally destroys the notion that a lever gun can't be as accurate as a bolt gun, and the other is a 1927 vintage takedown in 300 Savage and is proving to be a little bit of a problem child. It wants to shoot about 8" high at 50 yds (open sights) with the rear sight set as low as it will go. Any ideas as to why it would still shoot that high? A 3 shot group at that distance measured 5/8" so I don't think overall accuracy will be bad once it gets dialled in. Would a tang sight help? I don't want to d&t it for a scope. Any constructive ideas welcome.

[pony express]

A taller front sight would bring the point of impact down. I'm not real familiar with '99s, is it a regular ramp with a dovetail sight on it?

[shootlow]

It is an integrated front sight with a blade pinned into a slot. (Similar to a Rocky Mountain sight).The blade is replaceable but the one attached now is the original one as far as I can tell.

[LongWalker]

My first thought was to suggest checking the crown, but then remembered a buddy's 300 Savage.  Factory loads hit about 6" high at 100 yards. . . we played with bullet weight to get one that matched the sights.  Once he found an Ideal tang sight, he had a little more flexibility on loads.  

The Ideal tang sight is a pain to find sometimes, the tang sight from Marbles is pretty good.  Problem is you can't really lower it below the line of sight of your rear barrel sight.  That brings us back to playing with loads, or as Pony Express suggested, getting a higher front sight.  

[shootlow]

Thanks for the help gentlemen. I have started looking for a tang sight, I will start tinkering with handloads as soon as I get a chance. Maybe I can find a load that the Savage and my Rem 700 will both like. The Remington doesn't seem to be picky, so maybe it won't be a fruitless endeavor. Thanks again.

[shootlow]

Found out on a different forum that the height of the sight blade was contingent on the caliber of the rifle. It is possible that the original sight blade was broken and replaced with a similar blade just for the wrong caliber.