Large Shank vs. Small Shank

[762frmafr]

What say you oh guru's of the barrel nut? Is it all gimmick like I've been hearing? Or is there some validity to a Large Shank action with high pressure rounds? Lets hear it. I will be back to stir the pot every so often. Mind you this is for my education and curiosity only.

[rusty815]

I have a large shank and only find it to be a liability, parts are much harder to find for a large shank than for a small shank. Also, many guys have built some of the higher pressure/power magnums on a small shank and it was fine, so I don't see why a large shank is necessary.

[nsaqam]

I have, and have had, both large shank and small shank Savages.

For my uses I find no liability at all with the large shank.

I also tend to trust the engineers at Savage who believed strongly enough that the large shank barrels offered more strength and a higher level of safety than the small shank for fat cartridges that they convinced the bean counters to raise production and inventory costs. Convincing bean counters to raise costs isn't very easy.

As to the statement that some people have successfully done the fat cartridges in a small shank. That's true but some people have done small ring Mausers in the short fats too.
May work fine but it isn't the best practice to adopt.

[efm77]

All the rest of the parts are the same except for barrel shank size, nut size, and recoil lug size and they're easy to find so I see it as no liability either. I wish they made more large shanks but that's just me. I had both my long action magnums converted to large shank. I have no problem with the small shank for standard calibers but wish they made the large shank even for the belted magnums. May not be necessary but I like it better having thicker chamber walls for that portion that is outside the receiver ring.

[82boy]

O its not a gimmick, it does serve some purpous. It dont deal with the pressure of the round, but the size of it. WSM cartridiges need to be on a large shank barrel, it just gives them a bit more meat, for expansion. Other than that it make little to no difference.

[aimatit]

762x51, Kinda like howitzers - Bigger Boom,Bigger Chamber 105mm 155mm 175mm etc. FFE

[762frmafr]

What does everyone think Savage's reasoning is behind making the new 338LM actions as well as the Target actions and WSM actions Large Shank?

[82boy]

What does everyone think Savage's reasoning is behind making the new 338LM actions as well as the Target actions and WSM actions Large Shank?

The WSM, and 338 Lapua need to be a large shank, they are big cartridges. The target action, there is no rime or reason, my only guess is because they had no idea what people was going to build on them.

[762frmafr]

The WSM, and 338 Lapua need to be a large shank, they are big cartridges. The target action, there is no rime or reason, my only guess is because they had no idea what people was going to build on them.

Why do they "NEED" to be?

[82boy]

Why do they "NEED" to be?

As stated in my post above . "It dont deal with the pressure of the round, but the size of it. WSM cartridiges need to be on a large shank barrel, it just gives them a bit more meat, for expansion."
The cartridge is very large around, when it is fired it expands, the larger shank gives the case more suport. When you place a WSM on a small shank the case expand, and wear out quicker, do to less suport.

[762frmafr]

Small shank has more action metal and large shank has more barrel metal. Would it not be a wash as there is essentially the same amount of metal around the case.

[cgeorgemo]

Since the chamber extends out from the action there is more support for the fatter cartridges ahead of the end of the action in a large shank.

[82boy]

Small shank has more action metal and large shank has more barrel metal. Would it not be a wash as there is essentially the same amount of metal around the case.
No.

[762frmafr]

Ok so more strength and more support around the chamber for a Large Shank. But, is it NEEDED or is it just overkill? Or over engineered? And why?

[Jamie]

Depends on what cartridge you are chambering it for. Anything other than WSM or RUM case size is more than safe in a small shank. If you are going to use fatter cases such as WSM or RUM then you would be wise to use the large shank. They are iffy on the small shank.

[cgeorgemo]

Over engineered? Maybe... But I'm okay with rifles being too safe if given a choice.

[teele1]

Remember Savage first made 300 RUM on small shank barrels and actions

[Jamie]

Remember Savage first made 300 RUM on small shank barrels and actions

Yep, then they went to large shank for safety.

[nsaqam]

The large shank simply provides more chamber wall thickness from breech to neck.

The same total receiver/shank thickness exists in both large and small shank actions but since the threaded portion is an imperfect fit that juncture cannot be relied upon to contain the expansion of the chamber upon firing. The thicker uninterrupted steel around the chamber of the large shank does a better job of containing that expansion.

[Opus Dei]

Yep, then they went to large shank for safety.Was there a recall of these small-shank WSMs?