Differences between older actions and barrels vs. newer actions and barrels?

Other than the long action vs. short action stuff, were there any significant differences between old vs. new? i.e. Did Savage change anything manufacturing-wise that would make a newer barrel or action more desirable than an earlier barrel or action?

Staying with the 110 series...
Some actions had scope bases cast with the receiver and they tended to be crooked.
Some had bases soldered on.
The bolt head / cross pin on older guns was rotated 90 degrees
They had triggers with adj sears
If there is a swell in the barrel for the rear site, they used a totally different recessed bolt head. and barrel assembly.

Yes there was a some changes that make the older guns less desirable than the newer guns, and vise a versa.

The first thing that come to mind on the old guns, was for many ,many years have ground the backs of the receivers making them flat. This operation has done by hand, and many times they was ground crooked. The older guns used a three piece sear which was common for them to come apart. The first guns from 58 (Till about 66, if I remember right) used a different bolt head and a recessed cut into the barrels as mentioned by Blue Avenger. The older 3 screw trigger was better than the newer triggers. The higher end guns had a nicer deep blue finished. Talking to Fred at SSS he said that the older guns was machined better, and needed less work.

The only thing that comes to mind that the newer actions is that they stopped grinding the backs of the receivers, and the scope bases site straighter. The accu-trigger is an improvement over the older triggers, I would prefer it if I was shooting a factory class. The newer one piece sear is an improvement. That is about all. The use the same barrels, and parts for the most part. The biggest downside on the newer stuff is the price.

some pics of the older models. hard to see, but the first 110s also had a different trigger & sear and the barrel was recessed for the bolt


[img width=312 height=450]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v675/gcidso123/savage/earlytrigger.jpg[/img]
[img width=325 height=450]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v675/gcidso123/savage/early110.jpg[/img]
[img width=316 height=450]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v675/gcidso123/savage/earlysavage110.jpg[/img]
[img width=314 height=450]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v675/gcidso123/savage/110savage2.jpg[/img]

right click / view image to inlarge

these came from "Bolt action rifles", 4 edition