1966 Savage 110 question

OK so I picked up a nice Savage 110 with a low 100,000 s/n. So from what I understand made in 1966. From the outside appearance the stock is a blind magazine. Not a detachable magazine model 110C. Yes it's a left handed rifle. Caliber is .243win.

So I took it apart last night to go thru it and check for rust, wipe it down etc...None of the action screws are buggered up etc...so I'm pretty sure it's never been apart. Well when I took it apart there is a detachable type mag set up and what looks like a liner/extension for the blind magazine/follower etc...All looks factory. I have two other Savage 110c and a magazine will not go in at all but if you would take that liner/extension out it would fit.

Any thoughts? Is that the way these came (mid 60's built rifles) with the blind magazines?

The inletting of the stock area is all factory. For kicks I tried to put the barreled action into a stock that is set up for a regular blind magazine and the inlet is different and it will not go in unless you open up the mag well area.

Thanks for looking!

This was one of those cases where they used the parts they had on hand, and adapted parts to make functional rifles. This was about the time they came out with their first version of a hinged floorplate, that was a dismal failure. The latch was incorporated in the floorplate, not the trigger guard like in most other applications. When the rifle was fired, the recoil opened the latch and all the rounds fell out the bottom. Only a few of these actually made it out to customers, and to remedy the problem, the rest of the production got salvaged by converting to a blind magazine. The biggest dilemma was how to utilize all the stocks that had that big through hole for the magazine. The problem was solved by adding the steel cover plate. The deal with the complicated mag set up was a production screw up. Those receivers were originally machined for the detachable mag, using the magazine frame. To make it work as a blind magazine, the bottom cap was removed from the magazine so it would fit the stock, and even then it had to be modified.
Over the years, they have made many engineering blunders, and to salvage production they have always found a way to use the major parts to put together functional rifles.

Sharpshooter, Thanks for the reply.

My guess was along that lines. That it was some transitional thing or trying to make something work.

I want to put the barreled action (with a new barrel on it) into a different stock. Think I'll get a standard blind magazine box and see if i can make it work instead of this all be cobbled together. For $15 for a regular box I'll give it a try.

Later, Frank