Savage Model 12 chamber leade

So I own a model 12 Savage varmint which I bought in '04. I absolutely love the rifle and it has consistently shot excellent groups out to 300 meters to which it's the farthest I have shot this. I've reloaded for this almost since the time I bought it. My go to bullet is the 69 gr SMK, my rifle is rifled 1 in 9"
so the 69's are great. So I recently got stocked back up after being out for a while of the bullets and I acquired some new tools for case prep. So I was measuring the throat leade in the chamber ad have been astonished to find how long the leade is. I used to load the rounds to a overall
length just short enough to fit in the magazine. I know wanted to find out actually how close I was to the rifling and come to find out I was no where close. I don't have the measurements in front of me as I type this but I know that I loaded the rounds I shot today to an OAL of 2.40". I know they don't fit I. The mag well and I single
loaded them and they shot just as good as any others. I want to say my measurement to the lands was 2.76" and in order to get good retention on the bullet by the case I loaded these to 2.40". I noted though after I shot these the case neck got extremely dirty and stained with the gases from the fired round. The entire neck (exterior) was almost entirely stained black. Has anyone notes this before. Is anyone else finding these long throats in the Savages? I've searched this site and the web and others have states theirs were long too but looking for some comments. Thanks

You loaded to a COAL of 2.40 and the lands are .360 further out?

Savage .223 chambers have a minimum of .100 freebore, and I have found as much as .230". Don't sweat the length... it's the diameter that's important. Just because you can't touch the lands doesn't mean it won't shoot. Mine shoots bug holes with .070" jump.

...Went through this on my 12f in 6.5x284... To the point that if I wanted to use 120 bergers they would just barley seat when set up to touch lands.

If it shoots where it's at that's what counts , if you feel it'd shoot better setting them up long but are torn because you know they won't feed there's a solution... Remove b\a , remove and discard follower , fabricate a false floor to fill the void on action floor and fill the void in the stock with devcon .... lol

So I went and measure as I said I didn't have the measurements on hand when I was typing that last. The measurement to the lands is 2.04" measured with a comparator and I am seating my bullets to 2.01" with a COAL of 2.40". It shot good today and has been an exceptional shooter, sub-MOA through it's life so far. I think I was just a little shocked is all as to the jump is has to make but apparently ole Savage sets up this way, or according to the info I've read. I was just trying to see if it was worth trying to get the "jump" as short as possible but may just say "if it ain't broke then don't fix it"!! I may cerro-safe the chamber just to get a picture of what I'm dealing with

I will probably just go back to seating the bullets to a depth that just fits the mag and leave it at that. It shot just fine then so as long as I prep the cases and take my time loading, and take care of the weapon things will be fine. I am a true believer in Savage, My grandfather owned them and I do to this day. They are an awesome piece of machinery right out of the box and I preach the good word on Savage to everyone I run into (who will listen anyway!) Thanks for the replies, and as long as this seems to be in line with other's experience and it shoots good I'm good with it.