Stagger vs straight feed

[JSH]

I like my stagger feed rigs. Throw a single round on top of the follower and it eats it no problem, belted mag through 223.

I am to to the point I absolutely hate these in-line actions. Loading them is a pita. Mores so if a one piece scope base is used. I have looked around in local shops thinking I may find a couple of stagger feed rigs. One shop I stop at pretty frequently has a standing offer from one fellow at another shop. Yet the rack may have close to a couple of dozen straight feed guns setting there for less than guys offer for the stagger.

So I am not the only one, there are at least two of us, lol.

Am am I doing somthing out of the ordinary having it be a pita loading these “new” ones? FYI I hate the boxe set up when swapping stocks as well.

[Robinhood]

I like the stagger feed myself.

[PhilC]

No complaints about my stagger feeds.

[mnbogboy2]

Another vote for stagger feed, especially when adjusting for different cartridges. The center feed "feed lips" can be real fussy. Stagger feed also seem to feed smoother, at least to me.

[DDinMN]

Having owned a center feed since Friday, I am No fan.
What is really frustrating is the lack of options to go to a stagger feed configuration.
This one is destined to be on the rack at the small local store with a tag that reads "New un-fired with Box"

[J.Baker]

I find it humorous how back in the day everyone was pissing and moaning about the staggered feed magazines and when the center feed mag's came out everyone was praising them like they were the greatest thing since sliced bread. Now 15 or so years later everyone's pissing and moaning about the center feed mags and wanting staggered feeds back. Just another example of how no matter what you do you'll never make everyone happy and no matter how good or improved something is there will always be those who will find something to complain about.

[sharpshooter]

There are still only 2 types of magazines.....the kind that work and the kind that don't.:(

[DDinMN]

Correct!!
My center feed mag did not, now after some work it does, so that makes the new Savage a working tool.

[Orezona]

I came into the Savage game long after the staggered feed rifles. I have two model 10's and one model 116 weather warrior with center feed DBM's. All three of them feed great.

[coyote wacker]

I find it humorous how back in the day everyone was pissing and moaning about the staggered feed magazines and when the center feed mag's came out everyone was praising them like they were the greatest thing since sliced bread. Now 15 or so years later everyone's pissing and moaning about the center feed mags and wanting staggered feeds back. Just another example of how no matter what you do you'll never make everyone happy and no matter how good or improved something is there will always be those who will find something to complain about.

There are people that would complain if you gave them a million dollars in pennies......

[GaCop]

There are people that would complain if you gave them a million dollars in pennies......:o:tea:

[charlie b]

As long as the things load and feed properly I really don't care what it is. My 12 and Axis both work well.

[J.Baker]

As long as the things load and feed properly I really don't care what it is. My 12 and Axis both work well.

Exactly! Unfortunately it seems that isn't always a top priority with Savage - especially when it comes to magazines for newer cartridges. Doesn't take much looking around here to find all the issues people have had with feeding in their 6.5 Creedmoors because Savage decided using a standard .308 mag box was "good enough". On my .308 AICS Magpul Mags I actually had to file off 1/4" or so of the feed lips at the front to get them to feed reliably (which also made the magazine much easier to load as it resulted in the feed lips ending behind the body/shoulder junction).

From what I've read the Savage's in .450 Bushmaster also seem to be plagued with feeding issues, as is the 110 Hog Hunter in .350 Legend I just reviewed. In the case of the .350 Legend, Savage decided the standard .223 Rem magazine was "good enough". The problem is that the .350 Legend case is slightly larger in diameter which makes it very difficult to load into the .223 spec magazine and the top round doesn't sit up as high so there's less of the case head for the bolt face to catch to push it out of the magazine. I couldn't begin to count the number of times I cycled the bolt and it didn't strip off the next round in that rifle. A simple tweak of the magazine feed lips is all that is needed to alleviate the issue, but the end user shouldn't have to do that - it should be right from the factory.

[charlie b]

I agree. If the mfg offers a magazine it should feed factory ammo flawlessly. No excuses acceptable, at all!!!

[JSH]

I must be, NO I am getting old, lol.
I had never complained of the stagger feed. All fed well from the magazine, or throw a round in and it ate it with no issue.
Until I got back on the varmint and prairie dog wagon, I never realized all were straight feed. Shows how much attention I paid.

Bought one one of the Cabelas exclusive blind mag rigs on a Black Friday deal several years back. It was intended for a 6.5-06 build I had in mind. It got stuck in the back of the safe for quite a while before I ever scoped or played with the stock .270.

Is there a way to tell stagger from straight feed when on auction sites? I am guessing maybe the flat back receivers are ALL stagger? Did they change action screw spacing then as well, or switch mid stream?