Re: Help with Savage rifle questions
<span style="font-weight: bold">First Generation Short Actions:</span>
The 1st Generation short actions are often incorrectly referred to as "Series J" actions. These actions will have a three digit model number (110, 112, etc), but are approximately 0.540" shorter than the standard long action.
Savage used series letters (i.e. Series J) solely to identify small changes to individual parts over the years. These series indications were only used to identify what parts to use on the rifle should it ever come back to the factory for repair or warranty service.
As such, it's common to find a long action marked as being a "Series J", and as such it's not a good idea to simply refer to the 1st Generation short actions as "J-Series" as the series has no bearing on the actual action length. Additionally, an action can be marked with a series letter other than "J" and still be one of these 1st Gen short actions.
The 1st Generation short actions were discontinued in 1987 when Savage was facing bankruptcy.
<span style="font-weight: bold">2nd Generation Short Actions:</span>
The 2nd Generation short actions are what most people are familiar with. These were introduced in 1998 and remained in production through the better part of 2006 which was the transition year to the new 3rd Generation short actions.
The 2nd Generation short action is approximately 0.850" shorter than a long action, or approximately 0.310" shorter than the 1st Generation short action.
<span style="font-weight: bold">3rd Generation Short Actions:</span>
The 3rd Generation short action is what came about with the introduction of Savage's new detachable magazine arrangement on the 14 American Classic, 16FCSAK, 16FCSS, 10FCM Sierra and 11GCNS models in 2005. The new detachable magazine setup required that the front action screw be moved approximately 0.125" forward to allow room for the magazine release lever. (NOTE: The above listed models were the only ones to have the different screw spacing in 2005. All other short action models retained the 2nd Generation short action screw spacing.)
In 2006 Savage introduced their new hinged floor-plate magazine arrangement, and also started phasing in a new center-feed blind magazine. The hinged floor-plate assembly required the same screw spacing as the detachable magazine arrangement. Rather than having to offer stocks with two different screw spacings (HFP/DM and blind mag), Savage simply moved the front action screw forward on the blind magazine models as well. Thus all the short actions now feature the 3rd Generation screw spacing of 4.400".
The only exception may be rifles chambered in .204 Ruger or .223 Remington, as Savage has yet to release a new center-feed blind magazine to feed these cartridges. If someone has a new (late 2006 or 2007 production) rifle in either of these calibers, please measure the screw spacing and let me know what it is so I can update this accordingly.
<span style="font-style: italic">NOTE: Overall short action length did not change any from the 2nd Generation to the 3rd Generation. Only the screw spacing changed.</span>
<span style="font-weight: bold">Long Actions:</span>
The action screw spacing on Savage long actions has remained the same since it's introduction in 1958. However, this does not mean they are all the same as the magazine feed port length in the bottom of the action can be one of three different lengths depending on the cartridge the action was originally made for.
From 1988 to 1997 all Savage bolt-action rifles were made on long-actions. Those chambered for short-action cartridges have a shorter magazine feed port cut to work with the existing short-action magazine boxes from previous years. As such, even though the action is technically a long action you can not mount a long-action cartridge magazine to it without having the feed port lengthened.
Additionally, larger cartridges such as the .375 H&H and the Remington Ultra Mag cartridges required a longer magazine box and consequently a longer magazine feed port in the bottom of the action. As such, changing from a .30-06 length box to one of these cartridges will also require that the magazine feed port be lengthened.
All Long Actions = 5.062" (1958 to present, staggered feed magazine)
1st. Gen Short Actions = 4.522" (1959 to 1987, staggered feed magazine)
2nd Gen Short Actions = 4.275" (1998 to 2006, staggered feed magazine)
3rd Gen Short Actions = 4.400" (2006 and up, center-feed magazine, not shown in photo below)
http://savageshooters.com/SavageForum/index.php/topic,3883.0.html
