Curious about action quality

I read an article that stated Savage 110 actions made from the mid '80's to early '90's compare unfavorably to those made after '08. I have a 111 .270 WCF that a very nice lady at Savage told me was made in June of '99.The article didn't say what the difference was for the negative evaluation. Mine , overall , is quite a nice action. Some tool marks in the bolt raceways, but nothing unusual. When i take my time she's a fine shooter. I have no doubts regarding the safety of the action and it more than smooth enough for any hunting rifle. So I'm wondering what the issues were and if there is anything that I should be on the look out for in my 6/99 action, Thanks!

What ended up happinging was Savage was heading toward being bankrupt, in the late 1980's early 1990's, and in some instances it shows in the work. (poor machining, parts not lasting/comming apart, ETC) Savage was doing what they could to survive. They produced some guns that was low qulity and some that was very good quality during the time. I have a gun built in 1988 and it is one of the best Savages I have ever owned, when I sent it to SSS for a T&T job, Fred said it was one of the better action he had seen needing little work done to it, to correct it. Savage was on the rebound in the mid to late 1990's when new management came in, and was also the birth of new idea's, and revamping problems. (Some of the new idea's was a true short action, (Model 10) the accu-trigger, and many new models and calibers.) You gun made in 1999 would be part of the rebounding, and would be top notch quality.

In 2008 Savage bought new machining, and used it on the target actions, it was not untill much latter that the other actions was machined on this new maching. Some would say that this new machining makes a better product, from my experince I find that the quality is about the same as the other guns, but still not up to the quality of the guns manufactored prior to the late 80's fall out.

Savage has this new machining that would give them the ability to run better products, but the problem is they are still running off of the old prints that was designed because of the inability of the old machining. Now if savage would revamp the tolerances in the products, and correct geometric problems that was attribitued to needs of the old machining, then they would produce a better product.

Amen brother 82 boy. The tolerances on the bolt heads are an example recently addresed in this forum and had to be done by an outside vendor. Digital controlled machinery can and should be able to creat parts to much tighter tolerances. Better care in keeping tooling (cutters, lathe bits etc.) sharp and in top notch shape is a must.

El Lobo

Thanks for the info! I don't believe my 270 had more than a box or 2 of shells through it when I bought it last November for the outrageous price of $230. She does have one slight issue though. Every load, no matter if its factory or various power level reloads, craters primers.Plenty of radius, but cratered slightly. I think its either a slight defect in the firing pin aperture in the bolt face or insufficient firing pin protrusion. Its not bad, but its there and perhaps the first owner saw the cratered primers and got scared. My good fortune I guess!

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Originally Posted by Muddly

Thanks for the info! I don't believe my 270 had more than a box or 2 of shells through it when I bought it last November for the outrageous price of $230. She does have one slight issue though. Every load, no matter if its factory or various power level reloads, craters primers.Plenty of radius, but cratered slightly. I think its either a slight defect in the firing pin aperture in the bolt face (New bolt faces are relatively inexpensive. Vendors on this site have them as does MidwayUSA and other similar locations)or insufficient firing pin protrusion (Firing pin protrusion can be a relatively easy adjustment by the end user. Do a search on the forum and you should be able to find the information.) . Its not bad, but its there and perhaps the first owner saw the cratered primers and got scared. My good fortune I guess!

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Originally Posted by Muddly

She does have one slight issue though. ...but cratered slightly. I think its either a slight defect in the firing pin aperture in the bolt face or insufficient firing pin protrusion.

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There are a few things that can cause primer cratering, as you have mentioned that the firing pin may need reshaped. If they blanked a primer on an overpressured load, this could cause the firing pin to be scared, and would cause primer cratering for the future.
What I would susupect, is that the bolt head is a bit dished for the polishing process. The hole that the firing pin goes through can be dished or champered in from the polishing process, and this would make the firing pin not fit correctly, and would also cause the cratering process seen. You may need to face the bolt head, or replace it. This is what i would highly suspect.

I would doubt that the firing pin protrusion is short, as many are way longer than they need to be. But it would cause a createring problem, also so would a week firing pin spring. You may also want to check firing pin travel, as this will also cause createring.

Thanks all. Another item I noticed is the feed ramp and lower locking lug area is machined a little differently than most other bolt actions. Usually at the top of the ramp there is( for lack of a better way to describe it) a small ledge. But in my 111 the ramp and the top edge of the lug seat is rather knife edged.I've checked a number of long and short action Savages and most have a bit more metal there as do the 700 Remingtons I looked at and all the Mausers. Only the Model 7 Remmy had the same knife edge. Anything to be concerned about?