Savage B22 Rotary Mag Loading

[GNAP]

I just bought a Savage B22 FV-SR, that I have set up for open/iron sights. This morning I went to the range and ran 3 boxes of CCI HP mini-mags, so I got a work out loading up the 3 mags, I have. The is almost a black art to loading the rotary mags, sometimes it went super easy other times it was a brutal ordeal. First round is easy, the next it has to be inserted at a very specific angle, then twisted in a fluid motion. I have 6 rifles that use the Ruger rotary mags, I thought they were rough on the thumb, right now my right thumb is almost raw. Hopefully I get the correct motion down and it will become a lot easier.

[Fasteddie01]

Hi GNAP - Congrats on the new toy! I got one last Sept and have made many changes that I found on the inet. You can get the trigger weight down to around 2# for no cost, just a bit of time. Makes it a much better target rifle. First is to 'polish' ALL friction surfaces with 1000g (or finer) paper. DO NOT take off a lot of metal, just polish and DO NOT change any angles on the Hammer/Sear interface! Then I lube with synthetic grease. Second, I found on some thread (I forget where) that if you take the 'Main' trigger spring out, heat it w-a lighter and allow it to cool slowly, it will reduce the tension and lighten the trigger. Finally, while the main spring is out I took a dremel and cone stone to 'deepen' the spring socket so it could get 'tighter' - maybe got another mm or so. I did these mods and have a trigger around 2-3#. YMMV, just be careful since it's hard to put metal back :rolleyes:
One other thing - the bolt 'cocking pin is NOT well hardened and can wear if you don't round a sharp edge off the bolt body. There's a vid on this at http s://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1dzc9dYhw0 .
As for the mags, you're right about the "push and twist" thing, but you'll get it down after a while. You can take them apart - carefully so it doesn't sproing apart - and 'unwind' the spring just 1/2 rotation. It'll still work fine and be a little easier to load. And I took a file to mine (I have 4) and 'broke the corners" where you've got that sharp edge. It helps reducing the pain :rolleyes:.
BTW, I've found that SV shoots more accurately than HV like the Mini-Mags and SK Flat Nose SV has been the best so far.
Hope these tips help you - Enjoy !
Here's a pic :
https://i.postimg.cc/Ghs97c7h/Sav-B22-Mags-New-Mod-1.jpg (https://postimg.cc/jLtsCrYG)
https://i.postimg.cc/1zMzn4tM/Sav-B22-Mag-Mod-1.jpg (https://postimg.cc/2qbYgknB)

[GNAP]

thanks for the info

I shoot the CCI HP mini-mags as the only ammo allowed in the league I’m in. We all shoot the same target (down loaded Targetz.com) and the same ammo, CCI HP mini-mags, to keep the shooting cheap and to level the playing field, to where it’s the down to the shooter and his (or hers) rifle.

As I bought the Savage to shoot in the league, as a back-up to or may be a future replacement for my Ruger Precision Rimfire, there is no real sense for me to shoot or practice with ammo I can not use in the league.

[J.Baker]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A94bmvgFhP0&t=1s

[GNAP]

Thank You for the video

the best luck I’ve had so far is bring the round in at about a 10-15 degree angle push down a twist in one motion. I tried like the video showed, but it did not work as shown, probably user error, hopefully it will come with practice.

[GNAP]

After 3 trips to the range, 300-400 rounds later, it becoming a lot easier.

[Fasteddie01]

Just to follow up on loading, I did the "Unwind 1/2 turn" mod and now can load one handed (just to show I can). I made a Y-T vid showing this -
(https://youtu.be/6FxNO353nNE)http s://youtu.be/6FxNO353nNE - " One Handed Loading Savage Rotary Mag "

The mod only takes about 10 minutes and there is a description of this on RFC, too. Under my login name.