How To Remove Your Blind Mag Body and Follower (SF and CF)
Every once in a while somebody posts up the question "How do I Remove my blind mag?" or "Do I have a Centerfeed or a Staggerfeed?". While blind mag removal is pretty straight forward, I do know the feeling of worrying that you might break something and a little instruction could help.
Now first to clarify, the Centerfeed Blind Mags stay inside the stock when your action is removed from the stock. The Staggerfeed Blind Mags are attached to the action and will come out with the action when removed from the stock.
Centerfeed Blind Mag Removal
Here you can see the CF mag body and follower still installed into the stock. Notice the location of the silver tab of the "L" clip is down inside the notch over the pillar in the stock.
http://i747.photobucket.com/albums/x...ps68e80726.jpg
To remove the magazine from the stock, insert a flat blade screwdriver under the "L" clip. Careful not to bend the tab. A little flexing of the tab is normal but you want to be sure you get the tip of the blade all the way against the back of the "L" clip as indicated by the arrow. Now rotate the screwdriver to start lifting the magazine out of the stock. Be sure to twist the driver and not to pry with the driver as you may bend or damage the "L" clip. Now just lift out the magazine.
http://i747.photobucket.com/albums/x...ps3a57650d.jpg
Here is what the magazine looks like out of the stock and is placed in order to be re-installed into the stock. To re-install just insert the "L" clip back into its slot and with the follower inside the mag body just push it back into the stock until the mag and clip are fully to the bottom. Often time you will feel a slight pop as it seats back in.
http://i747.photobucket.com/albums/x...psbf48811a.jpg
Staggerfeed Blind Mag Removal
Here we have shown the bottom view of a SF action with the mag body still attached. I had already removed the follower as it just sits inside the mag body and becomes loose when the action is removed from the stock.
http://i747.photobucket.com/albums/x...ps6eda69e9.jpg
Now I like to grip over the bottom of the mag body with the inside of my knuckles over the mag body and my fingers placed at the upper arrow and my thumb and base of my palm at the lower arrow.
http://i747.photobucket.com/albums/x...ps95102910.jpg
Now with a flat blade screwdriver inserted as indicated by the arrow and a decent grip on the mag body, twist (don't pry) the screw driver to force the tab of the magazine out of the slot. Sometimes it may take a little bit to get a feel for how to apply pressure to get the tab to pop out.
http://i747.photobucket.com/albums/x...ps85af6cbf.jpg
Once it pops free the mag will fall away from the action as shown.
http://i747.photobucket.com/albums/x...ps90db2aff.jpg
Now to re-install the mag onto the action, start one tab into its slot (reverse of above picture) and then using your flat blade again push in (orange arrow), and using your support hand squeeze the mag in (purple arrow).
http://i747.photobucket.com/albums/x...psf094e703.jpg
Now its all snapped back into place and ready to go back into the stock.
http://i747.photobucket.com/albums/x...ps1efcd08d.jpg
Here are some articles and threads that will give you additional information on magazine styles and when Savage switched from SF to CF.
http://www.savageshooters.com/conten...azine-Timeline
http://www.savageshooters.com/conten...Feed-Magazines
http://www.savageshooters.com/conten...Action-Lengths
Hopefully some of that helps and makes it a bit easier for your first attempt at a magazine change.
Thanks.