which actions (how far back) make the best donors?

[mattri]

Looking at long action Savages to donate their action to a build. Will use after market trigger, barrel and stock. The newer Savages/Stevens have good actions, how far back can I go, with which models, and still get a decent long action? Thanks, Matt.

[McKinneyMike]

Go with Stevens if you are going to make all of the suggested changes. If you want a single shot the target action is very nice, but I doubt that you will see differences, unless you a really into serious BR type work. Stay with the round back actions more than anything as the flat back actions were never known to be really flat or machined accurately (the flat area at the rear of the receiver, not the action itself!) from all that I have read.
The basic Savage/Stevens action is damn fine :)

[82boy]

The older actions have a slight problem the flat on the back of them is hand ground, and I have never seen one that is straight. The older Savage are machined better, and require less work. I would say that you could go back into the mid seventy's on up, and find a good action. Watch out for the cast receivers, and the ones with the scope bases soldered on. One of the best actions I have is one made in the late 80's (89 to be exact) and they are suppose to be the worse.

[mattri]

Thanks for the replies. Now for the obvoius question, how do I tell when a rifle was made?

[82boy]

Give mad dog the serial number.

A bit of research will help. If it has an accu-trigger then it was made after 2000. If it has a center feed magazine then it was made after 2006. If it has a 3 screw trigger then it was made in the late 80's early 90's. If it has a bump in the barrel and a recessed bolt head, then stay away it was made prior to early 1970's, and has a different trigger assembly. Make sure you bring something to measure with because savage use to put short action mag box's on long action receiver and make a 1st generation short action, they have a different bolt spacing. The letter prior to the serial number denote 1 million guns. Every time they made 1 million guns the serial number would flip, and the next number would come up. The new guns are at H or G. F was in the early 2000's.

[mattri]

Good to know thanks. I'll keep an eye out.