Your experience adding a detachable mag to a Savage short action
I have three Savages that all are centerfeed and have the top bolt release and 4.40" spacing and all have shilen varmint contour barrels. I would like to convert 2 of them (i.e. 223 and 308) to AICS style detachable mag systems and would prefer a stock over a chassis. I have searched the forum and my head hurts. I like Boyds and B&C stocks and they are working fine. What has worked for you and please be specific. I talked to CDI and they suggested getting a stock that was already setup up for a DM. However, I don't like how recessed the CDI bottom metal can get. Accurate Mag looks interesting, but I am not sure if it is a true drop in or not. Help!
Accurate Mag BDM installed on the 10 FCP-SR Accustock
I've had my 20" .308 FCP-SR for several years. It is an excellent shooter but the OEM mags, in my rifle, were unsat. Unless pressure was applied to the bottom of the mag, it seemed to sit maybe 1/8th of an inch too low for the bolt to reliably engage and feed the next round. I ran across a gent making reconfigured mags from the OEM's, guaranteed to work. They didn't (I bought three).
Searching for an easy install, not requiring any routing or shipping off the stock or action (This market is very confusing, sadly Remington 700s seem to get 99% of the after-market attention). Locating a kit on Brownells (a 10% off & free shipping ad caught my eye on Christmas) which included one magazine (Your choice, a 5 or 10 round straight feed AICS style), I had to jump on it,
MFG Accurate MAG; "https://www.brownells.com/rifle-parts/receiver-parts/bottom-metals/savage-308-5rd-bottom-metal-and-trigger-guard-sku100008974-73348-101966.aspx?cm_mmc=affiliate-_-Itwine-_-IR-_-57565&utm_content=57565&aid=332675&utm_source=ir&u tm_campaign=itwine&utm_medium=affiliate&source=ir"
The kit arrived several days ago, including two new knurled socket head cap screws with 3/16 Hex heads. Both 1/4-28, a long one (For the middle screw) and short one for the front, both too long. I trimmed them to fit. They are easily & quickly cut off with a Dremel on high speed using a disposable cutoff wheel. BTW, the OEM screws being replaced are button head screws with 5/32" hex heads. The nice thing about the magwell and trigger guard (two pieces) is that they fit snug into the accustock with no special work to relieve any portion of the stock. You will need to use a punch to tap the Savage bottom metal out--easily done, and use a nylon tipped light hammer to snugly seat (bottom out) the new magwell and trigger guard. Savage's trigger guard had a small raised boss on the top of its right side, I don't know what function it served, but after final install without that feature on the new trigger guard everything worked fine.
I wanted to trim the two new screws short enough to ensure there was still clearance to torque them both properly. The third required screw is the one which came with the rifle, reused on the rear of the trigger guard. The third screw is fastened into a polymer piece of the stock—so just make certain it is snug, after torquing your action in.
I didn’t measure the two new screws OAL length or the length of their shanks.
After trimming the longer, for the middle; the shank (from bottom of cap to tip of threads) is 1.798” by micrometer or 1-13/16 by ruler or 45.67 mm.
The front shorter one’s shank was 1.144” or 1-1/8” = 52.21 mm
If you mangle your screws the best place to find replacements is at the nearest Fastenal store. ¼-28 isn’t a common thread pitch. Home Depot had everything but and a hardware store that carries nearly everything didn’t either—but a clerk there referred me to a Fastenal store about two miles away.
The length of both screws is fairly critical; if the front one is too long it will prevent the head of the bolt from locking into battery. I found, before trimming, that with the bolt in place if the front screw was making contact, preventing lock-up, backing off ¼ a turn was enough to provide clearance.
The longest screw,before trimming, protruded into the rear of the receiver about ¼”.
After trimming both screws, I seated them snugly, function checked the weapon, then torqued each 20 inlbs at a time, finishing the middle screw at 40 inlbs and the front screw at 45 inlbs.
Function checked again, then snugged up the OEM rear screw, then loaded the Accurate Mag AICS magazine and made sure that it fed and ejected some brand new match grade cartridges.
The torque specs used were found to result in the best accuracy with the rifle when new. Next trip to the range may require adjustments.
Hopefully this post will be of some value to another shooter wanting to replace their Savage magazines with the highly reliable AICS style. I was apprehensive about making the switch, but excepting the screws needing trimmed, it is a simple task.
The new position of the mag release is another bonus, my mag drops freely when the lever is pressed forward. The rifle's release is top, and the distance between the screws is 4.4 inches. I considered changing stocks or going to a chassis system, but decided the Accustock is a good platform, I just wanted reliable magazines.
